Way confused now!!!

[Bar_BN]

Ive been reading alot about point of aim and gap shooting all the time ive shot traditional ive always just anchored concentrated on spot ive wanted to hit  and released and followed thru but watching youtube n reading articles recently has gote wondering have i been doing it wrong shud i be doing it these other ways ive always grouped within 3-5 inches  but never been a le to group like quarter size as with my compound do i need to just keep practicing wut im doing r do i need to adopt one of these other methods  any advice

[Jerry Jeffer]

Any time you try to change the way you shoot, there will be a learning curve. Nothing wrong with the way you were doing it. It is called instinctive. I just burn a hole into the spot I want to hit with my eyes and let her fly. What ever shooting method works for you, stick with it.

[Bar_BN]

Thats wut i was hopin to hear thanx man not downing anyones way of shooting but for me those other ways wud take all the fun out of it for me

[AkDan]

I think what happens over time is using a reference like gap or poa, or slit vision if you will, is you end up focusing less on the reference and more on the spot.  Gravitating to a calculated instinctive method.  Where in the beginning it's more of a methodical point here or x gap and release.  

What should you do?   Only you can determine that.  How much or little effort you put in will dictate the return.  The question is how far do you want to take it.  Initially it's fun to a degree .  Brings back memories of wheels and you'll likely wonder why are you torturing yourself.  This is supposed to be simple and fun.  If you ride that wave long enough to transition back to a more fluid almost instinctive method you'll find you're shooting in a much higher bracket than ever before.   Welcome back fun !

I watch 20yd spot guys poa shooting and it's extremely impressive.  Start throwing off ball distances in precarious stances and they chalk up just as many misses as everyone else.  (And it includes game!  So don't become solely dependant on the means). Once you combine the ho hum almost sloppyness of stinctive shooting to the more structured methods involving some form of reference  is when you'll really peak as a shooter !   It's those days where the arrow becomes a lazer guided missile when it gets really fun.

[locohunter]

This is my first season with the trad bow, but i have shot a lot over the years and especially since January.  About every day.  I think what AkDan said is spot on.  In MN where I hunt I have never shot any deer more than 30 yards away - compound- the woods are just too thick when i set up.  With my recurve, i feel very confident out to 20-25.  My only advice, and it seems to work for me, practice long range at game sized targets.  If you want to be dead on at 20, practice a lot at 30.  I also shoot at 3ds and other animal sized targets because it forces me to burn a hole in a spot on the animal.  If i shoot at ping-pong balls i think it takes away from the mental focus i need to develop as a trad shooter.

[Scott E]

A lot of top shooters are now opting for high anchors to get a point on at 25 yards. It makes for really manageable gaps and accurate shooting inside of 30 yards. Of course aiming is only part of the equation. Form is huge and archery is a mental sport.

[2bird]

Shoot however you want to shoot, as long as you are having fun that’s what matters. If you want to really shoot competitively (target, 3D, etc.) then learning a method like gap is going to be necessary. Remember people who shoot "instinctive" well really just shoot a subconscious gap system, except maybe the very few super humans like Byron Ferguson and others like him. Bottom line is, if you like the way you shoot now dont stop have fun.

[nineworlds9]

LOL, what they all said.  Bar you sound like you're doin fine.  Form and follow through are the keys to the gate.  Keep at it.

[jhg]

A lot of people make archery like golf.

I can't think of anything worse than complicating a simple sport.

Don't over think it and enjoy the shot! My bet is closing the size of your groups is a little tuning here, a better release there.
But keep doing it the way you are doing it! Don't change!

Joshua

[Biggamefish]

If it's not broke don't fix it is a saying that comes to mind!

If you are shooting well why change unless you are trying to be super competitive.

[awbowman]

Keep it simple and fun

[DaveT1963]

Some will say there is no such thing as true instinctive archery?? For me, the more I forget about everything and just look where I want to hit the better my shot.  If you have a style that works for you then I wouldn't switch it.

[ChuckC]

There are lots of ways to fling arrows.  None of those ways is the only way or the best way (for you).  They all work, to varying degrees.

Consider something though.  Every time you add something to the aiming sequence, you have the possibility of making the whole thing more precise, of course, starting with good form and matched equipment.  A single sight pin (or arrow point), a single anchor, multiple sight points, multiple anchor points,distance meters and on all CAN add precision.  You need to decide what YOU want out of this game and go from there.

No sense messing with simple instinctive aiming if your goal is to break nocks all day.  Sure, a few can do it, but if you add all the "stuff" you are more likely to do it, the biggest jump up being, of course, the compound system with release.

If your goal is to enjoy yourself in the simplest way, not worry so much about the competition, and still hit reasonably well at reasonable (or maybe. .  doable)distances, then maybe instinctive is in your future.

Howard supposedly stated, "you got to decide if you are going to be a hunter or a target archer".
ChuckC

[AkDan]

Howard also didn't shoot instinctive.  In hindsight of the greats instructors were actually a minority.   But again no way is wrong.  If it works for what you're doing.  

The correlation I'm referring to is finding out ( reading) a lot of the old timers writings that evolved from some form of system to a more fluid semi instinctive style.  Though it's never truely that. If you go this route.   It took me 20 years to have that epiphany.   I'm just dumbfounded why more don't try it.  

I'm not against instinctive though it sounds that way.  A number of years ago I learned the hard way the evolution from some form of aiming back to a semi instinctive style.   Unfortunately I didn't stay on it after a rotator cuff tear.  Maybe I'll get back to really humming.  Maybe not.  Time will tell.

[Sam McMichael]

One item in your post that nobody has touched on is group size. You said you are consistently grouping at 3 - 5 inches. That is pretty good. You will not get quarter sized groups the way you did with your compound. Nobody on this site shoots quarter sized groups day in and day out, but that is not at all necessary for successful hunting. It appears that your aiming method is working.

[Bar_BN]

Yea i enjoy the way i shoot but i do wish i cud tighten my groups  i mean i normally hit where i aim within like 5"  but like to kno exactly where im gonna hit instead of guess but dont wanna change but then again ges its mainly cuz i dont understand exactly wut theyre doin like the point on at say 25 yrds wut does that mean ? Is it when im at full draw the point of my arrow will be at centrr of target

[Lonehowl]

I have never seen anyone shoot quarter size groups consistently either. I have to agree with others..I love traditional for the simplicity of it all, and it's just a lot of fun.

Dont take me wrong, you should have the correct level of serious-ness about getting to where you can shoot well, and know your limitations etc. (Im talking hunting here) but unless you are trying to shoot competitivley, I just dont see the point of killing yourself trying to shoot dime size groups, every time. I believe it to be possible, but not very practical for the average guy?

For me, trad gear sort of set me free from the "have to have the latest gizmo" mindset of the compound bow world....and it put the fun back into bowhunting for me. The switch wasnt a huge leap for me though, as I shot trad bows when I was a kid, and it is sort of second nature for me.
Mark

[Killdeer]

I have two suggestions.
1) Forget point of aim.
2) Stop texting.

Killdeer  

[culleng]

I enjoy shooting recurve a and longbows far more than I ever  did a compound. I try to focus on a solid anchor and focusing on the spot .  I have come to the conclusion I will never be able to stack them in as tight with a longbow as I could with a compound. What I do know is I can keep them in the kill zone. : )

[culleng]

I enjoy shooting recurve a and longbows far more than I ever  did a compound. I try to focus on a solid anchor and focusing on the spot .  I have come to the conclusion I will never be able to stack them in as tight with a longbow as I could with a compound. What I do know is I can keep them in the kill zone. : )