MBB shooting styles - different draw length results

[targets3D]

Hi
I decided to experiment a little with the various shooting styles in MBB with a clicker on my bow and was surprised with some of the outcomes. I used a 3-under anchoring at my eye tooth with another anchor point (feather to the tip of the nose) per Rick Welch method.

1. Pure target style (BEST) - Larry Yien/Trish Ferrara.  Very upright twisting the back from the start. Gave the longest draw length (i.e clicker clicked on longest setting. But felt aiming was tough (eye to far from everything)

2. Standing vertical shooting style - Rod Jenkins - was once notch below that.

3. Canted/leaning style - Steve Fausel/Barry Wensel. Gave me the shortest draw length but the best point and shoot results (however the consistency went out the door quite quickly).


I am aware that I am probably nowhere near the level of skill to try to even properly emulate the archers above, but I am really trying to explore a style that will work for me and can't seem to land on something. On one hand, I shoot well instinctively with a canted/leaning over style but the draw is short (my DL is 26") and causes me to snap shoot/pre-mature anchor 10-15 arrows later. While the BEST style shooting gives me a longer and more consistent DL but I can't seem to comfortable shoot instinctively with it.

Any thought? Thanks

[targets3D]

anyone?

[Ray Johnson]

I started with the canted/instinctive style and now shoot upright with my bow vertical.Yes,my draw length is longer(28")and I'm much more consistent.I also use the "Rick Welch" method.I shoot instinctively in that I don't have an aiming method.I would recommend that you use the bale(shooting 2-3 from the target)to ingrain your shooting style into your subconscious.It will become more comfortable in time.Everyone is different,but for me,a more disciplined approach to shooting,is necessary for consistent accuracy.Some can shoot well with the canted,quick release,method of shooting.I'm not one of them and it took me a long time to finally figure that out.When I shoot,my concentration is on my shot process and aiming is done subconsciously.I cannot just "burn a hole" and let the shot happen.If I do,in a short period of time,I will be shooting with no control at all.

[ncsaknech1ydh]

I also used to shoot canted, and now shoot upright with bow straight up and down, Rick Welch style, Ray touched on the most important thing, it will seem strange at first, but give it several months and it will feel 100% natural. I also shoot with a Cavalier elite tab with the thumb piece, I'm not promoting using this tab although it is also a big part of my becoming a much better shot, but only mentioning this because at first the Cavalier tab felt completly unnatural but after several months it was completly natural, and now I could not imagine shooting without it, or shooting canted, give it time, shooting uprigh and you will be glad you did.

[targets3D]

thanks guys. That certainly helps. I think also if I bring my anchor point up to the cheek bone (while remaining vertical), it may help sight down the arrow.

[McDave]

I use a combination of Rick Welch's and Rod Jenkin's styles.

I find that as I progress, I notice subtle things that I missed before.

For example, if my head droops because I'm tired or whatever reason it might droop, it shortens my draw length and thus my shot hits low.  I find that as I turn my head toward the target, my nose is visable as a part of my sight picture in my out-of-focus peripheral vision.  If a certain bump in my nose is above the spot I want to hit, that means I'm not drooping my head.

I really want to use Rod's dynamic release, but I find that sometimes I don't keep pulling through the shot, while other times I consciously pull through the shot too vigorously, almost jerking the string back.  Either of those ruins the shot.  What I aim for is a steady increase of back pressure until the shot goes off.  That is easy for me to do if I'm only shooting a few shots, but extremely difficult for me to maintain consistently through a hundred shots in a tournament.

[targets3D]

Thanks McDave. I am probably aiming to combine both those styles as I like aspects of both. Good tip on the head droop test, will give it try

[reddogge]

Interesting subject. We as archers often have two goals, one is to hit with the first arrow cold in a hunting situation and the other is to hit repeatedly and consistently in a 3-D situation. I tend to shoot 3-D with a more upright target shooting stance that puts less strain on the body and muscles and can be shot over a longer period of time. When I take a hunting shot I will cant my bow more and will be shooting from a bent postition downward or sitting in a blind but the object is to hit with that one shot.

When I shoot 3-D I do the opposite of McDave, my anchor drops slightly when I fatique and I have to guard against high shots. I just did it yesterday.

[NBK]

Targets,
I'm kinda in the same boat as you.  I've intentionally tried all sorts of different shooting styles to find the one that fits best for me, and now I'm beginning to realize that like McDave said, we take peices of each to form our own.  I'm still torn because I want to shoot split finger canted bow because I like the versatility in manufactured shots, however upright, vertical 3 under gives me more consistency and accuracy at 20 yards and beyond. My draw length stays exactly the same which ever style I shoot though.

[targets3D]

Actually tried playing with my anchor today and moved it from the index finger at corner of mouth/eye tooth to under the cheek bone and was amazed at how much tighter my groups became. Go figure. I still need to set up the cock feather right from the double anchor as the under the cheekbone tend to have me pull up to the the point where my eye is almost on the string.

[NJWoodsman]

Unfortunately your test method will not work, and the reason you "can't land" on a method that will work is for the same reason. You can't change something like your anchor (and whether you cant the bow, how you stand), try it for a few arrows, or even a few sessions, and know if it's going to work with any consistency. Jumping around will only make it worse, and using whether you hit your mark as a judge is misleading. It has to be repeatable and unconscious.