# Instinctive vs Sight



## Harperman (Sep 3, 2006)

I dont shoot "Instinctive" with a Compound, but did shoot O.K. with a Barebow compound for a little bit....I shot an older , long A-T-A bow, with "Energy" wheels, and used a Gap method of aiming....Not to start a heated debate, but I am not convinced that anyone shoots Instinctive, simply because if it were "Instinctive" to shoot a bow, then Archers would know how to do it from birth, and do it very well, with no training, and certainly without having to shoot thousands of arrows learning to shoot "Instinctively" to achieve even a basic level of proficiency hitting what "WE" want to hit with our arrows....Secondly, EVERYONE see's a peripheral "Sight Picture" when shooting a bow without a sight on it, regardless of knowing that they see it, or admitting that they see it, it's still there....The Archer can choose to see it, and use it, or choose to keep that "Sight Picture" in the peripheral vision, and just shoot those thousands upon thousands of arrows, until the subconscious (Peripheral) Sight Picture is ingrained into their memory well enough to shoot "Instinctively"....I know one compound shooter that claims to shoot Instinctively, and he's a good enough shot that I cant tell Him how He aims/shoots, L.O.L....Everyone else that I've ever met, talked to, or read about that shoots to any decent skill level uses an aiming system of one sort, or another.....Zigman, I'd say that if You wanted to give it a try, use a long-ish bow, with a decent brace height, and a wheel or real mild Energy wheel/soft cam eccentric, and long, somewhat heavy arrows....This will help You get that "Sight Picture" closer to line of sight at short, to mid ranges of shooting distances....With modern compounds, and lighter arrows, Your bow hand/arrow/target "Sight Picture" will likely have You shooting a couple feet high at 20 yards....Been shooting off and on since I was 9 years old, in 1976.....I've been told that there are a couple really really good Barebow compound shooters right here on this Forum......Maybe they will chime in on this thread.....I hope so, because I'd like a little bit of insight/info on this subject myself!......Take care.....Jim


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## bigbob29 (Sep 7, 2009)

*instinctive shooting*

Hi,
I've been shooting for over 30 years mainly compounds but also a little with long bows and have never used a sight of any sort myself. I guess one might say that when I look at a target my mind just projects the trajectory of the arrow to me and on a good day usually hit pretty close to what ever I am aiming at. Dont really pick a gap, nor need to really stand there figuring out distance etc. However my good days are balanced by quite a few very ordinary days.Will never change my ways for comps. but am going over to the 'dark side' sights, release etc for hunting as I am getting a bit longer in the tooth and need to make any available shot count on a hunt.I have heard all the arguments about learned response and endless practice etc, and while this is no doubt valid dont feel it is so in my case. I generally tend to shoot best when I have had a fair break from shooting, so who knows.


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## skydog (Sep 20, 2004)

*no sights*

I shoot no sights, compound bare bow. I use the tip of the arrow as my aiming point and i string walk for different yardages.


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## white tail 10* (Aug 3, 2005)

*16 yrds and counting*

been shooting instictive since i started in archery
got proficient enough to kill at least one deer every year i hunted
became a better shooter since i got an Hoyt Aspen (use it for about 8 years)
shooting a Constitution now , trying a Vantage Pro , looks very promising
had a bit of a struggle to change from big valley to hard wall , but improve a lot . have try sights a couple of times just for "knowledge" . it sucks!
i kind of enjoy keeping it simple for hunting , not bothering to take care of sights or realises. and am proficient for hunting up to 30 yrds.


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## Zigman (Jul 31, 2009)

The reason I asked this is I recently bought an onlder compound with "wheels" for bowfishing. It has a prong style rest on it now...... Well, I was down in my basement where I shoot in the winter, and had the itch to shoot my new recurve, but it was upsairs in my room. Happened to look over and see my "new $50 compound and thought, what the heck. Graved 3 2117, screwed in some 125 gr field points and let some fly. Well I after about 20 minutes or so, i could hold a 3" group at 10 yards the majority of the time with the three arrows. 

