snap shooters come inside

[Tajue17]

I'm pretty much a snap shooter and my accuracy is very good shooting in this style,, I actually think I hold a second longer than your typical fred bear type of shooter.

so question is have any of you guys ever tried to change your style and train your self to hold longer after say 20yrs of snapping, for hunting purposes we all know that sometimes being able to hold longer is a good benefit.

so this summer I have been trying to hold the bow at full draw for different lengths of time but longer holds imaginging real hunt scenerios that could happen,, I wanted to be more versitle with the bow if needed and still maintain accuracy BUT I think it screwed me up a bit and actually set me back a few years!  

I notice my accuracy is lacking a bit and the only thing I can think of is its because my muscles have been forced to hold longer and now for instance my bow arm shakes sometimes and I really doubt its panic I think its more my arm and back muscles are jumpy.

wondering if any of you tried this before and experienced this and if so did you beat it or did you just go back to how you always shot and move on.

[fnshtr]

Ted... I've done the opposite. I noticed many good shooters shooting quickly and tried emulating them. My problem was my anchor is a double one and I need to really "lock in" to it. The quick shooting didn't give me the time I felt I needed. The difficulty I have shooting slower is that it takes time to develop a good release. At least it was for me.

If it works for you... you may want to stick to what you are doing. That is what I have done.

I'm sure you will get much better advice from those more experienced.

Good luck!

[Terry Green]

I snap shoot...but can hold if the game dictates....

I also will begin to 'let down' slowly if need be and start to re-draw as the window opens again.

[McDave]

The main reason for loss of accuracy when holding is loss of back tension.  If you video yourself when holding and play it back in slo-mo, you can see if your string hand creeps forward just before you release. If it does, then you know what to work on.

[Tajue17]

terry thats what I'm hoping for but I lose focus on the spot I'm not sure,,,, McDave back tension,,, funny you mentioned that because I never thought I had good back tension or possibly didn't use it at all  

I'll concentrate more on BT and see if anything changes

[Ron Vought]

The trick to so called snap shooting is doing it consistently and in my case I need to establish a rear anchor every time to be effective. I do have some issues with target panic that I am working on but if I hold for 2-3 seconds I just can't shoot accurately. Don't know why it just doesn't work for me. I pull back touch the corner of my mouth and release the arrow. If I do everything consistently the arrow finds its mark.

Ron

[Ron Vought]

I went full circle from last year to this year but made some improvement with my shooting. I tried to anchor and hold for 2-3 seconds and soon discovered that wasn't for me. I employed the use of a clicker and wasn't sure about what I was trying to accomplish. I went back to pulling back and touching the corner of my mouth in one fluid motion and would hit the intended target on almost every shot. Now if I didn't anchor the arrow could end up almost anywhere. What I learned from the whole experience is that consistency is the key. Draw, come to anchor and release. My bow arm being solid was also the key to better accuracy. I must admit that along the way I did learn some things that did help me so all wasn't lost.

Ron

[hvyhitter]

I normally shoot 60 to 70# bows with a nice fluid touch and go release with great accuracy but when I shoot my daughters 45# that I can hold forever my mind short circuts and doesnt want to release so target panic sets in. One hour with the light bow and it took 3 days to get my form back........

[wvtradbow]

Been a snap shooter all my life 35yrs of shooting and trying desperately to change a little,I feel that although I can "sometimes" shoot pretty well,I just can't seem to keep it together for a full 30 target course,things start to fall apart,short draw classic target panic so then I have to come back to my back yard course and put things back together again.I feel I have no control over the shot,once I'm in motion,its gone and I hate that feeling.Long story short,I do well in the yard not so well with friends on the course..

[charles m]

Thanks.  This isn't the leather wall, and I'm glad you all keep it that way.  And that threads are kept on topic.  No reason to add negativity to someone's thread.

[Tajue17]

I spent over 15yrs on the *********** and thats the reason I left it always turned into a debate and then you'd have rivals and it got stupid,, plus alot of my buddys stopped posting all together,,

back on topic-->  I'ts good to hear Its not just me with the versatility issue when it comes to holding,, I found yesterday that the first few arrows are pretty good say 6" @ 20yds with a recurve after holding 3-5 seconds and with my longbows I think I'm within an 8" circle if I try to hold for 3 seconds,, normally a recurve I'm a 3" group and longbow I'm 4-6 with good wood arrows.

I think its muscles,, it acts like panic but I think its the muscles saying C'mon man let it go!   one time I bought a 70lb bow just because someone said to get an "Excercise Bow"  they said just draw slow and hold for as long as you can in the house several times a night,,, I did this and my shooting got so bad I litterly stopped going to 3D's because I was losing all my arrows or wounding every 3D target, this is after consistantly placing in the top 3 at local shoots and even making the 3rd round in McMahons version of the eagle eye at Denton hill by snap shooting,, But because I couldn't hold the string back for a long time when hunting if the moment called for it I did spook alot of deer!!!

[Terry Green]

Dang....whadImiss?????    :rolleyes:      :rolleyes:      :rolleyes:      

Seems like snap shooting threads always want to get sniped one way or another by non-snappers.  But snap shooters don't run snipe gap shooters...least here they don't.  Must be the constant confusion over the mental issue of target panic and the style of shooting called snap shooting.

Anyway,  Tajue17, see the form clock thread featured at the top.  Something there may help regardless how you aim.  Proper alignment is more important than how you aim....it will help with accuracy no matter the aiming method.

[Scott Barr]

For me McDave nailed it. I can get to pretty good accuracy while holding 3 - 5 seconds at anchor as long as I am mindful of keeping back tension upon release. Very easy to collapse a little before release, which makes for inconsistent shots. Conversely, it is easier to snap shoot and not loose back tension, but harder to make sure site picture has developed. As a hunter I think there are times when one has to be able to shoot both ways.

[joe skipp]

You need to develop a shooting style that your comfortable with. Whether it's Snap shooting, holding for a few seconds, using double anchor on the face, slow drawing the arrow or getting the arrow back quickly.

Find something your comfortable with, stick with and improve that style as much as you can.

[Terry Green]

Like Joe said....I snap, but do incorporate a double anchor...it may not look like it, but I do.  I aim well before I draw, so I get on target way before I release....but that's ME.  Gotta find what works for you.

Hang in there and stay after it!!!

   

[jackdaw]

I'm a snap shooter as well. I ALSO tried to hold longer after achieving anchor...but the minute I "hesitate" and try holding for another second or two, my WHOLE shot goes right to pieces...???? To me, I start "aiming"....focusing....before I begin the draw sequence and the shot must happen in one fluid sequence. I have tried moving up close to the backstop...(bale), and closing my eyes and drawing to full draw anchor.....index finger to corner of mouth and hen feather to tip of my nose... for a count of five then slowly lowering the draw.That works fine. I've even counted to five then released...once again with eyes closed....BIG BACKSTOP. But do it at a target 8-20 yards with open eyes.....immediate release..!!!! 30 years of baseball...I never once fielded a ball and at full arm "cocked" extension paused...looked Harder at my intended target, then thrown the ball....that would have been ridiculous..??? it  It all must happen in one synchronized, fluid motion. Breaking this shooting mode to a "hold it" scenario is maddening...!!!