Traditional Archery Discussions on the Leatherwall


Alright going to give sights a try.

Messages posted to thread:
Flash 20-Jul-16
fdp 20-Jul-16
George D. Stout 20-Jul-16
Bowbaker 20-Jul-16
Bowbaker 20-Jul-16
Bowbaker 20-Jul-16
Bowbaker 20-Jul-16
Jakeemt 20-Jul-16
Jon Stewart 20-Jul-16
cjgregory 20-Jul-16
bodymanbowyer 20-Jul-16
Flash 20-Jul-16
fdp 20-Jul-16
Flash 20-Jul-16
Jakeemt 20-Jul-16
dean 20-Jul-16
JRW 20-Jul-16
Resqpointr 20-Jul-16
grizz 20-Jul-16
Matt Ewing 20-Jul-16
Flash 20-Jul-16
Firstlight 20-Jul-16
roger 20-Jul-16
4t5 20-Jul-16
Candyman 20-Jul-16
George D. Stout 20-Jul-16
Flash 20-Jul-16
Pvt Smuckateli 21-Jul-16
BenMaher 21-Jul-16
wingstrut 21-Jul-16
Scott F 21-Jul-16
GLF 21-Jul-16
Flash 21-Jul-16
George D. Stout 21-Jul-16
ohma2 21-Jul-16
Jon Stewart 21-Jul-16
larryhatfield 21-Jul-16
Flash 21-Jul-16
dean 21-Jul-16
Jeffhalfrack 21-Jul-16
rick allison 22-Jul-16
fdp 22-Jul-16
GLF 22-Jul-16
GLF 22-Jul-16
George D. Stout 22-Jul-16
Scott F 22-Jul-16
rick allison 22-Jul-16
Flash 22-Jul-16
Flash 22-Jul-16
fdp 22-Jul-16
2 bears 22-Jul-16
thatdogdonthunt 25-Jul-16
From: Flash
Date: 20-Jul-16




Try as I may, I haven't been able to bust 270 shooting indoors. I'm going to give it 6 months with a sight and see what happens. Yep, I'm going to hunt with one also... Gasp!

From: fdp
Date: 20-Jul-16




Just remember to keep your vision completely on the target and let the sight drift to you. Don't go looking for the sight pin.

From: George D. Stout Compton's Traditional Bowhunters
Date: 20-Jul-16




Archers should be able to enjoy all aspects of traditional archery, and that includes sights. Don't worry over what a gasping neotrad has to say. I have several sets collected in case I need them myself. I like to use them particularly to form check myself when I'm not doing what I consider my best. Enjoy and keep us advised how it's all going.

From: Bowbaker Professional Bowhunters Society - Qualified Member
Date: 20-Jul-16




Not a thing wrong with sites. Jack Howard and other great hunters used them. They were very comman in the sixties. I have a old site been thinking about giving a try. Good luck let us know how it goes.

From: Bowbaker Professional Bowhunters Society - Qualified Member
Date: 20-Jul-16




Not a thing wrong with sites. Jack Howard and other great hunters used them. They were very comman in the sixties. I have a old site been thinking about giving a try. Good luck let us know how it goes.

From: Bowbaker Professional Bowhunters Society - Qualified Member
Date: 20-Jul-16




Not a thing wrong with sites. Jack Howard and other great hunters used them. They were very comman in the sixties. I have a old site been thinking about giving a try. Good luck let us know how it goes.

From: Bowbaker Professional Bowhunters Society - Qualified Member
Date: 20-Jul-16




Not a thing wrong with sites. Jack Howard and other great hunters used them. They were very comman in the sixties. I have a old site been thinking about giving a try. Good luck let us know how it goes.

From: Jakeemt
Date: 20-Jul-16




Actually what fdp said should be reversed to maximize your sight accuracy you should keep the sight in focus and let the target become blurry. I like a single pin for indoors and a DAS for hunting. Biggest things to really focus on is keeping your head position the same from shot to shot and your DL the same. Even a quarter inch make a big difference.

From: Jon Stewart
Date: 20-Jul-16




Bear had one on a bow at one time.

From: cjgregory
Date: 20-Jul-16




Go for it.

From: bodymanbowyer
Date: 20-Jul-16

bodymanbowyer's embedded Photo



Careful with them sights Flash,there also hard on arrows :) JF

From: Flash
Date: 20-Jul-16




The best shots that I've talked to, whether they use sights or not are more focused on the spot than what they are useing to hit it. This is going to be the technique that I use.

