Stickbow Target Archery Forums

Dave, you ask a good question in regards to barebow archery.

Dave T wrote "As it was explained to me many years ago, point of aim happens at the target while gap happens at the bow in your peripheral or secondary vision
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Gap can happen at the bow or at the target, the difference between the two is whether you see the gap in inches or feet. Gap in simple terms differs from POA, because in gap the focus is on the target with the arrow in the periphery. With POA the focus is on the arrow point and the aiming point(eg.staked-tennis ball) with the target in the periphery. Point of aim is formally thought of as placing a physical marker in the field between the archer and target. As the target distance changes, the archer moves the marker.

If an archer were to find something to aim at between the target and archer for example, a rock or a log. If the focus is on the object then this could be called point of aim. I would rather call it pick a point since I think of POA as the archer physically placing the marker rather than finding something that already exists. As you can see, both POA and pick a point are very similar techniques.

Larry

Larry,n
Glad to hear from you on this. I'd be interested in how you aim on the field course for the varying distances.

I have developed an aiming system using multiple anchors (face walking) to keep the arrow point on or closely related to the target. Even though I'm not using an aiming point on the ground I am focused on the tip of my arrow and the designated POA, not the target I want to hit. My only reference to the target is for windage, meaning I line everything up with the center. I hold at 6 O'clock or 12 O'clock on a scoring or the whole thing, depending on distance.
I call this Point of Aim shooting but I've been told more than once it is gap shooting, in part because my POA is mostly on the target.

Daven
PS: Rob, I wasn't attributing that to you. I thought you were attributing that to me. (LOL)

LBG, the articles you are referring to are located at , specifically you are referring to "Bridging the Gap". Looking over the selection of articles I contributed to the Stickbow site, it has reminded me that I do need to do some more current articles.

I've done stringwalking and facewalking when I was shooting Fita Barebow, it is more in line with "point on" shooting. If I were shooting as you describe Dave T, I would say I was shooting pick-a-point with some facewalking.

As it is now for me, I employ pick-a-point, gap, and instinctive shooting when I shoot a field course. I will try to detail it more in a future post, but for now I am off to the range for our monthly trad shoot. :thumbsup:
Larry

Thanks, Larry, I had lost track of the link to your articles and look forward to more of them. I would be especially interested in any comments you may care to make about two points: draw length and release type-'dead' versus what I think of as 'long and lively', basically Olympic recurve style. I have been working on the latter with sometimes promising but often disappointing results.

And, I recently practiced some Howard Hill style swing draw and rapid fire shooting at short and medium ranges and got better groups than I have been getting target-style! And it was more fun and less fatigueing. I would be interested in hearing about your wide and international experience in these matters-- and your personal investigations.

The question is: What is the most accurate way to shoot a longbow? A worthy topic, is it not?

Longbowguy I know this question was aimed a larry, so hope you dont mind if I butt in.

I taught myself to shoot Hill's faster more fluid style for timed and moving targets, I found the best way to learn was to just to start off slow and build up speed and control, I think it's important to learn a fluid shooting style this way, some people think it's a matter of just draw fast shoot fast and all that happens is you become an average to bad snap shooter

Stationary tourney targets with no time limit, why snap shoot when you have all the time in the world, I don't know if you've shot this faster technique in tourneys yet, but when I did, the added pressure made my faster more fluid shooting less accurate, so I only use it when required.

IFAA in Europe have timed 3D rounds and is something the Italians love to do, even then you have 20 seconds to shoot three arrows from one postion or 30 seconds from multiple positions, which isn't too difficult.

Thanks for your comments.

Actually, the swing style was the way I started, and my best field scores ever were made that way. That wasn't rapid fire but was brisk and rhythmic with a rather brief aiming period before completing the draw and release. I do find it less fatiguing and that it draws on a somewhat different set of skills.

As you learned, it can be speeded up when needed for movers and fliers and still retain good accuracy, on a good day at least.

I switched to the full target style two years ago, starting with a FITA recurve. I can score very well with it. With the longbow have had better scores at formal target events and some good groups at field archery but cannot approach my former top scores despite lighter arrows and an Edge longbow. I haven't determined whether that is a style matter or that I have passed my prime. I have recently switched back to hunting weight tackle and the swing style and hope to settle the matter for my own abilities, over the winter months.

I certainly think it is a good way to shoot heavier tackle and it is a very free and pleasant way to shoot informally. I intend to take it pheasant hunting in two weeks and try for waterfowl soon along with 3D and field targets.

Naturally, I am careful to avoid actual snap shooting and to maintain a full draw and to follow through with the string hand. That is my key to accuracy. Short strokes miss left.

Yor shooting form sounds well thought out, which is a sign of a good archer.

Good luck with your bird hunt, let us know how it went

Lbg, thanks for your response and you definitely have me thinking of a new article to submit to stickbow.com. I will get right on it as soon as I finish my article on my last elk hunt.

In response to your rapid fire experiences. One of the merits the quick shot technique has is it doesn't give us a chance to collapse or a myriad of other mishaps. When we shoot quick tempo'ed we get off a good strong shot and strong shots always feel good. Problem is a shot can be too quick and if it is too quick we might not be able to aim the arrow at the target, we might not be able to come to full draw, well you are aware of the problems that can arise.

A slower tempo'ed shot allows us to come to full draw and aim the arrow, but it also demands that we stay active in the shot and get off a strong shot. I can list a bunch of problems that can happen, but I won't.

Dave T, I will try to answer your, how does Larry aim question at a later date. I am too tired to go into the lengthy diatribe tonight. I promise you that it is much easier to do than to type it out. If I neglect to get back to the topic, please remind me, gently.

Short answer to how I aim on a field round is: instinctively

Good answer!

Larry that answer does my heart good. I know there is an awareness to where the point is but it is not something I think about. The tempo thing on the swing draw is real important I feel. This is the form I use on 3-D and if my timing is good the shot is good, you must stop the swing for a moment to settle down on the spot and I suspect that people who do not make that stop can run into trouble. Field shooting is different due to the distances involved, good solid anchor and bow arm with a total awareness of the tip on any target over about twenty five yards. I have started for the last week or so gripping the bow firmly not a crush grip but pretty firm and found that it slows my swing down to a nice speed and keeps my bow arm solid on field. Maintaining a very consistent 8 ring average on 3-but jumped from the low 300's in field to the low 400's. Keep waiting for the bottem to fall out but untill it does I will remain a believer in a strong grip on a flat handled longbow.