Constant left/right problem
Equipment
I'm new at this shooting with sights stuff so I have a question for those of you who are more experienced.
It seems like I am frequently having to adjust the left/right on my Spot Hogg sight. I'll get it adjusted and then the next time i go shooting I will have to adjust it again. Then I'll get it adjusted and a few times later it's needing adjustment.
I'm careful not to bang it, and I watch the bubble when I am shooting. The problem seems to get worse when I put the bow in my SKB hard case.
I'm wondering if it's me, or if others have the same problem. If it is the sight itself, could you recommend one that I can have confidence in.
Thanks,
TMBB
Bob, assuming your sight is fastened tightly after setting it, you should never have to adjust left and right again. Basically when your bow is level you should be able to look down your string and have it line up with your pins. Your problem is most likely an anchor or grip issue that is causing inconsistency in your left and right groups.
No expert here, but I'm with Brotsky, it's either anchor inconsistency or your gripping the bow a little differently.
That said, I had a left shooting problem a couple years ago, and figured out on my own, that since I had retina problems in my right eye, my left eye was trying to "take over" as far as dominance was concerned. I solved that by squinting or closing my left eye until my pin settled on target, and only then would I open my left eye. It about drove me nuts until I figured that out.
I think Brotsky and drycreek are on the right track. Maybe you're "peeking" when you release, moving the bow to the left as soon as you release but before the arra clears the rest. Then, when you don't and hold it straight at release, it goes a little right. I would concentrate on your follow thru and also pay attention where you put the string on your nose at anchor. Whether you put it on the side of your nose or the front, just do it consistently.
Could be several things. As the others fellas said, it might be you torquing the bow, inconsistent anchor, etc.. If you are new to this make sure you have a kisser button until you really ingrain your form. I know it is normal talk to hear people say compounds are so easy. Well, they are very accurate IF the SHOOTER does what he is supposed to do. And, if not they are like every thing else in that it is going to shoot where you point it if it's tuned. So, use the aides to assure you are pointing it exactly right. But, my guess is drycreek is on to something if you are having failing vision in your dominant eye. I too experienced the same thing this spring and summer until finally going to a single pin and a verifier. Good luck and God Bless
Actually I find them to be a very complicated and fragile compared to a stick bow. It is a new skill I am trying to acquire, since the delicacies of age have forced me to change over.
The guy at my bow shop told me that it might be my grip so he changed that to where I am curling 3 fingers into a ball and only having one finger, the index, around the front of the bow.
You are all probably right that I am doing something, I'm just trying to isolate what it might be. Thanks for your help.
TMBB
One possibility that hasn't been mentioned is something that I encountered. I had a minor bit of peep rotation. It wasn't extreme. Barely noticeable until I looked for it. Just enough to cause me to drift right or left a little.
I have to agree...... Inconsistent grip and or not centering the site housing inside your peep.
If my grip isnt the same everytime, i too will have slight left right misses. Nothing major, but off a a couple inches.
Are you lining up your sight housing into your peep each time?
Thought of something else too. If you're not keeping your bow plumb, or level, that will give you smallish left/right misses. Got a bubble in your sight housing ?
Or, you may just be a lousy shot like me !
Could be your grip or possibly your release. Are you using proper back tension and bringing your string hand to your shoulder or throwing it all over? Another thing is non correct dominant eye with both eyes open should cause left to right hits beyond or closer than you're sighted for
Film yourself from different angles as you are shooting. Use the footage to analyze the problem. Keep track of your shots as you execute them. Announce the shot - This is shot number 1 - then record where you aimed and where it landed on the target - arrow number 1 was aimed dead center and arrow landed 2 inches right. Cover non-dominant eye to see if it makes any difference. Using the same arrows shoot a different bow if available; if the issue follows then it is you or the arrows. Be methodical in your approach as you are looking for a pattern.
Think happy thoughts and focus your will into each arrow.
One bit on anchor that I don't think has been mentioned is watch out for string contact with your face. You really want very little string contact -- like the tip of your nose...lightly. A lot of people end up pressing the string into their face and the variation in contact pressure can effect left or right consistency.
shooting a bow with to long of a draw length will tend to make you miss left and right due to the inconsistent anchor.
Go over all allen screws and make sure they are tight as well. Just had that recently on my bow all of a sudden my arrows were doing weird things. Loose bolts.
Inconsistent grip will certainly be reflected in lateral misses as you describe. The most common cause is that some torque is being transmitted to the bow. That is usually reduced by adapting the style of grip that your bow shop recommended, but it's still very possible to torque the bow even with that style grip. Just the normal friction of your skin against the bow's grip will transmit considerable torque, and the effect on your shots will vary with conditions like heat and humidity that makes that variable harder to anticipate and allow for.
The best way to quickly check to see if torquing is your problem is to make it way less possible by reducing the friction between your skin and the grip. This can be done by lubricating the bow hand with a quick spray of cooking oil or some WD-40, or with less mess by wearing a cheap cotton glove, like the thin dark brown ones people with soft skin sometimes wear to do their gardening. They're pretty much useless for tough farm chores and such, but they do separate your skin from the bow's grip and make it almost impossible to torque the bow without taking an obvious firm grip on it.
If you try that and your impacts are consistent but off to one or the other side, it's best to trust that impact position and reset your sights or adjust your tuning to fit that impact point, as it will be the one you get with no torque being involved, and that's always the most consistent shot to strive for.
It might require some more adjustment your style of holding the bow, but the result will be worth it when you've gotten used to it, as a torque-free grip is the basis for good groups and consistent accuracy in all conditions. You may also want to use a wrist sling, at least to start with while getting used to a relaxed grip and open hand, to avoid either dropping the bow or grabbing to avoid dropping it, either of which will mess up the shot. I always considered those to be unnecessary doodads, but when I started shooting with a relaxed hand and no gripping of the bow, it was helpful to have that assurance during the retraining process. Once I had the new hold down as my routine, I went back to just curling one finger in to gently touch the front of the riser to make sure it wasn't going to get away.
Every variable that you can remove from the shot process is one less problem that will come back to frustrate you later, and torquing the bow is a notorious one for that tendency. If you can achieve a torque-free hold, you'll have no change in lateral point of aim later due to sweaty palms, wearing gloves for some cold-weather hunting, a little rain, etc. It's always a good idea to check it again occasionally, because it can return to previous habit of including some torquing in your hold and mistaking it for some other change in your gear or form and just adjusting your sights to adapt to it, when it's really an old enemy sneaking back in. I learned that lesson a few times over the years (sometimes I learn kinda hard).
Best part is that if you try the above test and find that you are torquing the bow, and solve that problem, it won't be wasted time even if it doesn't correct your shooting entirely. There's one way to shoot perfectly, and about a million ways to do it wrong, and you will have taken out one of the biggest and most common obstacles to good results if you clear that one now. Good luck.
