String walking is no different than shooting a set of sights. The only difference is it’s a worse sighting system, the bow is louder, the bow is harder to tune; and it’s primary purpose is for competition not hunting, designed by people that don’t want to shoot sights, but are actually just shooting an inferior sighting system because it’s more socially acceptable. Convince me I’m wrong.
One of the children of Stringwalking is Fixed Crawl. If you tune your bow and arrow for one single crawl, you will have the advantage of putting the arrow tip on the place you want to hit and the guesstimate factor is taken care of. This is not to say Stringwalking is not having the issues you enumerated above or makes you accurate when your shooting is all over the place. I am just telling you that for an open mind any aiming method known is an improvement for the archer, another tool in the box.
And you're point would be what? Lots of guys on here use stringwalking or a variation there of and kill as much game as anybody. Sounds like maybe a strinwalker out shot you at some point?
It’s just another flavor nothing more nothing less. The same guys that wipe the floor with others string walking can do the same with gap it all takes talent. One is chocolate one is vanilla. “instinctive” is ice milk it’s kinda like ice cream but not nearly as good lol.
I string walk. I like being able to have the same sight picture at every distance up to 45 yards. It makes me more accurate which leads to a more ethical kill. I also don't think people do it just because it socially acceptable. I think people choose this system because it makes more sense to us string walkers. What does it matter how someone else aims anyway? Its not effecting you or anyone else so why try to push your imaginary guilt on string walking just because you fail to use the sights that are right in front of you.
I've shot just about every possible style from Instinctive to Stringwalking. For me it's just a new and different challenge.
In Europe it's very popular and VERY competitive. Recent changes is USA rules has seen a huge growth in Stringwalking in the USA and making International tourneys even more exciting, you may not like it (that's ok) but the fact is, it's the fastest growing style in Archery right now.
"String walking is no different than shooting a set of sights"
It is VERY different, Recurve sights allow clickers and Stabs and therfore Stringwalking has it's own unique challenges. Many starting out in Archery cannot afford or don't want the exta expense of Sights and stabs and Barebow is a logical starting point, some will progress onto Olympic Recurve and some develop Barebow SW skills.
If you come from a Trad Bowhunting or 3D only background it's hard to understand why people SW but from a more Target background it makes a lot of sense.
I shot IFAA Recurve Bowhunter Style (Gap) and switched to Barebow Stringwalking, the main reason was I could shot both WA and IFAA without equipment change and sthe second reason was I just admired the Stringwalkers and wanted to try. I found it more exciting, the first tourney I shot SW was European 3D's after 5 days shooting it came down to the very last arrow and I won by one point, any one of the top 5 shooters could have won on that last target, it was one of the most enjoyable weeks shooting I had and was hooked from that moment.
A bow with sights should be allowed in the same division as string walking. Crawlers got something that they can put on the target, a sight is no different.
"A bow with sights should be allowed in the same division as string walking. Crawlers got something that they can put on the target, a sight is no different."
A stringwalker is shooting against 1pin sight compound archer shooting fingers around here. But these days this shooters are as hard to find as hen's teeth.
"A bow with sights should be allowed in the same division as string walking. Crawlers got something that they can put on the target, a sight is no different."
A stringwalker is shooting against 1pin sight compound archer shooting fingers around here. But these days these shooters are as hard to find as hen's teeth.
I shoot using string walking when 3D events allow. Say what you want to about it, hunting or 3Ds, if you want to be more precise in where your arrow hits, deer or foam, string walking can help. My bow is quiet because I know how to tune it. Why should rules at 3Ds tell me where to hold the string but not where to anchor, not where to grip the bow etc.? If I have to grip the string like you, you should have to anchor like me or grip the riser like me. Just another bad rule in my opinion. If it helps you shoot better, why stop it? If it will help you kill more deer or maybe not wound so many, why not do it? I understand that some prefer to shoot instinctively, I still do that sometimes, it is fun. But why be critical of a different shooting/aiming method just because you don't want to do it yourself?
Well said John! Its funny--- if you shoot poorly no one cares how you're shooting. But when you're putting it on them, there are a few guys that want to cry foul, and blame it on where your fingers are etc.
