Barebow sighting at 70m

Russ

Member
Is there any such thing as "instinctive" shooting at 70m (or anything over 30m, for that matter)?

I've put my recurve away and have been experimenting (to put it kindly) with barebow over the winter. I was hoping to try a tournament in barebow class this summer, but 70m is looking a bit hopeless. I managed to get instinctive shooting to work for me at indoor distances but the outdoor distances are another beast entirely; my first "group" at 50m looked like what kids would do at a clout shoot. :covereyes I can't imagine anything except some kind of gap method would work at this distance, but I'd be really happy for other suggestions if anyone else has tried this.
 

Phil Reay

New member
Russ, i shoot barebow (Sussex no 1 so i must be doing something right). shooting instictively doesn't really work (well not for me anyway). All i can do is tell you how i shoot. I face walk and string walk which i have been told is too hybred but it does mean that with a 36 lb bow, i am always point on the target. at 100 yds i am under the chin with a platform tag and 1/8th down my tab (i have marked my tab into 8 so i put my thumbnail on the string level with the mark and then move the tab down to the top of my nail). The point of my arrow is aimed at blue 8 o'clock. This can alter due to the wind but that is my starting point. 80 yds is 4 marks down or 1/2 way down the tab. between 50 yds and 70 mts is to my lip with a spiganelli tab. again the tab is marked and i will adjust according to distance. below 40 yds (and yes i do shoot against St Dunstans at that distance so i had to have it) I shoot from my cheek (the metal plate pushed hard against my cheek bone. I NEVER EVER come down further than the cut out on the tab. it upsets the handling of the bow and doesn't do it any good what so ever but then that's just me as i have seen barebow archers come down a whole tab (I'm shuddering here). At full draw, i look straight down the arrow and put the point where it is supposed to be and then let go, then wait for the thud (at 100 yds someone has to tell me it's hit as i can't hear it). It took me sometime to figure out where my marks are and i've even shot with my first finger out straight with the arrow down the center of my finger, as shooting against the wind i needed a little bit more elevation. One thing you might have noticed with barebow archers is that they use metal nocks. it means you have something to butt the tab against so you know you are where you want to be.
Don't give up on it. it's just a matter of experimenting with up and downs and not forgetting that it is the opposite of recurve. if the arrow goes low, you need to go up the string and if it goes high, go down the string.
Keep at it and it will come and it's a lot more satisfying than recurve as it's just you, the bow and an arrow. no christmas tree to help.
sorry it was so long but i hope it helped. good shooting
 

micktoe

New member
Hi there phil, some good advice! Ive recently taken to archery and decided to start shooting compound barebow, bit more fun than a sight I thought. Im currently using a springy rest. What arrow rest are you using?
 

greysides

New member
Russ, I think you need to decide what you want to do. If you want to shoot instinctive you'll only be accurate to about 30m at best. If you learn a gap system then you can go further.
Field archery really is where the BB shines, distances to 50m (FITA) or 80 yards (IFAA).

I'll bow to Phils knowledge for the longer target distances as I've never seriously attempted them. A strong bow and light arrows are a help there. The shelf can be used to aid aiming.

The tiller can be set on a SW bow to avoid the worst of the effects of low crawls but SW is an art of compromise, technically, with a little black magic thrown in.
 

Russ

Member
Phil - thanks for this. I've heard of string walking but never seen it done, so your description of the technique is really helpful.

Greysides - thanks for the tip about tiller, too.

I agree field is the ideal BB event, but we haven't had a field tournament in Denmark in years, everyone does target or 3D here. So my only options outdoors are 70m or full FITA (don't know what the barebow distances are for FITA but I'd guess 70-60-50-30).
 

Phil Reay

New member
Russ, sorry about this but full FITA for a gent is 90-70-50-30. yours was ladies (you can always put on a skirt and speak in a high voice i suppose). glad the string walking tip was useful. does take a bit of getting used to, especially going the opposite way from sights but it's not difficult.
Micktoe, i've only ever shot barebow compound once and that was at a dinosaur which was pretty hard to miss (don't ask). I use X10s but unless you go for the serious competitions, they are a bit expensive for club shoots. There is someone at Eastbourne Archers that shoots barebow compound and he does very well at it but i would hate to miss indoors unless there is a very good net behind the target. Not sure you can string walk on a compound. Good luck though.
 

mrtufty

New member
Hi Russ,

Am shooting 34lb Carbons with Nav710s and can do barebow out to 90m.
to 70m/80yd I use a combination of either 3 fingers under or mediteranean (1 over two under) and first finger in corner of mouth (well on bottom of canine tooth) with a combination of arrow point on target or bottom shelf of sight window. -this minimising any adverse effects of string walkign and variation in positioning (but then aiming with the shelf isn't exactly accurate when leveling with bottom of stand's legs!)

