Instinctive Styles/Archery Term

Simon Banks

Active member
Now this has been touched on before but I just wanted to understand what everybody's understanding of the term 'Instinctive styles/archery" was. Be aware that Instinctive styles/archery is not the same as Instinctive Aiming which is a specific type of aiming. Instinctive style covers all aiming techniques Instinctive, Gap, PoA, pick a point etc.

Its used in field archery circles to describe a traditional or modern bow which is shot without any sights or mark on the bow.

When I used the term in Target archery circles that did not understand.. They would prefer 'non-sighted styles or archers' or barebow.

NFAS the field archery org which I am a member has two styles.. Instinctive and non-Instinctive archers. All of the sighted classed are non-instrintive.

This doesn't surprise me as the majority of NFAS archers are shoot "instinctive styles" and I guess it makes sense that Target archers don't need the phrase because the vast majority use sights.. thus Sighted archers..
 

blakey

Active member
I had the privilege of watching an instinctive longbower shoot at a Field Course last weekend. Instantaneous shooting, no time or sense of aiming at all. I was very impressed. :)
 

Simon Banks

Active member
I had the privilege of watching an instinctive longbower shoot at a Field Course last weekend. Instantaneous shooting, no time or sense of aiming at all. I was very impressed. :)
Instinctive Aiming is very enjoyable.. I've given up asking the NFAS English longbow elite archers how they do it they all say much the same thing which is basically:-
a) I've no idea I just bring my arm up and shoot the target
b) Just enjoy the day

Of course I've only ever met one Bowhunter (barebow compound) that shot Instinctive aiming.. The rest all indicate they shoot using Gap. Which is of course still covered until the Instinctive Style/Archer banner.
 

AndyW

Well-known member
Simon I shoot bowhunter and let me tell you that there aren't many who would openly tell someone that they gap. Most will give you some sort of mumble about well i just lift my arm up and think Ooo - about there. You must have very open bowhunters where you are. I of course lift my arm up and think Ooo - about there then release. Also, longbowists with their rubber bands - ask any of them and they're not needed and just there out of habit - then proceed to ask if they wouldn't mind awfully if you could borrow it until the end of the shoot. Oh for a rubber band.:idea:
As to the actual term - my understanding is just without sights.
 

Simon Banks

Active member
Simon I shoot bowhunter and let me tell you that there aren't many who would openly tell someone that they gap. Most will give you some sort of mumble about well i just lift my arm up and think Ooo - about there. You must have very open bowhunters where you are. I of course lift my arm up and think Ooo - about there then release. Also, longbowists with their rubber bands - ask any of them and they're not needed and just there out of habit - then proceed to ask if they wouldn't mind awfully if you could borrow it until the end of the shoot. Oh for a rubber band.:idea:
As to the actual term - my understanding is just without sights.
The half dozen BH class I've spoken to bar one were very very keen to get it across that they and all the BH class they shot with used gap. Not so much as open but extremely forceful.

Longbowers with rubber bands is GNAS, which almost makes me ill thinking about it,. ;-)

Thanks though


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blakey

Active member
We have a lot of bow hunters down here, they all gap. It is totally accepted. But I do have a mate who shoots barebow recurve who does it off arm angle. It's quite weird, you can be standing next to him and he'll look across and go up, up, or down, down as I'm trying to gap. He's always right. It's very off putting, but he is hard to beat. :)
 

Simon Banks

Active member
To be fair The majority of NFAS is instinctive styles.. HT (barebow recurve with wooden arrows) followed by English longbow..
The few compounders I've spoken too are very driven and harsh about performance.. They must get the highest score zones to complete and they are never seem happy even when they do. HT and ELB are a more relaxed bunch...IMHO.. For me I'm competitive but it's got to be fun!..


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AndyW

Well-known member
I wouldn't describe myself as a particularly driven bowhunter but I do tend to beat myself up if I drop below a 17/target average or resort to a 2nd arrow - a good day would be close to 19. My brother hates <19 but he is quite a bit better than me. As for fun, there's nothing worse than shooting round with a bunch of miseries chasing scores - the woods are too nice to not enjoy.
 

