Snapshooting really a bad thing

[Scout 52]

Hi I'm very new to trad shooting. Although I've been shooting a compound for twenty years. But I've been bitten buy the trad bug. So here is my question and findings. My groups are smaller when I draw the bow hit my anchor and release in one motion. No pausing at full draw. Now when I draw the bow hit my anchor and pause at full draw it seems to me i can't get as smooth of a release and my groups suffer. I shoot instinctive and I think the reason I shoot better is because of I hand coordiniation. I was a shortstop in college and throwing a base ball is alot like shooting instinctive. I never paused to throw the ball across the infield. I just fielded it and in one smooth motion saw my target and released the ball to first base. Not saying that drawing and pausing is a bad thing. I think it works for some people and not others.. Any comments

Ryan

[Scott J. Williams]

I have known just a few in my forty plus years of shooting a bow that were true snap shooters. They were good, very good.  Having said that, it is the exception rather than the norm.

It would appear that you are not getting the good back tension that is a desired effect regardless of the method of shooting a bow.

I find, just my opinion, that release problems are problems that seem to go away when we do the other things we should do in the shot process.

We don't release the string, we loose the string.  One is an act of trying to get rid of the string, the other is letting the bow limbs take the stirng from our fingers.  It is just as simiple as relaxing the back of hand.

It will happen when we put total focus on the what we are shooting, slightly pushing on the bow, toward the target we want to it, and keeping everything lined up. That is to say, the elbow of the drawing hand, with the arrow, which should be in alingment with the spot we want to hit.  If you do those things, release problems will vanish overnight.

Regarding snap shooting, I too am an instinctive shooter, who in recent months have purposely began to hold longer in the shot.  

This has increased my ability to hit much, much better.  I do the same thing I did before, I just do it in three seconds as opposed to the one or two seconds before.

I practice a lot,  hunting gear,  hunting conditions.  I have killed four of five game animals that I took running shots on.  I don't practice running shots alot.  You will adapt to the hunting situation.  

I am concerned that you may start to develope what we call, "target panic' or "freezing" which is the inabilty to come full draw.  It can be best avoided by not shooting bows too heavy, and coming to full draw with good back tension, or positive pull through.

Much has been written in this forum about such things, I am sure you can find them.  I hope this helped, welcome to the ranks of traditional bowhunting, and if I may be of service please drop me a line.

[woodchucker]

I started shooting recurve bows back when I was a kid in the 1960's,hunted with recurves during the 1970's,switched to compounds in the 1980's(I sot them "bare bow" without sights) then gave up bowhunting in the late 80's because I just didn't "like" the compounds and I couldn't easily find "traditional" equipment.

FFWD - 1999

I contact Joe Skipp,the owner of Renegade Archery and a sponsor here on TradGang.I buy a used 55# Bear Kodiak Magnum and a dozen cedar arrows and I step "back in time".....It's just like the 1970's all over again!!!!! BTW,Joe and I have become very good friends over the next few years.

Several years ago,I read an artical in the TBM by Dennis Kamstra about "snap shooting". Sounds pretty good,so I go out in the back yard and give it a try.Over the next few days I become VERY good at hitting the target!!!!! WOW!!!!! This works pretty good!!!!!

UNTIL.....

A few years later,I go up to the "Tollgate Traditions" indoor 3-D tornament.There,I get to see and shoot with some REALLY GOOD shooters.(which I quickly realize I am NOT one of them LOL) I become alittle rattled (more like ALOT!!!!!) and the next thing I know I'm skipping arrows off the floor.....sticking them in the ceiling.....TARGET PANIC!!!!! The problem was two-fold,a combination of a pre-mature release(not hitting my anchor point) and dropping my bow arm.

I have been fighting Target Panic for 3-4 years now. I have to make a concious effort to consistantly hit my anchor point.Many times I try to "dig-in" to the corner of my mouth,but end up with a sloppy/"throwing" release. Sometimes,the string just "slips away" and I never reach my anchor point at all.

Snap-Shooting may work for you.For me it did not.

Good Luck!!!!! May The Great Spirit Guide Your Arrows My Friend

[Flints]

I thought I was a snap-shooter but I really was a guy with some target panic. I saw a video Hitting 'em like Howard Hill where the archer is hitting aspirin tablets out of the air. He reaches anchor and releases - no hold time. I worked at it but it just fed my target panic.I need to reach anchor, get happy with my reference points and then release. I've had no success any other way.

[laddy]

If you shoot better with one continuos motion good for you. the reason may be as said above that when you hold you are losing back tension, but not when you pull to the release.  do what you like best, the only thing that I could warn about is that the tendency is to get increasingly fluid until you get to the point of prereleasing. Just make sure that you have a consistent release point and draw length.

[NDTerminator]

Good if you can do it, few actually can. God bless em' and more power to the guys who can make it work.

IMO, snap shooting is a road that often leads to target panic...

[Three Arrows]

What happened to WoodChucker is what happens to most people who "snapshoot".  Looks like snapshooting when a pro does it but he is doing every single step of the shooting process.  Most people get good for only a little while then end up with target panic like WoodChucker... and myself.  So be warned:  It looks cool to shoot so smooth but it is even better to hit the target.