From: fdp
Date: 20-Jul-16




Jake, you misunderstood, or I misspoke. I wasn't referring to which of the 2 to focus on during the actual aiming (that's subjective by the way). I was implying that it is EXTREMELY difficult for a person to focus on the sight, and then try to move that sight to the target. Will and has caused lots of people to give up on sights.

From: Flash
Date: 20-Jul-16




Nice bodymanboyer. Looks like you might want to use different aiming points for each arrow.

From: Jakeemt
Date: 20-Jul-16




Yep I miss understood ya man. My apologies.

From: dean
Date: 20-Jul-16




A friend of mine has had exceptional results using the DAS sights with shooting live game. I am not sure that they are refined enough to shoot a 300 indoors, but his results on live deer are an unmistakable improvement.

From: JRW
Date: 20-Jul-16




Keep the target in focus, let the pin enter your line of sight. Never put your focus on the sight pin itself.

From: Resqpointr
Date: 20-Jul-16




I can't think of a deadlier setup in the woods than a single pin recurve. I shoot barebow because I enjoy it. But I would be lying to myself thinking I'm more accurate barebow.

I hunted a few years back with a single pin. Best I ever shot.....Dang. Got me thinking about a pin again! haha

From: grizz
Date: 20-Jul-16

grizz's embedded Photo



50#KH POC, 18 yrds. But they make my bow so UGLY. : -)

From: Matt Ewing
Date: 20-Jul-16




You say your doing it for increased scores which I get but won't that put you in a different class. 270 prurdy good bare bow. Anyway have fun because thats what makes it worth doing.

From: Flash
Date: 20-Jul-16




Not worried about what class I'm in. Doing it to hit the number. I am shooting decent barebow but want a bit better. I will try it again without sights. I've been shooting with them a couple of days and no surprise to you or me, it's my form that is holding me back.

From: Firstlight
Date: 20-Jul-16




Give it a try.

I've never tried sites but am tempted to try a toothpic site for a week to see if it really helps to make it more "instinctive" once the site is removed.

Some say it does wonders, having a tootpic site for a little bit of time...

From: roger
Date: 20-Jul-16




Flash, I've actually had a sight on the Titan III now for going on 6 months or so I'd say. My shooting form has actually improved tremendously and I've learned to turn out my bow arm elbow, which in turn has alleviated all of the chronic shoulder pain I was feeling. I'm also able to better self diagnose shooting maladies by getting more instant feedback from the sight.

In so far a accuracy and consistency goes, I've made some advances there as well. Probably the only thing I don't like is the inability to cant the bow if the need arises in a hunting situation, but I can deal with that fairly easily.

From: 4t5
Date: 20-Jul-16




Flash....What sight do you plan to use?

From: Candyman
Date: 20-Jul-16




I recently tried a sight. I wasn't shooting 270's but high 240's barebow. At first it seemed just too easy (at 10 yds.) At 20 yds. I was really starting to click and then the wheels fell off. I'm not sure exactly what was happening. I got some good suggestions on this site of different things to try, but, I got scared that my barebow shooting was going to go into the crapper so I gave up on it for now. I will give it another try over the winter. I do know one thing for sure though. I started to concentrate on the pin so hard that I wasn't even seeing the spot and then I couldn't get the pin on the spot and I would finally explode the release. Wasn't pretty. I wish you the best of luck with it and hope that you reach the goal you are shooting for. Maybe I'll be p.m. ing you for advice over the winter.

From: George D. Stout Compton's Traditional Bowhunters
Date: 20-Jul-16




I shot a compound for 4 years plus a few months and never used a sight on one until the last year I used them. That year, 36 years ago, I took a whitetail at 30 yards in the late season. After that, I sold mine and went back to recurves. Back then it was nearly all finger shooters. The makers took care of that by shortening the bows...pulling the risers in almost to the dang string and no one can shoot them with fingers anymore. Well, maybe someone, but dang few.

Nearly all of my buddies were shooting Cobra sights on theirs, but there were a few bare bow shooters as well. The sights didn't come in with the compound bow, they have been around for decades before that. Reynolds had a nice setup for a good while, then more manufacturers came into the fold in the late 60's and especially the 70's. I think there are more folks who should try them, if for no other reason than to see how bad their form really is.

