The straight and narrow

[steve58]

Last two or three times I've shot (ie now we're outdoors and shooting 80 and 100 yards again) I have noticed that when I line up "normally" the arrows seem to go left, if I feel as though I'm going to send them right they go as much in the middle as they ever do. I have not consciously changed anything in my stance, shot routine, or equipment. Anyone got any thoughts on what might be going on here? As a side issue I seem to be getting a lot of tension across the tops of the shoulders an hour or two after the end of a session and wonder whether the two are connected.

[archer_thom]

I'm finding that my arrows (which are a perfect spine match from bare shaft) go left (lefty archer) at long distances. No idea why and it annoys me. I don't have the tension though.

[geoffretired]

I suppose that outdoors there is more room for the arrows to fly left. Indoors they may have been slightly left of centre , but so slightly that the sight error didn't really show up.It might be worth trying different outdoor distances to see if there is a gradual increase in how far left.Like a walkback but more arrows shot at each distance.

[archer_thom]

I've been thinking about the tension across the shoulders; it sounds like your bow shoulder could be rising. If you are a right handed archer then this could make your whole bow arm move left as tension is released. Just a thought, I don't really understand the mechanics of this stuff.

[Bald Eagle]

Thom, it sounds like your matched arrows are weak! I notice you have Border limbs, in my experience I have gone up a spine or two when selecting arrow shafts for Borders

[steve58]

Originally Posted by Yorker

Could you clarify how regularly you have been shooting lately and at what distance. Also when the last time you shot outdoors was before this righty-ness.

At least a couple of times a week for the last couple of weeks. Shot a Long National on the 12th, Long Western on the 13th, Albion on the 20th. Was beginnning to have the problem on the Albion. Started working on 100 yards Tuesday last week (averages not so good at 100, 1/6 on and 80, 1/2 on).

Bow shoulder rising, as suggested above sounds plausible, I am also getting muscle aches between the inside edge of the left shoulder blade and the spine. I have just got the (recently made) arrows out that I have been using and after careful measuring have found them to be about 5/16" longer than my indoor ones (how did that happen?). This is probably relevant as I use the pile as a draw check (but I am struggling to believe that such a small difference could have such a dramatic effect).

My current theory is that I am stretching the left arm out to make a slightly longer draw, pushing it left in the process, rather than expanding properly. The extra effort would explain the sore muscles and the tension. I will probably be trying harder as a result and tensing up and maybe shooting on the arms rather than on the back.

Does this sound like a good theory?

[steve58]

Originally Posted by Yorker

Yes, and then this conversly would effect the orientation of your rear elbow etc at your anchor subtly changing the line of your shot.

I have been thinking about the cure for this and have decided to try shooting with an indoor set tomorrow (weather permitting) to try to re-learn the correct shot set up. As this is about form I don't need a big distance and these arrows are OK out to 60 yards. Hopefully I can re-educate the muscles and then transfer this back to the other set. The laternative is to trim the longer ones, but I'll hold off on that as I have shot a couple of decent scores with them and won't be able to un-trim them!