Rookie Question

[Bullie]

Cant or don't cant the bow?  Benefits or canting?  Drawbacks?

If I cant the bow, I will not be able to use my most familiar contact with the sting at anchor.  I usually touch the end of my nose to the string.  You guys that cant the bow, what do you use to confirm anchor?

Just purchased a Dakota from a fellow TradGanger and want to get a good start with it.

[lpcjon2]

I shoot split finger and shoot instinctive, the corner of my mouth is my anchor . I can cant the bow and still hit my anchor. Canting the bow has a few benefits visually it decreases the distance between you and the target, and can help keep the arrow on the rest.

  If you post this in the shooters forum on the main page more savy targeteers will give you a ton of answers.

[eminart]

I am a complete newbie myself, but I believe that you're supposed to cant your head and body if you cant your bow. So, theoretically, everything should line up the same as if you're upright.

[Tree Killer]

I cant the bow and my middle finger touches the corner of my mouth. I shoot split finger.

[straitera]

Don't know many that dont cant their bows. How much...who knows? IMHO, you;ll soon discover a slot position that feels right time after time. My index finger anchors in the corner of my mouth & I shoot 3-finger split instinctive & never see my arrow when drawing.

Canting is especially beneficial for hunting where you'll need to bend, lean, or otherwise prepare for the shot opportunity. Would suggest against shooting straight up.

[Bjorn]

Especially when hunting your bow may wind up in all kinds of angles avoiding brush, sitting, kneeling, laying down etc. Practice it all. Where your head is and what angle it is at may or may not have any relation to the bow. Practice anything you may encounter. It won't all be standing with bow vertical I can assure you.    

[Bullie]

I guess the verticle hold is from shooting really short axle to axle bows for so long. (It's hard to see through a peep sight with the bow canted.)

I coach my school's achery team and I guess I am used to shooting that way with my compound hunting bow and the sightless competition compounds we use at school.  

I think I must have canted the bow but not my head as much yesterday.  I usually touch the string to the tip of my nose.  I may need to find another point of reference/contact.

[Inder]

Hi,

I shoot a Samick recurve and I have noticed that my shooting is more accurate and groups are tight when I cant my bow but my draw length gets a bit shorter. When I shoot bow straight in Target shooting manner then I am not very accurate but my draw length increases.

I am not sure how much difference in the draw length but it is there. I am going to video my shooting one of these days and see really how much the difference in draw length is.

Regarding anchor, I still hit corner of my mouth irrespective of canting or straight shooting.

-Inder

[battman]

When I try canting mine I seem to shoot high.