The guy who figures out how best to use his equipment and shoots the best is, well the best shot! That said, i follow the rules of the shoots im at, which has inspired me to learn a different, rule friendly approach to aiming -- but i personally have no issue how anyone else shoots, --- i might just learn something.
Dang those guys who actually want to be accurate when shooting a bow without added sights. Shame on them. ;) String walking has been a thing since before the OP was born, more than likely. It has been used who knows how long, but definitely since the 1950's. And yes, guys who get beat by a string walker are the ones who complain the loudest. Actually, when competing, string walkers usually have to compete against others who use moving anchors, etc. There are plenty of classes to separate the various shooting techniques.
Everyone aims in some manner, but I really think that the 'trad' mindset would be better served to add a freestyle division where sights were legal to shoot against other freestyle shooters. It was like that in the 50's through modern times until the neotrad contingency decided they were't 'trad'. It would add shooters to the ranks of clubs and other shoots, and add money to their coffers....and would be more like it actually was sixty years ago. Exclusion may make you fell good about yourself but it is self-defeating in the long run.
Now that said, archery world wide is having somewhat of at renaissance in barebow shooting and that's a great thing. Most of those folks shoot stringwalking method, and it's not the same as putting a sight on the bow...it's still 'bare bow'.
how is the bow harder to tune? I stringwalk off every bow I own. I stringwalk off the shelf of my wapiti bow and can shoot 4 different size arrows with a point weight switch. not that hard to unscrew a field point???
A new organization all trad want to bes should join, BSF, bow sights forever. Too bad ASLs are not tapped for bow sight bolts, we would be seeing folks with them finally figure where the target is.
This is just one of those struttin' threads, where folks aggressively defend their opinions and get paid no Qustloo points in return. Like the rooster with the blue head comb instead of red, the poor little gets his but kicked every day. The Boy Named Sue syndrome. The part that i find most entertaining is the prejudice against bow sight usage, which is too bad for the average Joe that is not trying to win trophies, he just wants to be able to hit with more consistency with any given bow. A month ago I gave away my last old bow sight, then i turned around and ordered another for someone that could use one, at least temporarily.
For the record my question was a legit question. I really have no issues with string walking, and some guys can shoot that system very well. Although I’ve walked by a few that sound like a gun going off when shot, some guys tuning setups leave a lot to be desired. I’ve shot every type of setup out there and shot them all at what I would consider a very respectable level. For me personally rather than mess with that entire setup I think I would rather just put one of those blasphemous sights on and shoot split fingered. The reason I shoot a traditional bow is for the simplicity. I hated constantly tinkering with a compound, and the entire string walking system I guess just isn’t for me either. To each his own.
Interesting statement there Don. Particularly the "rather than mess with that entire setup" statement. You have to do that to set a bow up to shoot relatively well using any method. The once you get it set up you're done unless you just like to tinker. Even with a compound once you get it set up you're done unless you just like to tinker.
I only hunt with ASLs and I shoot with a bit of secondary aiming and a bit of instinct, Switch back and forth from right and left hand, I need that little bit reference. With any aiming system, the form has to be set before the aiming is reliable. I have seen cases where having a trustable aiming method can help with the confidence to maintain solid form, where having doubts can mess up good form. I don't care what method anyone uses, but I would be the first to state that not everyone should use the Hill aiming system partially the way I do, I have no dominant eye. Perhaps that is why Hill came up with his method in his early years, he was not aiming with his dominant eye, the secondary reference gave his non-dominant eye something to do, but I feel that he was very much instinctive as well. Whether you get the arrow point up to point on or if it is a ways below the target, picking an exact spot and having solid focus control works with just about any method. Anyone can try a bow sight that shoots with straight up static form, you don't have to permanently get married to it. I loved shooting targets with sights and static form, but I was always frustrated with the static limitations when hunting. If you crave simplicity and feeling of fluid freedom, Don, maybe this method could be right for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjzjAixs9cc
No apologies needed here. I was just curious what everyone thought about this system. I appreciate the numerous private messages I received also. Good shooting everyone.
