[Hank D Thoreau]

It's coming down to the wire for my upcoming NFAA field tournaments in the longbow division and I am just not getting enough distance. I am thinking of trying split finger again this weekend and seeing if I can find a way to shoot the short shots. Three under is giving me about a 35 yard point on with my lower anchor. I am aiming pretty high by the time I get out to 45 yards. I will probably get about a 50 yard point on shooting split. That puts me in the range of most NFAA field shots, except the longest. The problem will be making the short shots.

So NFAA longbow guys,

What hook and anchor do you use and what is your point on?
Considering the difficulty of the long shots with wood arrows, is it better just to keep point-on closer and stock up on close points at the expense of the large number of mid to long range shots? I only have one more weekend to experiments.

 

[Rednef]

3 under. Currently 40 yd point on. Prefer a 45 yard point on.

The way I handle it is a mind game pure and simple. The close shots are "easier" (ignore that the targets are of course smaller) therefore I have more leeway with the large gaps at close shots.

If you can get your head around that, such that appearing to be aiming at the dirt when close doesn't bother you, then you pick up points on the long shots that others are dropping.

 

[Hank D Thoreau]

Another thing I am noticing is that my aiming point is very sensitive to whether I am raising or lower to the my point. My coach had told me that point on was usually about 5 yards less when you lowered, rather than raised, as you aim, even after fixing on the point for a few seconds. I am not sure why but I have been experiencing that.

I am more comfortable setting a gap by lowering. If I am on the target face, I prefer to raise and shoot pick-a-point. So now my gaps and aiming process depends on whether I am above, below or on the target. Hopefully, this will all simplify as I get more experience with gap shooting. I have made a lot of fundamental changes in how I shoot to make this switch to longbow. I am sure that I am not fully comfortable, or repeatable with the changes. I was just starting to get comfortable with the high anchor and head down for IBO, and now I am changing it all up again for NFAA distances. This should give me a lot of new tricks to play with when I pull my FITA barebow out again.

 

[hammer08]

I wouldn't consider myself an NFAA Longbow guy yet but I've been playing with it a lot recently.

I prefer to shoot field 3 under with pointer finger on my canine. This gives me a 40 yard point on. I'm only on the paper at 35, 40, and 45 yards. I begin to struggle a bit at 60 and 65.

I'm trying to switch to split finger so I can shoot IFAA if I want to. I've found that if I use a really high anchor I can get my point on down to 40 shooting split. All of my gaps this way are very similar to when I shoot 3 under with a lower anchor.

Another thought, a 50 yard point on should work really well. The 50 yard target face is relatively small for the distance. If you were point on there it would really help.

I'd be interested to hear your setup and whatever system you've worked out so far.

 

[Hank D Thoreau]

Here is a chart I put together showing the cumulative distances for the Hunter and Field rounds. The blue bars are the number of shots at each distance, the red line is the cumulative number of shots starting at the shortest distance. This can be used as a guide to see when shots become out of range for a particular point on. Assuming that you can shoot 5 yards past point on for the top of the target paper, and about 5 yards past than for the shelf, anything past point-on +10 or 15 will start becoming difficult. It is clear that you want to be at least 40 yards, but even that leaves a very large number of shots out of range. You also need to consider short shots becoming more difficult with a longer point on.

 

[John in NZ]

Those 60,70,80 yarders are a killer on 3 under.
I stopped shooting field when I started shooting 3 under after 30 odd years of shooting split.
Some times I wish I hadn't switched but it's a double edged sword because inside 30 yards now I'm deadly with my new bow, but past thirty is still a crap shoot unless I know the real distance.
My point on now is 33 yards,an she drops of fast after that.
It used to be 50 yards shooting split and I could see to shoot the 80 yarder,but my release wasn't as consistent so two out of three on was very good for me.

I plan on returning to shooting split when I get around to owning a longbow again, but for now I'll stick with the curve for a bit because I only shoot one bow for any length of time an I just got this one ..

Go split, have fun.
John.

 

[Hank D Thoreau]

John, I am about the same as you. I am getting somewhere around the same point-on's for three under and split as you. I can start to see where the folks pulling monster heavy bows can have an advantage. I am pulling a very comfortable 40 pounds which is excellent for IBO. And the thing is, I have always been better with long shots, so I am not intimidated by them. They just have to be shootable, and aiming in the clouds with your hand blocking the target, is not shootable.

BUT, it is fun, and it is a challenge, so I am happy to be here trying to figure it out. I could always shoot my recurve but I am enjoying the challenge, even if I crash and burn.

 

[longbowguy]

I don't think a 35 yard point on will work for field archery, and that 40 would be marginal. 50 yards split finger should work very well for shots from 35 yards to 70 and perhaps 80 with good sighting references. And you are used to split finger from your FITA shooting. So perhaps that is what you need to do.

Then there is the matter of 7 yards to 30. At those distances gaps are too large to be perceived precisely. Some people can shoot them with point aim by finding irregularities on the ground and aiming or gapping off them.

Me, I prefer to look where I intend to hit- aiming instinctively, or intuitively, or whatever you prefer to call it. From 11 to 25 is pretty easy to learn. Maybe not quite as accurately as for a short range specialist, but whatever you give up to them you will easily gain back further out.

