I think the ‘instinctive’ way of shooting really comes into it’s own with moving targets. I stringwalk for field comps but recently been making and shooting a range of moving targets. There’s pretty much no other way to shoot them but look and shoot. Great fun, really satisfying!

Recently picked the bow back up and I wasn’t satisfied at all with my shots from 20 yards or so, thinking I had enough. I anchored back down with both eyes open released and hit the best shot in my life and from there my grouping is fantastic. Archery is truly instinctive and this guy right here is the GOAT

Инстинктив и только такой способ стрельбы приносит действительное удовольствие от добытого результата. Собственно о чем ты и говоришь в видео. Спасибо за то что ты делаешь. Всегда качественно и часто с хорошим юмором.

So as a kid and teenager I was self taught (with books) and made my own bows, but when I joined a club I moved onto sights etc and while I was decent, I found that I was fighting the aids rather than working with them. Ten years later, last week I decided to go back to "instinctive", and I have never been happier shooting. I'm rubbish again, but happy. Thanks for the video, even if I found it a touch late!

It's nice coming back to this vid after so many years. My skill level is still the same but I'm happy with my form and accuracy. I love what you said about hockey too.

Really excited for your book and glad that you're still at it. I have seen so many great archers on KZfaq that have either disappeared or given up on archery.

I’m a new subscriber and new to archery. I truly enjoy, appreciate, and respect your videos. Your dedication and passion for this art form is palpable in your videos. Keep up the good work, dude.

100% agree with you Jim. I've found I really enjoy shooting when I'm doing it instinctively. Forget all the mental calculations, distractions and simply.......shoot! BEAUTIFUL.

I started out on an olympic recurve platform and I enjoyed the living heck out of competition and tuning. I then visited some friends who had been doing things like Barebow, Gundo, Kyudo, Clout Archery and such and It got me curious about dropping my sights and trying it out. I love it, I feel like its more relaxing and I find that switching to Instinctive also has helped me improve 10x as an Archer.

Was just looking through your channel for a video like this! Cheers Jim! Love the channel, and the strings!

You can also use asiatic thumbring archery to explain this issue... it's all instinctive because there's no way to aim with arrow on the other side of the bow using a thumbring or Slavic release. Just an opinion.

YES. Thanks for a great explanation. Been shooting instinctively as you’ve described since I was a 5 yrs old (near 45yrs) ago,and I’ve used throwing a baseball analogy for years to describe it, but I love the slap shot example as well. I’ve tried to explain why I prefer this method, but I’ve never explained it as well as you just did... I simply find it more satisfying and enjoyable. Love the videos. All the best from Nova Scotia, Canada.

This is the best video about this topic I've seen. Thank you Jim!

