So I shot a recurve a bit as a kid, but turned into a compound guy and have hunted and shot that my whole life. I have always wanted to get into trad bows, but haven't until now. I planned on buying a custom one from a friend of mine who owns Centaur Archery, but they are a bit much for my first. Saw a #55 Bear Montana in the store the other day priced for $300, and bought it on the spot.

I feel like a kid all over again learning how to shoot a bow. I still have the form from shooting when I was a kid, and shooting bows in general comes natural to me.

However, I was wondering if someone could explain gap shooting, and dedicated aiming to me. I know it takes practice, but I have been trying instinctive, and it seems fairly inconsistent. Today I started using the tip of the arrow as a reference and closed my groups significantly. There was a guy on Youtube talking about walking down the string and dedicated aiming, but I didn't really understand it. Was hoping some of you guys could clear it up. (Season opens in less than a month, and I would really like to be proficient enough with it to fill a doe tag.)

Also, from what I've read it sounds like a different string would dramatically improve this bow. I am trying to figure out the difference D97, Dacron, as well as Flemish and single loop, and the pros and cons. Could someone please clarify which one is which and steer me in the right direction?

Oh yeah, and how many strands do you guys recommend?

First off.....forget the string. It isn't going to help you learn to shoot.

Dedicated aiming is as simple as it sounds. You use some reference, the arrow point for example, as a front sight to aim at what you want to hit. Same as you would a sight pin.

The system that you are refering to, moving the fingers on the string, is called "string walking" It's called that because you are "walking" or moving your fingers down the string, to cahnge the impact of the arrow.

It's actaully quite simple if you think of it this way. In "instinctive" shooting, or "gap" shooting using one placement of the fingers on the string, you have to ove the front end of the arrow up or down to adjust for yardage.

In"string walking" (some folks call it a "fixed gap" but it's the same thing), you are moving the BACK end of the arrow up or down for different ranges. The advantage is that by mving the fingers on the string, you can use the same point of aim on the target. For instance, at 15 yards you may have your fingers placed 1" BELOW the nock of the arrow. You put the point of the arrow on the center of the target and shoot, and you hit the center. Now you want to shoot from 20 yards. You move your fingers 1/2" closer to the nock of the arrow, haold the point of the arrow on the center of the target, shoot, and hit center. When you move your fingers down the string, you raise the back end of the arrow, lowering the front end. That's why you can use the same point of aim. As you move your fingers closer to the nock, you lower the back end of the arrow, raising the front end. That allows you to shoot further.

Using either method, you shoot from the same "anchor" or sighting reference on your faace. Fow example, the corner of your mouth, or whatever you use now.

Google Jimmy Blackmon and watch some of his videos. Rod Jenkins has very thorough instructions on gap shooting on the Masters of the Barebow disc. I think it's on volume one.

And spend some quality time with the bow. 55# is plenty ample especially for just starting traditional. Don't shoot until you are tired or you can develop nasty habits like uncontrolled release and target panic. You may be plenty strong to handle it but pay attention to what your body is telling you. Frustration with accuracy has sent more than one archer packing.

55# is alot to start off with-- George's advice is spot on. Learn to draw and execute the shot with your back muscles. A good string for your bow will make much difference. Just give one of the quality string makers like SBD a call and they can best guide you there. As said above Jimmy Blackmon has a wealth of info on gapping and stringwalking on YouTube. Good to try diff methods and find what works for you. Take it slow-- focus on a few perfect arrows each session.

Learning with 30 to 35 pounds is much easier - has nothing to do with how strong you are.

Let me second the Jimmy Blackmon video on learning to aim. You will have to judge yardage.

The best bit of adise I can give is get a coach. He may have a 30 pound bow.

Here's a way to gap where you don't have to judge yardage. You need a large target butt. Put a spot in the center. Get back to a spot about 12 or 15 yards and put an arrow in the ground. Put your left toe (if you're right handed) on the arrow, shoot the arrow with the point of the arrow on the dot. Let's say it impacts about 18 inches high. Shoot a second arrow in the same mannor. You have the dot and two arrows 18 inches above the dot.

(You're putting your left toe on the arrow so you can always get back to the same exact distance)

Now, shoot a third, BUT aim below the dot and duplicate the distance from the dot to the first two arrows, but as stated below the dot. If done corectly you have to hit the dot.

You have to memorize that distance form the arrow to the dot, by looking at the dot and seeing the arrow in your peripheral vision. Shoot another and another and another. Have it memorized? It's easy because in your peripheral vision you see two arrows above the dot and the arrow your shooting below.

Now, here's the important part. Take away the two arrows above the dot. And NOW see if you memorized the gap.

Here's a real important part. If you look at that gap and think 18 inches you will have to know the distance is 12 yards. But If you think 'this looks about right" you don't have to know the distance. After you've memorized one gap every other distance is an estimation from the one memorized. Longer shot smaller gap and shorter larger gap.

