Shooting technique

[Woodely]

What is one the most significant shooting conundrums that you have overcome that have vastly improved your accuracy.

For me it was using a deep hook on the string,  before that I was releasing to early and torquing the string.

[Pat B]

For me it was short drawing. I shoot quickly, as soon as I hit anchor I release. When I find I'm short drawing I will hold at full draw for a second or 2. This sets me back on the right path.

[rebsr52339]

Pat, a friend , Harry Angle an archer, was up Monday and we were discussing that "very same topic". He said something to me that worked all afternoon. "Dick, draw, anchor, release and damn it, the shot is NOT finished till the arrow hits the target." It worked as I was dropping my left hand. Funny how that works. 

[Pat B]

Dick, it's the same with pistol and long gun shooting, isn't it? It's all part of the process.

[DC]

My accuracy improved a whole bunch a while back and the only thing I can think I did was to change from 3 finger split to 2 finger split. I doesn't seem like a change that would make a big difference but I'll take it.

[Pat B]

I've never shot 3 under but generally I'm unaware of my bow and arrow when shooting. My concentration is on where the arrow will go. I guess if someone is aiming down the arrow or using the point as an aiming reference 3 under would help. Also my arrow nocks are loose and 3 under wouldn't work anyway.

[rebsr52339]

Pat, it IS all part of the process. I find if in practice if I talk OUT LOUD to my self, draw, anchor, release, follow thru, it reinforces the flow of info to the brain. Absolutely no different in shooting. After over 400,000 rounds down range in 55 years, practice and matches, it is a process of info to the brain. That to me is the short of it.

[DC]

I don't have a lot of experience but it seems to me that no matter how you shoot, you have to aim in one form or another. Your brain takes info, whether you know it or not and moves the appropriate muscles to the right postion. Ever watch a 3 year old throw a rock? That's when he/she starts learning to shoot.

[Woodely]

"you have to aim in one form or another."  Instinctive is not about aiming at all.  The way I look at it is if you are not using the arrow point, sights or whatever how the heck can you aim in the general sense.  As far as I'm concerned full on aiming requires some sort of fixed point used for aiming ie.  pin sights, the arrow tip etc.

Tennis is a good example, you dont aim at the last second even if you could. Things are happening so fast, you eyes are fixed on the spot where you want the ball to go.  Same as golf even though you are standing parrell to the line of sight its not aiming, you are simply aligning your body to the imaginary line between the tee and the hole.  Having said that if you are not using a fixed point on your gear you are not aiming in the true sense of the word its purely Instinctive.

[DC]

If it was instinctive a 3 year old could shoot 300. I think you are confusing instinctive with habitual. If it was instinct tennis players wouldn't have to practice 18 hours a day. You start with the first rock you throw and train muscles to work together to hit what you aim at. Your brain knows that arrow is there and how to position your muscles so it will hit what you're looking at. Maybe we're saying the same thing.

[Hawkdancer]

Not enough good practice!  Muscle memory, hand eye coordination, and timing - then doing the exact same sequence, draw, release, and follow through every time!  After enough repetitions and years, you can pick up any similar weapon and be pretty close to accurate, and be able to adjust to the target.  I have put 100s of thousands of rounds down range with rifles and pistol, maybe 100k with a bow over 70 years of shooting and still try to use repetitive sequences on every shot.  But everyone has to be familiar with their equipment!
Hawkdancer

[Woodely]

I'am not here to argue..!  just making a point but you cannot argue this term because most Archers and the whole archery community Professionals and competition Archers refer to Instinctive as shooting without sights.  Without sights there is no aiming.
How can you call shooting a Gun from the hip Aiming...? Or please define the term Instinctive, or what is the Definition.  What the Archery experts say its shooting a bow without sights or using a fixed point.

https://www.hunter-ed.com/georgia/studyGuide/Aiming-the-Bow/201011_700016045/
You adjust the aim for different distances by instinct developed with practice... There again I guess a 3 year old could practice with sights but shooting instinctive for a 3 year old would take years of practice. In its pure form,  instinctive shooting is performed just as you'd throw a stone or a ball — by looking at what you want to hit and letting 'er fly.....

At some point I do aim but only briefly,  I focus on the target, slowly raise the bow bring it to my anchor point look down the arrow towards the target then focus totally on the target with both eyes or the dominant one.  The last few seconds I'am not using any fixed point on the bow. 

[DC]

If it was instinctive a 3 year old could shoot 300. I think you are confusing instinctive with habitual. If it was instinct tennis players wouldn't have to practice 18 hours a day. You start with the first rock you throw and train muscles to work together to hit what you aim at. Your brain knows that arrow is there and how to position your muscles so it will hit what you're looking at. Maybe we're saying the same thing.

Woodley- sorry for this rant. For some reason the name "Instinctive" just sends me off my rails. It's really just semantics and I shouldn't over react. I know what you mean and I should just accept it and bite my tongue.

[Woodely]

Be it as it may semantics or  whatever.  Its funny others on here that mention Instinctive time and time again wont chime in and just let us argue the point to no avail.   I'am not saying my definition is correct but there has to some validity to it.   I find that online discussion about a subject that differs in opinion never seems to get anywhere.  Its almost like a generation gap.
Enough said from this cowboy. 

[Pappy]

Call it what you like and you are right Woodely it is discussed a lot and everyone has their own thoughts on the subject, but what DC said is dead on. Your brain don't know with the first arrow or base ball what to do but over time doing it over and over again it will learn where you need to be pointing to hit what you want. 
 Pappy