Simon Banks

Active member
I wouldn't describe myself as a particularly driven bowhunter but I do tend to beat myself up if I drop below a 17/target average or resort to a 2nd arrow - a good day would be close to 19. My brother hates <19 but he is quite a bit better than me. As for fun, there's nothing worse than shooting round with a bunch of miseries chasing scores - the woods are too nice to not enjoy.
I hear you I've been pretty lucky with my shooting groups.. But oh my when you get a moaner. :-(
I shoot English Longbow/Primitive and its an arcane art.. They are so unforgiving everything has to be perfect.. But that just makes getting a good or even perfect shot that much sweeter. It happens more often with the more forgiving bows but its not the same. ;-)
 

AndyW

Well-known member
Had the wonderful experience of shooting round with Richard Davis at the champs last year - the man's a marvel. Kept wondering why a LB shooter was outscoring me. Talk about putting your abilities in perspective. Anyone who can shoot LB with any degree of accuracy I will doff my cap at. Wish it was my bag but it isn't.
 

Simon Banks

Active member
Had the wonderful experience of shooting round with Richard Davis at the champs last year - the man's a marvel. Kept wondering why a LB shooter was outscoring me. Talk about putting your abilities in perspective. Anyone who can shoot LB with any degree of accuracy I will doff my cap at. Wish it was my bag but it isn't.
Indeed NFAS has some cracking Elite Archers. Whatever floats your boat as they say ;-)
I think that anyone that shoots English longbow clearly has a good sense of humour.. But to shoot them well requires many years of quiet dedication.. ;-)
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
The half dozen BH class I've spoken to bar one were very very keen to get it across that they and all the BH class they shot with used gap. Not so much as open but extremely forceful.

Longbowers with rubber bands is GNAS, which almost makes me ill thinking about it,. ;-)

Thanks though


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Sorry Simon, rubber bands is target. (BLBS & GNAS) No rubber bands is field (NFAS, GNAS, & IFAA)

No offense intended but I hate it when people assume that a GNAS field archer is allowed a band or aiming mark, the rules are the same for Longbow in GNAS and NFAS and IFAA as I know archers who shoot longbow in all 3 societies.

A former IFAA world champion shooting longbow in the IFAA Historical class using an English Longbow admitted that he gapped, as does the current, and at least 2 former GNAS British Champions.

I have also spoken to one of the country's top "instinctive" archers who spent all weekend telling another archer how he just looked at the target and shot, but then when talking to me he was talking about having to aim off with a new set of arrows, and that it took him 6 arrows to learn where to aim with the new set up. If he was instinctive, how did he compensate for the new kit by altering his aim? Maybe he gaps and doesn't want to admit it?
 

Simon Banks

Active member
I've only shot in GNAS and NFAS it hardly seems traditional though does it?

Instinctive aiming adjusts without conscious thought.. I've been practicing the last few days with three bows.. A 50# ELB for 12 shots then my normal 42# ELB then when I run out of steam I switch to a 35# horsebow.
I don't use offset I simply have to shoot 3 arrows and my aim becomes true.
So is not an odd thing for a Instinctive archer to say. In fact it's completely normal.. :)


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Breva750

New member
Just joined the NFAS a few weeks ago and attended the 3D champs as a spectator, and it was rather impressive to se the shooting in the group I was following, all AFB/LB. I still have not decided whether I will shoot HT or BH - still very much getting used to my recurve at the moment. I'm pretty certain I am gapping at least some sort of a way. I do a draw on the level, and then move my arm up or down a little and go "yeah that'll do!"

- - - Updated - - -

Just joined the NFAS a few weeks ago and attended the 3D champs as a spectator, and it was rather impressive to se the shooting in the group I was following, all AFB/LB. I still have not decided whether I will shoot HT or BH - still very much getting used to my recurve at the moment. I'm pretty certain I am gapping at least some sort of a way. I do a draw on the level, and then move my arm up or down a little and go "yeah that'll do!"
 

Simon Banks

Active member
Good for you hope to shoot with you soon. I've only ever shot instinctive aim with field archery with English longbow. But it's the NFAS way if it works and your hitting the target it can't be a bad thing ;-)


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frustratatosk

New member
Does anyone recognise the concept of trajectory aiming? Once you get to know the arc of your arrow it becomes a remarkably good reference. And yet its so 'instinctive' its difficult to quantify how you know its a good shot when its halfway to the target.
 

Simon Banks

Active member
I don't aim in terms of thinking about trajectory or distance I simply take the shot.
But yes I Feel if a shot is right and that includes if it's going to foul branches etc. in fact I found myself correctly predicting other people's shots sometimes. E.g. I can see they are about to over/undershoot.. But only after I've seen them shoot a few times..
 
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