Image Title: Archery

Alt Title: Archery equipment

Image Description: A boy with a bow and an arrow

Archery has gained popularity across the United States. This game that reflects your accuracy and precision has been around for centuries. Modern archers are lucky to have highly modified archery equipment that can improve their game. The latest compound bows are a work of art and have so many amazing features that make archery fun and interesting. These compound bows have also made the game a bit easier. In traditional archery, on the other hand, archers would shoot at the target without any assistance.

Devices like scopes, stabilizers, and sights are designed to help archers aim the bow efficiently. But if you like to follow in the footsteps of your ancestors, you must learn how to aim a compound bow without using these devices. Even though the sound of it is exciting, we all know that putting up with the game of archery without the support of devices is not easy. To make it somewhat easier for you, we have written this brief guide that explains how to aim a compound bow without a sight. Before we start, here is one thing that you must know: aiming a compound bow without a sight may seem a challenging task, but with practice and the right methods, you can master the skill without any problem.  

How Should You Aim a Compound Bow?

Instinctive archery is the method that is based on the ‘aiming by not aiming’ method. So, basically, you have to aim your bow without using pin sights, peep sights, or scopes. It is, indeed, a difficult task and requires lots of practice. Even then, a large number of archers are going back to the old style of archery and polishing their skills by challenging themselves and using just a bow and an arrow to shoot at a target. There is no denying that the sense of achievement you feel after a 50-yard shot without any aid is indescribable.

Now, before we move on to describe how to aim a compound bow without a sight, let us have a look at how you should aim your bow properly. Here are some of the crucial steps that you must follow if you want to improve your game of traditional archery.

1. Warm-Up Session

By the looks of it, archery doesn’t require any physical energy. After all, you are standing in one position and aiming at a target. However, a proper warm-up session before you head to the playing field is required for a good round of game. You will find it very difficult to aim the bow if you are not relaxed. The warm-up session will help you to stretch your muscles and relax a bit. Pick up the bow only when you are tension-free and relaxed.

2. A Proper Shooting Stance

In the world of archery, your stance plays an important role in determining your game. The ideal position is to stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and at a 90-degrees angle to your target. Stand in an upright position and don’t lean in any direction. Continue practicing to make your posture correct. You can also look for some basic archery exercises to learn how to adopt a proper stance.

3. Hold the Bow Properly

Hold the bow in your hands. Make sure that you can feel the pressure on the lower sections of your thumb. Also, make sure that your palm and fingers are relaxed. Now, rotate your hand without pushing it against the bow. Once you have learned how to maintain a proper position, you will find the shooting to be quite easy. By nailing the correct position, you will refrain from twisting the bow when hitting the target.

How to Aim a Compound Bow Without a Sight?

In this section, we will have a look at some of the methods that you can adopt to learn how to aim a compound bow without a sight. What follows are some famous strategies that you can follow to learn how to aim a bow without a sight.

1. Gap Shooting

This is one of the most common methods that can help you to learn how to aim a bow without a sight. Under this method, all you have to do is aim your arrow at a spot on an imaginary vertical line that runs right through your target’s center. For example, if you’re 10 yards away from your target, you must aim at a spot right below the bull’s eye. In case you’re 50 yards away from the target, target any spot above the bull’s eye. Every time you shoot an arrow, you have to aim at the bull’s eye. Once you have observed where your shot lands, you can fire a couple more arrows while simultaneously aiming at the center of the target. If your arrows keep landing below the bull’s eye, you will have to aim higher. Keep practicing until you hit the center.

2. String Walking                                                     

Under this method, you must aim your arrow at the center of the target. While shooting, make sure that your anchor point remains the same. You will also have to move your hands up or down the string. This depends on how far away you are from the target. If you are closer to the target, your hand will be lower.

3. Instinctive Shooting                                                                                                          

This is also one of the most common methods to learn how to aim a compound bow without a sight. In this method, the archer doesn’t aim at the target. In fact, the focus is on the exact point where the arrow would land. Then, draw the bow and shoot the arrow. Similar to the game of golf, instinctive shooting is one of the hardest methods to master. Even though this method requires some practice, you will be able to master the skill easily.

The Final Word

Modern compound bows are equipped with so many interesting features that make archery quite easy. But to make the game more challenging, many archers are now going back to the traditional methods of the game. We hope that our guide was helpful in explaining how to aim a compound bow without a sight.