Barebow - instinctive shooting or aiming?

Hudzi93

New member
Hi, I'm shooting barebow and I'm having trouble when it comes to aiming. I find a system that seems to work for a couple of ends and then stops working for some reason. Can people comment on how they aim, what anchor points are use and and any aiming markers such as having the arrow tip at a certain position etc. Does anyone find shooting instinctively easier and can it be consistent?

Also, how do you know if you've got your bow arm at the same angle each time?
 

Phil Reay

New member
ah the joys of barebow. Aim. you will never be consistant with instictive. I stringwalk and facewalk because i will NOT come down lower than the split in the tab. over 70 meters is platform tab under my chin. under 70 but over 30 is spig tab from my lip and 30 and under is to my cheek. As far as i can, i look down the arrow but if it is under my chin, i can't do that so it is a matter of getting the string directly down the cut out of the riser. a lot of it is trial and error but it is possible to get the arrow point on the target somewhere (not always on the gold). at 100 yds my index finger is straight along the arrow, the arrow tip is 8 oclock blue and so on for all the distances.
As for elbow, that is a case of getting your form right. Unfortunately, a lot of people think barebow is easy but there are a lot of variables. Longbows are allowed a sight mark on the floor, recurve have sights and clickers and compound, well, compounds have everything but a tank engine but barebow is exactly that. until a few years ago, we weren't allowed wrap around arrow rests or marks on the tab (until the powers that be realised that blackwidow tabs had stitching on that archers were counting) and we had to shoot recurve scores if we wanted classifications. we've still got to shoot recurve scores if you want FITA star awards. the only thing that barebow has is it's a lot of fun and a damn sight more skillful that a lot of archers think.
Welcome to the barebow club. good luck and enjoy
 

Hudzi93

New member
Another vital thing is the release. How do you hold the string in your fingers and do you have a certain technique to get a clean release? I have the my fingers curled right around the string with the string resting at my first finger joints. This is what I've been told to do..
 

DavidH

New member
Another vital thing is the release. How do you hold the string in your fingers and do you have a certain technique to get a clean release? I have the my fingers curled right around the string with the string resting at my first finger joints. This is what I've been told to do..
not sure who told you that but most people use the pad on the finger
 

JohnK

Well-known member
I have some general advice for you, which I hope will be of help:

You're clearly very keen to learn and get on. This is excellent. However, to me it seems like you're chopping and changing what you're doing, trying to find the perfect solution without giving any new thing you try a chance to bed in. That's a recipe for disaster. I've seen novice or even experienced archers fall completely to pieces because of this.

Keep it simple - take advice from one person if possible, and preferably someone in or near your club who has experience with barebow shooting. Stick to a light draw weight while you build a simple repeatable form. Read up around the subject, but don't start making changes without consulting your coach.

Good luck :)
 

Hudzi93

New member
No point in further discussion on that then, I mean its in the book isn't it;)
I suppose so, I just figured that sometimes what's in the book may not necessarily work for everyone and may not be the only solution 😊 (I'm not sure if I'm using these smileys in the right way, it's just to make my comment sound a bit more light-hearted than serious).

I have been told that my release is quite aggressive. I'm not sure how to fix that though.
 

DavidH

New member
I suppose so, I just figured that sometimes what's in the book may not necessarily work for everyone and may not be the only solution �� (I'm not sure if I'm using these smileys in the right way, it's just to make my comment sound a bit more light-hearted than serious).

I have been told that my release is quite aggressive. I'm not sure how to fix that though.
Im winding you up Hudzi, If you hook too deeply you wont get a clean release. The string needs to slip easily off the fingers as you release, or you'll get some side to side movement of the string, twanging or plucking it. the string need to go straight forward to be consistent.
 

Hudzi93

New member
Im winding you up Hudzi, If you hook too deeply you wont get a clean release. The string needs to slip easily off the fingers as you release, or you'll get some side to side movement of the string, twanging or plucking it. the string need to go straight forward to be consistent.
I understand. I think I have been hooking it too much and so getting a bad and inconsistent release. This is something I really need to practice.
 

ghound

Member
I experimented with differing types of release and i have settled on what feels comfortable but is probably wrong, i hook to the first joint and have a short slide release, i don't do the 'sliding the hand back around the neck release' it just don't feel right.
 

Phil Reay

New member
Since you're aiming at 8 o clock would I be right in assuming you're left handed?
No. Right handed. Quite a lot of barebow is moving the sight spot to suit the conditions. Our field is protected by trees on the left side so I find my arrows go to the right (don't ask me, the wind should push them left) so aim to the left to compensate. Did the Oxford 720 a couple of yrs ago and I was aiming 3oclock blue and they were going nicely into the gold. Ended up with a 497 and missed a FITA star by 3 points. Just go for it
 

Phil Reay

New member
I hook to my first joint with my middle and ring finger. I allow my index finger to "slide" slightly round the string otherwise it feels wrong. Relaxing the fingers rather than letting go allows my arm to go back and my fingers to brush collar bone/neck/ear, depending on face walking. As long as I turn my head far enough left, I don't hit my nose which is always nice
 

Hudzi93

New member
I hook to my first joint with my middle and ring finger. I allow my index finger to "slide" slightly round the string otherwise it feels wrong. Relaxing the fingers rather than letting go allows my arm to go back and my fingers to brush collar bone/neck/ear, depending on face walking. As long as I turn my head far enough left, I don't hit my nose which is always nice
Thanks, that's really helpful. I'll concentrate on my release next session and see how it works out for me.
 

Hudzi93

New member
Where are you?
Dundee, I go to the club at the university. At the club there's no coach as such since its pretty much run by the students, but there is a "coach" that comes along occasionally and says a few words here and there, checking out people's form and stuff.
 

Berny

Active member
Dundee, I go to the club at the university. At the club there's no coach as such since its pretty much run by the students, but there is a "coach" that comes along occasionally and says a few words here and there, checking out people's form and stuff.
Elliot should know enough to help you!
 

Hudzi93

New member
Elliot should know enough to help you!
You know him?? Yeah, supposedly he runs the club, although I've never actually seen him before! I guess he's doing all the behind the scenes stuff, but I'll probably see him when we go to the silver arrow tournament.
 

steve Morley

New member
All aiming methods work including Instinctive but using right aiming method for the job in hand is critical for good results i.e I would not try and shoot an 80y Field shot Instinctively.

Instinctive requires a lot of practice to ingrain how the bow shoots, Gap method you need to have a good understanding in knowing how to estimate distances if unmarked, most common aiming method for unsighted marked IFAA Field shooters, with Stringwalking you need a intimate knowledge of bow tuning to make all your crawls work and to make it really accurate, they all require solid form to get the best results.

Jimmy Blackmon did a good video on Field Gap shooting, how to work out and record gaps for each distance this may help you work out a consistent aiming method for yourself. A good example of how effective non sighted aiming methods can be, believing you can do it will get you half way there :eek:ptimist:

[video=youtube;Tgm-oErUEQM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgm-oErUEQM[/video]
 
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