To cant or not to cant..

[clinglish]

I love when people start talking about proper form ,Personally I think it is a crock . Some of the worlds best target and "hunters have had horrible "Form"as far as their peer's were concerned but still shot amazingly well.I belive that form is a red hearing and has to much emphasis in disscusion.Consistency on the other hand is paramount if you shoot the same way consistently you will undoubtly be a better shot. I cant my bows and have always done so, I shoot a right handed bow but my left eye is dominant so I get my head over the arrow and focus my energy at the spot I want to hit .I couldn't tell you how acurately I shoot out to 90m because I don't have that big a backyard (and I can't see that far) but if I try to shoot with the bow upright my arrows always hit high left .

[gundy]

I once went to a shoot taking my longbow for the first time. About 2 targets in, I was 'told' to straighten up and I might hit a target in the right spot...

Dont you just love the back pocket coaches. Then again I guess its free coaching..

Anyway, I did try it and it was horrible, so went back to shooting my hunched / canted style which I find more comfortable and gives me a better picture on target.

I shot my best round ever that day after target number 2...

[Glenn]

I feel that it is a lot more natural to cant my bow, even on long shots I still cant, you get a better view of your target which helps when hunting as there is less to break your field of view...Glenn...

[jamie]

i cant i have tried to hold the bow vertical but i cant,sorry bad joke.if i shot AA style target i would hold vertical and anchor under the chin but i'm a hunter so i grip it and rip it

[gundy]

"Grip it and Rip it!"

I have to get that on a tee shirt!

Another, "If the Wood aint flyin, the ferals aint Dyin..."

Sorry, Ive a little red neck in me...

[Buford]

y'all is a redneck too? Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit! welcome home partner!

[gundy]

Why Boofudd! Weyall thought ya dun gone a hootin on the moonshyne again....!

(Need to say it in your best Dukes of Hazard voice...).

[timbow]

By the sounds of that Gundy l bet you blokes play banjo,s too.

[gundy]

Wanna come a huntin Timbow bwoy?!

[timbow]

No thanks!!!!!

[Buford]

aww c'mon timbow. don't worry you none 'bout cousin gundy, he's as country as cornflakes.

[Nephew]

Git 'em, Paw!

[jape]

[Nephew]

[TradlongbowV]

I may be a little late in this discussion, guys, but here is my two cents' worth. I used to shoot freestyle recurve, so I did not cant my bow. I developed a wrist problem with that stance. My arm, as a result of a problem at birth, is not like the normal man's arm, and shooting a bow vertically injured my wrist as a result of my situation. I seem to feel that a slight cant with my bow arm is a more anatomically natural pose for me. I started shooting with a very slight cant when I finally took the sight and rest off my recurve and began shooting traditionally. I have since continued to shoot with this very slight cant until now, with my longbow. I have not had an issue with my wrist since.

[jape]

I have back and neck injury that stops me standing well, I have found that holding my wrist as in a karate punch (back of hand in line with arm) was best to keep form but it hurt my wrist/arm. Canting the bow helps this for me too, difficult to say because of my injuries but I think it may be a more comfortable shape for the human body with a cant of some degree.

[TradlongbowV]

Jape,
I have a stack of Traditional Bowhunter magazines back in the Philippines (I can't find any available in the newsies here), and there was an article about this old archer who had suffered a debilitating stroke that affected his shooting. Somehow, he found a way of hitting accurately with his bow arm bent low and his anchor point practically on his breast nipple. He also radically canted his bow. He has since returned to bowhunting (the less stressful kinds) and field archery with this rather strange way of shooting, but it works for him. Canting a bow does help for some who are not physically in the same shape as most others.

On the other hand, Fred Asbell, who writes for Traditional Bowhunter Magazine, cants his bow, and there is nothing wrong with him physically. He is a great archer, and claims that canting the bow feels perfect for him.

TradlongbowV