Post by FlyinCedar on Jan 1, 2007 23:38:15 GMT -5
I wanted to take a minute an outline the two methods for shooting traditional archery. People have different variations of each, their own preferred way, but when it all boils down to it, you are either an instinctive or gap shooter. One is not necessarily better than the other, it is just a matter of personal preference. If you find you cannot get the hang of one, you may want to consider trying the other way.
Lets start with instictive. This is the style that I use. It is exactly as it says....you shoot instictively without conciously aiming. It takes a good deal of focus to shoot this way. When I shoot, everything else is drowned out. I pick a spot on the target and focus solely on that spot. First it is usually the center of the target, and one I get one in there, my new focus point becomes the nock of the arrow that is already there. Focus on the smallest thing possible.
Basically, you want to bore a hole in it with your eyes. When I do shoot, I do not even see my arrow. It might as well not exist. All I can see is the spot on the target. Once I have it, I draw, feel my anchor, and let it fly. There is no reason to hold, as I do not have anything to line up. Your body will make all the adjustments for you.
I focus so much on the target, that until a couple of months ago, I honestly couldn't tell you how my release felt...it just kinda happened. I had to stop trying to tighten my groups for a while, move in close, and concentrate on my release alone until it became second nature. When you do this, don't worry about where you hit on the target, as you are only working on your release. Once you get that down, you can work on the groups, distance, or whatever.
As for range, it just kind of comes to you. If you can point your finger at it, you can hit it with an arrow while shooting this way...at a reasonable distance that is....your body is not going to automatically adjust to shoot 80 yds away. That will take practice on your part if you wish to try to shoot that far.
Now for gap shooting. There is actually a method to this, and it really isnt that hard to get down with some practice. This method is the one used by 2 time world and 17 time state IBO champion Rod Jenkins.
Please forgive the poor picture, it was the best I could do in the Paint program. Refer back to the picture as needed as I explain this, and it will all start to make sense. All of this takes into account the natural trajectory of the arrow in flight.
First, you need to find what is called "Point On" distance for your particular bow and arrow combination. This will be different for almost all bows,and possibly with different arrow setups. Point on is the distance where when sighting down the arrow, you can visually put the point on the target where you want to hit, and the arrow will go there. For the purpose of this discussion, our point on distance is 40 yds (refer to picture).
For a point on distance of 40 yards, our maximum gap will be 20 inches below the target. To find your maximum gap, first find your point on distance, then move half that distance and shoot at the target point on. Your arrow will be high. Measure the distance from your aiming point to where the arrow actually hit. It will generally be half of your point on distance (40 yds point on/ 20 inches below target max gap).
I hope you are still following me. Now we get to the adjustments. As you move in from 40 yds, you need to start aiming UNDER the target. Move your point of aim one inch for every yard. For example, if you move in to 30 yards with this example setup, you will need to hold 10 inches under the target. At 20 yards, you need to hold 20 inches under the target....we are now at our maximum gap.....time to go the other way. As you move in from your maximum gap distance, you need to start bringing it back up. Since 20 inches is our maximum gap, and we are moving one inch per yard, we now hold the same number of inches under the target as yards we are away from the target. For example, if we move up to 15 yards, hold 15 inches under, and for 10 yards, hold 10 inches under.
This formula changes slightly as we get farther away. For about the first 10 or 12 yards, you will need to aim one and one half inches higher for every yard you go farther than your point on distance. This will increase as you get farther away, and may go up to as much as 3 inches per yard if you plan on getting out to 60 yards or so.
Hopefully I have explained this in a way that can be understood by all. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I will be hanging around. Good hunting everyone.
Lets start with instictive. This is the style that I use. It is exactly as it says....you shoot instictively without conciously aiming. It takes a good deal of focus to shoot this way. When I shoot, everything else is drowned out. I pick a spot on the target and focus solely on that spot. First it is usually the center of the target, and one I get one in there, my new focus point becomes the nock of the arrow that is already there. Focus on the smallest thing possible.
Basically, you want to bore a hole in it with your eyes. When I do shoot, I do not even see my arrow. It might as well not exist. All I can see is the spot on the target. Once I have it, I draw, feel my anchor, and let it fly. There is no reason to hold, as I do not have anything to line up. Your body will make all the adjustments for you.
I focus so much on the target, that until a couple of months ago, I honestly couldn't tell you how my release felt...it just kinda happened. I had to stop trying to tighten my groups for a while, move in close, and concentrate on my release alone until it became second nature. When you do this, don't worry about where you hit on the target, as you are only working on your release. Once you get that down, you can work on the groups, distance, or whatever.
As for range, it just kind of comes to you. If you can point your finger at it, you can hit it with an arrow while shooting this way...at a reasonable distance that is....your body is not going to automatically adjust to shoot 80 yds away. That will take practice on your part if you wish to try to shoot that far.
Now for gap shooting. There is actually a method to this, and it really isnt that hard to get down with some practice. This method is the one used by 2 time world and 17 time state IBO champion Rod Jenkins.
Please forgive the poor picture, it was the best I could do in the Paint program. Refer back to the picture as needed as I explain this, and it will all start to make sense. All of this takes into account the natural trajectory of the arrow in flight.
First, you need to find what is called "Point On" distance for your particular bow and arrow combination. This will be different for almost all bows,and possibly with different arrow setups. Point on is the distance where when sighting down the arrow, you can visually put the point on the target where you want to hit, and the arrow will go there. For the purpose of this discussion, our point on distance is 40 yds (refer to picture).
For a point on distance of 40 yards, our maximum gap will be 20 inches below the target. To find your maximum gap, first find your point on distance, then move half that distance and shoot at the target point on. Your arrow will be high. Measure the distance from your aiming point to where the arrow actually hit. It will generally be half of your point on distance (40 yds point on/ 20 inches below target max gap).
I hope you are still following me. Now we get to the adjustments. As you move in from 40 yds, you need to start aiming UNDER the target. Move your point of aim one inch for every yard. For example, if you move in to 30 yards with this example setup, you will need to hold 10 inches under the target. At 20 yards, you need to hold 20 inches under the target....we are now at our maximum gap.....time to go the other way. As you move in from your maximum gap distance, you need to start bringing it back up. Since 20 inches is our maximum gap, and we are moving one inch per yard, we now hold the same number of inches under the target as yards we are away from the target. For example, if we move up to 15 yards, hold 15 inches under, and for 10 yards, hold 10 inches under.
This formula changes slightly as we get farther away. For about the first 10 or 12 yards, you will need to aim one and one half inches higher for every yard you go farther than your point on distance. This will increase as you get farther away, and may go up to as much as 3 inches per yard if you plan on getting out to 60 yards or so.
Hopefully I have explained this in a way that can be understood by all. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I will be hanging around. Good hunting everyone.
