# Poll, What's your shooting style



## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

It does seem like the majority of the shooters on here are shooting without sights so as a curiosity lets have an accounting. You can post a comment but only if you answer the Poll, fair enough?


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## 2413gary (Apr 10, 2008)

Non sight instinctive and gap in the window above the arrow compound and recurve


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## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

2413gary said:


> Non sight instinctive and gap in the window above the arrow compound and recurve


you were too quick you need to answer the poll


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## centershot (Sep 13, 2002)

BHFSL compound (and some FS also) Trad recurve, but BH looks like fun (basically Trad rules with the compound). So many bows, so little time.........


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## BLGreenway (Jan 18, 2014)

Compound....Fingers...clicker....sight....tab


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## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

I wonder if anyone would shoot freestyle if it wasn't the only compound sighted finger division at Vegas? I know I never would have started shooting it. In fact I basically shot my hunting bow with a long stabilizer at Vegas the first year. 

I wish they would switch to BHFSL for Vegas.


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## aaronpv2 (Sep 9, 2012)

I'll be the first to admit, 
I'm a Jack Of a All Trades and a Master Of None,

I shoot any of the disciplines well enough not to look like a Newbie, but not so well that getting schooled by the Specialist is typically not much of an effort on their part.
I have No Dreams of Grandeur at ever becoming some Champion or Winner of some Particular Discipline

My only Objective is to Have Fun and Make New Friends and If My Shooting Improves as a Result All the Better.

When I Hunted I choose the setup which includes Fixed Sights, Short stabilizer and a Release, Always tried to stack the Odds in My Favor when It comes to a Clean and Ethical Kill.


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## Paul68 (Jul 20, 2012)

b0w_bender said:


> It does seem like the majority of the shooters on here are shooting without sights so as a curiosity lets have an accounting. You can post a comment but only if you answer the Poll, fair enough?


Answers submitted. Thanks for putting this together, interested to see the results. The Last of the Mohican-finger-shooting-barebows may have a few more than we thought. Cooper will need to change the title of our book.


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## Windrover (Jan 6, 2012)

How things change. BHFSL would have been almost everybody in the eighties. Seems to me it should still be a very effective hunting rig although personally I'm having a lot of fun with Bowhunter.


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## wa-prez (Sep 9, 2006)

b0w_bender said:


> I wonder if anyone would shoot freestyle if it wasn't the only compound sighted finger division at Vegas?


Vegas does have Freestyle Limited Compound Flights - this is any bow (usually compounds) any sight (mover or fixed pin) FINGERS, any stabilizer.

Last year there were 30+ of us, mixture of FSL and BHFSL.


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## Paul68 (Jul 20, 2012)

b0w_bender said:


> It does seem like the majority of the shooters on here are shooting without sights so as a curiosity lets have an accounting. You can post a comment but only if you answer the Poll, fair enough?


Looking at the results so far, the majority of us do seem to forego the sights, but the overall numbers are paltry at best. JF Cooper may be right calling us the "Last of..." just the same. Not enough of us to fill up a bar. I realize there are more finger guys over on TradGang and Leatherwall, that are mixing a compound in with their recurves and long bows, but with numbers this low the white rhino has a better chance making it to the next decade. This must be what the horse cavalry guy felt like when he watched the first tank roll by....


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## soul archer (Jul 2, 2014)

When is vegas? What kind of scores get put up by the fingers guys? (vision of grandeur)


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## zestycj7 (Sep 24, 2010)

Compound non-sights-fingers and short stabilizer.
Don.


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## archer_nm (Mar 29, 2004)

Soul archer what style are asking about? Vegas is the 6 7 8 of Febuary


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## soul archer (Jul 2, 2014)

How many classes are there for fingers guys?
I could set up for any of the classes, I figured there would not be too many though.


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## wa-prez (Sep 9, 2006)

soul archer said:


> How many classes are there for fingers guys? I figured there would not be too many though.


Depends on the sponsoring organization and sometimes also on the particular event.

For NFAA events there are:

Freestyle Limited (any sight, any stabilizer, fingers)
Bowhunter Freestyle Limited (5-pin fixed sight, short stabilizer (back-bars OK), fingers)
Barebow (no sight, any stabilizer, fingers)
Bowhunter (no sight, short stabilizer, fingers)
Freestyle Limited Recurve (Recurve bow, moveable sight, any stabilizer, fingers)
Traditional (Recurve bow, no sight, short stabilizer, fingers (no string-walking)
Longbow (Longbow, no sight, no stabilizer, fingers, no string walking)

I think I've covered it all!


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## zestycj7 (Sep 24, 2010)

All of the non-sight finger classes shoot togeather in Vegas.
Don.


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## soul archer (Jul 2, 2014)

so you guys shooting the single target face, that's still 3 arrows per end correct? How do you keep from beating up arrows or kicking them out? smaller diameter shafts?


