Aiming with the arrow point

[buckeyebowhunter]

I shoot instinctively and have no plans to change. I tried gapping years ago and did not like it especially for bowhunting. However recently I've been experimenting with aiming at long ranges (30+ yards). For target shooting purposes and just for fun. I've never been a great instinctive shot past about 25 yards.

That being said when I aim with the arrow tip I miss significantly left. Probably 6 inches or so at 30 yards. I also noticed that if I just pull up as if going to shoot instinctively and then sight down my arrow with one eye my arrow tip is not in line with the intended impact point but several inches to the right. I've never noticed this until aiming at these longer distances.

Do you guys think this is a center shot ordeal or a form issue? I feel like my alignment is solid and arrows are tuned well. I'm also canting the bow, seems worse when vertical. I shoot right handed and I'm right eye dominant.

It really doesn't bother me because I don't shoot at those distances in hunting situations, but it has me curious as to what the problem might be. One last thing my bow is cut to center and I'm shooting with a bear weather rest so the arrow is pointed left quite a bit when just resting.

[McDave]

When you aim using the arrow point, either your dominant eye has to be over the arrow, or you have to hold off to the right or the left to compensate for the arrow not being under your eye. This doesn't matter when you're shooting instinctively, because you're not looking at the arrow. Since you're just doing this for fun, you probably don't want to change the anchor you're using for instinctive, so you're left with holding off target. If your anchor is consistent, once you figure out how much to hold off target, it should remain consistent from shot to shot.

[Kirkll]

I think it may be as simple as what you are focusing on. If you are used to instinctive shooting at shorter yardage and want to use your point on as a reference for longer distance, which is gap shooting. Set your gap, then focus on your point of impact, not the tip of the arrow. I think if you practice enough at longer distances it will also become instinctive.  .02 cents

[Stumpkiller]

I'm on at 65 yards when I do this with field points.  Was handy for NFAA shoots.

[Tajue17]

I dont aim either mainly im left eye dominant and i shoot RH also if actually see the arrow point when im at full draw i get screwed up!  Have you checked what eye dominance you have and if you have that right then yeah its a point of impact problem where you need to compensate with your aim picture to make the hit.

[Orion]

Something is amiss.  If the arrow is pointing right of the target and it hits left, it would indicate a too strong spine.  Or, as McDave suggests, you're not getting the arrow aligned properly under your dominant eye.  Or, possibly, your right eye isn't as dominant as you think.  When you look down your arrow, line up the arrow tip on some target with your right eye only/left eye closed.  Then close your right eye and open the left.  That will move the point to the right of the target. So if the point is to the right of the target with both eyes open, it would indicate that your left eye is taking dominance. If the arrow points to the right with only the right eye open, then it's likely an alignment problem, as McDave suggests. 

[buckeyebowhunter]

I'm definitely right eye dominant.

It seems the problem only shows up at longer distance. It could possibly be a slight overspine. However I didn't think a 2018 with 200 up front would be too stiff from a 50# recurve. 29.5" shafts.

I typically anchor middle finger in corner of mouth. I definitely have to aim slightly to the right when I get back to 30 yards or so. They impact right where I want if I aim slightly right just feels odd not being able to put the point right where I need like a sight pin.

Kirk, I understand what you're saying and this is what I'm going to try to do for longer shots.

[Radford]

You didn't ask but I've never tried aiming. Just complicates something that's supposed to be very simple

[Orion]

Hmmm.  We're back to alignment, I think.  You might be looking across the arrow rather than right down/over it.  Keep your anchor the same, but try turning your head a little more toward the target, to the left for a right hand shooter.  Not talking a lot here, maybe an inch or so.

[Tajue17]

If it only shows up long distance could be something with the release or a tiny bit of torque,,, its got to be release or tuning and i mean the fine fine tuning.

[BrushWolf]

My boy started shooting a recurve last year. He's kill 4 deer now with one and has hit them all with precision. He shoots using the point of the arrow. It's something that I never showed him but also something that has had me rethinking my approach. I recently built a new bow just to experiment with shooting his way. I find I shoot left if I don't push my face into my draw hand. I think it's kinda like lifting your head off a shotgun stock and shooting over stuff. I think of it that way cause your eye is essentially your back sight.im right hand also.  It does seem to work well for me on paper though and is definitely something that I'll have to practice. Am wanting to go kill an elk someday and thought shooting that way might help with longer shots. Up close instinctive shooting still works well for me.

[Rob DiStefano]

For barebow games the arrow tip is my sight and the distance tells me where to walk the string, but for real shooting/hunting I only see the target, no string walking, and loose instinctively.