Traditional Instinctive shooting
Who can shed some light on how it's done? I'm talking shooting with just stick and string, no arrow shelf, and no sight aids of any kind. Just you the bow and the arrow.
Are there any tips or tricks that you can share? Any developmental exercises or shooting regimens?
Yeah, I know - practice, practice, practice........and then more of the same. But I don't want to be practising bad habits if I can avoid it.
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Senior Member
I wont be much help. The guy who tried to teach me said it was like throwing a baseball. You just look at the target and let it go. I can't shoot trad. worth a darn so that tells you about that for me. Although I might have improved if I practiced.lol
Steve.
It's better to pass on a shot that you wish later you took, then to take a shot and wish later you didn't.
senior member
STICK AND STRING ===== FRUSTRATION !!!! Biggest reason the american Indian lost !!!! Dan why would you want the aggravation ? Mike
"You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try" Beverly Sills
Filming and Hunting
I have shot recurve for over 40 years and had won dozens of first place (traditional catagory) 3d shoots through the 80's and 90's in the east and west kootenay's, as well harvesting dozens of animals.
Many archers shoot the (line sighting style), one famous compound pro shooter years ago for high country archery was Mr. Fred Dean,you had to see this man perform, I watched him in a steel sheep contest which he had won, he beat out the other pro shooters who were shooting with releases, sights and carbon shafts, the distance was 82 yards, the foam kill zone was only 10 inches wide by 8 inches high, some thing to think about!
The style I use for my recurve which is 72 pounds at 28 inches, and my onieda aero force at 80 pounds, and I have no problem shooting them.
I use a style called line sighting, that is shooting three fingers under the arrow, this is easier to look down the arrow shaft and use the tip of the field point or broadhead for pointing and placing on your target, depending on your ancor and the poundage of your bow you will find the right distance dead on.
On my onieda bow when I shoot this style I can aim my arrow and put the point of my arrow on a target and I am dead on at 35 yards, from here it is only knowing by practicing how high to lift the point of the arrow above the target at further distances, after practicing alot you will find your maximun distance (accurate comfort zone), and judging distance will come with practice.
Depending on your bow if you shoot this style you will have to lift your string nock, some times about 3/8 of an inch above level, paper test your arrow flight or watch your arrow flight and adjust if needed (up or down), this goes for any rest including riser rug rests, make sure you use two string nocks together, this is to make sure when you shoot three fingers under that you don't force the string nock out of place because of the v in the string!
Give it try, shooting three fingers under and look down your arrow shaft and use the tip of the arrow for aiming.
Last edited by elkmaster; 02-25-2007 at 03:20 PM.
Maybe I don't have a life? Actually I appreciate the simplicity of that style and the beauty of the bows.Originally Posted by oldtimer
This is something like I was after! Something definite to do or try.
Senior Member
Hello BowWalker - Check out TradGang There you'll find more people like us that like it the hard way. Also visit Traditional Bowhunters of BC.
A must have (I don't have mine yet) is this video called Masters of the Barebow. It is filmed and edited by a friend of mine that also likes it the hard way.
HuntingBC Champ
BowWalker-Come talk to us at a shoot sometime. You can shoot my bow if you don't have one. We will have ya shootun in no time!
Senior Member
Bowwalker. I was just leaving the Nanaimo range and a guy asked me a question about a compound. I of course was no help as I said I've only shot a stick bow. He said he had one at home but couldn't shoot it. I told him I could have him shooting my bow in a 12 inch circle within 20 minutes. 20 minutes later he gave me crap saying now i'll have to buy one of these. He never looked back. Want the challange?
HuntingBC Champ
BowWalker,
Elkmasters technique is also called "gun barreling", that, along with gap shooting, split vision aiming (which I have no real idea how that works), "pure" instinctive or combinations of all of them present different ways to send an arrow where you want it to go. I put "pure" in italics because I'm sure on some sub-concious level the brain uses a reference point or two to aim. I can't get used to using anything but an "instinctive" aiming method but your mileage may vary.
You'll have to mess around and find a grip, finger configuration and anchor point that's comfortable and consistant. Figure out if you like 3 under or split finger for gripping the string.
If you're used to shooting with a release you'll probably have to develop a different set of muscle memories for a smooth finger release. Especially if you are a mechanical release shooter who uses a high elbow draw. Shooting with a high elbow will cause you tons of grief with a "trad" bow as you'll be putting downward pressure on the arrow and probably torquing the string.
My draw/grip method is with a high wrist (on the 'curve) light grip with my bow hand. I shoot split (2 fingers under, one over) and anchor with my middle finger at the corner of my mouth and a secondary anchor of the middle knuckle of my thumb under my cheek bone. I use a pull through release: when I hit anchor I pause briefly and when the brain says go I continue to pull the string but relax my fingers.
Don't just throw open your fingers, bad things happen...
What works for me is a push-pull draw. I bring the bow up to target level and then push out towards the spot I've picked out while pulling the string back- finished with the release as described above. A key thing is to have your draw arm in a straight line with the arrow, basically a single plane from arrow tip to elbow.
Some people cant their head, some don't.
Start in close to a target and get used to picking a tiny spot and remain focused on it, watch the spot until the arrow hits the target. Focus is king!
Don't worry about group size just shoot until the brain gets used to looking at where the arrows are going and it will start to make adjustments.
If frustration sets in, walk away for a while or a day.
Read more than one book on instinctive shooting and develop what works for you. There isn't one definitive book or technique on how to shoot instinctive- regardless of what the author says.
Go shoot with some traddies, try out their gear.
Don't listen to your compound brethren as they lambast you about playing around with the great evil.
Above all, have fun with it, you already have the shooting fundamentals and transition from wheel to stick isn't that tough.
RC
Oldtimer- my definition of frustration would be having to set up and tune all those gadgets!!
Last edited by Tuffcity; 02-25-2007 at 11:01 PM.
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