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## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

soul archer said:


> so you guys shooting the single target face, that's still 3 arrows per end correct? How do you keep from beating up arrows or kicking them out? smaller diameter shafts?


Not sure this is the thread for this question but...
At Vegas they give you the choice. Often single spot shooters are choosing to shoot them because they have a concern about their accuracy and you can pick up those points for the arrows that land in the 5 through 1 rings. In this case I don't think the concern is hitting your arrows 

For shooters that shoot with out sights many feel it's easier to concentrate on the single spot in order to get dialed in. In that case the benefits of single spot aiming outweigh the concerns of loosing a couple of arrows. (Easton will be happy to make more) yes kick-outs are a potential risk but again worth the risk.


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## zestycj7 (Sep 24, 2010)

I have trouble being able to shoot the 3 spot target.
I seem to be able to focus better on the single spot target and I shoot the largest dia. arrow allowed.
I do get kick outs once in a while but they score better than missing that stupid little target on the 3 spot...LOL
Don.


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## Windrover (Jan 6, 2012)

zestycj7 said:


> Compound non-sights-fingers and short stabilizer.
> Don.


I'm new to the naked compound. Not new to compound with sights and fingers. Not new to trad recurve. 
The distinction between barebow and bowhunter baffles me. Is the critical difference the length of the stabilizer or is it the stringwalking. Do the two classes have significantly different scores?


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## soul archer (Jul 2, 2014)

thanks for the info on the single target face versus 3.
I got my range set up today and will try both styles. 
I like the single point of focus, but am really concerned about big fat shafts


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## BLGreenway (Jan 18, 2014)

The disappointing thing about how I shoot, compound, fingers, sight and a clicker, is that, as far as I understand, I can't participate in any tournaments. I'm not even allowed to participate in a 3D tournament, I believe. But after finding a way to shoot that helps to control my TP, I have no other options. They permt release shooters to shoot with a Back tension release that allows a completely surprise release, but not a clicker - which is why I use it. Not sure I get that, but it is what it is.


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## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

BLGreenway said:


> The disappointing thing about how I shoot, compound, fingers, sight and a clicker, is that, as far as I understand, I can't participate in any tournaments. I'm not even allowed to participate in a 3D tournament, I believe. But after finding a way to shoot that helps to control my TP, I have no other options. They permt release shooters to shoot with a Back tension release that allows a completely surprise release, but not a clicker - which is why I use it. Not sure I get that, but it is what it is.


I'm pretty sure you can always shoot in the full Freestyle division but you would be competing against releases then.


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## Astroguy (Oct 11, 2013)

In the NFAA I shot mostly FSL. I was lucky enough to find that my Dad worked with a former sponsored pro from Bear Archery back in the early 1970's. In the winter we would shoot Indoors with recurves , clickers with an adjustable pin sight without a level. He loved FITA and taught Junior programs. I am 51 years old now and choose to shoot Bowhunter class mainly because I have shot A class FSL, and it got to the point where it was not fun anymore. Shooting dots without sights is just plain and simple fun again. I might try Traditional Recurve again if my shoulders hold up.


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## buckrut5 (Jun 28, 2010)

BLGreenway said:


> Compound....Fingers...clicker....sight....tab


I shoot the same setup.....


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## BLGreenway (Jan 18, 2014)

buckrut5 said:


> I shoot the same setup.....


I just sent you a PM. Glad to see a fellow clicker user.


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## tguil (Mar 3, 2003)

Compound, fingers, fixed sights and NO stabilizer. But then I don't shoot competitively.


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## b-a-maniak (Apr 19, 2014)

I'd be BHFSL. Is there a bi-focal division...?


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## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

b-a-maniak; said:


> Is there a bi-focal division...?


now that's funny!


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

BLGreenway said:


> The disappointing thing about how I shoot, compound, fingers, sight and a clicker, is that, as far as I understand, I can't participate in any tournaments. I'm not even allowed to participate in a 3D tournament, I believe. But after finding a way to shoot that helps to control my TP, I have no other options. They permt release shooters to shoot with a Back tension release that allows a completely surprise release, but not a clicker - which is why I use it. Not sure I get that, but it is what it is.


FSL allows a clicker.

Personally I doubt that we will see any compound finger shooters competing in 20 years when the current people are finished. The increased participation in FSLR/Trad/RC BB (world archery) that is happening is where the future of finger shooting is going. Dropping BB/BH/FSL/BHL as competitive classes will do nothing but enhance the sport in my mind.
World archery has the right idea with only recognizing 3 classes. Too many awards makes them meaningless.

-Grant


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## Stone Bridge (May 20, 2013)

It's a shame so few long compounds are available today. I recall many men shooting compound fingers and no sights years ago. I tried it back then with compounds that shot around 250 fps. It was fun, like shooting a ray gun after being used to a recurve only shooting 185 or so. If more guys shot this way today, I'd get a compound and shoot fingers, no sights, for fun. It really is a cool thing to shoot 50 yards with such a flat arrow and not using sights.


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