Stickbow Target Archery Forums

Many "traditional" shooters say that the only way to be accurate is to get the arrow as close to the bow hand as possible. But it seems that those that shoot off an arrow rest do quite well. Do most who shoot off a arrow rest and not the shelf gap?

I think the difference between shelf and rest is that most rest shooters aren't shooting "instinctively" (IMO "instinctive" means not looking at the arrow, as opposed to using GAP or some other soft sight aiming system, or using a hard bowsight), whilst a shelf shooter can utilize most any barebow style of aiming from "instinctive" to any soft sighting methodology.

I agree with what Rob stated. I personally like to shoot off the shelf when hunting because it's more intuitive as to where to place the arrow and there seems to be less chance of the arrow coming off it's spot. However, I get much better arrow flight when I use a rest. The combination of arrow rest and plunger seems to be the most forgiving setup and makes things easier to tune. The adjustable plunger makes a larger array of arrow shafting possible, though with some tuning. For target shooting, I use a rest and plunger. For hunting, I've been shooting off a rest but I'm re-assessing how well I shoot that way. Hunting style may have something to do with this. I like to still hunt, walk around and look, rather than stand hunt. When still hunting I find myself in less than ideal positions where I need to get an arrow out of the quiver and on the string, often with my prey close at hand. A nice big and well padded shelf is generally easier and quieter than a rest in such conditions. The bottom line is I shoot both both ways. I also use Howard Hill's explanation of split vision for indirect aiming, both off the shelf and with a rest, though to unfortunately less effect.

Russ,n
I shoot off the shelf (with wooden arrows) and with a rest for metal and carbon. I use split vision for both, although I do have to recalibrate my brain when switching from one to another, which takes a few weeks.

I find that Rob's 'trajectory aiming' evolves into split-vision -- when you start out with different equipment, you 'trajectory aim' -- after you've done it a bit, your brain gets the picture, and you just look at the target, seeing the arrow out of your peripheral vision.

Rob, Russ, ArcC -n
Sorry can't really agree one this one. I only use aluminum arrows, (and the occassionally old fiberglass). Only come off the "shelf" on my longbows (not too much choice there). The increased clearance, and resultant flight characteristics from using a rest far outweigh the perceieved necessaity of getting the the arrow closer to the hand, IMHO. The delta is usually about an inch, and that not a lot to have to compensate for, it happens, well, instinctively, which is the only way I shoot.

I really think this just is a case of worrying too much.
As rob says YMMV, .

Viper out.

Exploring the many contradictions and paradoxes in archery, particularly in a forum such as this one, is what I would call 'play', not 'worrying'.

[quote]Originally posted by Viper:
[b] Rob, Russ, ArcC -n
Sorry can't really agree one this one. I only use aluminum arrows, (and the occassionally old fiberglass). Only come off the "shelf" on my longbows (not too much choice there). The increased clearance, and resultant flight characteristics from using a rest far outweigh the perceieved necessaity of getting the the arrow closer to the hand, IMHO. The delta is usually about an inch, and that not a lot to have to compensate for, it happens, well, instinctively, which is the only way I shoot.

I really think this just is a case of worrying too much.
As rob says YMMV,

rob -
One of us took a mis-cue, usually me
:stooges:
I ment that my longbows have shelves (HH type, D bows), and that's how I shoot them. My recurves, (almost) all have sometype of rest stuck on. Either Hoyt Pro rests, feather, those new Bear Weather rests (which actually work well).

I just don't think the 1" or so elevation from the hand makes a real difference, in the point and shoot therory, even with a cant.
Viper out.

I agree with Viper. Because barebow archers put their eye right over the arrow, cant is much less important than when you use a sight which has to be vertically aligned with the arrow.

re: shelf and rest - I disagree with Viper, et al, simply because to many archers an arrow low on the shelf not only "feels" better (feels more "correct" in the bow hand), it allows a more centered approach to the fulcrum balance of the riser and limbs.
i.e. - Barebow aiming requires a cant. Look at how much the arrow moves in relation to different cant angles - first with a shelf rest, and then with a 1" elevated rest. The elevated rest will be much more difficult to achive consistency than the low shelf rest which rotates way less than the elevated rest.
In terms of arrow flight and tuning, IMO, shelf rests work very consistently, even with minimal tuning, for logical barebow distances. Heck, I can achieve good arrow flight and accuracy with 45mm vanes off a longbow rest.
I rest my case.

Well, I've always wanted to be able to just 'reach out for the target' too. And using a rest means that I can't reach out for it -- I have to reach under it. But there is a solution for this problem -- shoot at a longer distance