What is Instinctive archery?

[@TimSpaw1leg]

I can only shoot instinctively. Tried learning how to aim off and on through out the years and i cant.. so basically i gave up on trying to aim.. pretty accurate up to 25 or 30 yards with a 40 lbs traditional bow. Paid 25 bucks for my no name cheap bow back in 1986 and it still works to this day.. gotten mass deer, rabbit, squirrel, quale, turkey, boar.. im also a slingshot hunter..

[@gibrannicholau3447]

Same! I just did it the way my grandpa did it, how he used to hunt small and big game, and even "secret" tricks such as how to turn an arrow for hitting an animal hiding behind a tree.

[@michael_hf]

"Takes a couple of years" gives me the confidence and reassurance I need right now, thank you!

[@samuelbrice3699]

This is literally how I started as a child, and am more accurate than most compound bow shooters that I see on KZbin. Instinctive is the way to go. So much more accurate and quick.

[@TheMercian01]

Never get tired of your vids on instinctive stuff. Next step for anyone wanting to start is your video on paper cup training. Shooting instictive is what gives me the greatest pleasure in archery. Keep making these great videos

[@MerlinArchery]

Thanks man, that's always great to hear :) I shall be revisiting paper cup training in A later video, hopefully expanding on the last one... Take care and thanks for watching

[@rogerpilon2588]

Hi Jim, just want to say I love your videos, I have learned so much from you and Jeff Cavenaugh. You both are truly making my return to archery so pleasurable. In the 80's we tried to figure things out by ourselves or with the help of limited books and manuals. What a wonderful adage we live in. Thanks again and good luck

[@MerlinArchery]

Thank you Roger, that's really nice to hear... Take care

[@PublicLandOutdoorsTv]

Great vid! Been archery hunting for about 34 years now... compound bow. Like you said I wanted more of a challenge and I tried the ole stick and string. I was killing that water bottle at 20 yards. That's the yardage I practiced at....20 yds. Well the first day in the stand I had a spike at 10 yards pulled the ole string back and let it rip....right over his back!! That evening same deer.. same yardage...same results. My lesson?? Practice at all different distances! The following year(last year), I used my compound and connected. This year I'm going back to the stick and string!! Get my focus on the different distances and hopefully connect. Last years archery hunt can be viewed, Public Land Outdoors, " Slinging arrows, dead deer walking". I'll put together the instinctive archery misses video here in a week or so. Mercy...sorry so long winded. Again enjoyed your video and you got a new sub!👍👊💥🎯

[@evergreensurvival5748]

Thanks for that video. I'm new to archery but I just bought my first long bow and I've been shooting instinctively with that every day. I practice for about a couple hours everyday. Hopefully I'll get good after a while.

[@MofOptics]

This is some of the most interesting content you've posted on Merlin Archery - please look into instinctive archery more. :-)

[@chadvaleriano264]

Full-time Penguin If you followed Jim from his old channel you probably know he's already covered this topic and a lot of other interesting topics before. Hopefully he follows up with some more videos like those

[@MofOptics]

Yeah, I've been following Jim for a while (on his old channel) but I would still like to see him do more of that.

[@ClintonsK]

Would love to get a session with you someday bud... I'm learning through my own mistakes which can be very frustrating, these vids are a great resource thank your for these and the direction they give!

[@cookiezr4milk429]

I did archery every other day for 4 years in hs and never knew what this term was, and more or less i was doing this instinctive shoot by the end

[@angiepto]

Hey there. Thanks for giving a bit of a background to what we're trying to do here! I've only been shooting a few months and I've found that not only sharpen your instincts and sight, but It's become kind of a mediation technique for me. It requires a lot of focus. So much that requires you to be just there. You and your bow. In that instance. Nothing else matters. I'm looking forward to learning and practicing more... thanks for the video. I'm writing from Chile, BTW!

