I wish I would have tried it before

[Gus]

Crooketarrow,

Are you saying that your release hand stays at your cheek/anchor point after release?
Just want to make sure I understand. 

-gus

[PEARL DRUMS]

Mine does and anybody that shoots accurate, repeatable shots should. If your hand leaves your face/cheek then the chance of "plucking" an arrow goes way up.

[Gus]

Thank You Pearl Drums.

My hand stays put as well.
However I do see guys who finish with their hand up above and behind their heads, like they're waving.
Also have seen em doing motion with their string hand that looks like a guitarist windmilling on stage... 

The term "Follow Through" always threw me in reference to Archery.
Always made me think I should be doing something.

-gus

[PEARL DRUMS]

I have seen some crazy form through the years, and some crazy shots that followed! The hard truth is there really is one way to shoot, with slight variations of course.

[criveraville]

My wise ol' man always tells me "They are all sisters with different address'!".  I think he may just be right?  No offense ladies of the board.

  Si senor

[gstoneberg]

I have seen some crazy form through the years, and some crazy shots that followed! The hard truth is there really is one way to shoot, with slight variations of course.

I've watched this thread with interest, but now I have to post.  I have to respectfully and emphatically disagree with the above unless by "only one way to shoot" you mean to hold the bow in one hand and pull the string with the other.  I've seen people with what appeared to be great form that couldn't hit a barn from the inside.  I've also seen people whose release was a plethora of motion that were awesome shots.  And, of course, the converse to both is also true.  If you study every people group that used or is using archery you'll find a myriad of form approaches.  Yet they succeeded in bringing home the bacon.   There's nothing wrong with working towards consistency in form, but to assert that there is just one way to shoot is silly.  Show me a dozen excellent instinctive shooters and I'll show you at least a half a dozen approaches to doing it well.  The key to being a great shot has very little to do with form, and a whole lot to do with confidence and concentration.  What I tell people I teach to shoot is this...practice until you're sure you can't miss.  When you're sure you're going to hit the target and you've made that target as small as possible, you will.  When you suspect you won't, you won't.  The form you're using is irrelevant because by the time you achieve confidence you will have honed your ability using that form and made it second nature.  At the moment of truth, when the deer is in range or the final shot in the tourney will mean success or failure, your ability to concentrate and your confidence in your ability will be what makes you succeed.  Archery as we do it is mostly a mental sport.  Yes, there's a need to develop form consistency but to try and adopt a certain form, believing it is the only way to do it, is not the best approach.  In fact, over time you'll learn to use multiple forms successfully.  During a typical deer season you might need to make shots that require alterations in form.  You can pass those shots, but I prefer to be able to make them.  I think the point to stress is that mental strength and concentration are the keys to great shooting.  Form is third in importance, at least to me.

George

[Gus]

Thank You Mr. G,

Although I find the term "Follow Through" more confusing than ever.

On the other hand, I see your point. Many moons ago, whether running through the woods bow
and arrows in hand, often shooting on the run or from horseback Comanche style, I was deadly.
My confidence was off the scale. I was ten feet tall, bullet proof, and the bringer of death to my
quarry. Squires , Rabbits, birds, all bound for the stew pot and dumplings.
Foxes, bobcats, coyotes and the neighbor's dogs, caught read handed in our chicken coup
all bound for the tanning board or the fence post. I was thirteen, read too many Louis Lamour
books, and listened to all the tales of my elders with rapt attention.
Form never crossed my mind. Putting meat on the family table consistently, was my primary
goal.

I didn't really have a problem with form until I got older and began shooting with other folks.
And then the wheelie bow further tainted my accuracy.

Now having come full circle, I find myself trying to recapture what I left behind.

If it sounded in any way that I was endorsing any particular shooting style or
that I thought I had a Lock on my own shooting style, I apologise. I do not... 

Ever the willing learner.

-gus

[PEARL DRUMS]

My point was much more simple George. The elbow cant point to the moon, the string hand really should stay tight to your face at release, and the bow hand should stay put until the arrow hits. The rest can vary from here to heaven. Im aware of that. Form creates clean arrow flight which creates accuracy. If you dont follow some basic archery rules your arrows will not fly consistent from shot to shot, not on target, but consistent, clean flight.  Gus, you had good form back then and didnt know it. That why your accuracy was off the charts. Hitting a bullseye with your arrows sliding in sideways means nothing to me, arrow flight is where its at for me anyhow.

