# aiming without bow sight



## alwayslookin (May 28, 2003)

*Dude....*

if ya put the tip of the arrow on the target...it would be like having a sight pin on your arrow rest.....WAY high impact.

Start at 3-5 yards , just keep burning a hole where you want to hit, your brain will learn where to aim...look at the target, not the arrow, your brain will do that.

Sometimes it helps to put a large + on the target with electrical tape for a bit.
Go over to Bowsite or in this Trad forum.....those guys will help you out more than I will.


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## Field_Flight (May 9, 2009)

*...*

I am new.... well, actually, i am re-new... I used to shoot some time ago but i put it down... 

The above poster is right 3 to 5 yards is an excellent starting distance. For the love of arrows, dont set a target at 20 yards or whatever because it seems like a better distance. When you're new - keep it close. When you can keep your arrows around 5" or so - thats a good distance. If its ten feet distance to do it - so be it.

A few pearls that really changed things for me - sights or no sights....

1. that terrific pistol grip thats so ergonomically sculpted on your bow - dont hug it when you shoot. Keep it open relaxed and and let the pressure of the bow sit on the meaty part of your hand below your thumb. Remember - the less contact - the better. I cant stress this enough.

2. Release is so very important. I did fingers for quite a while before I bothered with a mech release. Theres just a certain feel to a good release.
When everthing else is perfect, a poor release will ruin things. Beginners tend to yank away there fingers and in so doing pull shots all over the place.

3.When I was told this I laughed - no way am i going to drop the bow out of the way to see my arrow fly. And, for common sense conscious purposes - you wont. Because its all so new, fatigue can set in real quick and be honest - its cool seeing your arrow fly off the rest - you may sporadicaly develop this trait.

My dragons in the technique are 

a. maintain consistent follow through and dont move at all until you hear it hit the target.

b. relax that bow holding hand - a lot

c. relax your release hand and the wrist.

d. use the back to help fire the arrow through tension.

Asta, good luck.

Pete


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## Bowdon (Aug 17, 2004)

If you have a high anchor shoot a full length arrow and point the arrow at the target at 20 yards like if it was your finger in your secondary vision pointing. If it's low cut a 1/2 to 1 inch off it and try it again. Keep doing this tell you get the arrow to hit what your looking at. Then cut off all your arrows at that length. Make the arrow hit at what your looking at. This is called eye and hand coronation and instinctive shooting.


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## Field_Flight (May 9, 2009)

*,*



Bowdon said:


> This is called eye and hand coronation and instinctive shooting.



You rrreeeaaallllyyyyyy sure its called "coronation?"

P.


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## ghpham (May 29, 2009)

Thanks for all your help. One quick clarification: by instintive shooting, do you mean I just look at the x on the target without sighting the arrow? Basically relying on hand-eye coordination so that my bow hand to move itself accordingly?

I see alot of bows rotate out of the bow hand after a shot. How does that come about? no matter how relax my bow hand is, my bow just doesn't do that.


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## Altherik (Jun 15, 2009)

I am pretty accurate without a sight, and all I do is use my chin as an anchor for my thumb, and aim down the arrow, reducing it to just a circle with feathers coming out of it. Aiming is only part of it though, the release has to be perfect to get your arrow to land where you want it.


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## strcpy (Dec 13, 2003)

With respect to shooting barebow there are three main methods of aiming - instinctive, point of aim, and "something in between". You will get 1000 different answers for something in between and I'll leave that mostly up to you.

Instinctive in it's purist for is simply looking at the target, coming to full draw, and letting go. There are many that swear they do that and are happy with thier accuracy and many that swear they do it at a world class level of accuracy (though only in their backyard), indeed there are a huge amount that should set the world record for barebow shooting if they felt like going out and doing so (usually they do not want to show up others). Maybe they do, I will not say they can not as I do not know.

Nearly every single top barebow shooter on the planet uses a point of aim method. That is they come to full draw, anchor, and use the point of their arrow to aim with. It really isn't a huge difference from using sights. Look up "gap shooting", "string walking", and "face walking" for the three main methods here. There is lots written here about it so no need to look over it. The consistently highest target archery scores are going to be string walking, though your mileage may vary whilst hunting.

Personally I shoot a "hybrid" style for 30 yards and under. I shoot what is called "split vision". I do not judge yardage per se, I simply look at the target and visualize how the arrow will fly, point it down that path (like pointing your finger), and let it go. Past 30 or so yards it take too little to be off by a huge margin so I switch to gap shooting, I've never really enjoyed face/string walking.

Finally, unless you are really looking to win at a national level shoot however you want. I consider split vision to be instinctive - I do not think the purist are unaware of where their arrows are pointing. Yet that argument in and of itself can stretch to many pages. I will also note that most string walkers will beat other forms - as much I do not like string walking I can not find myself arguing that. But since I shoot for *personal* enjoyment I do not care - I go shoot and have fun. If that is your goal then read around on the terms I listed and work up your own mix of how you want to shoot. If you want to compete then you need to decide the venue, read the rules, and see what most of the top shooters are doing (for example string walking isn't legal in many cases).


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## big cypress (Jul 31, 2006)

before i had a sight i'd put a paper cup or stone on ground between me and target . i'd put arrow tip on it and if i missed high i'd move cup back toward me, if i missed low i'd move cup out till i was hitting target . i also needed to adjust cup a little left and right to hit center . great for targets but not so great for hunting . try it you'll like it [and it confuses or amuses any other shooters ].


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## trapperDave (Mar 12, 2005)

come down to the trad forum


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## trapperDave (Mar 12, 2005)

yer gettin some bs answers here. What poundage are you shooting? what arrows? If your spine is off, wont matter what ya do, the arrows will fly like spit. If you have correctly spined arrows to start with,,,and you go cuttin on them like stated above,,,they aint gonna be correctly spined no more.

If all is properly matched,,,,,start at 5 yds, put a verticle piece of tape on your target from top to bottom and start shootin at it. dont worry about hi and lo, just your left and right. Your brain will learn the arrows trajectory over time. the verticle line youre aiming at will teach you consistency in form. When 5 yds is mastered, step back 5 more and so on.

Gettin good with instinctive is NOT gonna happen overnight, takes real dedication unlike shootin a bow with training wheels,sight,release etc. Ya'll get mad if ya want,,,its true. 

you might also try gap shooting and point of aim to see what works best for you.

Also theres no shame in puttin a sight on your recurve if need be, or ya just want to. Can be as simple as a match stick taped to the face of the riser.


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