[@seayak]

I like your approach to achieving skill in hitting targets! As a neuroscientist, I agree that "instinctive" is not really the best word - shooting this way is an acquired skill in the same way that delivering or returning a tennis serve improves with constant practice. Interestingly, two separate brain mechanisms are involved in this type of learning. The basal ganglia (a complex of nuclei located deep within your frontal lobes) are involved primarily in the habitual aspects of shooting - the actions of drawing, anchoring and releasing that remain (hopefully) constant from shot to shot. You need practice to establish this sort of consistency in the actions you perform. However hitting targets at various distances involves your cerebellum, which computes the corrections needed to reduce the error in your aiming points at the various distances, by generating "feedforward" biasing commands to the sensory and motor systems that enable you to aim and shoot automatically without conscious effort.

[@simoneboxler1065]

I've just discover your channel and i love it! Thank you so much!!!

[@RockefellarTrustFund]

That point at the end, that if you cant (kant?) the bow it removes it from your peripheral vision helps alot. I've been struggling to figure how to aim ffs. I'm shooting down the arrow, I'm shooting from the hip, I'm not aiming at all and honestly, I'm as accurate with any method as I am with any other. Making it harder seems to help, I added some thin bits of timber and bamboo to my target area and was able to be more accurate than I had been before that in the session. Anyway, bit of a vomit, I'll be adding your canting/kanting to my arsenal and see if that helps. Thanks for the video, it was very insightful!

[@dan_s3archery438]

There are many forms and sub forms of archery but instinctive does give a very primal and positive feedback when done right. We have also moved to instinctive completely and it has made it much more fun to do the required range time than the compound. If you can enjoy the practice the rest is all payout.

[@johannbarnard5893]

great to see a well presented, properly edited tutorial

[@kesselrunner]

I'm right handed and left eye dominant. Instinctive/intuitive archery is much more comfortable for me than trying to aim.

[@MrMattrix1]

asked my local archery club if they would let me shoot instinctive archery at there club and they replied.. "I think what you mean is bare bow archery" tried to explain to them but they didn't seem to want to know.... think I might show them this video lol Thanks for sharing and and always great vid. keep um coming

[@patricial.6758]

Intuitive is correct word. Accurate baseball throwing is learned the same way by starting 10 ft apart and throw until consistently accurate then step back 10 ft, throw until consistent again, then move back 10 ft more, etc. Teaches arm/shoulder/body muscle memory. Take a few days off and start back close again -repeat. Eventually throw 50 to 70 ft or more accurately.

[@TB-zh9pe]

In this video you said, "If I take a break for a couple of weeks I can't hit the broad side of a barn." That is proof that "instinctive" archery is not a viable method of shooting. My neighbor shot a Red Wing Hunter 43# recurve, and he would take a break from the end of archery deer season until about 6 weeks before the next season started. When he resumed practicing for hunting season, he could hit the bullseye from anywhere in his backyard. He taught me the method that he used: gap or split vision (not point of aim) shooting. Byron Ferguson and John Schulz are longbow greats, and they are both aware of the arrow when they shoot. So was Howard Hill, and John Schulz learned from him. Byron Ferguson writes that the focus must always be on the target, and never the arrow, but he does use the arrow to aim. He also writes that the goal is to become less and less aware of the arrow, but there will always be some awareness of it in the peripheral vision. I tried G. Fred Abell's method of instinctive shooting, and it didn't work for me after a year or more of trying, and shooting almost daily. After I read Become the Arrow, by Byron Ferguson, I threw Fred's books away. My favorite traditional archery how-to-shoot book is now Hitting 'Em Like Howard Hill, by John Schulz, but I sill refer to Byron's book, too. I hit the last buck that I killed exactly where I aimed, and I was aware of the arrow when I released it. The deer was only about 12 yards away, so I knew that the arrow had to appear to be well below the spot that I wanted to hit before I released it. Maybe I had "Become the Arrow."

[@Slashaboyz]

Good job Jim, been interested in intuitive archery for a while, but i dont quite have the money to get a more suited bow yet! Still happy with my compound until then :)

[@rinchentobgay1870]

How do you aim in instinctive archery? The target is 150m.

