Cant hit target at dusk or indoors...

[blind one]

I'm learning to shoot trad. I'm starting to get decent groups at 10 yards now. I am shooting bare bow. When I'm shooting I can see the arrow in my vision but I just look at where I want to hit. The arrow is just kinda there. I was at the indoor range yesterday and its kind of dark inside. I couldnt come close. I shot outside today and everything was fine. I went out at dusk and couldnt come close again.I put a piece of white tape on the end of the shaft and all was good again. What am I doing wrong? How do I correct this problem?...Thanks Roy

[Bear #20R]

what color are your shafts. One of the guys on Masters of the Barebow volume one paints his shafts grey because even though he shoots instinctive he needs to see the arrow even in low light conditions.

[vermonster13]

Split vision shooting is common. I do the same I align the arrow/gap with a glance and then concentrate on my spot.

[blind one]

I have the autumn orange xx75's.

[Shaun]

Don't hunt at dusk (or indoors) for now. Really, you may be just suffering from inconsistency that will improve with practice. You are doing fine, keep at it.

[blind one]

I'm a long ways from hunting yet. The last thing I want to do is wound a deer and not find it. I will use my compound for deer hunting this year. I wont take my recurve to the woods until I'm comfortable. Can I paint a white stripe on the end of the shaft or will this mess me up in the long run?

[LATradHunter]

I shoot every night underneath the nightlight at my house.  Ill set my 3D deer target up in the shadows to simulate low light conditions then get to where Im in the dark about 15 yards away and start sendin em into the vitals.  It's become a nightly ritual    I've seen some guys take those easy-apply fluorescent green crestings and put at the end of their arrows.  I shoot split vision too, and dont really look at my arrow in low light, i focus on my hand in relation to the target...just keep practicing, it'll come to you as long as you maintain good form

[Dave Bulla]

"just keep practicing, it'll come to you as long as you maintain good form."

My thoughts exactly.  Especially with emphasis on the good form.  DO NOT get caught up in the trap of thinking you have to shoot fast, shouldn't "aim", or that you can anchor or draw sloppily and still hit.  Common misconceptions in many cases when new shooters are trying to learn instinctive shooting.  Work on consistent form, a solid repeatable anchor and a rock solid bow arm.  A smooth release and good follow through are needed too.  When you can shoot with all aspects of form executed correctly without much consious thought, your accuracy will just start to come on it's own.  You'll also be able to start messing around shooting from awkward positions and doing more of the "instinctive" stuff but you HAVE to get proper form ingrained first.

Realize too that for some people it may take several years.  Just depends on how serious you are about proper shot execution.  The more emphasis you put on proper form to start, the fewer bad habbits you will pick up and the fewer things you will have to relearn a year or two from now when those bad habbits are ingrained.  Trust me, I know about that part all to well....

[s_mcflurry]

If you had to write a summary of instinctive shooting you couldn't top what Dave just wrote.  It's all about good form and repetition.

I started archery with a barebow many years back but wasn't able to get frequent and consistent practice in.  Only recently, I've committed to practicing at all costs and there's finally glimpses of things coming together...groupings at 20 and 30 yards.  I was fortunate in that I had a great teacher in the beginning to instill good form in me, which stayed with me through the years.

So, try to find someone who can guide you, get lots of practice in, and those arrows will go exactly where you point...whether or not you see the arrow.

[wingnut]

I know quite a few guys that gap shoot (split vision) that paint the top to the BH white so that they see it in low light.  It works well for them.  Nothing wrong with doing the end of the shaft either, if it helps.

Don't get stuck on having to shoot instinctive.  There are a lot of great shots that gap shoot or even use sights.  They are all traditional on a trad bow.

Mike

[blind one]

Thanks guys, I painted the last inch of 3 arrows last night and tried them this am. It made a big difference. I have also figured out that LESS is more on learning. I have noticed that if I start to get tired that I'm leaning my head in to get my anchor(buzzed my nose with string..OUCH). I have cut back on how many arrows I shoot each time and am taking a little longer between groups. I'm trying not to think too much while shooting.If I worry about one thing then I know I'm messing up somewhere else..

[wingnut]

Now you've done hit the secret to good shooting.  DON'T THINK!!

Every bad shot I have is the result of my head getting in the way.

Try thinking about throwing a baseball sometime.  Don't happen.

Mike

[BLACK WOLF]

Originally posted by blind one:
I have cut back on how many arrows I shoot each time and am taking a little longer between groups. I'm trying not to think too much while shooting.If I worry about one thing then I know I'm messing up somewhere else..

Just as wingnut mentioned...you've just figured out one of the key secrets to accurate shooting.

Eiminating worry or doubt from your thoughts. Don't think about it.

Whenever you are shooting...you don't want to fill your brain with ton's of thoughts. It's best to focus and concentrate on less than more so your focus and concentration can be more intense on the specific goal at hand.

In practice...you never should shoot while being fatigued to the point your form and shot execution suffers and you should usually focus on one aspect at a time that you're trying to improve upon.

Ray  

[shortstroke 91]

I also paint the last inch of the shaft for low light times and I've found that shooting in low light really makes me focus on a spot. Since I can barely see what I'm shooting @ it seems like my focus is more concentrated.