That leaves the 11 to 7 yard walk up where we all have to find our own way whatever our aiming method.

And finally it leaves the 30 and 32 yard shots on the small target. These are difficult for everybody, even with sights. And they are only 4 shots out of 112. You don't have to like them; you just have to do them. Your best focus and form are the keys.

No sighting method is optimum for all of the field distances. That is it challenge and the charm of the game. - lbg

 

[beerbudget]

Excuse these non-gamer questions:
1) Is it the rule that you have to use one or the other but not both?
2) Why is that?

 

[Hank D Thoreau]

LBG,

You are pretty much confirming what I was feeling. And I am comfortable shooting split, but weak on short shots, even with FITA. That has been my big concern. So I think I will give split a try this weekend. It is either that or I will be launching artillery most of the time.

 

[Hank D Thoreau]

Excuse these non-gamer questions:
1) Is it the rule that you have to use one or the other but not both?
2) Why is that?

1) Yes
2) Because that is the rule.

Seriously though, I would like it to be legal to change between split and three under. I have shot non sanctioned tournaments where I was able to do so, shooting 80, 60 and 50 yards, or 60, 50 and 40. The rule is part of the challenge. It is a puzzle that must be solved. But, in reality, it really takes many of the targets way out of range for this type of equipment, either too short, too long, or both. That is why some organizations have trad stakes, so traditional shooters do not have to shoot the same distances as compound shooters. Even FITA does that with field. Barebow recurve does not shoot as far as freestyle recurve and compound.

 

[Hank D Thoreau]

So LBG, will you be at shooting the state field in Fresno this June? If so, I promise I will wear the red shirt in my avatar so you can recognize me.

 

[hammer08]

HDT - I'm curious, when shooting 3 under at what distance do you find the front of your shelf to be "point on"? Same question with the back of the shelf.

Thanks

 

[Hank D Thoreau]

HDT - I'm curious, when shooting 3 under at what distance do you find the front of your shelf to be "point on"? Same question with the back of the shelf.

Thanks

I only get 5 more yards with the front of the shelf, and about 5 more at the bottom of the curve below the shelf. I really cannot see a front and back of shelf when I am shooting. That is why I mentioned that you can get about 10 to 15 yards beyond point-on before it starts to become a problem. That puts me at 45 to 50, with a lot of shots longer than that.

 

[longbowguy]

No, my retirement budget, age, and injury don't allow for much travel to competition anymore. On a good day, close to home, I can shoot about as well as ever, with lighter tackle. That is pretty satisfying.

I have a question for you: I am puzzled that your draw weight and great draw length, with your light arrows, has produced such a short point on range. My anchor puts my index finger under my cheek bone and my thumb on the curve of my jaw, three fingers under. Is yours higher than that?

By the way, I have shot field very well in the past with a longbow and the split finger hold, so that is entirely possible. - lbg

 

[Hank D Thoreau]

lbg,

My arrows are 495 gr with 5 inch feathers. They really die on long shots. I have some lighter ones but they are flying weak and I have to do some work on them. If they shot well from the start I would be using them now. I just ran out of time. I could switch to them between the Southern Sectional and Fresno. My bow is only getting low 150's. I am trying to get the speed up some. The lighter arrows are part of that. I have a couple of strings coming from Rick Barbee, but I may not get them in time. I would need to shoot the new string this weekend if I am to use it next week at the sectional. I had everything set up perfect for the shorter distances of the IBO shoot. I had to learn a high anchor. Now I am back to my low anchor trying to squeeze some distance out of the bow. I am only pulling about 40 pounds at my draw. That is intentional. The longbow puts more stress on my arm than my recurves. Got to avoid triggering a bout of tendinitis.

 

[aerosenfield]

LBG,

When you shot split finger, would you use a different anchor or still the same one?

Alan

 

[Grantmac]

Steve,

Have you tried lighter points on those lighter arrows to tune them a bit stiffer?

5" feathers, especially sheild cut, are a heck of a lot of drag. Something like a 3" para would make a big difference.

-Grant

 

[Hank D Thoreau]

Grant, my lighter arrows are the ones that are flying weak. Since they were designed to be light, I started with 70 gr points. I have that broke at the tip. I am going to re-taper and put a new point on it and see how it does. I still have some room to cut since I got the arrows full length and Wapiti arrows are longer than most. Ultimately, I will be shooting lighter arrows, at Fresno in June if I have time. I doubt I will have time to get them ready for the sectional in a little over a week. The other problem is that I only have one dozen of the light ones, including the broken one. I like to have more than that before a tournament. I am unfamiliar with the course I am going to so I do not know what the rock and brush situation is. I could lose and/or break a few on the long shots, and I have to get through two tournaments with stock on hand.

 

[hammer08]

I understand. Going to split sounds like a good move for you.

You need to get rid of those 5 inch feathers. It made a huge difference for me.

Also, I just got a falco that's similar to yours. It's a nice bow and all but it's not a 21st Century. The edge is much faster than the falco. It's got quite a bit more mass weight as well. My scores are about 30 points lower with the falco. Just putting it out there.