[@ARANDOMGENT]

Might be good to do a video on the other shooting styles such as gap shooting and the different looses but none the less another great video Jim :)

[@ari9531]

strangely enough... I started instinctive. my first instructor taught me not to aim while I was just getting used to shooting. I then never learned to aim and now just shoot instinctively now I outshoot most people in my age category with sights. :-)

[@MarkMphonoman]

Lots of practice. And then, practice more. Lol p.s. I agree with you that if you stop shooting for a while it takes time to get back in the groove.

[@AnimaTriste]

Instinctive means something that is inborn, a basic unit of behaviour, either you have it, or you don't. And even when there is some learning on instinctive level, it is not decisive. We all know, that archery can be learned. In fact, when sports scientists tried to define which individuals are best suited to archery, and tried to produce some body measurements/numbers, like in some other sports, nothing conclusive came out. Just one thing. A mental one. Passion for archery. That means, that even some bad beginners in archery became very good or excellent, when they committed to the sport. Even when good eyesight and overall body strength and coordination doesn't hurt, many would be archers later do not reach their potential, if they do not enjoy the sport. And it is a sad story of too formalized, monotonous and technical training which totally neglects a social aspect and conduct in the sport, thus averting many talented kids, or young adults to enjoy the sport. Intuitive means, to behave on account of experiences and evidence which were picked from various sources or senses, many times not reflecting the behaviour with the conscious mind anymore, because it is learned on various levels of body and mind systems, that that is not necessary anymore. It is a feeling, yes, a deep feeling, but a learned one, and over long time, and not an instinct. So, yes, intuitive archery or shooting is the right term, or "poking and hoping", like Byron Ferguson names it. He calls himself an art of gap shooter very decisively in his book. He also cites the big Howard Hill : "I saw thousands of instinctive shooters, but not one of them was good." When such a statement comes from a man, who is still some say the only one who shot nine dimes from the air in a row, (Howard Hill), that is a food for thought. It is good and immensely satisfying, to see quick and accurate intuitive shot. But, when remains the only tool in the box, it is also an extremely lazy way of shooting, and even when you are hunter, very irresponsible one. It is the hardest way to become good at, and is lost over a 4 to 6 weeks in great amount, when You don't shoot. Some of the archers with just slightly impaired spatial awareness, due to age or other reasons, can never become good just this way. Fred Asbell's books did great things in promoting traditional archery, but they did much bad in promoting the myth, that you can't be good, if you adopt some aiming reference. The whole sports theory, practice and psychology show just the opposite. You must adopt some kind of aiming aids very early, to become even better instinctive shooter and in shorter time. And if You want to compete in 3d, and be successful, You will soon see, that literally ALL TOP SHOOTERS are accomplished System aimers, using various ways of aiming on various distances. So we should stop glorifying this as an only right way of shooting. This "instinct" or "intuition" is also the first that goes down under some kind of mental pressure, like You yourself experienced, but also me, like I mentioned in a commentary under Your video about Your 3d championship in France. Fear blocks not only new learning, but also already learned things in great amount. And because it is a feeling itself, an overwhelming one, it blocks all other "feelings". It is a mental thing. You just want to go away. You "poke and hope". And You miss incredibly. I do not shoot instinctive anymore whenever I can, it costed me ten years to figure that out. And I'm so frustrated because of that, that I would beat Fread Asbell with his own books until something gave up. 😬😃 Best wishes from me, I really wish You some great success on a new 3d championship. You are a great promoter of trad archery. Greetings!

[@Hogbellylife]

I have been shooting instinctively since I started at a young age. It is the method I feel most confident with.

[@BennyCFD]

It's a misnomer, it's a learned shooting style...................

[@x111-c4f]

AHAHA, Finally I got why it's more comfortable to hold my recurve bow in slight angle. Also, it's easier to hold the arrow on V shape rest.