It's a great method for hunting.

Bowmania

You need your own style to develop with that bow.Get to know a good shot sequence and do it enough for it to become second nature.It won't matter what angle ,distance or just about anything else it needs consistency There good videos out there and also watch good shooters go through a shot .Note their set moves and break it down.Now work out what you are doing and break yours down too.My grand kids got a steady diet of shot sequence over and over again ,.This was done long before accuracy was worried about.Without uniform consistent shot sequence it's hard to shoot well Accuracy will come .I shoot 60# + but for learning technique 30#. 40# would be easier.Congradulations for going trad keep it up the Wallers here got you covered mate OSR

Sorry but the odd's are very much against you becoming proficient enough with it to hunt in less than a month.That would be pushing it with a compound using sights etc.

Congratulations Deerslayer. Many here are much better eqipped than I to help you with shooting styles and form. I'm still trying to learn myself (going on 22 yrs. now). But since you're in a hurry to get proficiant enough to hunt with your bow this year, I can add this: Be careful with practicing on 3D targets. I fell into the trap of trying to shoot well enough to not wound a deer. Every time I shot an arrow outside of the Kill Zone, I would whip myself pretty good for it. Rather quickly I was shooting "not to miss" rather than to hit. Can't tell you how many bad habits that leads to. In my humble opinion it's better to learn to shoot at a small spot or target. Hope this helps, and good luck with your adventure! Jim

I don't think you have sufficient time to practice before the season opens but, look at Jimmy Blackmon's fixed crawl video on u-tube to gain some proficiency quickly. Congratulations on the bow and good luck.

a rock solid anchor point is basically the rear sight. good alignment basically puts the arrow shaft straight down your line of sight & weather you consciously aim or subconsciously use the arrow as a reference & finally a good release sends it on the way

Check your pm

Justin-

Based on my own experience switching from compound to recurve for hunting years ago, it is possible to succeed in a short amount of time depending on how you shot your compound. Like you, I shot a recurve a LOT as a kid so maybe that helped. I shot a compound with fingers, not a release, and used one pin sight. So switching to recurve full time (and longbows) was not a big adjustment, at least for me. Adapting to no sight did not take long and I killed my first "trad" deer 3 weeks after switching over. Good luck and welcome aboard.

Dan

Consistent anchor/draw length/release is critical to develop a consistent secondary aiming system, holding time is not critical. I suggest watching the John Schulz 'hitting them like Howard Hill' youtube. As Hill explained, practice seeing with your indirect vision by focusing on an exact point and then without taking your eye off of that exact point, point at various other objects or identifiable spots. It helps by doing this with putting the arrow on the bow and start by having the arrow between your draw fingers and on the canted bow's arrow rest, without pulling bow back with the arrow on the string. Anchor with you middle finger somewhere on or inline with the corner of your mouth shooting split finger. Then proceed to do this with the arrow on the bow string. Shooting right handed you see indirectly, two arrows, (do not look at your arrow directly, keep your eyes on the spot). With bow canted and anchoring split finger, middle finger near, on or inline with the corner of the mouth, the arrow that is to the left and slightly up will be what the right eye sees, that will be nearly inline or possibly a little to the left and below the spot you are focussing on. When i teach this to people, (to save wear and tear on my garage) I put a bright red ball on the ground in the approximate position the the arrow point should be to start. You will find that you will be able to achieve this during the draw and be ready for a prompt release. In time these varied positions will get engrained into your shot and will seem nearly automatic. For me, my point on, top of the crown of the back of the point, comes at 52 to 58 yards,(depending on the bow/arrow combination) and gets lower as the range decreases. There is a visual flat spot in this progression, for me where the top of the back of the point is just under the chest of the deer. This is a visual anomaly because as the range decreases or increases the 'apparent' size of the deer gets smaller as the range increases, from about 24 yards to about 34 yards. I like to shoot wood arrows as short as possible, all of my broadhead arrows are 27" bop. The biggest difference from aiming with a secondary imaginary aiming point versus instinctive is acknowledgement of the arrow and its position in the secondary or peripheral vision. We all see the arrow, it is simply the acknowledgement that varies from individual to individual. pardon me for any typing errors, the phone is ringing.

Follow this without changing anything or leaving out anything and you will be on the right track. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rel4Q_VT_Fo

typing error, the arrow will appear to be below or slightly to the 'right' of the spot you are shooting at when closer to the target than point on range.

This is for Bernie P.

Video of the hunt:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3-Y79uxKLY

Thanks for all the answers guys. Getting ready to take it to Manitoba for Black Bear. Can't wait.

That is awesome my friend

That's great. The thing I like best about hunting this way. The second one is just as exciting as the first. Way to stick with it. I know a lot of people who want to hunt this way, but a day or two after season starts they fall off the wagon and go back to their compound. That's ok, but it always seems to me like they miss out on some very exciting hunting.

