You have my attention any man that can shoot 65 yards with a recurve and land in the bullseye has my respect. I tried a 70 yard shot with a compound missed the doe and another two at 30 yards. I could use the help, deer are a lot harder to hit than I thought.
Amazing shooting and very nice explanation. No mumbo-jumbo nonsense about it....just clear, straight to the point. I like that! I'm planning to buy a new bow from Mr. Bodnik too. I love Bearpaw products. :-)
Enjoyed the video, I shoot instinctive and have for years, folks this guy is telling you right, pick a spot and focus, focus,FOCUS,. It can be tough for the beginer, my advice is start shooting at ten yards. Set up a target that is 3 to 4 feet in dia., spray paint it a dull brown color, maybe a little darker in some areas, a little lighter in others,this helps you pick a spot, you need to be relaxed so shoot light poundage bows to start with. As your arrows start getting in tighter groups, start stepping back not knowing the yardage, but stay focused on your picked spot. Your brain is computing the yardage,the draw and the release,and soon realize you are programing your brain...... happy shooting
man guy, i have been shooting bows for 40 years mostly coumponds. however i took up trad archery 4 years ago. im fare to 25 yrds. i have never seen anyone shoot those didtances as good as you. wow. you are as good as i have ever seen. maby sometime you can toss me a bone and give me some of your secrets. lol! if not keep making videos, you are as good as it gets. thanks trad buddy.
Great Videos. I have been an instinctive shooter since the mid-1950's when I got my first somewhat decent bow. It was a 15lb. fiberglass recurve. Over the first few years I harvested many rabbits before moving up to a 45lb. bow. Your instructional videos will definitely help those learning to shoot instinctively. I tried compound bows but wound up selling them and building a recurve and a longbow. l tend to shoot my longbow more than the recurve. Both are 50lb.@ 28."
You are an excellent archer! Well done! You use the ancient aiming technique that I use which means you focus on the center of the center and feel where the arrow goes, putting it right where you want it..unlike those traditional archers who use the tip as an aiming reference or crude sight. Very good video!
After shooting so many arrows your body and mind kind of sort it all out for you.. my focus is entirely on the 'spot' if I glance at the arrow it all goes wrong.. you have to trust yourself.. Soot more and you learn more..:)
Wolfe: Thanks, in one of your videos you commented on not to over emphasizing back tension because it may cause shoulder rotation. Tried to relax the back it bit and it did help. Also, at one point you suggested putting more heal into the bow, pushing forward a bit through the shot. Both of these helped improve my sequence and groups. Thanks again.
Instinctive shooting is great if you can master it. But don't forget to say it take thousands of shots to get to where you're at 90% in the kill zone and constant practice to keep up proficiency. Like shooting a basket ball. The top players between seasons and training shoot well over a 1000 practice shots to keep their skill up.
Awesome video and thanks for the tip. Im just starting out with a bow and I can only shoot accurate out to 20 yards. I will have to try this technique. I am using a Montana long bow. I look forward to watching more of your videos.
Wolfie , Great advice for focusing on a spot on your target helped me a lot..👍 I'm from the U.S. Love the Bodnik bows waiting on my order Henry told me about the Mohawk when we chatted .Keep up the good work my friend you are the man ...Cheers Johnny
Definitely subscribing to this. I'm going to be attending an archery class this January, so this stuff should help out a lot. I like the "Aim small miss small" thing ya did there.
Hey Wolfie, thanks for this vid, it's gonna help me a lot ! I've been shooting my Hoyt compound for years but I'm planning on buying a Kodiak Hunter for Christmas, so I'm practicing on a friend's recurve. Awesome feelings with this bows !
Good information! I have been shooting a recurve since 1990 and that is the way I shoot. It would be great if you could do a video about back tension and expanding through the shot.
Hi Wolfie, I just got a bow, a 50# horsebow at 31 inch draw, about 44# and 28 inch draw. It shoots off the hand. I was wondering if you have any advice on choosing arrows with the correct spine and the corrects tips for accuracy. I've been having trouble finding some and people at archery shops haven't been too much help as they primarily know compound bows. Thanks for your help. Joshua
I've tried all kinds of shooting but I find instinctive to be the best. I even won against a compound bow whilst shooting instinctively with a recurve, probably just a fluke. Instinctive archery really helps with combat archery, keeps you aware of everything.