[@daggersjones]

I have to completely agree with your comments Jim especially on two of your points. Continual practise makes your instinct right on. Second shooting arrow after arrow etc is the best way of developing these skills. Great vid mate keep posting, I’ll drop a link on my blog (offthearrowshelf.wordpress.com/) Rob

[@thegothicswordsman839]

I shoot instinctive with my win and win rcx-17, using an elevated rest. Since I have always shot with one and slightly canted, I guess I have just gotten used to the compensation? I don't really think about it, and I guess that's the whole point, isn't it? Great video, I love it when people talk about their passions, makes me want to loose a few arrows now ;)

[@MerlinArchery]

Exactly :)

[@anhtransport]

MerlinArchery Please review your bear takedown bow. We are all anxious to hear you talk about it, other than it being awesome. And I hope you don't mind my asking but was your should injury archery related?

[@MerlinArchery]

I dont mind at all anhtransport :) To be honest i don't rightly know? I hope not :) The Take down is coming very soon... Im really looking forward to it

[@rodparsons521]

What you describe is embedding the shot at given distances into memory by shooting repetitively at known distances. In practising for instinctive shooting, I would not shoot more than a single shot from any position and I would never think of putting a number to the distance, still less shoot from known distances. If you talk or think in terms of putting numbers to distances you are probably still a gap shooter. "For the instinctive there are only two distances, near enough, and too far."

[@MarkMphonoman]

That is a beautiful bow you were displaying while showing how to Cant a bow. Can you tell us what bow that is? Thanks.

[@victorvela5322]

IT'S A FEELING ARCHERY!!! that's what i call it though!

[@jasonhahn7785]

Thank you! 27 year old veteran, learning archery as I want shooting that's a little more "physical" . Do you believe beginners can start off learning this method as their first?

[@MerlinArchery]

+Jason Hahn of corse Jason... I believe it gives you a strong foundation in your archery...

[@keithfreeman5204]

I think I was about 8 years old armed with a BB gun, me and a couple of the guys were shooting Bumble Bees and Wasps out of the air. NOT using the sights but just looking at what we wanted to hit and would just hit it. The simple Slingshot and a rock is the same, too. This lended a hand when I got into shooting in general. 22lr on up to 9mm and .45 in handguns work well with instinct shooting, at pointable close ranges. Shotguns, birds, and clays, is, I think, the same. Simple, look at where you want to hit the target and hit it. Takes a lot of practice to do it though. This is a Both Eyes open exercise.

[@danielround9200]

These are great videos for inspiring and educating someone like me who is completely new to archery. Can I ask whether I should be actively trying to correct my aim (when all my shots miss in the same direction) or does is correct itself over time if I keep focusing on the target spot? Thankyou.

[@chrisdsx5]

I think instinctive was probably best used for War and today... archery tag. I was at the range tonight shooting 5 different targets with my goal was to put the arrow anywhere on the target. Honestly it is just like throwing a ball, you just see how the arrow flys a few times and then you just guess for each different shot. It is way more fun than just target.

[@mironbarabakh5970]

+MerlinArchery Beatiful! i didnt know it was an actual thing with a name! thanks a lot

[@richardanderson4916]

Great explanation. Thanks from a new guy!

[@Polymath9000]

Great video 👍 I tried aiming and my arrows would fish tail now I use instinctive my fish tailing has gone away.

[@ianmandyb]

I have been trying to shoot instinctive for the last few months and I feel as if I am improving but do you give lessons on instinctive archery? Thanks for your videos Ian

[@richardbowers3647]

Suggestion!!! Go to a backyard at the dark of night & put a small lighten on your target., then shoot the target!!! Now you only see a target & nothing else. Good luck!!

[@Metal-Spark]

Is this a legitimate technique or is it just a small group of people who use this method? It sounds very interesting - I'm looking to get into archery and am leaning towards traditional bows so it sounds like this will fit right in with what I'm looking to get out of archery.

