I was fortunate to see them in person years ago. I still love to shoot aerial targets. I was never good enough to eve attempt tennis ball and smaller targets.
gotta love it, exactly why I love longbows, just wish that I had a really nice 45# longbow again. When you have one that you can shoot and really shoot great, never get rid of it!
I’ve spent hours talking to Norm Blaker. He’s always at the Kalamazoo Expo, with his Wife or Son. If you want to talk to Norm about selfbows, black powder, hawks, knives, he’s a wealth of knowledge. One year me, my bother and 2 of our friends stood and talked to him for 2 hours. His Wife stood there smiling. She’s a Saint. Last time I saw and spoke to him, he was making flintlock rifles.
It was my honor that when I posted pix of my Bushsword custom ordered from James Helms (at the time recent winner of History Channels “Forge in Fire”) Ron PM ‘Ed me asking if I could get him inline on James’s books to order himself a custom forged Bowie knife from James to which I referenced Ron to the guy who “got me in”…(as at that point knife maker’s usually “Close their books”)…and that guy was Joe Paranee and along with Ron’s well established notoriety?…Mr. LaClair’s order for a custom Bowie knife got slipped into “Helms Forgings” order list and Ron got his custom forged Bowie knife and couldn’t have been more appreciative to all involved….one of the better things I’ve done in life. :)
This is my Bushsword…wish I saved a pic of Ron’s Bowie knife…
I thought the most impressive part of the demonstration was the backstop. Totally safe way to know where your arrows are going. (Sarcasm.)..(and yet not?!?!) Thanks for posting that, really enjoyed it. (No sarcasm.)
Jinks said "one of the better things I’ve done in life. :)"
It was nice of you and I'm glad he got his knife but one of the better things you've done in life? It was a phone call and a knife. Did you raise children, support a family, learn a trade etc.?
MGF actually it implies great concentration on a small airborne object. Actually a large part of instinctive shooting is concentration on a spot and the smaller the better. Unless someone is an accomplished instinctive shooter then they don’t understand that you can focus on a spot and release as soon as you hit anchor and hit the spot. Most of those that don’t shoot instinctively would call that snap shooting. Because they themselves can’t shoot that way they disparage those that can. My earlier post was sarcastic in nature because I shoot purely instinctive. You are right it is a controlled shot and not just gripping and ripping. By the way I’ve read post on this site such as “ I don’t shoot instinctive because I want to hit what I shoot at.” These guys in the video proved that instinctive shooting is accurate.
Greenstyk...I don't know what aiming method either of them used. I guess I read Ron LaClair's posts long enough that I should know but I don't. I do know that I've shot plenty of aerial targets and I "aim".
I suppose I assumed they were shooting instinctively because they were canting the bows, leaning forward and shooting fast all which are characteristics of shooting instinctively. There is nothing wrong with aiming just as there is nothing wrong with instinctive shooting. I have killed tons of doves, quail, ducks and woodcock with a shotgun and I know I shoot much better when I shoot it instinctively or “snap shoot” than when I aim. That is what works for me.