Anyone else bounce back and forth between multiple shooting styles? My heart belongs to one piece longbows shot instinctively, split finger sans quiver and Surewood shafts but... When I NEED to make that one shot I prefer a heavy risered 3 piece with bow quiver shot 3 under and known gap. The incongruence of how I enjoy shooting most with how I'm most effective drives me nuts. (Been doing this 15 years now so I should know by now!;) Anyone else with this issue?

I do, but not different types of gear. I use the same selfbows and wooden arrows for all my shooting. In practice and play,

I shoot instinctive most of the time, but will switch to other aiming methods when the distance increases to the point that the shelf, arrow, hand, etc encroach on and distract my focus from the mark. It's just like flipping a light switch back and forth, can be done from shot to shot, and causes no issues that I can tell.

To be completely honest though, and I never really thought about it until now, I don't hunt that way, exactly. While hunting, I only aim instinctively. When an animal is beyond my instinctive range, it's considerably farther than I like to shoot for other reasons, so I never really applied those conscious aiming methods to my hunts, only in target/play. I'm deadly while aiming instinctive farther than I've ever shot a deer with an accessorized compound, so..

So, I guess... how I most enjoy shooting plays right into my effectiveness, and is perfectly suited to my needs.

So yes, I do, but I don't need to.

I generally stay with my antiquated split-finger method, but I have been know to change bows to include anything from selfbows to metal risers...which actually have been around since WWII ended. I'm most effective when I don't change my shooting style to accommodate a different bow. Never took to that three-under thing, but alas...we are all different.

I'm still working on mastering a single style. And like GDS, I shoot all bows the same, weather that is right or wrong...

I'm going to begin shooting right handed tomorrow , does that count?

I’ll switch to split-finger and a more instinctive aiming method when my target panic gets bad. Otherwise I shoot 3-under and gap. Luckily it’s been the latter for quite awhile.

One of the reasons why I'm not a better shot than I am is that I am a student of archery. And to me archery is more of a game.

That means that I experiment with many different shooting styles and many different types of bows at any given time.

I'll shoot 3 under with a high anchor and gun barrell, use the "Hill" method, anchor in the center of the chest, draw nearly to my ear, and anchor with my thumb behnd my neck, spit corner of the mouth, thumb ring, different types of Native Maerican release methods....lots of variations.

I have two totally different shot cycles, One for my left hand and one for my right hand.

NBK -

I can't answer that for you, but psychology 101 states that two similar, but not identical functions are harder to accel at, than two functions that are more dissimilar.

With that, new shooters really have to stick with one style until some level of "mastery" has been reached. Then switching around becomes more do-able.

If I'm reading you right, even trying to get the first scenario (LB/instinctive) to be anywhere near as good as the heavier bow with a define aim would be a fool's errand. If they were, I would suggest a serious form issue as the limiting factor.

Viper out.

I vary some, but not much.

JMO, if I can’t settle in at FULL draw and hold for a few beats at my standard anchor point while I check the alignment for a point-on shot, then I’m over-bowed.

And I rarely shoot past 30 yards without checking that gun-barrel sight-picture.

At closer range, I sometimes line up real carefully and sometimes touch-and-go from my standard anchor point.

But I’m always split-finger, and because I’m always conscientious about hitting my anchor when I shoot “slow”, I find that even if I’m going grip-and-rip on a moving target, I end up ripping back straight at my normal anchor, which makes everything work a lot better.

Here is a shooting style. You know what you like. Just stick with it

I thought this thread was about the Styles brothers! ;-)

Every hunting shot is different, so yes.

I shoot self bows and wooden arrows only these days. I shoot instinctively out to 20 yards but further than that I use the arrow point. Jawge

Thanks for the responses guys. Either style I have to be instinctive from 15 yards and in as either has too big of a gap to be effective and I'm pretty confident at that range anyways. After Vipers post I'm reminded that consistent form trumps style so I'll redirect my attention to that.

To realize your shooting potential I think you would be best served to pick one shooting style and stick with it.

Welll....

I’m trying to recall whether it is permissible (for competition purposes) to switch back and forth between split-finger and 3-under.

I got the impression that it is not allowed, which likely means that somebody who didn’t got whupped by somebody who did, and the guy who didn’t raised a stink about it and The Powers That Be decided that doing so provides an unfair advantage.

Which I can actually kind of see, since the gaps are smaller.

But if you’re not competing and it works for you...

???

Yes I do. I shoot different styles for different equipment or situations. I am surprised how well I can shoot Comanche style.

"I’m trying to recall whether it is permissible (for competition purposes) to switch back and forth between split-finger and 3- under."

That depends on the organization and class. It's perfectly allowed in IBO RU, or any of the Barebow classes in NFAA, ASA, WA, USAA, or IFAA.

Anyone else bounce back and forth between multiple shooting styles? My heart belongs...

Yes. In an effort to score on a 122 cm target at 60, 80, and 100 yards, I needed to develop a regimented, repeatable shot. It has been a fun and rewarding experiment to try to shoot the best I can at longer range, but imitating the York Rounds is only one aspect of archery. I also shoot instinctively once in a while with a variety of bows and am surprised that I still have some instinctive proficiency. So my primary shooting goal is to have fun. Follow you heart.

photo courtesy of Red Hill Archers.

Thanks Gray Goose. Point well taken.

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