Are you aiming or just pointing? by Toby Ragsdale

We have all heard the saying “Aim small, miss small,” but what does that really mean?  Whether you are shooting a bow or a gun off-hand, “aiming” is a constant process of drift then correct, drift then correct.  Some lucky or gifted folks’ “drift” is smaller than average and still others look like statues while aiming but don’t be fooled…. EVERYONE has some “drift” in their aiming process. How you deal with it makes the difference between a hit and a miss. Let’s go through two different aiming processes. (Read this quickly, like the shot will be)

 1. “The Pointer”
Pointer draws. Looks thru his peep. Puts the sight on the target. Touches off the shot, hopefully gently, but usually not. Peeks around the bow to see where it hit while grabbing for another arrow to reload.

2. “The Aimer” (Read this slowly and deliberately)
Aimer looks at the target. Then looks at the absolute middle of the target. Draws the bow while still looking at the middle. Comes to the anchor point and “settles in” as the peep sight comes into alignment.   While still concentrating on the middle of the target The Aimer uses secondary vision to center the front sight in the peep sight and checks the bubble level to verify that the bow and sight are “level”. Now Aimer shifts 100% to the absolute center of the target while “looking through” the sight pin. As the drift occurs, which it will 100% of the time, Aimer continues to concentrate on the middle of the middle of the target as the sight almost magically corrects itself by drifting back to where he/she is concentrating, all the while squeezing the trigger on the release until the shot breaks. Aimer keeps his focus on the center of the spot as the automatic and involuntary post shot “follow through” looks identical to the previous shots.  Aimer doesn’t need to peek around the bow to see where the arrow landed because he/she knows EXACTLY where it was aimed when the shot broke.

This process seems long and tedious but it really is not. If you are a “Pointer” it will take some soul searching to even admit to yourself that you aren’t actually aiming, then it will take some effort to change your shot routine.  Once “AIMING SMALL” becomes part of your shot routine, you will see your groups get tighter, your confidence increase and aiming small will be automatic.

See Ya At The Range,
Toby