[jonathan creason]

I've got to thank you for starting this thread, Pearl.  Not only have you convinced me to go back to split finger, but more importantly you got me to give a dead release a try.  From the time I started shooting trad/primitive bows I've always followed through with my release hand to my shoulder.  I never could figure out why I constantly got erratic arrow flight, but it looks like I was plucking like crazy.  Been shooting the past couple of days with a dead release, my hand never leaving my face, and the arrows are flying like darts right where they're supposed to.  I have to concentrate a little more to make sure I'm getting good, solid back pressure, but that's not too difficult.

[PEARL DRUMS]

My pleasure Jonathan. I tried very hard for many years to get better with bad form, it cant happen no matter how hard I focus on a spot. Corrct form is correct form in my book.

[crooketarrow]

  FIRST OFF YES my hand dose move backwards at my release. If it stays aginst your face your snapping your fingers open. George everyone has there own form even you, you do the same thing over and over thats form. EVERYONE DOSE IT A LITTLE DIFFERENT. But theres basics. You should do what comes natural to you. But you start with the basics weather you know it on not. The people that refine it shot better PERIOD. I KNOW THIS THROUGH HUNDERDS OF THOUSANDS OF ARROWS.
  I suck and can pin point arrows but I can and do hit when in and 1 or 2 inchs EVERYTIME I'll say that again EVERYTIME. And it's through form compounds, long bows, recurves,selfbows even shot guns and rifles all start with the basic form. Ilove to shoot someone at 500 yards thats only shot a rifle a coup,le times a year. I shot bench rest rifles for 25 years. So I know if you don't have good form you won't stand a chance.
  Heres another plus of good form people with good bow form. There bows shoot QUITER. I've shot off the wood for as long as I've shot selfbows. And I shot DEAD QUITE. Had lots of people shot my bows and have the arrow clink of the shelf.
  I know you all have had someone pick up a bow draw it and you know right away if he shoots a bow. People that do have the basic form down and you can tell.
  FOLLOW THROUGHS EASY. When you pick your spot at your release DON'T DO ANYTHING untill your arrow hits. To do this NEVER-NEVER stop looking at your spot untill your arrow hits. No matter where it hits. This is one of the most things that happens. 
  You don't want to watch your arrow fly you drop your bow arm out of the way to see. Touble with this is you drop your arm before your arrow has'nt compleaty left the shelf hand for some. If oyu want to watch your arrow fly flight shoot and give up hunting.

[crooketarrow]

  I could say this for years my hand stayed agaist my fact. But ( COUPLE SUMMERS BACK) it's just more natural for my hand to move backwards at my release a COUPLE INCHS. If you release like I said before third finger first to can't pluck the string WHEN YOUR HAND MOVES BACKWARDS. This works good with a dead release also. I did it for years but you can pluck the if you creep forwand.
  WHEN YOU RELEASE. With letting your hand move back at the release your always have back tention as you draw and release. so you never have creep which you can get with a dead release
  If any of you get and arrow now and then to the left 5 OR 6 inchs it's then your letting your bow creep forwand that time. Just feels more natural to me to let my hand slide backwards at the release. Like I said release third figger down first you can help but do the same everytime.
  LIKE I SAID DO WHAT COMES NATURAL after you learn the basics. Because if you have to think about doing any part of your shot when you do it. Your not shooting truely instintive. Your total  concentation meaning you should only be thinking of picking your spot.Not if your ankors right or about your back tention. You shold'nt be thinking of anything put your spot. When to do this your form addapts to the shot. THIS IS WHY INSTINTIVE SHOOTERS CAN HIT AT DIFFERENT BODY ANGLES AND NEVER THINK ABOUT IT.
  I ONCE SHOT A 10 POINT RUNNING BY A 5 YARDS. IT HAPPEN SO FAST I ONLY GOT TO HALF DRAW. Still got a middle of the deer lung shot. I also shot a buck out of a tree when he came up I could come to full draw because of a limb. I still hit him right whee I was looking.

[crooketarrow]

 GUS no I don't do the waying thing. But my hand dose move back a couple inchs but not much.

[Gus]

Okay,

I will focus more attention on focusing my attention and let my natural form sort itself out.



May your string never break and your arrows fly true.

-gus

[crooketarrow]

  Split finger and instintive shooting comes way more natural the qitetness just comes along with it.