Shooting truly instinctive and changing bows

[moleman]

This evening, after not shooting my old longbow that I call "Blind Date" for over 2 months and going 3 for 3 in the zone, without any thought, on my first round of shooting, it got me to thinking.
Ive been shooting other bows that are very similar in design ( but not exact) and I shoot them fairly well, but I dont shoot them as well as I shoot my predominate " Blind Date" longbow.
For those of you who consider yourselves truly "instinctive" shooters, and depend on becoming as one with the bow, in order to simply, pick a spot, concentrate, push, pull and drill the mark.. how does changing bows affect your shooting?
Im finding that as I get older, that no 2 bows even with very, very similar design, even from the same builder, will shoot the same, and as one who shoots, what I feel to be a truly "instinctive" style, in which accuracy depends on becoming one with the bow, switching bows on a regular basis could be very detrimental to accuracy.
For those who consider yourselves truly "instictive" shooters, how do you feel about switching bows and its effect on accuracy?  
     

[dan d]

Very good question, I have asked others this same question & never really received a good answer. I would think to really become one with the bow (therefore being a good shot) you should stick with one bow.

I don't know how your brain can compensate the difference in drop between your 47 pound bow verses your 63 pound bow, let alone different handgrips & other factors.

Dan

Edit: I just found this post in pow wow that answers my questions.

 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=130061

[moleman]

Dan, im sure there are many thoughts on this subject, so the best that I can do is offer my opinion.
After many yrs. of loving this journey and considering myself a truly instinctive shooter, when it comes to accuracy, constantly switching bows, quite possibly affects consistency more than anything.
I feel that as a truly " instinctive" style of shooter, becoming one with a bow is paramount to  consistent shooting and that the constant switching of bows is one of the greatest enemies an instinctive style shooter can have, when it comes to accuracy.
Just my 2 cents

[Orion]

I shoot more split vision than "instinctive," but my brother shoots using the method you describe.  Just focuses on the target, doesn't see the drawn arrow.  Neither of us has any trouble switching bows. After a few arrows, the brain makes the appropriate adjustments regardless of which aiming method one uses.

[gringol]

If the bow/arrows are a good fit for each other I don't have a problem switching bows out to 15 yds.  Past 15, things tahe a little getting used to if the new bow is significantly faster or slower than the usual bow.

For me the grip doesn't make a huge difference, nor does the style of bow.  If the bows are drastically different with respect to center cut, I have some trouble.

[MnFn]

Slightly different angle on your question.  When I am struggling for whatever reason shooting my longbow, often I can go to a recurve bow and shoot much better right off the bat. And vice- versa.  

If I have a problem with switching bows it is usually elevation differences.

[Bladepeek]

I know this is a bit to the side of, if not off the subject, but I have a couple of drastically different bows, but shoot the same GPP arrows. My little (well, 66") 33# longbow and my 47# longbow shoot pretty much the same trajectory because I'm shooting some heavily loaded 3555's out of the heavier bow and some 1716 light aluminums out of the little one. I wouldn't use the little 1716s for hunting, but I can target shoot with both bows pretty much interchangeably. I don't really notice any difference with my 47# recurve, again given arrows of the same GPP.

[khardrunner]

GPP isn't really directly related to trajectory, velocity is.

You can shoot a 1000g arrow at 200fps and a 500g arrow at 175fps out of different bows with the same GPP. The 1000g arrow will have the flatter trajectory. It's all about velocity.

Out of the same bow, lower GPP will be flatter than higher GPP, but when comparing two bows of different efficiency the velocity is the only true indicator of trajectory.

[Rufus]

I normally shoot cut before center longbows but if I pick up my center shot (it is center shot, not center cut) longbow I'll shoot a foot or so to the right at 15 yds. After 15-20 arrows my brain puts me back on center. Then when I pick up my normal cut before center bow I'll be shooting to the left for about the same amount of shots.

[Bladepeek]

khardrunner, OK, I'll grant you the point. But, given two similar bows and all other factors being similar, trajectory is determined by velocity and velocity is closely related to GPP. Since my two longbows are of fairly similar construction and efficiency, the velocities of the drastically different weight arrows are very close. I can shoot them at 20 yards and notice absolutely no difference, other than the heavier arrow smacks the target a lot harder.

[Mudd]

All I require is a "hair covered computer" re-boot and one arrow then I'm usually good to go.

God bless,Mudd

[Bladepeek]

You still have a hair covering on that computer? Lucky you! I'm also finding my computer has a "write only" memory. I have terabytes of it, but can't read from it very well  

[damascusdave]

Just yesterday I finally got it into my head that these days I shoot better if I do not fight that I have become a bit of an aimer...that is almost assuredly because I like shooting, and shoot, a variety of bows...right now I have ten of them sitting ready to go out my back door and shoot a few arrows at any given moment...to complicate that further some are left handed, some are right handed and one is even a dual shelf...I completely agree with you that to be a really sharp instinctive shooter one would need to shoot only one bow...in my case I am pretty sure it could be my favourite right handed bow and my favourite left handed bow...I think my computer is programmed to handle that

DDave

[reddogge]

My friend in archery for the last 45 years or so proves that is bunk. He can take any bow off of his rack and shoot lights out with it. Granted he has weeded out all poor shooters so basically they all shoot very similar for him. He is the best shot I know or have seen ever. Everytime he shows up at a shoot with another bow he states he should just be shooting this bow, none other and a couple weeks later it's another bow.