Jim, Fully enjoy the many videos that I have watched with your content. I have been shooting traditional archery for 50 years. I, like many lost focus and commitment and took the easy road for a while with a compound bow. It was interesting learning the tuning and amazing accuracy capabilities but it was too easy and I could pick up the bow a week before hunting season and shoot well with no effort. I always had that thought in the back of my head of the need to get back to traditional archery. When I was young I started shooting a recurve because my father shot a recurve and it came naturally and I was able to shoot very well. I realize that my success was mainly do to the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed shooting and that was the only reason I shot. No thinking about missing or what someone else thought of my shooting. Just the pure and simple enjoyment of shooting a traditional bow. About two years ago with the kids out on their own I decided to purchase a inexpensive takedown recurve and start shooting again. I was amazed at that feeling, once again of the satisfaction of the simplicity of a traditional bow, and have been shooting almost every day for the last two years even if is is extremely cold if only shooting a dozen arrows before having to go inside to warm up. I has also been amazing that even though I shot very well when I was younger how poorly I shot when starting to shoot traditional again. Luckily today there is much information readily available through the amazing brotherhood of traditional archers. I watched "The Push" archery film with Matt Zirnsak and he made one statement that I had to rewind and watch several times. It is the overall support that makes this sport/hobbie so great, longbow, recurve, compound, crossbow, it doesn't matter we are all different. Enjoy the camaraderie, enjoy the people, enjoy the experience. I have thought quite a bit about Instinctive shooting and the definition "relating to or prompted by instinct; apparently unconscious or automatic", also how it relates to my shooting style. I have been trying string walking, but I catch myself aiming with my point below or above the point that I am shooting at, as I get a mental subconscious feeling of relaxation when certain things align and I just feel that is where the point should be and the shot hits the mark when it should be high or low. So is this "Instrinctive String Walking" ? If and Olympic recurve archer uses a sight but everything else in their shot cycle has been performed so many times that they don't even think about the majority of their shot cycle is that mainly "Instinctive"? I would say that when I started shooting I was an instinctive archer, but is the argument that you don't rely on the arrow for any part of the aiming process? If so, and you are a instinctive archer, if the arrow were completely invisible could you still make an accurate archery shot? I would say the pure form of instinctive archery can involve a longbow, hybrid recurve, recurve, and a compound that is shot without a sight and without a crawl. You just use the alignment of the arrow with the intended mark, and instinctively adjust the angle to match the trajectory of the arrow to the distance to achieve the proper height. Regardless, if you shoot for the right reason, that is the for pure enjoyment of shooting, it doesn't make any difference to me how you shoot, what you shoot, whether you hunt or just shoot targets, in competition or in your backyard. Take a deep breath, enjoy archery and enjoy this life that allows us to partake in such simple enjoyment with a stick and a string, "flemish" in your case :). I hope someday our paths cross and we can just smile and nod in the understanding of the joy of archery. Shoot straight. "Archery is a sport that is played on a 6" wide shooting lane between your ears".

Your ice hockey analogy was perfect! I am new to archery and my approach has been the same as throwing a ball. I played lacrosse when I was younger, and to me, shooting arrows is like winding up with the lacrosse stick behind my head while looking at the net, and then letting one rip towards the target. Instinctive, split vision and gap shooting are all new terms to me. I added a sight to my bow recently and now split vision makes sense to me but I don't see myself ever applying it while shooting without a sight. I can't imagine throwing a ball (baseball or lacrosse) any other way than 'instinctively' so I don't really understand the 'misunderstanding' of this way to shoot arrows...Thanks for the fabulous and informative videos!!!

At the end of the day shoot how u feel comfortable (im instinctive). You r a complete legend and you sold me my first trad bow and cant wait for the book.

I'm just getting started. Have been trying to figure all of this out. Being a revolver shooter I have sights to focus on so I've had a hard time trying to figure out what to look at while practicing with my bow. Growing up a hockey player myself the slap shot analogy just clicked in my head. Thank you!

Thanks Jim. I love and use the term intuitive myself. And form is the key. If you can't repeat your form you can repeat success . I use gap to judge my form, I use intuitive to / split to actually shoot the target. Good to see ya back love to see you sharing you advice on archery. Keep them coming , and remember quality over quantity. Don't give us a vid because you think you need one share it because you are happy with it.

I use this method with catapults/slingshots. It's the same as what you're saying. When trying to explain it to someone, I now say, "target focused Shooting" instead of instinctive. Also called "Point shooting" with guns. I tell them that you don't aim down your Johnson when having a pee, but you tend to hit your target, and can even write your name in the snow, unless you're smashed. same idea. We just take it for granted because we have done it every day since we were toilet trained. That usually helps them see what I'm getting at. LOL. Great content on your channel!

Great video, I've been shooting instinctively for seven years now, it's only been the last two years that I've been seeing good groupings. It took me finding a consistent form and anchor point before it started to get better.

I'm really glad I found this channel! Great content

I watched this video over a year ago when I was very new to archery and it made a lot of sense to me. Since then I have gone from instinctive to gap to stringwalking to fixed gap back to instinctive then Asiatic/horse bows which have kinda cemented the instinctive shooting into me. What instinctive shooting was/is to me has changed over the past year and have tried to form my own ideology on the subject matter. Now watching this video again with a better idea of what instinctive archery is, I must say, you nailed it! Absolutely and utterly nailed it when it comes to defining instinctive archery, bravo. Cheers!