[Diamond Paul]

As mentioned above, right now you are better "snap-shooting" because you are only using your back when you shoot that way.  You haven't yet learned to reach anchor and then continue to increase back tension until the sting just leaves your fingers subconsciously.  You can never "hold" a bow at anchor; your fingers may stay in a spot (anchor), but you have to be pulling with your back for them to stay there.  Many people try to "hold" at anchor, and don't realize that their hand actually begins to move forward at the release.  Plucking the string is a given if this happens.  Get a light bow and practice coming to anchor and increasing your back tension while at anchor; the shot should just "happen" of it's own free will.  It's best to do this at point blank range with eyes closed, for as long as it takes to retrain the shot sequence.  Eventually, it will become subconscious, and just "happen."  I think you'll like the results.  Good luck, Paul.

[Scout 52]

Thanks for all the input.Actually I'm very aware of "target panic" I've been a master level coach since 2002. And honestly I knew I was kidding myself thinking I was some kind snap shooting master. I guess I just wanted to belive I could get by, But the last few days I noticed myself releaseing before I reach anchor and also dropping my bow arm and making some really bad shots.. Target panic is starting to creep in. So back to shooting close with my eyes closed working on form and follow through...

Ryan

[Brian Krebs]

Fred Asbell pretty much snap shoots; and does it well. If you can do it- do it.

Personally; when I get an elk or deer or bear in front of me- I like to draw back and hold for long enough to see if their are twigs in the way; and that everything looks good to shoot.

 I find when I miss; I sometimes think " I should have taken more time".

 That is the problem with the traditional bow. When you miss; its not a loose nut on the site pin; or a loose this or that; or whatever makes you look at your compound bow... when you miss.

 With traditional archery; if you miss - you get to realise its most likely: the fault of the nut on the string.  

[Terry Green]

If 'shapshooting' leads to target panic, then does holding lead to creep, collapse, and loss of back tension??????

Snap shooting is not the same as target panic.


LOTS OF GREAT SHOOTERS SNAP SHOOT.... Not 'just a few'.

[Terry Green]

Target panic is a MENTAL problem....and Snapshooting is a style of releasing.  No where near the same thing.

For every good bow shooter that holds for a long time...I can show you a very good bowhunter that don't.

Consciously running through a regiment is more like a compound shooter, or a bench rifle shooter.....but that's OK if it works for you.

For other's, like me, the shot is more of an athletic manuver than a methodical process. If I'm on target, no need to stay there less the game dictates that I do.

Some people can drive a rocket to the moon, other's calculate the path.....that's what makes the world go round.

I'm more interested in your alignment....much more important.

[Terry Green]

The old timers that coined the phrase 'snap shooting' or 'snap shooter' that I personaly know/knew, was just phrase to describe a style of shooting.....someone who shot fast without holding, or never stopped pulling. Hll and Pearson were both great shooters, and refered to in those days as snap shooters....seems Fred Bear called himself a snap shooter as well.

As of late, others have miss used that phrase and have put a negative spin on it, mostly by those that don't understand what snap shooting is as deemed by our forefathers......and referring to snap shooting as out of control shooting and leading to target panic.  I just wish some the term snap shooter would quit being miss used.

Target panic is a mental issue, and causes uncontrollable releases....short drawing is also a mental issue, as the one shooting knows they are suppose to come to anchor.

Snap shooting is a style of 'releasing' or shooting, ...target panic, or out of control shooting is a condition.

If snap shooting leads to target panic, I'm a prime candidate, but I've yet to experience it.

I've also seen many that hold panic at release and have no idea where there arrow is going. ....once again, not a problem with 'holding'.... its a mental issue, one of sudden fear.

[Brian Krebs]

I developed target panic by not letting go of the string- because I was trying to make perfect shots in competition.

[Terry Green]

Yep Brian, you can have target panic as a 'holder'.  I've seen folks with it real bad that are afraid to let go.

[NDTerminator]

Terry, I think we can safely assume this is a subject you feel strongly about...   :D

[Diamond Paul]

I never have figured out how instinctive shooters can have target panic.  Seems like it could only happen if you use a specific aiming reference.  Compound shooters are plagued by it, because they can't get the dot to stop moving around the spot; consequently, they never see the perfect sight picture, so they become afraid to shoot, or else "panic punch," just so the fear will go away.  Without a dot or a pin, why do instinctive shooters get target panic?

[laddy]

I was just out shooting my "pignuts'' bow, left and right every other arrow.  If I try to hold with my right hand as long as I hold with my left, about one second.  I am a better left handed shooter. If I bite in the anchor and just let the string slip between my cheek and finger tips, keeping my follow through with the fingers only coming back a little, I am better right handed.  I do notice that I need more of a straight back draw left handed, I feel that robs me of the flexibility I often need when hunting.  Using secondary aiming with this hickory thing I am amazed how low I need to hold at twenty yards with both hands, a bit lower left than right.  I must hold my head at a different angle from left to right.  When I use the secondary the bow seems to shoot it self, when I ignore it I tend to hold longer and then sometimes jerk my release. I am guessing it has something to do with confidence.

[bayoulongbowman]

I have couple buddies that can hit anchor in 1/2 second release and hit bumble bee in flight. Diamond , I can tell you use to shoot compounds alot, it sounds like it...trad shooting , snap , holding takes alot effort , practice , and work...But I still love the arch of a arrow...IN FLIGHT...Like T man said , find what works for you and bloody a arrow...Marco#78

[Terry Green]

Originally posted by NDTerminator:
Terry, I think we can safely assume this is a subject you feel strongly about...     :D  

Uh.....Yeah      

I posted, and searched out a few more posts I'd made on another thread.  

No worries.