Instictive Distance Shooting?

[A. C. Nielsen]

First of all I want to say I'm fairly new to traditional archery (about 2 months of daily shooting), as well as this forum, and this is the first topic I've started here so please forgive my possible ignorance.  I am as of right now shooting strictly instinctively, with what I feel to be pretty good accuracy (10-15yds 2-6" groups and past 15 to 25 or so yards 3-10" giving the day I'm having). But when I get out much past 25 yards I'm having a hard time with any real kind of accuracy. At 30 or so yards I'll have a kill zone shot once and my next shot will be 3 area codes over lol.  I've heard ya'll talk about gap shooting when at a real distance, but I wanted to know if anyone is shooting past 25 or so yards instinctively?

[Terry Green]

Originally posted by A. C. Nielsen:
First of all I want to say I'm fairly new to traditional archery (about 2 months of daily shooting),  

There is your answer.....you haven't had the time to program your brain for the site picture at further distances....it doesn't happen over night.

Hint....use BRIGHT fletching....that will train your bain better as you will pick up the trajectory much easier, and you brain will capture a much sharper image of what's happening.

[McDave]

I shoot instinctively at distances up to 30 yards or so, where the arrow point is enough below my target that I don't notice it.

At some point, which for me is about 40 yards, the arrow point blots out the target (my point-on distance).  I don't see how I could ignore the arrow bloting out the target at 40 yards, or stated conversely, if I'm shooting at a target about 40 yards away, I expect to see the arrow blotting out the target.  At 50 yards, it should be about a yard over the target.  I've just shot long enough that I know that information, and knowing that, I can't say that I shoot instinctively at distances where the arrow tip is an obvious part of my sight picture.

And knowing that, I can learn from where my first arrow hits, and by changing the orientation of the arrow tip to the target, place my second arrow more accurately than the first, just like Howard Hill did, unless I blow my form, which of course Howard Hill didn't.

I'm not saying that no one shoots instinctively at distances around their point-on.  I've seen where those arguments go, and it ain't pretty.  I'm just saying that if it looks like a 40 yard shot, I expect to see my arrow point on the target, slightly above for a 45 yard shot, etc.  Even if I didn't know what "40 yards" was, I would still expect to see my arrow point on the target at a certain distance to the target (which I know is 40 yards).  I can't ignore that information; maybe others can.

[A. C. Nielsen]

thanks for the info guys! Terry, I kind of figured that where this was going to end up...with me simply just not having enough practice to develop an "instinct" to shoot at that distance.  The arrows I'm using now are fletched white which I know isn't the brightest but I do find them pretty easy to follow. Thanks for your input as well Dave, I have very much noticed the tip of my arrow entering my site picture at greater distance.

[Terry Green]

White is good....I really like chartruese....

 

[Kevin Winkler]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
White is good....I really like chartruese...

Whoa! Terry, I think I need my sunglasses    

[graysquirrel]

Dadgum Terry, does a siren and little bells come with those????

and can you shoot them without sunglasses or a good quality set of horse blinders on???

(They are pretty though)

[Terry Green]

Guys....those fletches have been myh best friend for a long long time.

I mostly turn them flo orange...but the times that I don't, along with the 10" wraps, tells me a lot about my hit as the animal flees.

Also on those times if the arrow breaks off or works its way back out, it can easily be found along the blood trail...and may even lead me to the blood trail being able to spot it from a distance.

I use a good quality fletch cover to hide them while I'm hunting.

There is a reason that walleye hit the chartreuse jigs best in the deep dirty waters of south Dakota, they can see them. I like the way it holds it color in low light conditions.  I have been thinking about adding color to my shafts on the end like Swineheart did, just so I don't have to wonder where  it is. Even if it a close shot, it cannot hurt to know it is there.  Anything after 15 minuets of sunset, unless I have snow cover and a light source behind me my range decreases dramatically. In normal conditions in deep woods 15 minutes after sunset, I am done shooting at anything.  I find that longer range shooting requires good light, an unaware target, and lots of current long range field practice to be considered, even then chances are that I won't take a long shot at deer or turkeys.

[cacciatore]

I second Terry on this one:bright arrows and good fletch cover.

[A. C. Nielsen]

yeah Im gona have to say those stick out a little more than my carbon express heritage's with a white fletch lol

[graysquirrel]

Terry, I agree on all the advantages you stated, I use chartreuse also.  But dang dude, you gotta sneak up on those just to put them on the string.

[s_mcflurry]

What's a fletch cover?  Is it a spray that goes on or is it some sort of material that temporarily goes over the fletch?

[Terry Green]

This one was instinctively shot somewhere  between 32 and 35 yards.  I didn't measure it, but that was my estimate.  He was so big I though he was only 20 yards away!

 Fletch Cover Pics

[Ben Maher]

nice job Terry, a dandy buck to be sure [ love those ol' Zephyrs! ] .
I think we underestimate ourselves sometimes in terms of achievable accuracy at longer distances .
good form , time and practice
good form , time and practice
did i mention
good form, time and practice ?

[brinkwolf]

I like'em. I use bright fletch also but you have to keep the extra arrows out of view when not in use. I had my quiver one time hanging on a branch next to me and flagged the heck out of a doe with them.

[trad_bowhunter1965]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
 

Originally posted by A. C. Nielsen:
First of all I want to say I'm fairly new to traditional archery (about 2 months of daily shooting),  

There is your answer.....you haven't had the time to program your brain for the site picture at further distances....it doesn't happen over night.

Hint....use BRIGHT fletching....that will train your bain better as you will pick up the trajectory much easier, and you brain will capture a much sharper image of what's happening. [/b]

Terry is right on the money I have been shooting instinctive for the last two years and I am still learning how to shoot passed 20 yards.

[A. C. Nielsen]

thanks for the advise everyone...I guess I'm gona get to the back yard for some practice practice practice!

[Northwest_Bowhunter]

Not just shooting, look at all kinds of stuff and "shoot it" in your mind.  Of course this is more of a gap shooting technique but it must have instinctive carry over I would imagine.