Whether you are a beginner, aspirant or veteran archer, you know already that there are two styles of shooting a recurve bow- barebow shooting and Olympic shooting.
People fondly call the former barebow shooting as it is done without any accessories or add-ons attached to the bow for aiming precision or accuracy. While shooting with a sight – an add-on for aiming accuracy- is popularly called Olympic shooting, given that the bow sight has been introduced and popularized in this event.
Now, if you wonder how to shoot a recurve bow, these styles come into the list of primary considerations. You may find this article pretty helpful to learn how a bow sight influences shooting a recurve bow and how you can do pretty well without it.
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What is a Recurve Bow Sight and How Does it Work?
Recurve bow sights are used to help shooters determine distance and accuracy. When you attach the sight to your bow, four things become necessary to work out the mechanism, and they include a riser mount, a horizontal extension bar, a vertical sight bar and the long(around 4" long) threaded rod with a square or circular tip.
This tip helps the archer aim and shoot more accurately than he can do with a barebow. It is a hollow tip with marking and a hole on the center to put a fiber optic for superior precision while targeting long distances. The center usually has contrasting colors – typically red or black or more versatile ones - to make it more visible while focusing on your target. Thus it helps you know exactly where you should focus.
The vertical sight bar attaches to the riser mount with a scope at the end. The thumbscrews the sight is screwed up with are used to adjust the length of the arrow and the distance to which you're aiming.
Variations or sophistication has come to the sight design with the rising popularity of this attachment. You can find an economy version with screws that need loosening and relocating along the bar if an adjustment is necessary. On the contrary, the exclusive professional bow sight features smart and quick wheel adjustment that makes adjusting far easier by saving your time and labor.
With the knowledge of how a recurve bow sight works, you are good to go ahead and now recurve bow shooting with sight is half-done.
How To Shoot A Recurve Bow With A Sight?
Shooting with a bow sight is one of the most advanced recurve bow shooting techniques for accuracy. Olympic archery is the event that has popularized the use of bow sight. You must set up your recurve bow properly before attaching the sight, as other bow parts are crucial for the sight mechanism. Already mentioned, the bow sight is typically mounted on the riser and attached on top of the arrow rest and keep in touch with the bowstring.
The proper and expert use of a bow sight allows an archer to know precisely where they should aim while taking into account factors such as distance, wind direction, elevation, and movement across the target.
You want to have a clear shot before releasing the arrow, so it's important to know how to use a bow sight.
For that, attach your bow sight and lines up with the target through the fiber optic in the center; it helps align your arrow release for maximum accuracy. But you must start with installing the bow sight on your bow successfully. Make sure that it is level and securely attached.
However, if this process seems too complicated, you may go on shooting without this bow sight mechanism.
How To Shoot A Recurve Bow Without A Sight?
If you've ever wondered to shoot a recurve bow, you might be interested in learning how to do so without sight. For a novice, shooting without sight is a great way to improve their accuracy and refine their skills. Here you have three methods of shooting a recurve bow without the much-talked-about precision aid.
Method One: Instinctive Shooting
Shooting a recurve bow instinctively is when the archer shoots with good form without thinking about the aim. This method is not as accurate as of the other methods, but it is very rewarding. It helps the bow hunter focus on the placement of the arrow. Intuitive shooting aims to develop a good set of habits that will help you shoot better and more accurately.
In short, when a shooter aims at a target on intuition just by seeing the arrowhead and the target, that is instinctive shooting. That is the most primitive form of shooting.
Method Two: Gap Shooting
If you're new to the sport of recurve bow archery, you might be wondering, "What is gap shooting?" The term describes a style of archery in which you use the arrow's point as a reference for the target. Typically, the arrow's tip is above, on, or below the target.
In most cases, you don't even need to look at the apex of your arc. The arrows fly upwards through the air, and the arrows are aimed at the spot you want to hit. This technique is particularly useful if you're trying to shoot at a long distance without using any technology meant for aiming accuracy.
Method Three: Walking The String Method
The walking the string method is another way of shooting a recurve bow with no bow sight attached. The archer starts the process by raising the bow and pulling back on the string to a point where her arm is fully extended. She then holds this position for a few seconds before lowering the arm, drawing the string again as she does so, before releasing it as she brings her arm down for a second time.
The most important factor to remember with this shooting is that no sight or arrow rests on lining up. And it is essential to have a steady stance while using this technique, as any movement can affect your accuracy.
Shooting With Sight Vs. Shooting Without Sight
To get the best out of either method, you need to learn to properly shoot a recurve bow. Whether you use a sight or not is a matter of personal preference. A consistent, solid shooting foundation will ensure that you consistently hit your target, regardless of your aiming style. Using a sight is a good way to improve your accuracy, but it can take some time to get used to.
However, you should not forget that sight will not do the job of shooting. And when you are shooting without sight to help you, it is more worthy than anything to assist your shot.
As you see, both sides have their pros and cons with no clear verdict on behalf of either. In the end, it remains a matter of preference. It is rather a question of style rather than convenience. Now, it rests on you to find the style you like for barebow shooting or Olympic shooting.
Wrap Up
As the discussion turns out, there is no clear winner in the debate with sight vs. without sight when it comes to shoot a recurve bow. While beginner practice favors shooting without sight, the precision the veteran archers need requires this accuracy aid accessory. However, one thing common for both styles that is you cannot but master to shoot a recurve bow accurately if you want to reap the max benefits of either style of shooting.
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