Trad Gang

We shoot an indoor bowhunter league.  Last week I watched everyone shoot paying attention to  shooting form and mechanics.  I noticed just how much the shooters differed in canting the bow. Lets find out how much "we" cant the bow.

Plese just reverse the numbers for left handed.

Hill said the amount of cant cuts down on the Visual distance to the target

I voted the 1 o'clock position but I can't really say because I don't pay attention.  I just hold the bow however it feels right at the time.

As much as the situation calls for.  I practice everything from horizontal to a reverse cant

I'm a one o' clocker.I just cant enough to open up my sight picture.

I voted one o'clock as well.. I practice for everything but would say my "style" is just far enough off vertical to get everything out of my line of sight...

I guess I am a "straight up" kinda guy.

Winterhawk1960

About 1 as a natural cant.  That is about what works for the way everything lines up with a fairly upright head and standing position.  I like to shoot a lot at about 1:30-2, but with a waist bend.

2:00

Couldn't vote.....I'm with Jeremy......whatever it takes at the time.

Wow cool poll!  This is interesting! I'll need to watch to see what comes out of it!

QuoteOriginally posted by Buckeye Trad Hunter:
I voted the 1 o'clock position but I can't really say because I don't pay attention.  I just hold the bow however it feels right at the time.

Ditto

it's all subjective stuff to one degree or another 'cause all that matters is accurate, repeatable consistency of your body mechanics, aim and release.

a bowhunter needs to be accurate no matter what the bow's position, or the hunter's position.

watch the vid of terry repeatedly nailing a foamie while facing AWAY from the target, and note the distance to the target.  look closely at his form, aim and release.  now THAT's good shootin'!

I shoot all of my bows straight up except for my Lee. I cant it about 1 o'clock.

check out this thread and the last vid, 'over the pond' ....

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=000081

there's a WEALTH of info to be had here at trad gang, some of it ya gotta dig a bit to find it.

Ive tried and dont like the idea of trying to change my "natural" cant...i dont want to even think about it... i want to concentrate on the "spot" and let everything else happen..I think Terry would call this your "backyard shot"...the backyard shot is what i want in the woods with me.... I dont want to have to worry about whether my bow is vertical or not.

'cant' ain't even in a bowhunter's vocabulary, nothing to even think about, just look at this vid ...

Over the pond (http://www.tradgang.com/videos/tg/terry-2.wmv)

Isn't 3 o'clock gangster style?    :D

Around the clock for me. Or 1:30

Geesh Rob- if your shooting that good - you might as well shoot a compound !!    :(    :(

When I first picked up a bow way back when before they had wheels, I emulated my brother left hander & hero, Papa Bear's severe cant.  Shooting like that takes some serious practice!

What I found over the years is for me, although canting opens up my sight picture, it shortens my draw and it's very difficult to cant even close to the same degree shot to shot.  This means I don't get full advantage of my draw length (and at 28.5" I can't afford to give up much) and inconsistent form impedes consistent accuracy.

So being, I've come full circle and shoot with my upper limb straight up...

1:30

1 o'clock,but practice different positions.

I did 2:00 but it depends on the situation.  So cant varies.

QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
'cant' ain't even in a bowhunter's vocabulary, nothing to even think about, just look at this vid ...

Over the pond (http://www.tradgang.com/videos/tg/terry-2.wmv)  

Terrible form...  

1:00

TERRY....AMAZING!!!!!!!!

While canting "opposite" how does the arrow stay on the shelf?

I voted 1 o'clock - that's about how I shoot when deliberately shooting groups.  For 3D or hunting I shoot when it feels right.  I practice with varying cant including negative.  Also practice kneeling, squatting, sitting flat on ground, way around to left, way around to right, standing on tippytoes - any imaginable position I might find myself in - prone even.  Lotta fun!  May not ever shoot a critter that way but it increases my confidence and "knowledge" of my bow.

Take care all  -  Charlie

I could'nt vote since I am with Jeremy and Barney.

QuoteOriginally posted by fido dog:
TERRY....AMAZING!!!!!!!!

While canting "opposite" how does the arrow stay on the shelf?

A split finger shooter will slightly pinch the nock and rotate,to keep pressure on the shelf.

At least that's how I do it.  :thumbsup:

Sometimes straight, sometimes 1 o' clock. Never more, though.

geez, from all the replies it's hard to believe y'all have this big need to shoot from one fixed position.  i guess summa you guys must pass on shooting some, or maybe lots of game.  

i'll say it again - if you bowhunt, yer gonna need to shoot from LOTS of positions, both with yer body and bow.  don't just target shoot when ya practice, practice hunting.

I voted 1:00 because when casual practising ,most of the time, that's about where I shoot....

But I do practice straight up to 3:00 and feel comfortable shooting anywhere in between.

I will say that at the extremes, it's not as comfortable, or as easy....so if and when the time comes to shoot that way...it's usually only at closer distance.

This topic is probably better suited for the shooter forum....

QuoteOriginally posted by vtmtnman:
 

QuoteOriginally posted by fido dog:
TERRY....AMAZING!!!!!!!!

While canting "opposite" how does the arrow stay on the shelf?

A split finger shooter will slightly pinch the nock and rotate,to keep pressure on the shelf.

At least that's how I do it.   :thumbsup:  [/b]

I hold it up with my finger and let the feathers slide through. Not near as accurate as Terry on that shot. What were the distances on the shots Rob? Especially the pond. Really impressive.

With my longbow if shooting at 3ds or fixed targets maybe between 1 and 1:30, but I practice shooting from many differant shooting positions! that is why stump shooting is my favorite type of practice! The types of shots are infinite!