Hi, Jim. Really good video and, again, you're right. Being good at this happens quickly for no one. I did quite a bit of shooting back in high school and college, but I wasn't "regular" about it. Through 30 years of professional life and making a living, I did almost no shooting at all. I retired about eight years ago. I found an archery club nearby with indoor, 3D, and field ranges and started shooting again (a succession of hybrid longbows) to help keep myself busy. I've never had an actual instructor. My learning has been through trial and error, the occasional tip from more experienced shooters, books, and videos. (Many of yours have played a big part on my education, and I thank you.) Through those eight years I have been shooting an hour and a half every other day, on average. I struggled through a long period of target panic and, at some point just this past winter something finally "clicked" and I am shooting well on a predictable basis. I am not the new Howard Hill, but my decent shots are progressively outnumbering my shit shots. It certainly helps if you love the sport, but persistence and patience is all.

I quick thank you for the new flemish twist Grizzly string for my flat bow it arrived yesterday. I managed to get out for a couple of hours today with it, what a difference to the standard string that came with the bow. It's so much quieter and the hand shock has been greatly reduced probably down to the correct brace height which I couldn't get near with the standard string, go figure. Keep up the great work with the string and the video's. I've been doing archery for about 18 months now and have always enjoyed gap shooting my barebow apart from the odd rubbish day I've been really happy with my progress. My technique has improved and I'm think about giving instinctive a go. I realise there is going to be a hill to climb but if somethings easy everyone would do it.

One of the best explanations of instinctive archery I have ever heard. I, like you Jim, just enjoy shooting in this manner! 👍

Everything you said is right, people who over analyse dont typicaly experience the FLOW and this applies to any activity, i can remember playing darts as a youngster, the more i concentrated on the throw the poorer my shot, when i relaxed and went with it my shots improved, i was still crap, but better crap

Couldnt agree with you more. One thing I've found with traditional and instinctive archery is the satisfaction when your form, release, follow through and everything else comes together to put that arrow on the exact spot you want it to be. I grew up using a compound and still do to this day. And it feels good to get your arrows in a tight group. It just doesn't have the same sense of a accomplishment when you do that with a traditional bow. Another great video. 👍

Great video, Jim. I like the 'intuitive' label as an alternate way to describe the discipline, make sense to me. Just have fun practicing I say. Hope you and the family are doing well during lock down. All the best.

Good to see you on my feed today Jim! Cheers from Canada

Jim you said it PERFECTLY! best definition I have ever heard!! could not AGREE more!

Glad you're uploading KZfaq videos again!

Very true Jim. I shoot instinctive myself, i’m not real good at it yet but i don’t care. I watch you, Greg(3D Archery) and Jeff Krug(i probably spelled it wrong lol) videos all the time. I have learned alot from all three of you. Thank you for all you do! Becareful, be safe, have fun and God Bless you and your family.

You explained instinctive archery perfectly it's a great way and it's not easy it takes a lot of work and practice. Shoot straight my friend and keep up the good work.

"Instinctive" may not be the correct term for it but that is the name we use for shooting without a recognized aiming system. Shooting instinctive well requires practice and work. You cant just pickup a bow and expect to shoot well right off. You train your body and your brain to work together to make the shot. Right on Jim!

Thank you Jim. It's good to have a public figure who agrees with my shooting style. So many archers try to explain it away and Say your aiming, or gaping in some way

Instinctive is the only way I've ever known. 25 years of hunting instinctively. I just look at my target and my arrow just knows where to go.

Felicitaciones Jim. Explicaste muy bien lo que es el Tiro Instintivo y como se llega a dominar esta tecnica.

Hi Jim, ich mag deine Art zu schiessen, wie du über den Bogensport sprichst, sehr! Denn jeder Bogenschütze möchte das Gefühl haben, sein Ziel zu treffen. Mach bitte weiter! Grüsse aus Südtirol! Sven

Another great video Jim!