[@mudkip_btw]

Instinctive archery to me, as you explain it, is just shooting gap method and repeating, until you don't have to pay attention to your exact movement anymore. Basically sounds like shooting a lot so out of muscle memory you'll aim right. No wonder that way when you've had a break that it sort of 'fades off'. In target archery you know your distance and the gap (trad) needed for it, so it's the same thing. 'Just shooting' isn't going to make you hit. Aiming is necessary across the board

[@BennyCFD]

You're a 100000% right. Instinctive shooting is just shooting enough arrows down range to where you automatically adjust your gap.

[@RBtrading0]

Love your explanations

[@MerlinArchery]

Baz Razz thanks man )

[@cycoklr]

Instinctive shooting is more fun. I love guessing the distance and when I hit the target first time, it's sublime. But it doesn't always happen.

[@donaldish8061]

Is instinctive archery OK for indoor 20 yard target shooting?

[@binaryvip]

dig this griz ......

[@got2kittys]

Lots of skills can be developed shooting bare bow. They can be coached too. Thats how I was started years ago. It's not all instinct. More of it is total consistancy from shot to shot.

[@otahu26]

It took me all of 4days. 100 shots for each day. Must be my native roots. I started at 15 yards. Working out to 40 yards. but I also came from shooting Instinctive with firearms.

[@monte4891]

It's like pitching a baseball you look and through There is no aiming the ball then through. I am new to archery about 1 day in as of today and I will say I made better groups instinctively then aiming

[@howardhawksley1355]

Just one point over the term instinctive. Walking could be said to be an instinct but we still had to learn to do it properly and if we did nothing but lie in bed for a few months would have to re-learn how to do it again.

[@pipmccann7734]

There's no way you can just focus on the target without noticing where the tip of your arrow is ... so its gap shooting !

[@jacobbush1419]

Could you make a video about installing knocking points

[@MerlinArchery]

It's on the list Jacob :)

[@jacobbush1419]

Thanks man i just got a bear montana and can't wait to shoot it

[@SteveOliver13]

+Jacob Bush (busher22) Wonderful bow! Haven't shot many longbows before, but this is by far my favorite in terms of feel. You'll have a blast!

[@GenZaman07]

I Like it 👍🏽👍🏽

[@BEE_the_Buzz]

I call it “ do every thing wrong archery”😂

[@davida.4933]

Put a bow in a shooting machine and you'll find moving the front or rear alignment 1/4" at 20 M typically gives a deviation of 6" or even more. Varying both alignments results in terrible groups. Deviations back to the desired grouping of say 6" and less is partly by chance and we remember our good shots. This is also

[@davida.4933]

well my text got cut off...just try the fixed crawl - many YT videos.

[@chazlouis645]

Ok...I have to ask...but is that the only shirt you own?

[@MerlinArchery]

+Chaz Louis your not the first person to ask ;) i have a few that are the same...

[@chazlouis645]

3 shirts in a bag, I buy bulk as well ;) Big fan of your reviews. Even though I've been doing instinctive archery for close to 25 years, I always defer to your reviews, you seem to have a feel for a bow the same way I do.

[@njgl2010]

It ain't rocket science. The Indeigenous People didnt put alot of thought into it, they learned to shoot or they didn't eat. Sounds harsh, but reality can be at times! A growling belly can teach a man alot of things! Anyway, just go shoot! If you enjoy it, then find others that do as well, and go shoot! It's tons of fun for all ages.....and the main thing it does is it unites ppl of all backgrounds and walks of Life that share one common goal.... HAVING FUN, and ARCHERY!

[@TuberoseKisser]

Imo everyone is capable of instinctive shooting, it's one of those primitive skills yeah we have to train to actually fet it, but making tools is also a primitive skill but you still have to learn how to do it.

[@BennyCFD]

Instinctive is not instinctive it's a learned shooting style you develop after sending hundreds and hundreds of arrows down range.

[@tonythompson4951]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹

[@Imtomzizle]

So that's what I've been doing...

[@jack6136]

Instinctive archery is still stinky but not as stinky as they used to be! 🏹🦌🏹🐗🏹🦌🏹🐗😂❤🏹🏹🏹

[@1958dbc]

you need to work on that fake accent..