Bjrogg

Lots of fellows gave great advice. The part about 55 being a lot to start I also agree with. You say you remember the form from a kid. As an instructor I’ll tell you trad form is the same especially if you’re gap shooting. The release should also be the same (no dead hand, no throwing string hand out or away) so should the grip. Bernie P’s post was dead on. Every game animal deserves our best. In a month you won’t be your best especially overbowed. Take your time. Learn to shoot, visit some 3Ds, really learn the sport. Enjoy the journey and the time it takes to learn the craft. Trad archery, imo, isn’t an instant success sport. Kind of the beauty in a day n age where instant gratification is the rule. Good luck to ya

Did you watch the video I posted? I killed that deer a month after I posted the question.... I think my form looked pretty good. Most things in life are very relative to the person posing the question. An average guy who is dabbling will take a lot longer than a guy who is very detail oriented, disciplined, and naturally skilled. No different than any other sport or a picking up a musical instrument. The time it takes to be proficient is not a one-size-fits-all narrative, and is very relative to the person involved. I think I proved that point

(I am also an instructor, and I do believe I am over bowed by the way. Everyone is built different. My build and musculature is simply capable of handling 55#. With a compound some guys struggle pulling 60 lbs, others have any easy time with 80. Everyone has different builds and strength/weaknesses. 55# for some is like 45# for others. Just my opinion)

Thanks for the advice and congrats. Sure is a lot of fun slinging arrows into hay bales again. (My 82 lb compound is a bit much for a hay bale unless I want to loose an arrow).

I agree Bjrogg. It definitely has brought back that new wonderment and excitement I had as a kid. I love shooting stuff with my compound, but this has been a fun and rewarding challenge that I plan to continue building on.

Hope to post a big black bear in a few weeks!

*Meant to say "I don't believe I'm over bowed"

Good for you I don't think ur over bow either

If your 6'6" and 250 would you need a bigger piano to learn to play?

As an instructor, OP knows that you can learn things with 30-35 that you'll never learn with 55.

Bowmania

No one knew deerslayer so they gave accurate instructions on what he should do, if he can handle 55lbs that is fine, but usually a person coming from a compound to a longbow they need to work up to that 55lbs.

I could draw a 110 lb compound slowly without shaking, but still had a little trouble holding a 60lb bow for more than a second until I worked up to it.

So all instructions were correct.

Buy the way I was in my late fifties when I shot that 110lb PSA.

6’3” 250lbs 35 yrs old.

Lol.... pianos and longbows are just a wee bit of an apples and oranges comparison, but I appreciate all the advice. I’m shooting pert near every day and loving it. Can’t get enough really. Really hoping to poke a big bear with a sharp stick!

I’d like to see the video but can’t seem to get it.

55# is not a likely starting point particularly for a form of sight shooting. That would be high end for the strongest athletes in the world, shooting long strings of shots, but few up us can match over a few shots what they can over strings.

However, strength varies a lot, so assuming you can handle it...

And if you are enjoying yourself, I assume your arrows are flying great.

You could easily become proficient enough to shoot a deer within a month. You are not a new archer, or hunter. You have some previous experience. Aiming is your only problem. If you are shooting from 15-20 yards, look at a fixed crawl technique. Blackmon has an excellent video, as does Dwayne Martin have a series of excellent videos.

With a gap you hold the arrow point below where the arrow is to hit. You determine where that is on a target, and you learn a variety of holds for the different distances.

A fixed crawl works on top of the gap. You work your fingers down to the point where your arrow can now be right on the target, no estimating a gap, at one distance. That distance is something useful like 15 or 20 yards, or it is the distance to a trail, scrape, bait, or the distance you will close to. I use a nocking point so I can return my tab to that point without looking. You will have a sure aiming point, but it only works for the one distance, and you can hold off for others. That is what is in this video, the fixed crawl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LthFu6fxjeM

Dewayne's video talk about that, and add other techniques like first playing with your arrow nock height to get your gap as small as possible, then moving into a fixed crawl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DxmRQLaZQY

You bet. As I told one of the other posters in a p.m., when I was getting a back massage at the end of a 17 day elk hunt this past season the massage therapist was flabbergasted by the size of the right side of my back. I believe she said it was the serratus posterior muscle. I got a chuckle out of that. Never really thought about it because I can’t see my own back, but it makes sense as I’ve been shooting a bow since I was a very small kid and by the time I was 13 was pulling 70 pounds. Obviously 45#s is easier, but I am pulling my bow with ease and holding it at full draw. One thing I’ve learned is holding it for an extra second or two really helps my groups. Once again, I really do appreciate all the input. (Although I think some guys missed the that I originally posted this last August and shot a deer a few weeks later in September;)

Smokedinpa, Try copying pasting the link I provided. If not just do a YouTube search for midwest Whitetail, Great Plains.

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