Hitting to the left

[Ryan Bahn]

Hi everyone I'm new,
 I am a right handed shooter, 55# @28" bear longbow shooting heritage 250's at 30" with 5" shield cuts and 150 grain Wensel Woodsmans. I shoot 3 under and my arrows fly good, but they always hit 2-4 inches to the left, up and down they are fine. I can't train my eye/aim to the right. I have tuned somewhat with Adcock's tuning method, can anyone help?

[flatlander37]

Ryan, I'm still new at this myself, but to me it sounds like your arrows are still too stiff spined and group left according to Adcock's method.  Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

[Pete Darby]

It could be many things.  Stiff arrows, faulty release, cross eye dominance, doing something wrong with the bow arm.  The best thing is to try to get someone knowledgeable to critique your form.  They might spot what you can't see.

[Al Dean]

Sometimes I just start shooting to the left and it really frustrates me.  I alway go get a different arrow, cedar alum ect.  If I am shooting it left also, then I am the problem.  If it does not go left then I start adjusting the arrow that was.  It is very difficult to make a proper correction until you know for sure the problem.

[Jeremy]

Originally posted by Ryan Bahn:
I have tuned somewhat with Adcock's tuning method

When you shoot a mixed batch of arrows (some with broadheads and some with matched-weight field points) where do the arrows group in relation to each other?

If they group the same, then the problem lies with you.  If the broadheads are grouping to the left then you're overspined and need to add point weight or get longer arrows.

[GroundHunter]

I shoot mixed arrows all the time at 15-20 yards.
all are spined OK for my bow, but have disffernt materials (aluminum, cedar, ash, lamintaed birch) and vary 1.5 inches in length, and point weights from 100gr to 140 gr.

Ok, If I shoot with correct form, I find these arrows grouping in 2 inches or less at 20 yards.
Easily group well enough to keep 'em on a tennis ball.

But, for a long time I thought I had over-spined arrow (in spite of the charts and recommendation) because of shooting left.

It was me bow-arm. Not keeping it on target 'til the arrow hits. Follow through. If I don't focus to hold that bow arm on target 'til the arrow hits, I shoot left. Maybe 18 inches at 20 yards!

Even a brief lapse can push you left on release as you let that bow arm cast left.

OK, I fix it by keeping my eye-mental focus on target "own the target" 'til the arrow hits. Just follow it in, and my bow arm stays on target without me trying to hold it still. It's not about a stiff or rigid bow arm. It's about keeping all focus, including the bow arm on the spot as a follow through. Mostly mental focus.

Try that, and see if the arrows spine better. Provided they are spined right to start with.

[Shawn Leonard]

Groundhunter, if you shoot that well you are the best we have on here. The guys at the worlds cannot keep every arrow in a tennis ball at 20 yards everytime. A well tined bow does ya no good, if ya do not have well tuned arrows. Shawn

[KodiakBob]

How tight are your nocks, if they are too tight the arrow will hit left.

[Ryan Bahn]

Hey guys thanks for the advice. Since this was posted a while ago I've added 100 grains up front and loosened my nocks as well as canted my bow a little more. I'm shooting a lot better and my bareshafts fly the same. So I think my bow is tuned and i look forward to honing it in better.