Shooting without sites.

[dmcbride]

Does anyone shoot a compound bow with no sites. I started last winter and after about 50 broken arrows and another 50 that I can't find I am finally starting to get 3" groups at 30 yards. The reason for doing this is I would like to shoot more off instinct rather than depend on a range finder,pins,peeps and all the other stuff that goes along with it.
Just curious if anyone else is doing this and if they have any tips.

[Okotokian]

waiting....

[bsmitty27]

What are you waiting for oko?
Used to shoot instinctively with compound bow. It's kind of mixing high tech and low tech. Recurve or long bow shot instinctively just seems like a better fit. Nothing wrong with it, though. Like traditional shooting takes more practice.
Brad

[bhguy]

when I get a new bow I start off shooting without a site for a day or so, just so I get more of a feel if the bow is set up right. if I have the site on I cant help myself but to just focus on the target and adjust away, but may be missing something in the big picture.

one of my compounds doesn't have a sight, it broke, I do shoot it for fun and can group 3-5" at 25 yards. with that said I want to get the most out of my bows so I rely on the site..when its go time and the heart is thumping I don't want to chance anything

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

Back in the day with the first compounds most of us veteran shooters started with no sights and shooting fingers...there wasnt many sights or releases on the market ...and we got really good at it...
It made me a better bowhunter to learn to shoot fingers and instinct...even with all the newer techno stuff that instintive shooting pays off with judging range ...

I know a few that still do...and they are very sucessfull...

I only have three tips to suggest...
Practice
Practice
Practice

Like a recurve or longbow shooter it will come with Practice!!!

JMHO
Neil

[J D]

As a kid I shot without sights with my first compound. Some guys use the gap method, some look down the arrow, but for my self I did better instinctive.

You need to find what works best for you many find the gap or looking down the arrow easiest but it just was not for me.

I started shooting recurve again and instinctive is the way I go. Form needs to be consistent. You need to know your drop for the distance you are shooting. It is hard for me to explain but I cannot shift my line of sight well focusing on the target or my accuracy will be off.

Practice and consistency is the key

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

One thing you may find is after 30 yards it will get difficult, I remember knocking nocks off at 30...40yds was resonable ...than it went to hell, may be easier with the newer faster compounds but I believe if you are going to shoot accurately over 30-40 yds you may need sights..

Neil

[dmcbride]

Thanks for the tips. I just started shooting beyond 30 yards and getting groups of 8". I am looking down the arrow. Seems some days I can see the arc of the arrow path and groups are tighter than 8". I try to shoot at least 2 dozen shots a day. I am going to keep on practicing at different ranges, not pre-measured and see how it all goes. I don't feel confident enough to hunt deer yet, But have 8 more months of practice.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by dmcbride

Thanks for the tips. I just started shooting beyond 30 yards and getting groups of 8". I am looking down the arrow. Seems some days I can see the arc of the arrow path and groups are tighter than 8". I try to shoot at least 2 dozen shots a day. I am going to keep on practicing at different ranges, not pre-measured and see how it all goes. I don't feel confident enough to hunt deer yet, But have 8 more months of practice.

Why are you looking down the arrow? Do you consciously see the arrow in relation to the target? Maybe you are actually gap shooting....


Staying true to an instinctive technique can be tough. Commit to one style or another, letting them get mixed up will cause problems.


For instinctive shooting there is no need to know the distance to the target except for when hunting where you only have to determine if the animal is in range or not.

Until you are actually hunting, physical and mental form is more important than groupings. Practicing at a known range can be a detriment to instinctive shooting. Forget about the distance to the target, practice at a random ranges for every shot, avoid consecutive shots at the same range.

Practice at very close ranges too! Instinctive shots at five yards can be harder than 30.

When you are comfortable with your technique, practice in a hunting mode. Wearing hunting gear/jackets/binos, on uneven ground (up and downhill), crouching/kneeling, from behind and around obstacles (trees and brush)....

[pseelk]

Originally Posted by dmcbride

Thanks for the tips. I just started shooting beyond 30 yards and getting groups of 8". I am looking down the arrow. Seems some days I can see the arc of the arrow path and groups are tighter than 8". I try to shoot at least 2 dozen shots a day. I am going to keep on practicing at different ranges, not pre-measured and see how it all goes. I don't feel confident enough to hunt deer yet, But have 8 more months of practice.

If you think of it like throwing a baseball,simply focus on the target ,the exact spot you want the arrow to go.Draw and shoot in one fluid motion while staying focused on center of target.Basically looking your arrow into the center.With enough practice you wont believe how accurate you can be.The key is to shoot as often as you can at all ranges.With instinct shooting it is not nessesary to know or geuss the range.

[ULTRAlite]

Look up Tim Wells on YouTube - best instinctive shooter I've ever seen... and uses a modern Mathews compound. Not for me but i certainly respect it.

[dmcbride]

Originally Posted by ULTRAlite

Look up Tim Wells on YouTube - best instinctive shooter I've ever seen... and uses a modern Mathews compound. Not for me but i certainly respect it.

Tim Wells is why I started instinctive shooting. That guy is amazing.

[Boarman]

I started shooting a compound with fingers and no sites about 1 1/2 ago. Lots more work but worth it for me and hoping to be confident enough to hunt next year. If you like Tim Wells, I would suggest taking a look at Team Fitzgerald. These guys are planning to come out with a how to instinctive dvd in the near future.

[bowhunter9841]

My brother shoots fingers with no sites, he seems to like it! He shoots looking down the arrow. I tried a few shots with it. Really weird the way he aims. Got a system all figured out with different ranges and what not! With the 3d target broadside with head to the right, at 20 yards, I had the arrow pointing at the ground just in front of the front hooves! Weird! Not my thing! Hoping to get into traditional tackle soon though!!

[catnthehat]

When i first met Ackley Abe many moons ago he was shooting a PSE Citation unsighted .
He never did use sights from what I can remember but always shot in the bowhunter unsighted class and hunted with the same bow.
Cat