Please Help My Accuracy! (video)

[PAHunter]

I'm working hard to improve my selfbow shooting accuracy on 300 rounds and 3d shoots.  These are ideal conditions but I feel good conditions to work on form.  As hunting season approaches my practice will change drastically to good hunting simulations.  As a measure I'm currently shooting around 200 on a 300 round on paper, with a best of 219 so far.  I suspect I can get that up to 250 eventually; or at least that's my goal. 

Here is what I'm doing now:
1) I strive for a balanced and structured stance for consistency.  My stance is slightly open and the bow is slightly canted.
2) Bow hand is at a 45 and there is no finger tension/gripping
3) I draw with central back muscles and try to get a good expansion (28 and 1/2'' or so)
4) I anchor with my middle finger on my canine tooth. 
5) Once fully drawn I tilt my head slightly to get pupil over arrow.
6) I release but think mainly about follow through and the bow jumping forward.  Well other than aiming of course.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8nJ3NI-CHU&feature=youtu.be

Any tips are much appreciated!

[Pat B]

Your form looks good to me and if you are shooting a 219 to 250 you should be good for hunting. When you get close to hunting season limit your shooting to one shot at a time at hunting distance and from an elevated (if tree stand hunting) stand. A month before hunting season I take one shot in the early morning and sometimes one shot in the evening; simulating a hunting situation.

[paulsemp]

I am certainly not 1 to comment on proper shooting technique but I do have to say holding full draw for that long will destroy a self bow in a short time. I have been shooting a lot myself lately and working on accuracy and one thing that seems to help me is I never look down my arrow anymore. I look at my target and don't take my eyes off of it from before I draw till after I release

[aaron]

I'm no expert, but I think your form looks pretty good. Paul said that holding at anchor will destroy a bow- I think what he means is that it will cause set, not that the bow will break (am I right paul?) I hold for about the length you do, maybe a little less. It might be better to train yourself to avoid that head adjustment you do to get the eye over the arrow. I achieve that same thing by bending at the waist (and bending the knees). Your bow hand is relaxed while aiming, but closes to catch the bow upon release- it may be better to develop a grip that does not change during the shot. This has been a challenge for me. If I wrap my fingers all the way around the handle, it causes torque, and the bow twists upon release. So, what I do is to line my fingers up on the back of the bow. They press gently towards the belly without any pressure on the side of the grip. see moebows posts in this thread (not me)
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=print_topic;f=6;t=005763

[paulsemp]

that's what I meant aaron. by no means that I mean it would blow up just you would start losing cast in a shorter time if you hit anchor and released

[Pat B]

I agree with these guys about not holding at full draw too long. I release when I hit anchor and if I find myself getting sloppy I'll hold for a second or so but not long at all.

[PAHunter]

@Pat: definitely will do, thanks!
@Paul: thanks man.  Can you tell I come form compound shooting?     I hold long, always have.  I've shot some bows many thousand times that way and they are doing just fine.  I try not to do it until the bow and tiller is done though.  no doubt I stress wood more than most but I think a well made bow levels off at some point.
@aaron: yep, I'm in the process of making a primitive bow sling for my wrist (if such a thing exists .  I may use leather and an antler piece.  It will catch the bow.  I hate having to do it after the shot as you noted.  thanks!

[crooketarrow]

   DO YOU TRY TO REMEMBER ALL OF THAT EACH SHOT. Just shoot ,do what comes natural. Thats where it's at if you want to have fun shooting.

  If you wish to improve get a judio and take a couple  long walks.
 Have some fun shooting instead of trying to impress the group behind you.

  Do this you might hit the next buck you shoot at.

[Pat B]

Once you've taught your body and muscles the form and routine needed to shoot a bow let your brain take over that part of your shooting and you just concentrate on right where that arrow will go. It's that concentration that is the hard part.

[PAHunter]

@crooketarrow lol no.  I do blind/blank bale work to work on form.  My primary shot thought is aiming though I do think stance, back tension, follow through at some less conscious level. 

As for having fun, heck ya I do!     I'm a computer nerd so being analytical in the range is fun to me.  Learning how it works on a technical level.  Though I'm constantly stalking through the woods on grandpa's farm without my shirt chasing every stump, bug, and critter that moves! 

I have no hate for those who are less analytical than me about it.  Everyone should attack it how they enjoy the most.  But that is part of my enjoyment.   

[Andrea S]

I've been doing a lot of noodling around with form trying to achieve more consistency, so I find this discussion very valuable. The biggest challenge for me has been my bow hand - the grips on the two bows I'm shooting now have nothing to provide real consistency, which is a problem for me. Everyone thinks about the draw hand having an anchor point, but to me, there is a bow hand anchor as well, and that's just making sure that you're gripping the bow in exactly the same manner every single time.

This may just be me, but I have found better results from a tighter rather than a looser grip with the bow hand - not a death grip, but firm, not at all like shooting a compound bow. My fiance is three time MT state champion for compound target, so it's always interesting to compare notes on form - and the push-pull method of compound shooting (he isn't really even "holding" the grip at all) is very ineffective for traditional bows. Control of the bow hand seems to be just as important as control of the draw hand for me, where even a slight change in grip can change where the arrow wants to go. I'm thinking of adding something to my grips, maybe two little dots of leather or glue that I can touch with a thumb and a finger to know my hand is in precisely the same place every time.

Anyone else experience this with the bow hand or am I just crazy?

[Pat B]

Andrea, that's one reason I use a floppy rest; as a locator for my hand as well as protecting my hand...and it still feels like I'm shooting off my hand.

[PAHunter]

making sure that you're gripping the bow in exactly the same manner every single time.

That's interesting.  Personally I pay close attention to how I carve my grips so it holds my hand in a lower wrist 45 degree position.  Maybe you can tell from the pic.  I keep gripping it while working on it until it naturally falls there. 

I pretty much use 0 tension as with a compound.  In fact I mimick compound form as closely as possible except where it just isn't possible, such as lining the pupil over the arrow.  I've never tried a tighter bow grip.  I'll have to do some blind bale work and try some of the different grips to see how it goes.  As I understand the goal is for the bow to jump straight forward and the elbow to be in that 45% position.  Currently I'm working on a wrist sling so that I don't have to grip the bow at all.  But by all means people should do what works best for them. 

[paoliguy]

Similar to what Andrea said I have found a tighter grip works better for me.

One thing that I used to use with a loose grip was a piece of string wrapped around my wrist that had a loop I could place around my thumb and forefinger. It took away that sensation of "I'm going to drop my bow" on release. It may have been more of a mental thing but it for sure helped my shooting and it was cheap and simple (a lot like me!).

I bet you'll find your preference soon too - have fun!

[crooketarrow]

  You want to hit that 250 mark. I can tell you what will cut you group size by inchs.

  Everything looked ok in your vidio so try my little trick. Well it really is'nt mine A guy by the name HOWARD HILL used it. When you release ,touch ankor release the third finger down first. You can't stop the next 2 fingers for follow suit.

 This way you get the same crisp release everytime.  When I can feel the burn in my third finger I know I'm releaseing the right way. I started useing this release with long bows and recurves back before self bows.

  I works and works everytime. Try it. It's helped me kill 40 bucks and 15 gobblers. In 23 years ofshooting and hunting with my own selfbows.