Aiming

[Muskoxman]

Hey everybody,
I'm new to bow hunting and this forum. I've been reading past posts and guys talk about aiming down the arrow. If I line up my point with the target I hit way to the left. I guess my question is there a way to aim. So far I just kind of eyeball it and I see my shooting getting better. When I'm shooting good probably 6 arrows in a six inch circle at 17 yards. When my shootings bad I realize now it's because of my release or form.
I'm getting pretty hooked on it, I've rifle hunted a lot and I've gotten to where I'll just tune up some hand loads, shoot some good groups and then my rifle sits there until I need to kill something. And then I picked up a friends tricked out bowteck and stuck a couple of arrows right in the bull at 20 yrds, and decided that things just a cable gun. But with this I can tell I'll need a bunch of practice to really be competent.
Just for information, I've got a 65 lb Wes Wallace stealth take down. My draw is 29 inches, I anchor my thumb knuckle in my back molar, and I'm shooting 30 inch gold tip traditional's 5575's. They seem to be hitting the target straight.
Anyhow I've learned a lot just reading the past posts and would sure appreciate any help.

John

[BLACK WOLF]

John,

My suggestions would be to first make sure your form is CONSISTANT and can be executed instinctively to the point you are not analizing it and working on it as you are learning to aim.

2nd. make sure your equipment is tuned as good as you can with either the bareshaft tuning method, paper tuning or broadhead tuning to help eliminate the effects that your equipment can have on your inacccuracy.

3rd. find out if you are right or left eye dominant.

4th. research the different aiming techiniques so you can make a more educated decision on what aiming techinique may be better to suit your needs, personality and ability.

Ray  

[Biggie Hoffman]

I would suggest you try NOT aiming.
Pick a spot the size of a flea that you want to hit, draw anchor and release. You don't aim a baseball when you throw it, why aim an arrow?
This is what's called instinctive shooting and once you get the hang of it, you'll make shots subconciously (sp).
Your eye will be aware of the arrows direction and will make it's own adjustment. Like riding a bicycle. Once you get going your mind makes the adjustments without your concious thought.

[woodchucker]

Just POINT.....and SHOOT!!!!!  

[**DONOTDELETE**]

the arrow aims itself... I look, pick, lift, draw, anchor & loose.....

[Bjorn]

Arrows seldom 'point' at the intended target. Your hand should always 'point' at the target.
Do what Biggie and others suggest.

[frassettor]

"Burn a hole" in what you want to hit...and let her fly.      

[swampbuck]

Black wolf nailed it!!

Do some more research on aiming methods basically there's gap or 2nd vision which commonly gets confused with point of aim which use's you arrow tip as a site pin and then there's also instinctive which is a learned ability same as the rest of the instinctive things like throwing a ball

I started with the burn a hole method of instinctive and IMHO the gap or split vision method will get you to the same place faster.In the end both styles become basically the same thing

Good luck feel free to PM me if ya have any ???s

[Blue Moose]

You may want to take a look at "Become the Arrow" by Byron Ferguson. Also, the "Masters of the Barebow" DVD would be helpful. Check out Rod Jenkins' section. Another good one if you can find it is "Instinctive Indirect Aiming" by Bob Wesley.

Hope that helps,

TM

[brackshooter]

I shoot like Biggie, and it works for me.  Give it a try, many people dont want to see the arrow at all when they shoot, me being one of them...

[Muskoxman]

Thanks for the response !
I'm not familiar with some of the terminology but I'll research it. I guess what I'm doing is the instinctive aiming. I draw focus on the target hold for a couple of seconds and shoot. I haven't done the arrow tuning yet, just relied on the advice of the guy selling me the arrows. What is the simple list method ? Remember I'm simple minded.

John

[John3]

What they are saying is that your whole life you have thrown balls, rocks ect. At first you may not have hit close to your target. Instictive archery is just that.... Muscle/brain/hand eye memory. Use good form and do NOT pay any attention to the arrow. Your brain will make the corrections to get the arrow where it needs to be. When you get this right it is effortless.

John III

[BLACK WOLF]

Originally posted by Muskoxman:
What is the simple list method ?
John

The most simplistic aiming method is Instinctive Aiming in regards to how it is executed. It's basically just point and shoot...but it is generally harder to master to become consistantly accurate with it...especially when an archer tries to become accurate at longer distances or as the targets get smaller.

