Thank you Fred Asbell question answered

[Brianlocal3]

I just received Instinctive shooting1/2 and Stalking and still hunting and was flipping thru the pages when Mr. Asbell answered a question I have had for a while now.
  I always wondered why I can shoot leaves ( hit within 3-4" or closer) , stick and the like at ranges up to 60 yard pretty regularly and the sometimes struggle at 20 yards at the range. It was mind boggling for me, but he states in book number two he stated its because we are picking targets that are particularly visible to our eye and that allows us to truly focus and concentrate on them and BOOM a light bulb went off in my head. THAT'S IT. At the range on paper I get sidetracked and cannot focus. I also shoot better on the 3D course where most of the animal is covered up so I'm forced to focus on the small window.
So thank you Mr. Asbell!!!!!

[elkbreath]

a couple thoughts from dean torges;


Seeing Spots
©Dean Torges/The Bowyer's Edge™

Every primitive archer loves stump shooting (or roving), but this pleasurable activity can contribute to bad habits for the hunter.

While roving, most of us see an object or feature that catches our eye. We shoot to it. We usually come very close to it when we don't hit it. The problem is that shooting game requires a much keener eye than that. It requires the ability to focus upon a spot beyond distractions which call to our attention, distractions such as antlers, horns or an animal's outline. Shooting game requires us to make shots to areas that do not attract our eye.

Stump shooting at obvious targets can develop a lazy eye and give us a false sense of our shooting ability. Next time roving, mix it up. Instead of shooting at a knot on a stump, shoot sometimes to a make-believe spot beside it. Instead of shooting at a conspicuous leaf, shoot to the upper left quadrant of the bare spot next to it, or to the barely visible leaf beside it. When the next opportunity at an animal occurs, you will be better prepared to create a spot where none exists, amidst distractions, too.

[Brianlocal3]

Wow , thank you for that. Very interesting take on the overall mechanics of target aquisition.

[Grizzbear]

Great advise

[NY Yankee]

When shooting at an animal, never look at the antlers or the head. Once you have made up your mind to kill it, look only at the spot you want the arrow to hit. when you are ready to draw, pick out one single hair or small tuft of hair right where you will aim. force yourself to focus on that spot only and let your shooting form take over. Remember, the exact center of an aspirin is no smaller than the exact center of a watermellon.

[Brianlocal3]

Let me amend my first post by saying that I shoot 3D better than say a 300rd paper target.  It has always been an observation of mine that roving yields more accurate shooting at unknown ranges than a 20yd target face and it was a curiosity thing for me.
Now 3d shooting is a different ball game due to lines and shadows and such on the animals, and when a 3d is obstructed the concentration is escalated even more.

[maineac]

I think the amount of objects (branches, ferns, etc.) between you and the target of choice helps your mind with distance.  When shooting a target the we are usually in the wide open with no visual reference other than the target.  In the woods all the objects really give a distance perspective to the mind, increasing accuracy.  Just my theory.

[Sam McMichael]

I agree with maineac. "Things" along the way to the target are considered by the brain, and I believe this assists in estimating range. Perhaps not in terms of specific yardage but in an overall perspective and sight picture. I tend to think in terms of close, medium, and far when figuring range, and the objects in my sight picture lend themselves well to this type of estimate.

[SheltonCreeker]

Great posts. I have been working so hard on my form lately picking a spot has been lacking. Good thread. I too often find myself as fred said in his most recent book just flinging arrows down range. I'm ready to make it to the automatic response stage. No thinking besides the spot I wanna hit!

[joe ashton]

reading Mr. Asbell does get one thinking...

[vintage-bears]

Originally posted by NY Yankee:
When shooting at an animal, never look at the antlers or the head. Once you have made up your mind to kill it, look only at the spot you want the arrow to hit. when you are ready to draw, pick out one single hair or small tuft of hair right where you will aim. force yourself to focus on that spot only and let your shooting form take over. Remember, the exact center of an aspirin is no smaller than the exact center of a watermellon.

Well said!