I just began with traditional archery and have enjoyed your video's thank you very much. I have a question: I notice that when you shoot that you hold for about 3-4 seconds before you release the arrow. What are you doing during that time? Are you aiming? Are you focusing? Are you trying to steady things? The reason for this question is that I notice some folks seem to release the moment they anchor, as if they came to their anchor in snyc with where they were focusing. Whereas you seem to be doing it somewhat differently by pausing 3-4 seconds before releasing. Perhaps you could explain. Thanks a lot and wish you the best.
Hi Kev . sorry I missed the comment . Its a jacket from Engelbert Strauss a German safety wear company . as are the trousers I use for shooting and work. Masses of pockets
Just in case it helps anyone. If I can't find a visual point of focus, I bisect the target horizontally and vertically, using the point horizontal and vertical lines would cross as the point of focus. It takes more mental energy than a specific visual point though, if you can see one - use it.
Great video, very helpful advice that I look forward to putting into practice. Just a quick question about your gear. I see someone already asked about the bow, but I was also wondering about your quiver, it seems pretty nice
Great video. Thanks for posting! I just got a recurvr bow and am struggling on this concept. I always want to look down the arrow but that never helps.
Excellant video and shooting!!! I am curious to the bow you are shooting, the nock height, and your draw length. I shoot compounds instinctive but i want to get into Traditional (recurve) shooting. Thanks
I am shooting a 55lb Bear super grizzly with 500 grain port Orford Cedar arrows spined for #70lbs draw Weight. 125 grain glue on tip. For the longer shots even it's just 45 yards I am having quite a bit trouble making that 45 yard shot.
haha, I'm looking at everything you're saying, and its exactly my setup but slightly more, I have a #50 bear grizzly, port orford cedar arrows (are yours rose city?) spined at 55/60, and glue on 125 grain points lol
Help! Wolfie, you are awesome thanks for sharing your knowledge. I am begining to shoot instinctively. Arrows and bare shafts are impacting 7" high 3" right. Should this improve as I continue to shoot or should I do something differently?
Have you shot this course and targets with these distances before? Did you use more than one arrow as in the videos? When shooting up or down-hill is your brain on auto pilot or do you consciously adjust the vertical correction?
How have i missed this video till now! Im struggling with ignoring where my arrow is prior to my shot. Years of string walking doing me no favours. The "one spot focus" technique is helping hugely but just occassionally I fall back into bad habits. Your tuition helps enormously, keep up the good work! BTW what jacket have you got on in this clip? Liking the look of that. Got a link?
Hi Wolfie fantastic videos very informative, I’m very new to instinctive archery I’m using a Bear Bearcat 44# draw weight which I’m fine with I think, I’m only practicing at 10 metres at the moment trying to hit at target the size of a penny, when I’m right I’m right on and that’s a great feeling but probably only 3 out of 20 shots are good the rest are between 4 and 8 inches away very frustrating, I have a 28 inch draw length and I’m using Easton traditional carbon arrows 340 spine but 31 inches long do I need to use wooden arrows and if so what type and length would you recommend, hope you can help . Regards Paul from Peterlee Co Durham...
Wolfie, do you shoot the longer distances with the position of the arrow in your peripheral vision as a guide to elevation or are you not conscious of it at all? If the later does your arm position automatically adjust to the right elevation without you thinking about it?
is your bow as quiet as it sounds on camera? seems quiet for a #50. is this because it's a traditional solid recurred as opposed to a take-down? the take downs I've heard at the weight have seemed much louder
+amedeiros478 One piece bows generally have a little less to rattle around, but it also has to do with having your bow tuned properly (brace height, etc), quietening it (string silencers, some felt to remove string slap), and using the right arrows (heavier arrows will generally be quieter).
+Ghost fighter On the same distances yeah.. but you are still more accurate with a rifles standard diopter aim points. Equipped with an open view red dot your aiming capabilities in terms of accuracy and speed become instantly brilliant on any close to medium distance, provided you know how to hold and fire well.
