If I turn any more I'll shoot like a Parthian!

[LineCutter]

Inspired by tales of people shooting with their eyes closed at more than point blank range I thought that I'd have a go today (we were shooting at 18yds as so many people turned up this morning).
Observations:

• Shooting as normal I'm about as accurate as ever
• Coming to full draw, with the sight on the gold & then closing my eyes makes me less accurate, but I still hold the red ring on a 40 cm face
• Getting to the pre-draw aiming phase & then shutting my eyes makes the arrows go left (enough to miss the paper of the 40cm face & sometimes 40cm beyond that)

I'm pretty chuffed with the second observation & partly cured the last one by remembering that my sight is not actually on the the centre line of the bow (so my predraw was skewed).

I've already got a side on / marginally closed stance (I'm right handed). I can't think of a grip problem to fix & my loose doesn't feel different with my eyes shut. Should I just live with this, or is there something I could try to fix??

[wingate_52]

Turn your stance to compensate for the arrows going left. Then use footmarkers both indoors and out to maintain consistancy of stance with your eyes open.

[Rik]

Originally Posted by LineCutter

Observations:

• Shooting as normal I'm about as accurate as ever
• Coming to full draw, with the sight on the gold & then closing my eyes makes me less accurate, but I still hold the red ring on a 40 cm face
• Getting to the pre-draw aiming phase & then shutting my eyes makes the arrows go left (enough to miss the paper of the 40cm face & sometimes 40cm beyond that)

Okay. There's an issue with closing your eyes to shoot. How are you maintaining your head angle? You have a reference point on you face. If you're not looking at the target your head may drift out of allignment. I'd expect the drift to be towards neutral (facing forwards) which, for a right hander, would result in leftward shots. You might notice this if you have a side anchor, as the string would be scraping your chin more than usual... Coming to full draw then closing your eyes, would probably remove some potential for variability, as you find the allignment before closing your eyes. Just something to consider...

[LineCutter]

Thanks Rik, that makes some sense - I'll have to try it with a video camera & see if that's what's happening.

I can't really turn any further around - I've got about 1" of left foot in front of my right as it is. Any more & ... I'll shoot like a Parthian.

Maybe those archers whose score we aspire to could try this & let us kow what happens for them.