Instinctive archery and stance... Let's talk !!

[Don Stokes]

I'm more hunting archer than target archer, so my goal in practicing is to learn to hit my target from any position. I only practice by roving, and I deliberately make my shots difficult to see what happens when I do this or that. After a few years of practicing this way, I get bored shooting at the same target repeatedly. I carry a judo arrow in my quiver, and take a few shots on my way back to the house, which keeps my "eye" in tune. However, I missed a doe opening day when my arm hit the tree behind me on the draw... maybe tomorrow.

[Bowguy67]

I didn’t read all that’s written but feet at 90 degrees to the target is wrong for starters. Your back foot should be about 90, your front foot toe should be about by the ball of your foot so they are somewhat slightly staggered. To be clear imagine your on tile, your feet should not be both even on the line, if the rear foot in on the line the front foot goes back to be even w the ball of back foot. Now slightly roatate foot leaving heel in place but pointing towards target. This is an open stance.
Now there’s no magic imo in an instinctive stance. It’s the same stance I show compound shooters as well as trad guys.
Next thing, you say firm grip. “Firm” is relative but if you squeeze the handle you may torque it. If you torque grip problems will show themselves worse as you gain distance.
Instinctive or not good repeatability in form leads to good shooting. As you improve you can practice out of perfect position shots and yet still retaining your form and repeatability

[Bowguy67]

Too add if your feet are 90 degrees and you shoot open as you said you’re twisting and out of alignment

[Jim Wright]

Can't help myself, but for something referred to as an "instinctive method", it never ceases to amaze me how much instruction on stance, grip, foot placement, bow angle etc..., etc..., etc... is apparently necessary in order to shoot a bow well that way.

[Bowguy67]

Can't help myself, but for something referred to as an "instinctive method", it never ceases to amaze me how much instruction on stance, grip, foot placement, bow angle etc..., etc..., etc... is apparently necessary in order to shoot a bow well that way.

Instinctive is a way of aiming not shooting. Even trick shooters started w good consistant form. As a hunter you need to practice non perfect shots but should start put w repeatable good form

[Jim Wright]

Still can't help myself, there have been countless posts by instinctive archers here that there is in fact no aiming when they shoot.

[McDave]

Can't help myself, but for something referred to as an "instinctive method", it never ceases to amaze me how much instruction on stance, grip, foot placement, bow angle etc..., etc..., etc... is apparently necessary in order to shoot a bow well that way.

Since the date traditional archery originated, which gets pushed back every few years, and now is estimated to be about 50,000 years ago, people have developed many effective ways of shooting the bow.  Hunters, for maybe 30,000 years before the invention of agriculture, had very effective ways of shooting the bow, which are now lost to us.  We know they were effective, because we are still here.  The Mongol warriors under Gengis Khan had a very effective way of shooting the bow from horseback, which made them the scourge of Eastern Europe.  Japanese medieval samurai had a very effective way of shooting the bow, which I don’t know much about.  English and Welsh bowmen had a very effective way of shooting the bow, which made them victorious over much greater numbers of mounted knights.  American Indians had a very effective way of shooting the bow, which enabled them to live off buffalo shot from horseback.  In modern times, many of our forebears, such as Will and Maurice Thompson, Will Compton, Howard Hill, Fred Asbell, and Rick Welch never had a day of formal instruction in their lives, and did quite well for themselves.  All of their styles of shooting the bow were different.

So if you would like to develop your own style, you’re in good company.

[Sam McMichael]

The only consideration I give to my feet when shooting is to make sure I am not wobbly and off balance. After that it all happens from the waist up.

[Terry Green]

Too add if your feet are 90 degrees and you shoot open as you said you’re twisting and out of alignment

Not if your form is properly aligned.....again, good form doesn't know stance...

I need to see if I can get that video up.,,,,

[Terry Green]

Still can't help myself, there have been countless posts by instinctive archers here that there is in fact no aiming when they shoot.

