Aiming or instinctive

[Destry]

I have been back and forth on shooting style and have found that I shoot better instinctive shooting at 15 yards and less but anything over that I gap shoot. Does anybody else shoot this way or is it one or the other?

[Tower43]

I shot instinctive for a few years and got decent, but as life got busy I switched to sights. I needed to get more practice in and didn't have the time. Yes 20-30 yards was the sweet spot I couldn't get right. Sometimes hit sometimes not

[Dry Bones]

I'm still playing the field back and forth myself. I shoot almost everyday, and not near as good as I should be at this point. The on again off again seems to be the normal pattern for me. Especially once I get to 20+ yards. Mainly my though it, "whatever gives you the best consistency."

[Dragonheart]

Hunt or shoot target? If you hunt only with a controlled condition like over a feeder, stand, or ambush then I really think it is your preference, no real advantage. The main thing with gap or visual reference shooting is knowing the distance to the intended target. Instinctive shooting really shines in a more snap or less controlled shot scenario.

Can you hit a flying pheasant? A running rabbit? Are you going to come to full draw and HOLD and set your mental gap-reference sight system in a split second? These types of hunting shots are more suited to a form of a quick, fluid method and weapon. I really think you have better chance shooting with little thought in these situations, much like a wing shooter would shoot a flying bird.

How about a 25 yrd shot that you measured to a bait site from a tree stand? You know the exact distance and as long as you can come to full draw and go thru the mental gymnastics under adrenaline of calculating the gap, and the HOLD HOLD HOLD until the shot breaks, then it is going to work. Some folks under adrenaline cannot put all those calculations together mentally and are better to simply have a single focus, the place to put the broadhead.

There are incredible shots that shoot gap and can manage the situation with precise and disciplined routine of shot sequence. Adrenaline can make you a different archer, finding out how you respond can give insight into the best aiming system for your reaction. Shooting at game is the only way to really know.

[SwampRabbit]

I shoot what I consider gap-instinctive. In fact, if you ask me, most people shoot gap, they just don't consider it that way because they don't consciously measure the gap, they let their brain figure all that stuff out for them subconsciously.

I chose to shoot 3 under because I like the release consistency. But because I anchor using my mouth, the "gap" between the arrow and the target when inside 15 yards is just too much to "measure" the gap. So inside 15-20 yards, I am going based on what sight picture looks right to me. I have zero depth perception so I have to somewhat have a reference on distance and my mind somewhat knows the correct sight picture for that distance. Inside 15 yards, my arrow flies pretty flat so the sight picture is pretty close and I am decent at gauging closer distances. Repetition allows my brain to somewhat take over. This is the same principle of driving. At first you focused on the lines, but eventually you stopped doing that and you can stay between them just fine... eventually you can pretty much drive to work thinking about something else and at no time did you consciously think about the drive itself.

I could probably get burned for this, but I think those who shoot instinctively are just not doing the measuring in their fore thought, they are focusing on a spot, and allowing their brain to make the adjustment for them as they initially miss and the brain gets feedback that it knows that was not the correct sight picture. They don't think about the gap, they just do it until their brain makes the shift subconsciously and feedback rewards it. As long as you keep repeating this, you may feel like you are shooting instinctively. The word "instinctive" however implies that you just know how to do it, without any real coaching... kind of like how a baby dog knows how to latch on to momma and feed. Watch somebody start shooting and you will realize quickly that very few know how to do it instinctively... they must go through a phase of programming their brain... whether you chose to mentally focus on gaps, or let YOUR brain figure it out on it's own is what makes the difference.

Past 15 yards, my brain cannot figure out the distance accurately enough, so I have to do the mental math myself and at that distance, the arrow is now visible and I can do the calculation and to that end, it truly is what people call "gap" shooting.

So while I use the term gap-instinctive to marry the two common terms used, I personally would prefer to call it conscious-subconscious. Sometimes I aim using my conscious thought, and sometimes I use subconscious thought.

[flywise]

I shoot instinctive at all distances. But i also spend quite a bit of time stump shooting.
I shoot little cedars, cactus from 5 yds to 40

[Phillip Fields]

I shoot instinctive in that I don't consciously see my arrow.

[Dragonheart]

Instinctive is the common term for shooting without use of conscious sighting reference.

Basically do you look at anything other than the place you want the broadhead to go?

