missing the middle target....

[bimble]

I have noticed something funny shooting 3 spots recently. Tonight I shot a 567 portsmouth with 28 golds. Only one of those golds was in the middle spot (as was the eight). Of the others they were split fairly even, possibly a few more in the bottom target as I tend to drop just slightly short on the top one.

This has happened on a number of occasions, but only shooting three spots. On single faces I can still shoot mid-560's. I have tried shooting the arrows in a different order, but it still seems to be the middle target that's giving me trouble.

Any suggestions on how to cure me of this apparent phobia?? I was three points off my pb tonight so a few more points from that middle target would have been nice.

[Marcus26]

Practise with a positive mind.

Years ago I got the first 3 spot faces at my club and everyone tried them and discarded fast because of this. They declared that the 3 targets cause you to miss. I was not convinced having watched video of Ragsdale nailing target after target.
So I worked on it and within a month was nailing all three. Now I would not shoot anything else.

[simon m]

The middle should be the easiest!.

Its at the correct distance & level

Bottom is minisculely closer

Top the same but further.

when i shoot well I get high tens in the bottom centred tens in the middle & low tens in the top face as a consequence of the slope of the boss.

I noticed this ages ago when i shot on a very sloping boss which accentuated the differences.

I love three spot. SHot single at green dragon portsmouth & it freaked me out!

[SLOWHAND]

Originally Posted by Marcus26

Practise with a positive mind.

Years ago I got the first 3 spot faces at my club and everyone tried them and discarded fast because of this. They declared that the 3 targets cause you to miss. I was not convinced having watched video of Ragsdale nailing target after target.
So I worked on it and within a month was nailing all three. Now I would not shoot anything else.

Yes, good advice. Most people shooting three spots for the first time experience something similar. The best way round this is as Marcus says, practice on three spots whenever you can. I always shoot three spots at club nights, at the start of the indoor season I buy a dozen of 'em and some stick on centres. This not only gives you good practice for tournaments but it also protects your arrows and extends boss life.

[geoffretired]

I have seen archers experience this and similar when shooting Worcester rounds on high/ low targets.
Apart from being unusual when you first try, is there something else going on?
I am thinking that perhaps the archer aims with the bow arm only and keeps the rest of the posture the same through all three shots.

[bimble]

I've been shooting three spots for over a year now and certainly early on there was the whole getting used to shooting at three targets as opposed to one, but this centre-target issue has been only for this indoor season (so last 6-8 weeks).

It doesn't feel like I'm shooting the third one any different, though by the end of the third dozen I am understandably starting to get annoyed with myself so that wouldn't help.

We're shooting a vegas on Sunday, so that'll make a nice change, and I'll try to approach next Tuesday full of optimism and a postitive attitude. And if that doesn't work I'll try different arrows and after that get someone to watch me closely incase there's something I'm doing wrong.

[phil_r_58]

Originally Posted by geoffretired

I have seen archers experience this and similar when shooting Worcester rounds on high/ low targets.
Apart from being unusual when you first try, is there something else going on?
I am thinking that perhaps the archer aims with the bow arm only and keeps the rest of the posture the same through all three shots.

I'm with you on that one Geoff. I have observed other peoples groups on 5 spot PAA faces, where there is a wide separation between the targets on the left and right side. Usually the right side two spots have a left group. That tends to suggest to me, they are lined up with the left side spots, and pushing the bow across to the right. I saw it in myself many years ago, with the 3 spot faces placed horizontally.

So when faced with a wide horizontal difference, I actually move my position slightly, to "address" each spot. Seems to work for me.

I recall a conversation with Chris Jones many years ago on the subject of allowances for uphill and downhill shots. There were many offerings of how much to add/subtract to the sight marks. Chris said he did not make any allowances. Because he felt that if you kept a perfect T shape, bending at the waist, you should get the same marks. He felt that the difference was cause by not using the T, and this altered the anchor point on the face.