Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Shooting and Hunting => Topic started by: NTD on January 29, 2010, 02:43:16 am
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Ok I'm not a gimmick guy but my shooting sucks and I just came across this tool. Has anyone used it? Did it work for you? Is it safe to use with a wood bow?
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I have never used one. It would probably help but I'm a believer in shooting a bow for bow shooting exercise.
If you start out learning the fundamentals of properly shooting a bow and concentrate of every aspect of your shooting, take time with each draw, anchor and release and where the arrow WILL go you will notice an improvement in your shooting. Shooting, shooting shooting is the way to learn to shoot well. Be sure you do every step as it should be done and keep your concentration. If you find your mind wondering or you are getting lax or loosing concentration, put the bow down and walk away until later and try again.
After many hours of shooting and many arrows it will begin to come naturally to you. I also learned you are better off shooting a dozen good shoots than 50 or 100 that are just ok. Start with one arrow, concentrate of your form, concentrate of all aspects of the shot and make that one shot(at a close range(5 to 10 yards), retrieve that arrow and do it again. Don't try to shoot groups. Every arrow in the target is a distraction for the next one. Only shoot one arrow, well, retrieve it and go again, and again and again. When you feel good about that distance step back a few steps and start over again.
"Just because it is simple doesn't mean it is easy"
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Haven't used one, but the easiest (and cheapest) is just to blank bale. Which, if you have a good target, can even be done inside. I use a curtain, but a block target set against a garage or basement wall is fine. All you do is concentrate on what YOU'RE doing, and being so close you needn't worry about missing. With the weather as bad as it is, this is a real plus for me. I get to keep shooting and I ingrain the shot sequence into my mind by not thinking about accuracy but the entire shot itself.
Same goes for making changes in you shot sequence such as adjusting anchor or whatever. By the time you have it ingrained by blank baling you get to see the real effects it would have on your accuracy because it's already a natural part of the process. Alot of the masters of the longbow out there, and in the past, have done this: Howard Hill, Byron Ferguson, John Shulz, etc. It's hard to bring yourself to shoot and not think about accuracy, but once you do you'll be able practice alot better.
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One thing that helped my shooting a whole lot was to get my technique down on a light bow before moving up to heavy hunting weight bow. I was just easier to become aware of the draw, anchor, and release. I'm pretty sure the NA folks had light bows for small game and heavy bows for big game and war.
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i put a video camera on myself to watch, i could see things as far as my form goes that wasent right. like pat said alot of shooting, no alot of good shooting if it starts to go south stop.
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I've gotta ask, what is a Formaster?
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...Is It Like A THIGHMASTER? >:D ...just kidding ;D -josh
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Eddie, It is a large rubber band type thing with a handle for the bow hand and a place for your drawing hand, to be pulled like a bow.
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Eddie, It is a large rubber band type thing with a handle for the bow hand and a place for your drawing hand, to be pulled like a bow.
No sir, it's actually not. It is used in conjunction with your bow. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV9YCudXt9I
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NTD, I stand corrected. That isn't the product I was thinking of. Looks to me you could save your money and make one of those. I personally don't use the style of shooting that this item would help me.
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I am sure someone could make one but I am not good at making stuff :) I don't know what style I shoot or should shoot I just want to be able to hit something once in awhile lol.
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Practice, practice, practice and betewn practicing, concentrate, concentrate, concentrate!!! ;)
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Thanks, NTD, that's not for me. I quit compounds to get away from the "Gadgets."
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Thanks, NTD, that's not for me. I quit compounds to get away from the "Gadgets."
I definitely understand where you're coming from. I just saw it on another forum and though it might get my form up to par quick. I think one of the problems I'm having is that there are so many different types of form out there that I'm mixing and not staying with something until I can learn it. I need to pick a method and stay with it I guess until i have a foundation and then maybe adjust it from there. I don't like gadgets either....
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I like G. Fred Asbel's "Instinctive Shooting" but others prefer Byron Ferguson's "Becoming the Arrow"
Google both books and see which one suites you.
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okay looking at Instinctive shooting. Does book II recap the first or should I get both?
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Personally I don't like Fred Asbels explanation about shooting or style. I don't know what style I shoot except hunting style. I guess that's why I'm not a very good target shooter. When I'm hunting, I might shoot very quick, like instinct shooting or might have to hold and release depending if an animal saw me draw. Or hold for so long that I can't anymore and have to let down.
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Become the Arrow is a good one. Shooting the Stickbow, however, is perhaps the best book on shooting I've come across.
Once you find a style you like, then you can blank bale and help ingrain that into your mind before distracting yourself with targets.
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The funny thing is that I must be a decent shot because I can go in the back yard and nail ground squirrels, rabbits and house sparrows all day long, but put me in front of a target and I SUCK!! Thanks for the heads up on the stickbow book Kegan.
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I haven't read #2. I've had my copy since 1988. Even G. Fred was surprised when I had him autograph it last year at the Hickory NC state shoot.
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;D That's pretty good Pat! Maybe I will pick up a few of the books read through them all and THEN pick a method. Books aint cheap though.
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You will figure out which style works best for you. I'm sure I don't follow Fred's style just like the book says. I shoot the way I shoot. ;D
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The funny thing is that I must be a decent shot because I can go in the back yard and nail ground squirrels, rabbits and house sparrows all day long, but put me in front of a target and I SUCK!! Thanks for the heads up on the stickbow book Kegan.
Small targets give you something small to shoot at. With larger targets it's a bit mor difficult to shoot at the "inside" time after time. That, and proof of not being so hot never helps confidence, which is necessary to shoot well!
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The Formaster is a tool to learn preoper form,useing proper back tension.If proper back tention and allignment are not used,it gives you a sudden surpriseing jerk and tells you the shot was not proper.In conjunction with the proper form,it will create a clean release.Formasters have become a serious training tool for most serious Target archery coaches and it is becomming quite popular with hunting archers as well.The formaster will tell you the Brutally honest truth about your form,when used properly.
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Have a look at this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV9YCudXt9I