Anyone shooting a compound instinctive ?
Equipment
I'm wanting to set up a bow to bowhunt instinctive ,anyone doing it? What kind of rest are you running?
Not I…what’s running mean? Using?
Get ahold of Clancy Bequeath out of Phoenix seen him hit 100yds plus
I do. (Actually I am a gapper. But no sights). GOOD rests are hard to find (I assume since instinctive, shooter is using fingers) I used a Springy for years. Good and durable rest, but not very adjustable. I went to AAE Free Flyte Elite. (With a plunger) It is a magnetic rest with adjustability. Arrow flight is excellent. It might look fragile, but no breakage issues after years of deer and elk hunting trips. (Only issue I have for hunting is I have to keep rest free of water/snow if below freezing. The support arm slot is machined to tight tolerances and if moisture freezes, it will stick)
You will hear Whisker Biscuit, but it doesn't work for my shooting style. It blocks my peripheral view of target point so I don't have reference as I focus on spot.
Watch some of Tim Wells videos on youtube. He may have something on there of his setup. Incredible shot!!!
Why not just shoot a recurve or longbow? So simple and so much fun!
I did for many years, back in the early 80's. Shot many a 3D tourney bare bow, no sights and using fingers. Always had a springy rest (or just a rubber finger) with a plunger for adjustment. Then one day I said to myself, "I should try sights" and they have never come off my compound bow. Then later I said to myself, "I should try a mechanical release" and I never used fingers again with my compounds. Oh the good old simple days.
"Why not just shoot a recurve or longbow? So simple and so much fun!" Because I am chicken. I have shot compound/barebow for almost 40 years. I love the connection that fingers give me. And I still get to view the mystical flight of the arrow after release. Additionally, I have set my bow to shoot point on at 50 yards. (Keep in mind I am a gapper) (IE I theoretically can shoot from 0-50 w/o much issue) Not many traditional shooters shooting effectively out to 50 yards.
Last I saw Tim Wells is shooting an Oneida Phoenix.
In his 'Instinctive Shooting' video, G. Fred Asbell did a segment on shooting compounds instinctively. No reason not to, but finding a longer A2A bow suitable for tab or glove is not getting easier. I tried it with my old compound after switching to recurves, just didn't like it.
I would _not_ try shooting a compound using a swing-arm draw.
I shoot oneidas instictive, use the NAP flipper & Norris springy rest. I've shot with a whisker biscuit, it works even though you can't see the all of the arrow. I have a longer compound if interested, also have an aae free flyte rest.
I had a friend in Illinois that was a instinctive compound shooter. I hunted with him and he killed more deer than any of the other hunters. I know he didn't have sights but I don't know what method he used. I just know he was a great shot. He was also far above an average hunter.
One of my brothers shot a compound for a while with fingers, instinctive..but it was years ago when the compounds were longer
Did for years, with flipper rest or springy rest. Switched to recurves n longbows 25 years ago.
Did for years, with flipper rest or springy rest. Switched to recurves n longbows 25 years ago.
most compounds are not designed for shooting fingers/instinctive - they're shot, high letoff, precision shooting tools and you really need the right equipment like rests/releases to get the best out of em
older bows like the Oneida ones were finger shootable for sure
“ Not many traditional shooters shooting effectively out to 50 yards.”
That’s only because they don’t even try. Point-On is Point-On, so it comes down to form.
Trouble is, hitting anything past 20 yards has become unfashionable. And truth be told, even most compounders are lost past about 35 without a laser….
Ive shot a recurve for 46 yrs, shooting instinctive..I guess you call it instinctive. I look at my spot but I also in my peripheral vision see the arrow even though Im not trying to look at it...if that makes sense. Maybe its a combo of instinctive n split vision..lol
Peco - I shot recurves for 31 years , took over 100 whitetails that way. Had a pressure washer accident and had to lower my poundage on recurves. SO looking for something different. I enjoy all archery- crossbows aren't archery-recurves, compounds and longbows are my ticket. I bought a Mathews Conquest apex 7 that I'm playing with that has a G5 drop away rest that is not in my sight picture. Starting to get the hang of it.
Something special in my archery when I can see the arrow go all the way to where I'm looking like a laser beam! Thanks Jack
Tim Wells and the Fitzgerald’s both shot Mathews and not the long ones but the 32” Halons. I watched a video of Dan Fitzgerald shooting a 28” Mathews unreal. I guess with the huge cams of the Mathews it makes for less finger pinch.
Started out in early ‘80’s shooting a PSE, fingers, no sights. Got pretty good out to 30yds. Then went down the “upgrade” road. Sights, stabilizer, release, etc. Years later picked up a recurve and fell in love with archery all over again. The saying “there’s season for everything” rings clear. The flipper rest with a plunger is what worked for me….though I wish I would have taken a shortcut on the road right to traditional archer instead of the compound route. But it did lead me back to where I am the happiest.
Jack , at least you are still shooting..thats the main thing
Jack , at least you are still shooting..thats the main thing
Yeah TGbow that is true! Thanks everyone for the responses.
shoot a good solid drop away that doesn't affect your vision of the target
Rocky, after u post, and u c your screen say post submitted, navigate off of the page, if u leave it open, when u come back to look at the thread, it will resubmit. Does that make sense?
I did for a few years back in the early 80s after my Black Widow recurve broke just before a hunting season. Bought it used at the only little bow shop in town at the time. Shot it lights-out with a tab and flipper/plunger. But it was a low-letoff old four wheel Carroll, forgiving, but a real bear on the shoulders.