QuoteOriginally posted by leatherneck:
[... What were the distances on the shots Rob? Especially the pond. Really impressive.

dunno, but too far for me!    :)

QuoteOriginally posted by leatherneck:
[ What were the distances on the shots Rob? Especially the pond. Really impressive.

Heck if I know....it was cold that morning, and I didn't step it off   :D  

I didn't vote either...but it is a 'poll' so its ok here on the PowWow.

Yes, like said earlier....we all need that back yard shot...the one that we shoot the best, and would love to have in the field every shot.  But if you want to capitalize on more shots offered while afield, especially if you are a ground hunter, you need to be versatile with you bow, cant, and body positions.


There's a lot of info on shooting, canting, reverse cant, proper alignment etc. in the DVD 'The Bowhunters of TradGang'...along with LOTS of other hunting tips, and hunts and stories.  Two hours of fun and games.

Quotei'll say it again - if you bowhunt, yer gonna need to shoot from LOTS of positions, both with yer body and bow. don't just target shoot when ya practice, practice hunting.

Amen. I cant for whatever the cover and the shot calls for. I'm not that great of a target shooter yet but what I am good at is shooting consistently from awkward positions.

QuoteOriginally posted by Guru:

I will say that at the extremes, it's not as comfortable, or as easy....so if and when the time comes to shoot that way...it's usually only at closer distance.

Exactly! The further I deviate from my standard form, the closer the shot must be. How much closer? That's learned by practice.

Great posts...!

At our league when they look at me funny as I kneel, bend, squat and even face with my back to the targets to twist around to shoot I say that this is a BOWHUNTER trad league. I am practicing for BOWHUNTING. How many deer have you ever killed standing perfectly vertical with an open stance?  I want to put brush in the way and want to put the animal targets in a quartering shot...

At 1 o'clock for sure!

I never really paid much attention. I just shoot.  :bigsmyl:

QuoteAt our league when they look at me funny as I kneel, bend, squat and even face with my back to the targets to twist around to shoot I say that this is a BOWHUNTER trad league. I am practicing for BOWHUNTING. How many deer have you ever killed standing perfectly vertical with an open stance? I want to put brush in the way and want to put the animal targets in a quartering shot...  

Same here. That is exactly what we do in our league. No shot is a gimme. I prefer stumping any day.

I do enjoy these polls.  I am still surprised by the results. I did not realize so many shot straight up.  Keep the votes coming.

2 o'clock for me, I get a better window to look through.

It depends on what shot if offered at the time.  If I had my choice it would be no cant, but that doesn't happen very often.
For those that have shot the Muzzy shoot know, canting at all angles is a must.

I voted straight up.

QuoteOriginally posted by kat:
...
For those that have shot the Muzzy shoot know, canting at all angles is a must.

exactly.  the muzzy is as close to hunting, sans animals, as yer gonna get.  all the more reason a bowhunter's practice needs to be in varied venue locations, and shots take from all positions.

If I raise my hand to shake someones hand it is natural and comfortable...that is the angle that I shot my bow at...natural and comfortable. I can shoot it at different positions. But this is what I like and am the most accurate and repeatable with. This is about at 2:00.

Hey, what about the 9,10,11 o'clock positions for us backwards folks?

I voted for 2:00, even though it's actually 10:00  :p

The "wrong hand" people (of which I am one in everything in life except shooting bows/guns) are included just above the voting box on page one.. LOL

thanks to all who have voted.

John III

Oh yeah...missed that part  :D

3:00 - Horizontal.  So when do we get the results??

1:00 to 1:30 most of the time.

I shoot at about 1 o clock unless the target is really close under my stand and then it is about 2.

I should add that when I'm set up on the ground and most of the time when kneeling my bow cant can get close to horizontal.. All depends on the situation and honestly I never think about the "shot" until its over...

the more a bowhunter needs to rely on a specific bow cant for a good shot, the more limited that hunter will be for making a kill during a hunt.  hunting ain't target archery.

I know I am preaching to the choir, but for me, the cant of the bow is determined by the position of my elbow of my draw arm. The higher the elbow the more vertical the bow has to be in order to keep from putting  a twist in the string. Twist isn't a good description, but if you naturally shoot with a high elbow your cant will be less than someone who shoots with an elbow closer to horizontal because the alignment of your fingers to string change with the position of your elbow. If you use your bow hand to determine cant without changing your draw arm elbow you put an unnatural twist or torque in the string. If every thing doesn't align, accuracy and comfort are compromised.

Man this is great!!! John3 & Rob have nailed it. You'll never have a flat shot at a boadside deer standing still at 20 yards. I have no clue what my cant is but it doesn't matter IMO. Instinct will determine the shot unless with sights or gap. No offense to those.

I practice every cant angle and other position I can think up.
Due to this I pretty much know how to approach each postion and how my form needs to alter to make them work.
I'm a field captain at my club,so I set up a lot of our 3D courses for competitions.
You shoot one of my courses,you better be able to cant at lest parallel to the ground,because I love watching guys shoot off their knees and under a bush or log.
As far as I'm concerned,If I can make the shot,,everybody can.

QuoteOriginally posted by Barney:
Couldn't vote.....I'm with Jeremy......whatever it takes at the time.

Same here...depends on the situation. Usually the closer the target, the more I cant, but terrain also plays a role.

A two more days to vote...  This was a neat poll which has surprised me.  Thanks to all that voted.


John III

I voted 1:00, but after paying more attention, wish you had included 1:30 in the poll.

I find for me that the more i keep it around 1:00 the more accurate i am when shooting targets and 3-D.But when hunting it is not always that easy so i try to practice from 1:00 to 3:00.