3 Under and bow canting

[zootown2007]

Last week I decided to try 3 finger under. I was amazed at the results. My groups were tighter than anything I have ever experienced in twenty years. The interesting part was that I shot about 3-4 inches low, but the groups were incredibly tight. I found that as I canted the bow more aggressively, I was able to bring my groups right on target. (where I was looking)I had to cant the bow at about a 45+ degree angle to get my groups on target. Any less, and I would shoot low.

That angle feels like it would be impractical sometimes. I'm knocked at +5/8" and experiencing great arrow flight, with very little bow noise.

Are the low groups attributable to just starting to shoot 3 under..or do you think its a tuning problem. ie. would a change in knock height or brace height offset the steep angle of bow cant?

Should I just keep shooting and "retrain the brain"..or do you think some fine tuning would help?

Thanks for the advice

[McDave]

It's normal to hit low when you first switch to 3 under.  If you're shooting gap, you just adjust your gap.  If you're shooting instinctive, I would just put up with the low hits for a while, and your brain will eventually make the necessary adjustment.  I wouldn't want to shoot at an extreme cant myself. In fact, I like to shoot with just enough cant to get the string out of the center of my eye over to the corner of my eye.

[zootown2007]

Thanks for the advice McDave. I am shooting instinctively. I'll put a couple thousand arrows down range and see what happens  

[Benny Nganabbarru]

3-under here, and any and all angles work.

[Benny Nganabbarru]

But I g...g...gap.

[Old Vet]

McDave is right. Your mind is still shooting split. It will take some repeatition before your mind converts. Shooting three under puts alot more by your eye, so at first that extreem cant helps open up the field of view. If your arrow flight is good and feathers aren't wearing I wouldn't change the nock height. Depending on the bow, my nock heights are 5/8" to 3/4" above the shelf.

[zootown2007]

As a post script.

After about a thousand arrows, Im back "on target" and the extreme bow cant has righted itself. I took the switch to 3 under as an opportunity to unlearn some of my bad form habits (with help from the shooters form forum). Thanks to all the experts who post here. It is much appreciated

[Bowwild]

After shooting with a canted bow since August, 2010 I quit today.  I found head alignment too tempermental which resulted for me (LH shooter) right groups.  I have gone back to the way I've shot for 44 years -- a vertical bow. Solved the issue instantly.

I regret that I will have less clearance in a blind and that I'll have to be a bit more careful to keep the bowstring untwisted as I draw so the arrow stays against the riser throughout the draw and shot.

An Olympic archer coach and friend shoots his hunting bows canted. However, he advised me that the further he shoots the more vertical he holds his bow and his head.

I shoot 3-under and string walk.

[cjgregory]

So the more you canted your bow the closer to center the shots became?  Are you right handed?

I shoot 3 under.  30 yards or less its more accurate for me.  Over that split finger seems to become progressively more accurate as the distance increases.  Mechanically this would make sense for this to happen.

[Brianlocal3]

Im right there with Cj, 30 yd and under I'm 3 under over that and I go to split.

[Marquero]

Aside from preference, or a perceived increase in accuracy, why make the switch from three under to split at 30 yards?  Any insight into the mechanics?  Just curious.

[Brianlocal3]

Originally posted by Marquero:
Aside from preference, or a perceived increase in accuracy, why make the switch from three under to split at 30 yards?  Any insight into the mechanics?  Just curious.

Personally, it's because I have to raise my bow arm so much that I obscure my target.  At 30 with 3U my secondary point is the underside of my arrow where as with split my arrow tip is still a good 6" under POI

[Brianlocal3]

Also take what I say with a grain of salt, I  new at recurves but have shot barebones compound for quite a while, and I always shot 3U with compound, but it was a 70lb bow so my point on was way out there.

[Keystone Cowboy]

I shoot 3 under and cant my bow to about 1 o'clock and am able to shoot accurately out to 40 - 45 yards ( my point on is 55 yards). Any more cant then that and things begin to change too much.

[chuckbow]

i shoot 3 under instinctive, and cant my bow, my point on is about 35 yds if you were looking at that ! shooting this way it doesnt bother me on longer shots!

[Steven_CO]

Have you tried the Rick Welch method and messing with your nock points a little?

If you are shooting low, then move your nock points down and see if that will bring you point of impact up.  If arrows start porpoising, then you've obviously gone too far.  Then you'll have to go as far as you can and then back to trying to retrain your brain.

[LBshooter2]

3 under and spilt, just depends on the day. I think i have A.D.D when shooting, going back and forth and no real difference.

[straight_arrow]

Interesting topic.  I converted from split to three under this past november and feel much more confident, significantly better sight picture. When I cant my bow to the right, my groups move to the right!  As a result I continue to shoot from a verticle position with great results.  Interested in any comments/obsersvatipns

[DEP]

I recently switched to 3 under and also found I shoot low unless I cant about 30 degrees. I like to cant....keeps the arrow on the shelf.

[mahantango]

IMO, if your point of impact moves left or right as you change degree of cant, then something is wrong with your tuning. Do a search for Terry Green's video on canted shooting, it illustrates this very well.