Over the years I have tried my different shooting styles from instinctive to gap,split fingered or three under. What I have finally settled on is split fingered with arrow drawn close to my eye so I can see arrow pointed straight at what I want to hit.For longer shots I raise my bow hand to what I guess is the right elevation. Not actually instinctive because I do see my arrow but not a defined gap either.Seems closer to Byron Ferguson's split vision than Asbell's instinctive.Just curious what other people do?

After reading Fred's books I realized that's how I'd been shooting all along.

The only way you could "not see the arrow" is to get in a borderline dissociative or or meditative state that involves tunnel vision. Its not conducive to doing anything that requires awareness or perception required for knowing range etc.

Essentially everyone sees and uses the arrow Its just a matter of how much conscious thought you are giving it.

When I shoot "instinctive" I pay about the same amount of attention to the arrow as I do to a shoot gun barrel when shooting skeet. I know and realize Im using the arrow - but my eyes never focus on it.

Asbells since about 1964, long before his book. I really enjoyed G Fred's book however, great read.

I think the large majority of "instinctive" shooters before Asbels book would have also said something along the lines of like "a shotgun barrel in skeet." Its a very natural way to shoot. If you watch privative archery with their long arrows they often seem to be doing this.

Gap--stinctive.

"I think the large majority of "instinctive" shooters before Asbels book would have also said something along the lines of like "a shotgun barrel in skeet." Its a very natural way to shoot. If you watch privative archery with their long arrows they often seem to be doing this."

Yep, we likely would.

I posted on your other thread so all I'll say is I shoot split vision, split fingers, and a deep hook for 52 years. It works for me.

Yep split fingers here also for over 50 years

Instinctive for me. I don't go in for the complicated stuff. Frank

Split finger for nearly 60 years. Absolutely see and aim/point the arrow in secondary or peripheral vision.

Better add that I have shot split finger style since I started..and that was a long time ago. :)

Dartwick X2. My focus is on the target, but I'd be kidding myself if I didn't acknowledge that the arrow was present in my peripheral---the same as the hood of my truck is in my peripheral when driving. It doesn't matter one bit whether you are shooting split or 3under(as long as it is working for you), in order to hit what you are shooting at, your brain uses the entire sight picture. I shoot 3 under out to 30 yards and can shift to split for distances beyond or not;).

Instinctive and split finger

gonna move up to the STAR sometime maybe?

I started shooting split finger with my index finger at the corner of my mouth. Later on, I moved up to middle finger in the corner. It works fine but no "huge" change there. Eye hand coordination, I line up the arrow and let the string slip away. I found the biggest improvement to my shooting was to improve my release keeping my hand tight to my face and continuing to pull STRAIGHT BACK as the string slips off. It's just one slow, fluid action.

Better add that I have shot split finger style since I started..and that was a long time ago. :)

So did you ever try anything else?

I know I have and didn't like anything else so I settled for the split instinctive way at just looking at what I want to hit.

I kind of sort of of see it. Absolutely do not think about anything but the target. i do not think about yardage, gap, uphill, downhill, or anything other than reaching my anchor point. 50 plus years of shooting, it has just become a subconscious action.

If I am seeing the arrow, I have already messed up the shot.. Everything is switched to laser eye contact to the smallest part of the intended target, At least that's the game plan..lol The arrow isn't seen anymore than my bow hand , the ground, or the sky.. I tried purposely to incorporate the arrow last night during shooting for grins..No thank you..lol It's the old cliche, aim small (focus) miss small..

Sounds like what I do. Split finger with the arrow anchored close under my eye, but not “aiming.” My release goes to shit when I aim.

Like the term 'instinctive' there's lots of variables and possible misunderstandings behind what the term 'see the arrow' means, but in each case the terms aren't to be taken literally. I'm guessing what you're really asking is 'Do you use the arrow to aim?'. The easy answer to that question is yes...IF you make a conscious effort to look down the arrow as a sort of artificial sight. And no...IF in your sight picture you are simply aware of where it approximately is (indirectly) with no conscious sighting down it's length or gapping with the tip). Both approaches 'see' the arrow but one approach is more related to conscious aiming while the other is more related to simply pointing, as you might do when casually pointing your finger at something. As with almost anything folks will probably argue the point ad nauseum, but that's basically what happens and no, they really aren't the same thing no matter how much some might try to make it so. As they say, it is what it is and complicated explanations to the contrary simply can't change that.

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