That has been the accepted term for lots of years now. Everyone "sees" the arrow and bow in front of them in their minds eye. If you line up something, put the shelf, arrow point with conscious effort, it is gap or reference shooting. Two different ways to "aim".

It is interesting that thru repetition of practice some gap or reference shooters evolve to shoot more instinctive or without conscious effort to line up a reference. The subconscious mind knows thru the training and the arrow point fades to secondary vision. The best shots you find that shoot without sights tend to shoot the same bow and arrow combination. They have programmed, and you need that in a hunting shot, reactive rather than controlled thought shooting.

No matter how you "aim" the one constant is the trajectory of the arrow. That is the same at 5 or 95 yards.

[mab0852]

I always aim, but I use a scope with my hunting rig and shoot instinctive/gap when fishing. I'm comfortable with both methods.

[Dragonheart]

Then why are you on a bowhunting forum?

[wsteffen]

I always thought I sighted, but after shooting my daughters Glock with fixed sights and mine with adjustable, obviously adjusted to the right of the fixed sights. Nope, same point of impact. I guess I don't really use the sights out to 15 yards.

[Tower43]

I shoot what I consider gap-instinctive. In fact, if you ask me, most people shoot gap, they just don't consider it that way because they don't consciously measure the gap, they let their brain figure all that stuff out for them subconsciously.

I chose to shoot 3 under because I like the release consistency. But because I anchor using my mouth, the "gap" between the arrow and the target when inside 15 yards is just too much to "measure" the gap. So inside 15-20 yards, I am going based on what sight picture looks right to me. I have zero depth perception so I have to somewhat have a reference on distance and my mind somewhat knows the correct sight picture for that distance. Inside 15 yards, my arrow flies pretty flat so the sight picture is pretty close and I am decent at gauging closer distances. Repetition allows my brain to somewhat take over. This is the same principle of driving. At first you focused on the lines, but eventually you stopped doing that and you can stay between them just fine... eventually you can pretty much drive to work thinking about something else and at no time did you consciously think about the drive itself.

I could probably get burned for this, but I think those who shoot instinctively are just not doing the measuring in their fore thought, they are focusing on a spot, and allowing their brain to make the adjustment for them as they initially miss and the brain gets feedback that it knows that was not the correct sight picture. They don't think about the gap, they just do it until their brain makes the shift subconsciously and feedback rewards it. As long as you keep repeating this, you may feel like you are shooting instinctively. The word "instinctive" however implies that you just know how to do it, without any real coaching... kind of like how a baby dog knows how to latch on to momma and feed. Watch somebody start shooting and you will realize quickly that very few know how to do it instinctively... they must go through a phase of programming their brain... whether you chose to mentally focus on gaps, or let YOUR brain figure it out on it's own is what makes the difference.

Past 15 yards, my brain cannot figure out the distance accurately enough, so I have to do the mental math myself and at that distance, the arrow is now visible and I can do the calculation and to that end, it truly is what people call "gap" shooting.

So while I use the term gap-instinctive to marry the two common terms used, I personally would prefer to call it conscious-subconscious. Sometimes I aim using my conscious thought, and sometimes I use subconscious thought.

I think you are right when I shot instinctive I didn't measure any broadhead placement, I just "looked" at the target and kept my anchor points the same. Eventually with enough feedback you get to what feels right. It's also been about 15 years since I have tried instinctive. I'm having trouble explaining how I did it but I wasn't measuring the distance from the broadhead tip to the target.

It wasn't really about being better than iron sights, it was just a challenge and a little more traditional shooting style. Also night sights for low light was not as common back then

[Tower43]

I kinda do the same thing with a pistol inside seven yards, I dont really use a sight.

[Dragonheart]

Same concept as instinctive practical shooting with pistol or shotgun. The reference is not needed, the brain knows. Look where you want the bh or bullet to go. You react, not a conscious aim. If you want to shoot 3 arrows on a Copenhagen can at 60 yrds maybe not the best. If you need to shoot a slow moving deer or rabbit at 15 with a quick reactionary shot, maybe ideal for some.

[Dragonheart]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXWRW1CJXYY

If you go to 4:00 on the video you can see a hunting shot. I doubt that there was any thought about lining up anything with an arrow. The action is slowed way down.

Or here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hbf8PyfVfkc

of course Hill makes it look easy...

Most people do not practice like this today and HOLD a long time at full draw. When I shot lots of stationary target 3-D I did the same.