Accurately aim?

[Scythe13]

Hi everyone.

Quick question, how long can you accurately hold you bow at full draw?

Also, how long does it take you to aim up on a target?

Just wondering whether I'm doing something wrong or I'm missing something.

[Arnie72]

Really depends on your bow...

For me on a 35lb recurve I draw an aim simultaneously and can hold that for quite a while - never really tried it but have held for about 10seconds with no real issue.

[MCavity]

Funny you should mention this as I was at my club yesterday evening. I'm still settling into and adjusting my new bow, so I tried a few shots with aimimg for just a second or so and got 2 bullseyes at 35 yards! The downside was my grouping was far more random, so when I missed the target I had to go arrow hunting.

Also it made a massive difference to me when I was shown the difference between holding the drawn bow from hunter to olympic style. With the hunter style you hold all 3 fingers on the string together below the arrow, and olympic is 2 below and one above.
Doesn't sound like it would make alot of difference but at 20 yards my arrows were hitting at the perfect height as soon as I swapped to olympic. Using the hunter method the arrows were hitting way too low to get a score.

Its all personal prefrence so give it a try

[NorthernRaider]

I found that using no sights and drawing to the corner of my mouth gave me much better instant instinctive shots than precisely aimed shots on my KAP recurve.

[Tartar Horde]

My "Anchor" point is just behind my right Canine tooth. I hold for around two seconds, because as I am drawing I am also aiming, calculating the distance and visualising the elevation windage etc. I never hold too long as I am at my limit for poundage, and holding a powerful bow at full draw is not good for Archer or Bow.

[NorthernRaider]

I note at East Durham archers a lot of the flat bow and longbowmen when they drew actually put the thumb of their right hand to what appeared to be just behind the ear or where the jawbone joins the cranium, but the recurve bowmen went to the corner of their mouths ( ish)

[Tartar Horde]

(25 June 2013, 10:35)NorthernRaider Wrote: I note at East Durham archers a lot of the flat bow and longbowmen when they drew actually put the thumb of their right hand to what appeared to be just behind the ear or where the jawbone joins the cranium, but the recurve bowmen went to the corner of their mouths ( ish)

That's correct NR, the English Longbowmen used to draw what was colloquially called a "cloth yard shaft" but the Arrow length varied somewhat and was by no means standardised, no matter what some historians say. They drew to the Ear. Similarly the Asiatic tradition also draw to the Ear or just behind.

[Scythe13]

No mention of a kisser yet. I used to swear by mine. Kisser and clicker meant each shot was as standardised as possible, but not too helpful for moving game. Static, maybe.

Is there nobody still using the kisser? I can see clickers are very much the range standard still, for the higher end bows.

[Tartar Horde]

(25 June 2013, 11:33)Scythe13 Wrote: No mention of a kisser yet. I used to swear by mine. Kisser and clicker meant each shot was as standardised as possible, but not too helpful for moving game. Static, maybe.

Is there nobody still using the kisser? I can see clickers are very much the range standard still, for the higher end bows.

A kisser is mainly used on Olympic style target bows as an aid to correct draw length alongside such things as a clicker, also to aid in correct draw length. You will not normally find such devices on field bows or traditional bows as the Anchor point tends to be the side of the face. Olympic Archers generally anchor around the centre line.
PS why is the spell check American English???? tutut

[Prepper1]

I draw to the ear also.

You shouldn't be holding anything, a bows not a gun and there not meant to be held at full draw whilst following a target around.

If hunting the bow should be kept ready with an arrow knocked, with very slight pressure to keep it in the ready position with your fingers or an arrow rest if you must have one.

When a target reveals itself, it should then be one fluid movement,

ie move to your draw position and as your in the process of doing that, you should be drawing the arrow back simultaneously sighting down the arrow to engage the target and at moment of full engagement release.

You start holding any bow at full draw and you'll get the shakes and or poor shooting technique.

The only bows you could if you wanted to hold at full draw would be the weaker 25lb ones.

BUT thats just how I do it. and not a definitive you must...