Fast-forward 30 years and I decided to try it again. Bought a long ATA Mathews Ovation. I never could get consistent with it using a dropaway Ripcord. Then the lightbulb came on...shooting with fingers torques the arrow against the rest and creates more paradox, which is why a flipper-plunger and an arrow fetched with feathers works well, and a dropaway not so much. It is impossible to not torque the arrow as the string rolls off the tab or glove. Rather than screw with that, I went back to a recurve.
When I shot Compound instinctively 40+ years ago I made my own custom rests using a rest like this but I would take the arm off and make my own shelf with a piece of banding stock that I curved like a recurve shelf and put bear hair material on it. Also had a burger button for side adjustment.
“ Rather than screw with that, I went back to a recurve.”
Flipper & button seem to work for the Oly style shooters; I think I would roll with that if I had a finger-shootable compound.
Still enjoying my no-let-off bows for now, though. I would probably buy an old Lynx if only I could find the right DL, but I don’t think they ever made it….
One of my Robin Hoods, 30 yards, downhill
One of my Robin Hoods, 30 yards, downhill
Compound, fingers, whisker biscuit, no sights.
I consider myself to be a true instinctive shooter (I just focus on the spot, where I want the arrow to go). I can be brilliant, or pathetic. If my focus and follow thru are good, I am capable of exceptional shooting.
I found me a fingers bow- Mathews conquest Apex 7- I'm getting the hang of it and will be hunting with it next fall.
Elkmtngear what bow is that?
"Elkmtngear what bow is that"?
Elite Pure, circa 2013. It has a 36" ATA. I shoot two fingers, split. Very smooth draw cycle, quiet as well.
Nice yeah am thinking of going back to fingers just can’t get used to the release aid feel like I have more control with fingers although it’s been a long time.
"Nice yeah am thinking of going back to fingers just can’t get used to the release aid feel like I have more control with fingers although it’s been a long time".
I've never shot a release aid so far, my real limiting factor is my distance vision right now, I've had to start wearing glasses when hunting. I'm sure there may come a time when I might have to convert (if I start missing and/or wounding/ losing animals). So far, so good, anyway.
AAE Elite magnetic rest. Wire arm wrapped with plumbers Teflon tape for hunting.
AAE Elite magnetic rest. Wire arm wrapped with plumbers Teflon tape for hunting.
Here pics of my bow. Hoyt Vantage.~2012. Franken bow. Accu wheels and limbs were replaced w/Cam and half plus. 75% LO. 45 1/2” a2a.
" I can be brilliant, or pathetic. If my focus and follow thru are good, I am capable of exceptional shooting. "
This ^^^^ Follow-through has always been the demon for me. If I don't constantly remind myself to keep the bow up after the shot, my shooting goes to pieces in a hurry. (It was the same back when I shot sights too.)
Been shooting fingers(finger tab) with NAP low profile plunger rest for many many years with good results. Set on up Athens Exceed 300 37" ATA bow. These NAP rests with plunger built in work well. If anyone has them laying around I'll take them. LOL Mine is old and I'm worried it's going to fail one day... Been thinking of trying whisker biscuit or drop away.. If a shooter uses proper follow thru form are these rests dependable and accurate? After this hunting season I plan to try experimenting with biscuit or drop away. Any recommendations? Much appreciated!
"After this hunting season I plan to try experimenting with biscuit or drop away".
Any "full containment" rest will help improve your groups, IMHO. Like Jaquomo mentioned earlier...it's almost impossible not to torque the arrow, when you release, if using a tab or glove, which is why the drop away may not be as effective in taming your arrow flight.
I went straight from a flipper rest, to a Whisker Biscuit, never looked back.
Dana-RE: Follow through. I am only commenting based upon my experiences (Most of them terrible!) I no shoot as many arrows in a practice session as I used to. (I used to shoot 10 ends of 6 arrows) This came from may indoor/competitive days. My feeble mind cannot concentrate/focus for 60 good shots. I now shoot no more than 24 arrows in a practice session. More arrows sent down range does not iron out issues. They generally reinforce the poor form that creeps in w/muscle fatigue (At least for me)
The worst thing I ever did was read Bernie Pellerite's book. He is big on letting the unconscious mind run the shot. (For me, this devolved into target panic. The shot sequence became a timed process. Once I got settled, the clock started. The shot went off whether I was on point or not. This lead to other bad things. EX Bow arm flailing to correct impact, release hand doing different stuff, etc ) It has cost me kill shots. My tourney scores always fell short of my practice scores. (Because adrenaline affects my mind!) It made me question everything about what I was doing in archery. It has taken years to work back from this. (Still shows up once in a while) The Cliff notes version, more is not always better. Sorry for rambling response.
Back to above, rest choice is paramount for fingers shooters. Unfortunately 99% of rests made today don't work well for fingers.
Z - thanks. I shoot recurves and it never occurred to me that a 'whisker biscuit' could work for fingers, but apparently some here find it does. Most compounds now are cut/designed so far past center-shot that setting them up like a traditional bow gets crazy.
PS yeah, my practice sessions have gotten shorter too. Arthritis and mental focus issues...
Yup Martin Sceptor11 works just fine.
I bought a bow that had a G5 archery drop away rest on it and it doesn't have anything in my sight picture just like shooting my recurves. I'm starting to get the hang of this thing, to close to season but will have it for next year! Thanks guys/gals for all your replies.
My wife shoots an old Browning Midas 46" ATA with fingers. Has always done well at the shoots !
