Aiming method

[GCook]

It's no badge of anything.  It's just a different discipline we choose. 
We have the privilege of choosing a harder way because none of us or our families is gonna starve if we fail to take that deer or rabbit or pig or whatever.
It doesn't make any of us more of an archer, more of a hunter, more of a man or woman just because you shoot a "trad" bow.  Much less how you determine the way you hit your intended target.
Those who think that putting down compound shooters or guys who use a sight or clicker or rest or . . . (fill in the blank) makes them somehow better have issues they should seek help for.   
Pride goeth before the fall.  For all of us. 

[Terry Green]

I agree Cook, but I will say this....

When I gave up gun powder and went to the compound only, *I* became a better hunter...

When I gave up the compound for the tradbow *I* became an ever better hunter.

[TSP]

Ok, nobody is putting down anybody's way of shooting.  I believe I've already said that and have explained as best I could the idea that what an individual chooses to do under their own cloak of traditional is up to them, while also describing some key aspects of simpler traditional (like pointing vs. aiming) that if nothing else are at least worthy of some consideration (again, it's just an opinion).  No condemnation of one's choice of method or choice of approach has intentionally been suggested, except perhaps by a few participants who shall remain nameless.  Choices reign, let's just leave it at that.   

While true that not everyone holds the idea of 'simple' traditional in high regard or even admits there are any meaningful differences between it and other archery disciplines today, I offer the final follow-up. 

Choosing to NOT see any differences, or choosing to NOT recognize any redeeming values to simpler stick and string mindsets and methods, is a viable choice but doesn't mean those differences or mindsets aren't real or don't have value.  And choosing to regard simpler traditional as somehow an attack (? ?) on tech-based preferences, especially for the sake of protecting or promoting the latter, is illogical and wasn't why I commented.  My intention was to objectively examine, and to some degree provide suggestions, for what traditional may be for those who believe that it's more than just an old-school idea without value.  For those who don't believe in that then that's fine.  But for sure, for this discussion the "You're biased against hi-tech!" back-door accusations are baseless and have no more place in this venue than they do in any other constructive dialog.  In truth, there's only one way to logically approach discussion topics...either with an open-minded and constructive willingness to weigh the other side's views objectively and without condemnation, or not.  I've no interest in doing or entertaining the latter. 

And for the OP (Legolas), my apologies if I've commandeered your initial post in any way, that wasn't the intent.  To the Administrator, I respect your authority for maintaining civility here (after all it's your site) and to that end please feel free to relocate or remove any of my comments to somewhere you feel is more appropriate.  No problem at all.   

 

[Terry Green]

My subconscious absolutely runs the shot, like I said, I aim with my eyes.  Like when I played basketball in school, I didn't have to consciously take note of where I was on the court or where my hands and arms were lined up, I just focused on the goal and my subconscious calculated the rest in a millisecond.  I was 20% better from the field than from the free throw line.  Too much time to 'think about it' at the free throw line for me.

I can draw an analogy from tennis, baseball etc as my subconscious runs the tennis stroke and whether to send it down the line(which I am not looking at) or across court as my subconscious knows where I'm at and calculates it all while I only focus on the ball.

Also in baseball, my subconscious knows where I am on the field and all I have to do is focus on the glove of the player I'm throwing to. I don't have to consciously do anything. I don't have to 'tell myself' when to let go. Same for me shooting the bow, again, the subconscious is running the shot. All I consciously do is notice when the window of opportunity opens while I'm all focused on the spot.

Everyone is different, some men figure the trajectory to the moon, and some fly the rockets.  You wouldn't want to switch them at liftoff.

Some men are snipers and some men are gunslingers, both are able to get the job done. I'm just 100% gunslinger.  It fits my make up, the game I chase and the way I chase.

 

[Wudstix]

Enjoyed reading this, I guess I'm a gun slinging sniper.  Smooth motion up until release then fierce focus.
 

[GCook]

I agree Cook, but I will say this....

When I gave up gun powder and went to the compound only, *I* became a better hunter...

When I gave up the compound for the tradbow *I* became an ever better hunter.