I only string walk for 20yds

for 90m/100yd I do mediteranean hold and under chin and have arrow point at bottom of legs (hmm maybe I should try 3 under and aim a bit higher)

Am sure you'll find a combination that works for you

PS when I'm playing to find different cominations of above I put two bosses out like an 8 and start out at short/known distances and go back from their shooting at bottom boss - if go too high can see how much by and if low then have smaller area of ground to search!

PPS I will say that Phil and greysides score much better than me! (at the moment!!)
 
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Phil Reay

New member
Hi Russ,

Am shooting 34lb Carbons with Nav710s and can do barebow out to 90m.
to 70m/80yd I use a combination of either 3 fingers under or mediteranean (1 over two under) and first finger in corner of mouth (well on bottom of canine tooth) with a combination of arrow point on target or bottom shelf of sight window. -this minimising any adverse effects of string walkign and variation in positioning (but then aiming with the shelf isn't exactly accurate when leveling with bottom of stand's legs!)

I only string walk for 20yds

for 90m/100yd I do mediteranean hold and under chin and have arrow point at bottom of legs (hmm maybe I should try 3 under and aim a bit higher)

Am sure you'll find a combination that works for you

PS when I'm playing to find different cominations of above I put two bosses out like an 8 and start out at short/known distances and go back from their shooting at bottom boss - if go too high can see how much by and if low then have smaller area of ground to search!

PPS I will say that Phil and greysides score much better than me! (at the moment!!)
Mrtufty, sounds like you are doing ok. with my old 990 limbs i did a sort of mediteranean but with my 1st finger out straight. meant that i could get the point actually on the target. With the border limbs i'm about 1/4 way down my tab as the limbs shoot faster. Always easier to get the point somewhere on the target. definitely experiment with moving fingers under the string and bringing the arrow point up. Never could get on with using the shelf.
I stringwalk and facewalk for all distances but then that's my style. know lots of barebow archers that don't.
Happy shooting everyone
 

barebowman

New member
for 90m/100yd I do mediteranean hold and under chin and have arrow point at bottom of legs (hmm maybe I should try 3 under and aim a bit higher)
I was doing that for 90m last year, aiming at about the 70m line, so was always hoping for a patch of strategically placed daisies. This year I'm using: 3 under, under chin, and using the corner made by the pressure button against the arrow to aim on the target

70m: stringwalk by about 1 finger, under chin, aiming arrow tip in gold
50m: 3 under, index finger corner of mouth, aiming arrow tip just above the target face

I have tried face walking but found it too inconsistent
 

mrtufty

New member
does anyone do three under and under chin so that nock is near/on chin? Does pulling string against chin push nock off string? I think that's why I've shyed away from doing this before.
 

Phil Reay

New member
hang on barebowman. fingers under the chin for 90. fingers at corner of mouth for 50. tried face walking but found it too inconsistant??????? what are you doing but face walking? only thing different is 40 and under, i put the metal part of my spig tab hard against my cheek bone. means i'm on the gold while i look directly down the arrow. very consistant. gets me over 540s indoors and aiming for 550s + next winter. go for it.
 

Phil Reay

New member
Mrtufty, it doesn't happen as nock is to the side of the chin. it's exactly the same as doing mediteranean, but underneath.
 

Grum

New member
must admit to only really shooting to 60yds, and I gap shoot at that distance. I don't face walk / string walk because I have some obscure view that it just isn't what I want to do!!!

Am I less accurate yes - do I enjoy it, very much!
 

Phil Reay

New member
must admit to only really shooting to 60yds, and I gap shoot at that distance. I don't face walk / string walk because I have some obscure view that it just isn't what I want to do!!!

Am I less accurate yes - do I enjoy it, very much!
Good for you Grum. My challenge is i use glasses and although they are vari-focals, if i sight up and shut my left eye, all i can see is the bridge of my glasses as i can't turn my neck far enough. Once i take them off, the string becomes a blur which makes looking at the tab to see my finger marks is interesting to say the least. There must be someway of getting round your obscure view. without watching you, i can't say what it would be. talk to a coach at your club. Often it is something very simple, turn your body slightly or moving the nock up or down to see round whatever is blocking. Good luck and continue to enjoy yourself.
 

sns

New member
70m: stringwalk by about 1 finger, under chin, aiming arrow tip in gold
50m: 3 under, index finger corner of mouth, aiming arrow tip just above the target face
At 50m if you were to lower your anchor a little you could aim arrow tip at gold instead of above the target face.
 

bigousdicous

New member
I use the 3 finger under with the nock touching the under side of my chin at long distance and I also change limbs for different distances to keep me on the target .
 
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