From: Flash
Date: 20-Jul-16




My best was 268, I averaged 260. On a bad night 240's. My bud gave me a fiber optic sight seems pretty durable.

From: Pvt Smuckateli
Date: 21-Jul-16




Have you considered some marks on your riser? I only ask because it works exceptionally well. On my hunting riser I have a 1/16" strip of white electrical tape that corresponds with my 20 yard gap. I never look for it because I focus on my intended target, but it is as easy to see as the arrow floating under my intended target. If you gap shoot I would highly recommend this sight; you may be surprised how effective it is.

From: BenMaher
Date: 21-Jul-16




I have Titan set up with hunting pins . Always will too .

Grew up having rigs with 3-5 pins on them .

All good and a great string to your bow ... Lol ......

From: wingstrut
Date: 21-Jul-16




Some of the Bear tamerlanes came with sights installed in the risers.

Has anyone thought of using a laser sight.

Sorry, I just had to throw that one in.

My vision isn't as keen as it once was, I have thought about a sight also, even though I have never used one in all my years and don't really want to, but it could help......wing

From: Scott F
Date: 21-Jul-16




wingstrut,

Give a tape sight mark a try, I bet you'll be satisfied.

From: GLF
Date: 21-Jul-16




Lmao, people always giving you other alternatives as if you dunno what you want to do.

If I might I'd like to give you a couple tips. TP comes easy for sight shooters and gap shooters sometimes. So, 1: focus on the target and not the sight, 2: do NOT move in on the target slowly. Put your sight right on the target then take your time settling in. 3: If you release even once before your ready work on aiming and letting down. Do those three things religiously and tp should leave you alone. This is coming from a guy who got tp before he even knew what it was and had it so ingrained that it took me years to find a way to get around it without using a clicker all the time.

From: Flash
Date: 21-Jul-16




Thanks for the input.

From: George D. Stout Compton's Traditional Bowhunters
Date: 21-Jul-16




Flash, you are going to do fantastic, as much because of your attitude as your ability...which is more than adequate for sure. I'm likely going to put an old tape on Merrill on mine for hunting this year. I'll post photos of it later when it's set up. Maybe it will ruin a neotrads day, but I'll take the chance. )

From: ohma2
Date: 21-Jul-16




Good on you flash i hope it brings you even more pleasure in your archery endevors .

From: Jon Stewart
Date: 21-Jul-16




My uncle was one of the top freestyle shooters in the country back in the day. I can't remember if he took 1st or 2nd at Watkins Glenn in the nationals. Another top freestyle shooters in the country posts on here occasionally and his name is Bob Bitner. Bob Bitner (freestyle), Bill Peirce (owned Pro Line Archery, freestyle), Clif McGrane, (freestyle) and my dad (instinctive) was on the team in 1958 that won the Mid West Nationals in Chicago. Those freestyle shooters used a one pin site and we outstanding archers.

Sites have been around a very long time.

From: larryhatfield
Date: 21-Jul-16




Flash, I agree that you probably have the mindset to make your sight journey successful. Back in the fifties, when I was shooting York and American rounds, I had a sight and a dental mirror mounted and tilted so I could check my draw length. The only thing I looked at that was mounted on my bow in direct vision was the mirror, because a tiny over or under draw is large at 100 yards. I concentrated on the gold and saw the sight as a blurred object that floated in the gold. You can not hold a pin or dot steady in the aiming spot! Just let the rotations get small and release when it's consistently in the spot you are concentrating on.

From: Flash
Date: 21-Jul-16




Appreciate the the advice. I shot alot better with the sight if I calmly blink before expanding through my release.

From: dean
Date: 21-Jul-16




Laser sight. A local fellow here was told that he could not hunt with it on his compound, so he put it on his recurve. In low light conditions it looked like he was trying autograph the target from edge to edge. I tried it and did not do much better, of course there was so much BS flying around by then no one could shoot.

From: Jeffhalfrack
Date: 21-Jul-16




Hey Jon,,,Watkins glen?? The sugar hill shoot? I met Fred Bear there! Did you know that that group is still going? They moved that shoot to Dresden my at th Seneca lake duck hunter club. Not very trad but welcome! Great bunch of people camping good food sure would be nice to have a bunch of trad guys come up JeffW

From: rick allison
Date: 22-Jul-16




Shoot whatever it takes to put that arrow where it needs to be...nobody's business but yours brother.

