Rocky Mountain Specialty Gear works with impaired archers. I volunteered to assist a blind man and his sighted son. The man is an adventurer and climbs mountains, kayaks, and generally promotes athletic activities for people w/ impairments. I did some research and watched some YouTube videos. We are going to use a 2x4 and clamps for consistent foot placement. Using a tripod for arrow orientation seems a bit too elaborate. Instead, I am going to serve as his spotter.

Any and all advice is welcomed.

Thanks!

Read up on John Rook. John had a sight setup for a partner to aim for him. He also had hand signals for John to raise, lower or hold further left/right, etc.

No advice, but thank you for volunteering. You'll never know the full impact that you will have on helping another person. I've had some vision problems and understand a little of the challenges ahead. Embrace the change and it sounds like he already understands it is not so much "Why me," but rather "Why not me." Best of luck and thanks again.

Pm me, I hunted with John Rook for years and can be of some assistance.

Thank you for your volunteer may the Lord bless you and the archer combined. Look forward to hearing about the outcome.

I always wondered about things like this. Admire the guy for trying. It kind of reminds me of the golf joke about the blind golfers holding up the group behind them. Lots of cussing and hollering from the bunch being held up until they found out that the guys were blind. Three of the offenders offered amends like paying for a round of drinks, or a sleeve of balls,etc. The fourth one said #%!@ em. They can golf after dark!

It should be an experience Ishi. As little as it takes on the bow end for the arrow to totally miss the target, I can't see how it can be done. Good luck.

Working with his son, as he is the person with him 24/7. He needs to learn, along with the archer and you, how to spot him in on target. Do some close bale stuff and teach him how to orient himself to the target with simple instructions. Then it will take only a few sessions before you and his son will be able to spot him on aim. Been there, done that. Working with a blind NDN kid right now on calf roping. He's scoring and catching about 70% on belled calves right now.

I was pondering this and may have an aid. Perhaps if you were to get a set of walkie talkies, the kind with the call button where a tone comes out of the receiver when the call button is pushed on the transmitting unit. You could place a unit centered behind the target but back far enough that it is out of harms way. When the archer is ready to draw, the assistant would push the call button on his unit and there would be a sound coming from directly behind the target. I don't know how well that would work, but I have always heard that blind people have a heightened sense of hearing. Borrow a set of walkie talkies and see if it is of any use.

I worked with a young man years ago who had very bad vision, Read up on what John and spotter did. I used a 2x4 for foot placement, as well. I started at 10 yards, so he could get use to the proper form, amazing how quick they pick it up with out being confused by vision. I used a 30# bow, to ensure he did not create any bad problems with form. Once, his form was down, in few days actually, we started working at moving back to 20 yards. Using the hand signals on the back. worked great.

Jerry can show you more about a blind person shooting a bow than anyone could . He lived near John Rook and shot with him a lot . I was also friends with John and he had his shooting down to almost perfection and there is not many people on here with excellent eye sight that could out shoot him . Jerry can help maybe he could even get some of Johns old equipment. John would have loved to see it passed down to someone else that is blind. Lenny Rock could also help.

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