Instinctive shooting?

[152 Sumo]

I didn't want to hijack the thread on gap shooting. When I shoot (just started the other day) I point the arrow and my bow hand at what I want to hit. While concentrating on that spot, I draw the bow in a controlled manner. I try to concentrate on my anchor (another subject-but anchor isn't consistent yet) and my release, while constantly concentrating on that spot. If I do all three, I am slowly being able to nail that exact spot at 10 yards or so. If I try to hard to "aim", I forget about my anchor and release.

Is this instinctive shooting? It almost seems like a stupid question, but I am not sure. I don't look at any distances between my knuckles and target. I guess it doesn't matter what it is called as long as I hit what I am aiming at, right?

Another thing that I have been doing that seems to work for me: when I start to point the bow/arrow towards my intended target, I have my bow-hand index finger over the arrow-keeping it on the shelf. I point my finger down the shaft towards the target. That seems to help me align everything. It might be in my mind, though, like a basketball player that has to bounce the ball 3 times before the shot.

[loco cacahuate]

I guess it doesn't matter what it is called as long as I hit what I am aiming at, right?

right

one thing you might try is bale shooting. stand about 5 yards from your target so you cant miss, dont worry about accrucy ,close your eyes and shoot about a dozen arrows or so concetrating on one thing like your anchor. work on all parts of your form one at a time like this.

to me this is the one of the fun parts of trad, figuring out what works for you.

[Wudstix]

Its like throwing a base ball. You look and throw. Hitting consistent anchor, release, and follow through are key. Don't drop your bow arm, either. I'm a good coach but terrible shoot.

[Night Wing]

That's the way I've been doing it while bowhunting these last 40 years.

[Chunky]

If it is working for you.....it is working. It seems like everyone has a different way of getting the arrow to the target. As long as you do it the same everytime and you are having good results you are doing fine.

[Lewis Vaden]

Try not to curl your finger around the arrow or point at the target. With a sharp broadhead you could hurt yourself!

[152 Sumo]

Try not to curl your finger around the arrow or point at the target. With a sharp broadhead you could hurt yourself!

I only do that at the beginning of the shot, before I draw. I point my bow/arrow/index finger at the 'spot'. When I start to draw, I put my finger back on the grip of the recurve.

Thanks for the advice, though. I know that some people actually touch the back of the broadhead to their knuckle to make sure they get to full draw.

[Texas5o]

"Instinctive shooting", by it's name, is a farce. If it were truly "instinctive" you would be able to shoot the bow and arrow accurately at birth (a true instinct). It is a learned process, but we all call it "instinctive" because we don't consciously use a point of aim reference (like the point of the arrow or the knuckles of the bow hand, etc.) Concentrating on the spot you want to hit and not thinking about anything else is as close to "instinctive" shooting as we can get.
I agree with most of what has already been said, specifically ....... do the same thing every time and do what works best for you.
Call it what you want; the bottom line is to get the arrow to hit where you want it to as often as possible.

[152 Sumo]

I was explaining to my wife the other day the way I want to learn to shoot: Rather than comparing it to shooting a gun: sights, etc., I compared it to shooting free throws or throwing a dart, where it is more muscle memory than aiming. I just want to be able to hit what I am aiming at in a more automatic way.

[Chunky]

I think Buff probably could shoot at birth, and he was probably big enough to shoot 40 lbs as well