Instinctive shooting?

hey folks,

quick question for you. I recently (febuary) went out and got a Samick Sage recurve 45# at 28" - which I've been shooting nearly daily since i got it. Here's my deal.... i am trying to shoot instinctively, not because it's "cool" or I saw it in a movie, but... I have one eye, and judging distance for me is rather difficult. I was hoping by taking sights out of the picture i could be a better bow hunter. however, herein lies my problem.... i think. having only one eye, will it even be possible for me to consistently shoot effectively with no sight. (not gap shooting, etc) with my coupound, and sites, i am confident out to 40yrds.

i may try Gap shooting shortly just in an effort to improve accuracy, I had hoped to be able ot hunt with it this year, but can't ethically do that at this point.

Yes, you can get proficient. but this conversation may get personal.

Using the tried and true method of: set, grip, draw, anchor, point and release.

it is possible over some time to achieve an accuracy of using both eyes as the lense for the point and shoot. the dominant eye is usually the 'hit' point on the target.

Depending on which eye you still have, it may take a spell to develop that eye as the lense. shoot instinctively is not that difficult to achieve, of course I have done so for years so it is as second nature.....

I would say that once you develop a good anchor, hitting the ""pie plate" on a round bale consistently, work on narrowing done the center to about the size of a half dollar/quarter.....

thanks for your reply. i did notice my draw seemed to drift as I was shooting. so I've got a more constant anchor now, still got a lot of work to do... so...i dont see me hunting with it this year. but perhaps next.

Instinctive and gap are one in the same in my opinion. Gap, you practice your gaps. Instinctive shooters still have gaps whether they do it consciously or not. If you're practicing daily you're ahead of the game. To me the hardest part is consistent form. Once you have your form down you can be accurate however you wanna shoot. I love my Samick Sage, mine is also #45. Good shooting to you!

One of my crew had one eye and was one of the best 'instinctive' shots ever. Talking a recurve - no site - or fixed aiming. He was an instinctive shooter which in this case means not using a fixed point to reference - be it a site or arrow tip.

There is nothing wrong with shooting "gap" or "instinctive" or even developing your own hybrid method. They are not the same - that statement shows a lack of understanding of both methods. Not saying one could not blend or benefit from the other - but it would be very unlikely with only a year at it. We see 3 years as a sturdy base for a method - meaning truly learning the fundamentals and reaching a decent level of potential.

I do recommend all new bowhunters explore all methods. For Gap study John Schulz instruction of Howard Hill who is probably the best example of a gap shooter. Although he was super quick and did do it so long he may have drifted towards an instinctive style later in life. If you prefer instinctive study Fred Bear and Fred Asbell.

and also if you are seeing the arrow tip you are probably leaning more naturally to gap. If yo do not see the tip - and are accurate out to 20 yards you are leaning naturally towards instinctive.