I love your video. It speaks from my heart. Thank you!

Great explanation, I like the tent analogy, I've usually used the baseball to try to explain it. I wonder why it is that trad archers get their 'knickers in a twist' so easily, I shoot because I enjoy it, to me it really doesn't matter how others do it. Good to see you out, not sure what you're cooking up, maybe the afternoon coffee?

Thanks for that. Pretty much how I've been trying to explain it to the sights and string walkers in our club. But done in a better way. For a while when I lost my confidence I gave up on the usual target face and hung a beer mat at 18 metres. Then finding something smaller to shoot at to get back to focus small and miss small.

It is a valid aiming system that is a learnt response , learnt by repetition . In my opinion the only instinctive shot you make is the first shot you make after the first shot , it’s a learnt response in my opinion . I will support all forms of archery and hope you all have a great day

2 Grizzly Jim’s videos in 1 week, is it my birthday?

Hello Jim, very much enjoy your videos. They calm me. I'm retired law enforcement in the states and started shooting compound bows in the 80s when introduced to them. Over the years I went over to recurve. Then experimented with sighting systems etc. But now I'm exclusively bare bow recurve. I've gotten pretty good at it (for a backyard archer). I've owned some nice expensive bows but have found some of the cheaper configurations shoot really well. You are right about about those who just don't get it. As a former firearms instructor I do understand form and technique. But to take arguably one of man's first weapons and hit a target with lethal capability without having to think about it....well, nothing feels so good. Keep up the good work. Finally, what traditional bow do you recommend regardless of price. Quality, longevity and performance. Take care. Mike

By far the best explanation I've heard

Nice to see another video. I get it, i have since i started watching your videos. The only reason i am not good at itis because i dont practice enough. Like you i dont care what its called, i just enjoy it because its a natural way of shooting.

Instinctive Archery. I do it, not very good at it, but I LOVE IT. Another great video. Stay safe ...

Yes thanks to all you guys that give such very good information, on Archery especially instinctive Archery. Funny you know about 40 years ago I was introduced to target Archery in Far North Queensland Australia and they guy that showed me we used a pin sight and believe it or not I always closed one eye and worked reasonably well for me once I had the sight set in those days. The old bow back about 20 odd years ago snapped the limbs not sure why as I had left it not stringed for for at least 20 years, I then found a most magnificent 1967 Bear Kodiak Magnum back then so 20 years ago for $80 haha in top condition is 52" @ 55 pounds. Now this bow had a sight attached so I played with it in those day had fun but using the sight. I have not done again any Archery for at least another 20 years and now at age 67 I found the old Kodiak still in really top condition, but I was having trouble drawing it fully a month or so ago, so after seeing all this info from you amazing people on KZfaq I purchased a 40 pound Samick Sage and have been having so much fun doing it instinctively with both eyes open. Yesterday I tried the Kodiak and now can almost full draw and hold it, feel so great. So after the history of me and Archery I can now say that I do not need nor do I ever want a sight again, I just love hitting the target and what I am aiming at best feeling in the world hitting the spot at 15 or 20 meters, mind you I do have a miss here and there and can say at this point at these distances I still have a way to go to hit the bulls eye more than 3 consecutive arrows. Thank you mate for all your great videos and to all the others as well you have made me feel the spirit of Archery once again especially instinctive archery, just picking a very small point and drawing to anchor holding for a few seconds and if I get the follow thorough etc the magic happens....Thanks and Thanks

Have tried compound with a sight, just couldn't get it all to really work for me. Got a trad bow really enjoy it, tried gap, string walking, you name it but only instinctive seems to work for me. The big thing was to find the right form to suit me. Having found a form that works for me shooting is much more fun. Enjoyable when you have some sort of consistency. I don't shoot enough to be a good archer, but enough to have a bit of fun. I shoot a hybrid longbow and shoot with a Howard Hill kind of style. Good shooting everyone and enjoy yourselves.

Hello from Wyoming. Good video! Keep up the good work.

