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How To Aim A Longbow: Tips And Tricks For Beginners

One of the reasons why the longbow resides in the traditional bow category is because it does not have an archery vision. And when there is no archery vision, the topic of an iron sight is pretty much out of the equation. But that does not mean you cannot hit shots directly on the target with the longbows.

In fact, longbows are proven to be highly accurate within 200 yards. So, how do archers make their shot count with these bows?

Well, you need to learn how to aim with a longbow. And the fact that there is no aiming guide available on the bow, it might seem like that longbow aiming will be pretty tricky to master.

But the thing is, it is not tricky at all! Let us walk you through the process and show you how easy it is!

So, there are different longbow aiming techniques. We will go through them all to let you know how to aim without sight and with sight.

Technique 1: Gap Shooting

This method is basically the easiest one to get used to. That's why it is the method most newbies learn when starting their longbow archery journey. Nonetheless, these are the core steps of the process:

1. Find The Correct Placement For The Arrow

Here, you will focus on making the arrow face directly at a point beneath or above the center of the target. In other words, you will not directly aim the arrow at your target.

2. Adjust Your Pull Force Accordingly

If you aim above the target, your pull force should be slightly lower than aiming directly at the target. On the other hand, if you are aiming below the target, you should implement a little bit higher pull force.

3. Work With The Gap Distances And Learn The Perfect One

You will not get the perfect gap distance on the first try. Instead, you need to learn which works the best depending on the distance of your target. You should also try this method with different arrow types having different weights.

Technique 2: String Walking

Although string walking takes a little time to get used to, it allows the shooter to keep a close eye on the target with every shot.

And this ability does not degrade depending on the distance of the target.

That said, the steps that you need to follow for this method are:

Place The Arrow On The Target

1. Place The Arrow On The Target

Before anything else, you need to place the arrow on the bow. But do not pull on it just yet. Instead, point the arrow directly at the target and hold it there.

2. Map The Trajectory Of The Arrow

Unlike the gap-shooting method, you need to map the shot's trajectory on the bow's string. This is basically the thing that makes the archer get the same sight after taking every shot.

3. Find The Right Dragging Point

Once you have mapped out the arrow's trajectory, you must move your hand up and down to get the dragging point. To carry out this motion effectively, you should drag your hand on the upper and lower points of the arrow nock. Afterward, take the shot.

Technique 3: Instinctive Aiming

This aiming method takes a lot of time and practice. It is the method that you will see professionals using. But don't think that this method is hard to get used to. It's not. Take a look at the steps:

1. Set Up Your Target

First and foremost, you should set up your target. Get a circular one and make it stand a proper distance from the ground.

2. Stand About 9 Feet Away And Find Your Target

After setting up the target, you need to step about 9 feet back and look at the target. Don't aim the bow away. Instead, get all the arrows you have and keep them near you.

3. Point And Shoot

Look at the target, focus on it briefly, and shoot. There's no aiming involved in this process. It's all about shooting multiple arrows at the target without aiming.

When you see that a good number of arrows are hitting the center of the target, you need to step back a little more and repeat the shooting process

Set Up Your Target, Point And Shoot

Again, if most of the shots land in the center, go further away from the target. Check your instinctive aiming at that distance.

Which Process Should You Pick?

If you are new to the longbow, you should pick the gap-shooting method. It is the easiest one, and newbies can quickly get the hang of it. Once you have mastered the gap-shooting process, work your way through the string-walking method. If you have already mastered gap shooting, this method will be easy.

Finally, train yourself for instinctive shooting when your aiming game is pretty strong. It will take a little time, but once you master it, you can hit moving targets precisely and highly efficiently.

Final Words

So, when it comes to aiming a longbow, there are three easy techniques. Although, many might not prefer these methods.

Instead, what they would do is opt for the instinctive shooting method. Well, that method is not that easy for beginners. And the technique takes a whole to get the hang of.

Therefore, if you are new to traditional archery, you would want to try out these three techniques first and then venture into the instinctive shooting method.

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