Yep...subconscious aiming.

[Bowguy67]

Too add if your feet are 90 degrees and you shoot open as you said you’re twisting and out of alignment

Not if your form is properly aligned.....again, good form doesn't know stance...

I need to see if I can get that video up.,,,,

I think you’re mistaking what I’m saying. Your feet may not matter down the road. We can twist and still be in alignment. We should not start out there.

[Roy from Pa]

These, Terry?

http://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?topic=121915.0

[Don Stokes]

The worst thing a new archer can do is think that 'instinctive' means they don't have to have any kind of shooting routine. Beginning archers first need to work on proper form that allows repeatability and accuracy, and after that it's shoot, shoot, shoot until no conscious thought goes into the shot; your mind and your body have learned how to shoot accurately and will perform the act spontaneously. That's what we call instinct in archery. My opinion, anyhow.

[Bowguy67]

The worst thing a new archer can do is think that 'instinctive' means they don't have to have any kind of shooting routine. Beginning archers first need to work on proper form that allows repeatability and accuracy, and after that it's shoot, shoot, shoot until no conscious thought goes into the shot; your mind and your body have learned how to shoot accurately and will perform the act spontaneously. That's what we call instinct in archery. My opinion, anyhow.

This is perhaps more well put but is pretty much what I’m saying

[McDave]

The worst thing a new archer can do is think that 'instinctive' means they don't have to have any kind of shooting routine. Beginning archers first need to work on proper form that allows repeatability and accuracy, and after that it's shoot, shoot, shoot until no conscious thought goes into the shot; your mind and your body have learned how to shoot accurately and will perform the act spontaneously. That's what we call instinct in archery. My opinion, anyhow.

I agree with everything that has been said above except for the word “proper.”  Proper to me indicates that there is an orthodox style of shooting that everyone should learn.  In fact, there IS an orthodox style of shooting that a lot of people learn, and for most people it is probably a good thing.  However, what was orthodox 20 years ago is not orthodox now, and probably won’t be 20 years from now (examples include fingertip vs. deep hook string grip, locked vs. unlocked knees, square vs. open stance, etc.).  Aside from this, there are many unorthodox styles of shooting that have been used successfully by many, for example, the dead release.  Also, as I pointed out in my earlier post, many of the most highly respected traditional archers were self-taught.  There are probably a lot more than I listed, but I only listed the ones I know were self taught.  I would say the one thing all great archers have in common is higher than average self-discipline, which includes mastering a technique, whether learned from someone else or self-taught, that allows them to be consistent to a much greater degree than the rest of us.

Archery has been a part of humanity for so long that it has become an innate part of our consciousness, more like running than flying an airplane.  Of course, our modern minds are so cluttered with modern junk that it takes some digging to get back to the innate part.

[Terry Green]

Instinctive is an aiming style...and not form.  Not sure why some folks can't seem to get that.  Proper form is required for ANY aiming style....yet form can be carried to a MYRIAD of shooting positions.  Form and aiming are not the same, so you can't 'lump' them as one. 

Yes, everyone should have a 'back yard' shot with dead on form...but for the third time, proper 'dead on form' doesn't know or care where the feet are.  Proper alignment 'aka' Form, is again, from the waste up.

To say you MUST stand a certain way to make a shot every single time is quite comical to many a bowhunter...and 100% not true.  Most of us don't want to be a one trick pony.


 

[Terry Green]

Does anyone know if the videos on the link Roy posted worked?  I think we are going to have to reformat those.

[Roy from Pa]

They work for me, Terry..

http://www.tradgang.com/videos/tg/terry-2.wmv

http://tradgang.com/videos/terry11.wmv

http://www.tradgang.com/videos/tg/tgshot91.wmv

[pavan]

Howard Hill's favorite shooting position when shooting at game. 

[Wolftrail]

I prefer standing sideways tried open stance does not work for me.  Besides standing sideways gets the bow lined up better to my face and getting a better anchor point.