The bow is an "Apache Hunter" old school wheels, 40" ATA, 8-8 1/2" Brace. Do any of you guys know who maid this bow, the maker is not on it. I am having alot of fun shooting this bow "bare" and am way more accurate with this than my recurve. This bow fits me very nice, full draw to a some what solid backwall, middle finger corner of my mouth, 3 under, in a good shooting position.

Sorry for the long post, but would like to know if you guys use a prong style rest or is there better out there. It is working for me and I have desided I might just kill a deer with this thing next year! it is a 60" bow and it says 29-30" draw. how do you adjust these things. I'll be checking this thread, and may start a new one for my questions about the bow, 
Thanks,
Zigman


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## triton9918 (Jan 1, 2009)

On an older Dan Fitzgerald video, he explained why he shot instinctive. I remember him equating it to throwing a baseball. When you throw often, you can usually hit the glove whether you throw overhand, sidearm, underhand, etc. I tried and never could do it so I shoot sights. I would love to be able to though.


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## bigbob29 (Sep 7, 2009)

I use a wire type rest with a berger button or plunger. Works fine for me. Have my own question. Previous compound was an old Hoyt finalist with the hatchet stlye cams and only 30% let of when I shot 70lb. Current bow is a cougar elite with either 65 or 75% let off. With the old bow my bow arm remained still while I took the shot. The heavier hold weight made the arm still.Now with bigger let off I find that my bow arm wanders if I take more than a few seconds to take the shot. It feels like i could hold the string with one finger. What do other finger flingers think about big let offs?


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## nodarkside4me (Dec 30, 2008)

I've been shooting barebow for the better part of 27yrs.I choose to shoot instintive i really dont know any other way to shoot.I look at the target and shoot.No guessing involved Look and shoot.I do pretty good most times i am in the top 10% of the 3d shooters i shoot with.I shoot a Martin Phantom 2 with hard cams 2315xx78 arrows 100gr tips. I do enjoy shooting with the other classes they dont like it much when i out shoot them :wink:


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## sentrydogman (Aug 6, 2012)

I am currently close to 69. I last shot an arrow in my early to mid 20's. Is it too late for me to push the 'Restart' button ?
I used to shoot Instinctive. Anywho, sight shooting was only in its' earliest stages back then. I had and still have to some
degree a snobbish attitude towards 'sight shooting' which I always considered less than 'crickett'. After all, the best 
archers of bygone times who shot the "original" laminated recurve bows coulid probably hold their own against today's
"high tech" shooters and maybe even surpass them - all while shooting "instinctive", completely unaided by anything.


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## zestycj7 (Sep 24, 2010)

I have shot a bow for as long as I can remember and am 56 this year.
I have never shot sights and I shoot a gap, always have I guess. I shoot a 2010 Martin Shadowcat. It is set at 57 pounds, at full draw I am holding 11 pounds and love the way it just slides off my finger tips. I have a dead release and you really can't see my fingers move when the shot goes off. I love the high let off.
Don.


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## doxie3 (Jul 28, 2012)

sentrydogman said:


> I am currently close to 69. I last shot an arrow in my early to mid 20's. Is it too late for me to push the 'Restart' button ?
> I used to shoot Instinctive. Anywho, sight shooting was only in its' earliest stages back then. I had and still have to some
> degree a snobbish attitude towards 'sight shooting' which I always considered less than 'crickett'. After all, the best
> archers of bygone times who shot the "original" laminated recurve bows coulid probably hold their own against today's
> "high tech" shooters and maybe even surpass them - all while shooting "instinctive", completely unaided by anything.


I am 65 years old and haven't shot a bow for about 30 years. I shot instinctive or gap, bare bow. I killed a few dear with the bow. I am retired and thinking about trying the sport again. I must say that my first obstacle is acquiring an appreciation of the new compound look. The second thing is trying to decide on a hunting or target type bow. I know that i won't be using it for hunting. Do i want compound or go back, to what i started out on a recurve. And what will I shoot, field I supposed. Can't say that I want to shoot a 3 D but then I believe most probably do. 

To answer your question we can "push the restart button" if we can decide where how we fit in. 30-40 years is a lot of time to catch up on. The good thing is I am retired and should be able to practice. I might need a nap while at the range lol's.

Good luck!
Bob


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