JonShannow92 ok ... so when I shoot should I see the sights abit fuzzy in my vision while looking at the target or should I completely ignore it in instinctive shooting ?
Instinctive shooting mwans you are focusing on one small spot on your target, and hitting it much like when you aim a baseball. You will necessarily "see" you aiming points/arrow tip etc l, but the point is you are not considering it at all
You need to explain how you get results looking at a target 80 yards away at the spot. The trajectory will drop the arrow 20 inches down from the spot you focused on at 20 yards!!! That is what we need to understand! You are somehow accounting for the dropping of the arrow somehow.
I may be really tired but as I am interested in instinctive archery, I've just checked on a google, purely to verify my novice thinking.... Quote... "Instinctive bow shooting is defined as without the aid of aiming devices or points of reference " .....would that not include looking down the arrow as an aiming device?... And taking time to "aim" is presumably allowing the mind/eyes to take points of reference? Just asking... :/ Please can you help me to understand where I'm misunderstanding?
The thing is you have to aim about a tiny bit due to arrow drop. How high did you aim above the spot you focused on. Is that a relevant thought to someone that is just starting out?
Mike Weeber not really you'll start to judge distance with practice and patience. I'd recommend joining a archery team to practice with, I did a few months ago and I just won my first traditional regional tournament.
how is your bow so quiet? i have a pretty cheap £75 hungarian practicing recurve bow from merlin archery. it makes a very loud twang when i release. yours seems to make a whoosh noise? is it my bow or what?
What poundage are you shooting, your arrows fly straight pretty far with no drop. im shooting about 49 and find that my arrows drop at around 20yards. just started so im not sure if its me or the poundage.
Just wondering where you are practising. Many of the videos here on RU-vid are shot in the States where I imagine it is easier to find space to practice. But you sound British and I am finding it difficult to find places to practice.
I'm hoping to start going to a local archery club in the near future. I've had very little experience so far. I am Right Handed but also Left Eye Dominant, should I use a Left Handed Bow?
depends, im same as you. i shoot compound left hand Olympic re curve left hand and field style right hand. best way is to go to the club and ask around, if you can find a couple bows to try out see what feels better for you
You don't have to use a left handed bow if you are left eye dominant. I have been hunting with a bow over 35 yrs and I shoot instinctively with my right handed bow and I'm left eye dominant. For almost 30 years I never heard of having a dominant eye and when I learned what it was it didn't make any difference. If your right handed then shoot right handed and just practice and it will turn out just fine. You will learn where to look when sighting and it will workout. Have fun and good luck !
Most people who shoot instinctively tend to keep Botha eyes open and just focus on the target without siting on the arrow . It doesn't matter which eye is dominant, it just matters how much time you put in . It takes longer to learn and you need to practice at many different distances to get the 'feel' . Focus focus focus .
Question. I'm new to instinctive shooting, less than a few months. Is it possible for someone with one eye to learn to shoot instinctively? I've shot with sights for years, but, not using sights is giving me fits... Not sure if it's me.. Or a physical problem having basically no depth perception..
It might just be me but at 5:46 onward it appears to be something goblin like just right to the centre of the screen bouncing about creepily. I know it's holly or some other bouncy branch.
it seems like there must be more to it than just looking really hard at a spot. i'm new to archery and i'm having trouble, even as i focus on a bullseye the arrow sometimes goes way off. maybe i just need to practice
It's going to take a lot of practice for you to get up to what he is doing. I can get a good kill shot on a deer target at 30yds 3 out of 5 times. Start at 10yds with a paper plate. When you can make 6 shots in a row then take one at 15yds. If you hit the plate at 15yds move to 20 and so on and so forth. Remember you can't move to the next distance until you hit it. I've been doing this for awhile now and the only reason I miss is because I messed up on my Form, my release or I was getting tired. I hope this helps and good shooting.
Joshua Larrabee that's helpful, thanks. i have a target in my backyard and i'm too antsy in wanting to shoot from further distances when i should focus on consistency first. i notice after shooting for a while that's when it especially goes south, since my arm gets tired. i guess that means it's time to stop for the day. good shooting to you too :)