Instinctive Aiming has it's advantages in many hunting situations where the bowhunter has only a split second to make the shot, when shooting moving targets or when the bowhunter has to be in an awkward position to make the shot.

IMO, it takes an exceptional archer with a God given gift of exceptional hand and eye coordination and a passion to develop it to make Instinctive Aiming work as accurately and consistantly in many target competition situations as some of the other aiming techiniques that are available to learn.

If you research the high level archery competitions you will notice that the majority of top shooters use some other aiming techinique besides Instinctive Aiming.

Where you will see Instinctive Aiming being competitive is in most 3D shoots where the target distances are placed between 5 and 30yrds, which are typical hunting shots. The reason why it's more competitive there is because the targets are closer and the scoring rings are larger.

Use whatever aiming techinique that seems to suit your goals, personality and ability. There's really no right or wrong way to aim a bow. Just use whatever works for you.

I for example...love to shoot any target no matter the distance. I like to BOTH hunt and compete...so I have learned 3 different aiming techiniques so I can apply the aiming system that will have the biggest advantage in a specific situation. My primary aiming techinique is Gap but I can also use Point of Aim and Instinctive Aiming when I feel I need to.

Ray  

[WidowEater]

make sure of your eye dominance then do everything else, learned this one the hard way

[sparrow]

You must be either very strong or very young if you are drawing a 65# bow to 30 inches and holding it for a couple seconds. Holding for me brings no advantage. I hit my anchor (very important) and let it go. 55# will kill anything in North America and will allow you to shoot a bow much longer and probably more accurately. Good luck and enjoy the process.

[Muskoxman]

I've got a  question, I'm right eyed dominant and right handed. I shoot my bow with both eyes open. Should I be closing my left eye ? I was looking for the simplest way for arrow tuning, not the simple list. Spell check screwed me up. I know 65# bow is plenty heavy. I guess I was thinking if I was going to stick a big old moose or a grizzly I'd want plenty of bow. I have no problem drawing it and holding. As a farmer I've pretty much spent my life doing manual labor. When I got it (less than a month ago) I tried to shoot for a hour, of course my shooting just got worse because of fatigue. So I started with shorter sessions and working my way up. Getting better all the time. I shoot for about a half hour now.
 My main goal is to be competent out to 30 yds I don't think I'd try a shot over that for now, and surely not a moving target. Like I said I've only been shooting arrows less than a month.
Thanks,  John

[**DONOTDELETE**]

leave both eyes open.....

arrow tuning can be done many ways,,,bare shaft,paper, Flight ( shoot long and see how it flies ). I use mostly flight tuning & paper tune, My arrows come out of paradox about 5 yards ( going by paper tear & sight ). I found & agree with others that bare shaft is better done with wheelie bows & the use of carbon arrows with trad bows.

[swampbuck]

May I suggest a closer goal first that you will achieve.Yea we all all want to be good out to 30 or more but genrally speaking that doesn't happen overnite.Make your goals achievable then when you reach it raise it.

The best shots seem to advocate blank bail shooting from very close with NO TARGET to work on "their" shot.It's boring but it does work well.By "best shots" I'm talkin top guys that have proven themselves more than just on the keyboard

Good luck

[JOKER]

I have used a type of bareshaft tuning and it is great for getting you close without having to be a good shot or have great form (works for everyone).

First set the brace height to what is recomended for your bow, set nock hight to 4/8 or 5/8" and make sure your nocks fit the string (not to tight). The brace height and nock height can be fin tuned later.

Now, get a target with a consistent medium such as a layered block target or foam target that is not shot up. Stand 5 to 10 yds away and shoot into the target. If your arrows stick into the target sideways with the nock to the left (for a right hand shooter) your arrows are too week. if they are nock to the right your arrows are too stiff. when they are close they will drive into the target straight.

Lower point wt or shorten shaft to stiffen, add point wt or shoot longet shaft to weaken.

You can also print out OL Adcock's tuning method and use that (www.bowmaker.net/tuning.htm).

Masters of the Barebow 1 and 2 are great videos. They give many different tips, and show many different ways of aiming. Good Luck, Steve

[Muskoxman]

I guess what I was wondering is, what is the relation of my dominant eye to my shooting ?
 
Thanks for the help, I am defiantly  going to start small and work my way up.