I got better when I went to bowhunting as a primary.  Difference is I didn't really hunt any further for the most part with the compound.  A high percentage of my kill were under 20 yard shots.  I've always valued bowhunting as a close and personal pursuit.  However the power of the compound allowed me to take shots I wouldn't with a traditional bow (for example hard quartering) and I've become a more patient hunter and perhaps a happier one because I relaxed my need to chase bone and became more satisfied with how I choose to knowing it is harder (for me anyway) to take game cleanly with this gear.  If nothing else even my practice is more engaging and satisfying with this equipment.
However if I had never used the rifle, the black powder, the compound, I wouldn't know the progression and understand the whole journey that many/most of us take to get to where we have chosen to be.  That said when my ranch partners take a deer or pig with their equipment I'm excited because they have put away the rifle and are doing it with a bow.  Even if it is modern archery equipment. 
I understand it's a journey.  And I have had a fun ride.

[GCook]

TSP I apologize if I read into your responses something that wasn't there or intended.

[Terry Green]

Cook, I enjoyed my progression as well, wouldn't take anything for it.

Bowhunting has always been 'up close and personal' for me.  Yes, there are times that I have killed animals further than '20 yards', but also, when I did my stint with the compound no one I knew shot over 20- 25 yards.  We never really practiced at longer distance. 

However, I'm in the east where the perspective is different that Wyoming and 30 yards 'looks' like 20.  Some one told me that when I went on my 1st antelope hunt, and they also told me to immediately start roving with my judo the day I got there and start shooting 30 and 40 yards to get the perspective down so 30 would look like 30 in my mind's eye.

I instantly related, and again due to basketball, as we always played in a school gym. Once we got to play in the Omni in Atlanta(long gone now) before Atlanta Hawks played.  When we got there the place was so huge compared to what we were use to, the pre-warm up before the game warm up everyone was 'shooting air balls'.  We all were coming up short.  After that hour's worth of shooting, everything was back to normal, and our shooting was like being in our home gym.  Our mind's eye had adjusted for the 'terrain' so to speak.

But yeah, we never would have considered taking shots with our compound like people do today.  I saw a video over the weekend on youtube of a guy taking a shot from 65 yards at a bedded elk target and advocating it.  He claimed his shot was perfect, but everyone in the comments said "shoulder' blade aint perfect".

Anyhow, I still hunt the same way with a trad bow, I haven't 'shortened' my distance or 'regulated' it just because I shoot trad.  I worked hard to get accurate, but it still made me a better hunter all around. I don't worry if its 20 yards or not, as in WY my antelope was farther than that, but is was still a 'personal' bowhunt as the WY perspective made it so.

Great thread guys. 

[JR Chambers]

I agree with what TG says. All those analogies are great. And for the record some are not good at hand eye things and that is ok. For them there are other aiming methods. For me It is so much simpler than having to know the yardage.

[Friend]

I reference my aiming method for hunting and 3D as split vision and it may be labeled incorrectly.

My point-on range for all my bows is 25 yards with exception of my self- bow.

I focus intently on the hair, feather or small spot that I wish to hit. Then I draw, anchor and set the window of light, using only my peripheral vision,  between a silhouetted shaft and the target which I maintain focus.

For me, I have established that a ½” window of light will mark w/I an inch from 10 to 15 yards…I will focus slightly lower on closer targets. I use a ¼” window for 20 yards. The ½” and ¼” windows are not actually ¼” and ½”. They are established windows that use. I don’t know where the arrow tip is actually  pointed, nor do I see what is in the view of the window. I just see an established window of light, like a shade opening or closing, from the focused-on target and the arrow shaft end silhouette…I don’t look for the point. A very simple technique, accurate and less stressful technique that keeps my mind fully engaged on the target.

I am able to use the same two windows on all of my bows out to point-on. My range of bow set-up speeds is quite wide. Larry Yien taught me this aiming method over a decade ago and from then on, my competence level significantly climbed. One of my buddies uses this same aiming method and has one 3rd, two seconds and one 1st in the IBO Worlds.
Note: There are other aiming techniques that are more accurate. This aiming technique has personally never let me down in the field nor on the 3D range. Also, transitioning from 3D to the field or hunting with multiple bows during the season remains virtually seamless.

[GCook]

Yeah I quit watching a show called Western Extreme after the host shot a Kudu at 105 yards.  There are some things that I believe just because I can, doesn't mean I should. 
I believe my actions as a bowhunter can reflect on how someone sees the whole.  Traditional bowhunters tend to be a conservative bunch.  To me, that is a good thing.