Shooting in the dark

[Ravenhood]

I"m shooting instintive in the dark at 15 yards with the only light being a flashlight pointed at the middle of the target. I consistantly shoot 5 inches low and 2 inches right. I dont shoot there in daylight. Anybody else not shoot were there looking in the dark. Thanks Mark.

[capt eddie]

Use something smaller than the beam of light.  A golf ball size of foil works good.  How close is the arrow to your hand.  Elevated rest or off the shelf?

[Ravenhood]

Thank you capt eddie.  Shelf, arrow is right on top of my hand, I even switched from my center cut recurve to a les than center cut long bow, same result. I can see the silhouette of my hand and bow . The light beam is about the size of a golf ball.

[turkeyslayer]

try lighting a small birthday candle & shooting at it in complete darkness,dont be surprised how tight your group will most likely be around it. good way to practice,sure can focus on that candle.

[BamBooBender]

Get a cheap laser pointer. Wally world sells one for three dollars that has  a magnet on the back end and a small LED on a flex cable.

[BLACK WOLF]

Ravenhood,

I have yet to meet someone who can shoot as good or better in the dark, so your senario is common.

The reason why that is...is because our sight picture still plays a huge roll in our accuracy even though an instinctive shooter references it within their subconscious.

A key training tool is to do exactly what you are doing but to do it near a light switch or have someone turn it on inbetween every shot or every 2 or 3 shots so you can see where you are hitting and than try and make adjustments.

What this does is help teach proprioception through visual feedback faster than shooting 3 arrows, walking up to the target and than pulling them and than walking back to your shot distance and starting all over again.

Ray