Stickbow Target Archery Forums

This weeks coaching session was a difficult one . More work on posture, maintaining even body weight through both feet at the draw, and then STRING PICTURE. I have a real problem with this one. The idea is that you SEE the line of the string at full draw and line it up along the left hand side of the bow. The difficulty I have is that I like to shoot with both eyes open . This means I`m trying to focus on seeing the string the point of the arrow and the target, Very Difficult. It all comes into focus if I close my left eye. So , we spent two hours coming to full draw, and alternating eye open , eye closed
Aftera while I was begining to recognise the image of the string.( It`s a little like those MAGIC EYE pictures that were popular 10 years ago) Anyway it`s all coming together slowly . More news next week
P.S. New bow and arrows were ready on thursday after my disaster of a couple of weeks ago. Absolutly fantastic Point of aim on the Gold at 100 yards . How good is that ?

Hi Phil,n
Am wondering -- since you are already lining the point of the arrow up with some part of the target, why not simply use the rest of the arrow as your rear sight, and sight right down it. That way, instead of two additional things (sting and side of bow) to sight, you'd only have one -- the length of the arrow.

ArcCaster

If you are shooting a bow that is not center cut or more, a correctly spined arrow will hit to the right (rh archer) of where it is aligned at full draw. This is the "archers paradox).

I would suggest you either have a good, reproducable touch point (anchor)or learn to align your string with some part of your bow.

That would explain it. My bow is center shot, and I take it for granted that an arrow should go where it is pointed. I guess my bow is easier to shoot than a long bow or one of the earlier recurves that are not center shot.

Thanks Bill and Arcaster, You`ve both touched on the heart of my dilemma. My bow is a D section English longbow, I anchor directly in the centre of the groove of my chin ( like Kirk Douglas ) and keeping both my eyes open I can only focus on the last couple of inches of my arrow. I think it`s a depth of field thing. ( any Opthalmologists on the forum ) but tomorrow is practice night so I`ll experiment with your suggestions. Thanks and best wishes from the U.K.

P.S. Talking of Opthalmologists, what do all the forum members do for a living ??? We must have all kinds of specialist skill out there.

Something to try -- look down the length of the arrow as you draw it. As you near anchor, look up towards your normal focus: the point and the target. You may still be able to see some of the length of the arrow.