I've seen plenty of "pure trad" guys tooting their horn and ridiculing others for using any "aiming" system. Funny, but a lot of them I've seen also classify themselves as "trophy hunters" which may help alleviate the fact that they seldom actually kill anything...or...maybe it's that they couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat.

I've also seen plenty of others who are indeed fine instinctive shooters...most of these gents are also very humble and couldn't care less what anyone else does to make a quality shot.

I also use a "sight"...the tip of my arrow.

From: fdp
Date: 22-Jul-16




You know what amazes me about this subject (by the way I aim like you rick) I really don't get why folks don't understand that you can do both?

Once you have your form, sight picture (and yep everybody has one regardless of how they shoot) and shot sequence worked out, it really isn't that big a deal to shoot your tricked out indoor rig today, and then go out and hunt with your hunting set up tomorrow shooting "instinctively" I just don't get that at all.

From: GLF
Date: 22-Jul-16




"I've seen plenty of "pure trad" guys tooting their horn and ridiculing others for using any "aiming" system"

Theres that word again. Sights and aiming systems are "pure trad". traditional meant BC(before compounds). Most guys used sights or some sort of aiming system back then. Guys who weren't there come up with all sorts of funny definitions.

From: GLF
Date: 22-Jul-16




Oh sorry, I got it now, you meant pure barebow instinctive.

From: George D. Stout Compton's Traditional Bowhunters
Date: 22-Jul-16




GLF, and most of the guys who get short of breath when you mention anything like sight pins, likely have scopes on all of their rifles...or at least iron "sights." Somehow they were born into an idealistic parallel universe that we don't have access to.

From: Scott F
Date: 22-Jul-16




I have a barebow rig that I shoot at paper with, it has no sights - the challenge for me is hitting what I want to hit.

I have a bow that I hunt with that will always have some sort of sight on it - the challenge for me is to NOT hit something that don't want to shoot.

From: rick allison
Date: 22-Jul-16




With all due respect Wayne, all one has to do is check any thread on "3 under".

Between the "pretty pink panties" comments and other digs at those shooting thusly...me :^)...the aiming system bashers come out of the woodwork.

I was reading a thread on Bowsite recently authored by a gent interested in going to a recurve. He was referred over here for help, but was warned to sift through the "tradholes" in doing so. I took umbrage to the comment, but had to grudgingly admit to myself there was some semblance of truth to it.

That's a damn shame. As far as I'm concerned, shoots what ya likes; split, 3 under, string walk, gap, sights, G. Fred, olympic, "instinctively"...what ever.

While some...most (?)...of the snarky digs are a bit tongue in cheek and harmless, they're not necessarily helpful to a newbie.

I guess ya gotta wade through the b.s. and choose for yourself.

From: Flash
Date: 22-Jul-16

Flash's embedded Photo



Not quite 270 pace but good enough to try for a hog this weekend. 15, 20 and 25 yards. I'm only using one pin, gap for 15 and stack for 25.

From: Flash
Date: 22-Jul-16




Not quite 270 pace but good enough to try for a hog this weekend. 15, 20 and 25 yards. I'm only using one pin, gap for 15 and stack for 25.

From: fdp
Date: 22-Jul-16




People have been bashing sight shooter's and target shooters on here ever since I started hanging around.

From: 2 bears
Date: 22-Jul-16




I used sights before compounds were invented. Resisted compounds for years finally took the plunge. Ended up using a release,string loop,fall away rest,stabilizers,and expensive sights. I won't part with my compounds they are engineering marvels to an old machinist but I haven't shot any thing but a bare stick for 2 years now. Guess I have come full circle. It was all fun and many good memories but a long bow is just so incredibly simple and aesthetically pleasing. Ken

From: thatdogdonthunt
Date: 25-Jul-16




A friend of mine was chastised for gap shooting at a 3d shoot. He was told it wasn't traditional. Same friend used to tease me about shooting a compound or using carbon arrows with a recurve. Last year he hunted with a crossbow. When it comes to hobbies, we do them for pleasure. Yesterday, I practiced with a compound, tomorrow I may shoot the recurve. My mood at the time will determine whether I use wood or carbon arrows. With that said, there is also no reason not to discuss why we choose one style over another. Just keep flinging arrows.





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