Very nice, thanks for the video!

I completely agree. I’m FAIRLY new to archery and consider my eye to hand coordination very good. I am training with IA and so far so good. I get a great amount of satisfaction out of getting it right.

Well said Jim. However each of us chooses to shoot ... enjoy it enough to practice, practice, practice and enjoy archery enough to allow others to enjoy walking their own shooting path.

There's this great book, "Instinctive Archery Insights" by Jay Kidwell, Ph.D. I highly recommend it for those needing a more analytical and scientific look into instinctive archery, (aka: subconscious aiming).

I just switched to instinctive archery about ten years ago. I found the first thing I learned is it is a lot of fun!!! Compound bows are too technical and always need tuning. Ill never go back. Found a bunch of goofy friends and we are having the time of our lives!!

Well said .I understand .but find it difficult .Will try harder .all the best .

Yeah! You’re back inspiring us again! Thank you. / another guy with a beard named Jim

I'm an instinctive archer and I couldn't agree with you more!

I'm a simple man , I see a new Archery Aventures vídeo and hit the like button before I see it...

Brilliant explanation. Peace from Berkshire.

I shoot a turkish short bow with a thumb ring and I'm cross dominant. The fact that I can hit a target proves that instinctive shooting is an effect and valid way of shoot because I couldn't aim if I wanted to.

Well said keep up the good work

Good video mate 🤟🏻

Well said. The other methods I've tried seem a little stiff to me. Perhaps you can be more accurate using those methods, I don't know. The magic of look, see, hit gives me joy.

Nice Jim great video

I totally agree about shooting instinctively being the most satisfactory aspect of archery ( for me anyway 🙂)

This is pretty much why I end up shooting alone more often than not, instinctive archery feels like a very personal thing to me. It is a decompression tool and a skill that I can hone slowly over years.

Just rewatching some of my favourite videos and some new on instinctive shooting, as I am coming back to the fold. I look forward to any seminars you are running this year Jim. Will Jarn be there?

It's been a long times since I last saw a video of yours. Even longer since I last shoot a bow. Really miss it. Anyway, great video, as usual. A bit long, to be honest, but worth it. Great locations too! You got my vote for the term "intuitive archery" also. Just checked, and the social media links for FB and IG at your (UK) web grizzlyjim don't work. Maybe they are outdated. And I could not access the grizzlystrings site either. Cheers!

Amen brother ! 🙏🏻

Totally agree Jim,i love to shoot intuitiv. Greetings from Germany 👍

Yes there is an issue, but it is due to bad naming of categories in archery as a sport. If the category called Instinctive bow is called unsighted wooden recurve (which could be aimed using gap shooting, string walking or by eye assessment). Of course in that manner there should be also sighted target recurve, unsighted target recurve (today called just recurve and barebow, which is even more confusing then instinctive bow). Right now I am shooting in Instinctive bow category by WA, and I use gap shooting method with free assessment of a distance (I am pretty positive I use experience in judging distance, not instinct)

It’s ok. We’ll rename it. New name is ‘Unconsciously Aimed’ Archery. I’m with you Jim. I’d rather hit a paper cup at 20m 5/10 times ‘Instinctively’ than a coin at 40m 8/10 times with sights, pins, and a rangefinder.

Firearms replaced archery because to shoot a gun at a reasonable distance took a few hours. To train an archer took a lifetime.

Hi, Thank you for the Video. Im new to archery ...well apart from using a geologic Initech Bow from Decathlon for a few months. what beginners bow would you recommend to buy so I can take Archery up properly? Thanks James

I think what it is some people are just stuck in this analytical purview of mind and they have a difficult time just letting go and doing it that concept is difficult for them to embrace that perhaps not thinking not overthinking might actually get you a better answer or a better outcome. This is a difficult thing for a lot of people who have been told what to do their whole life and would like a pill or a button or a correct answer sometimes the correct answer is already there and you don't have to try in the traditional fashion you have to just do...and do and do...until it's natural.

Thanks Jim, very infomative, I started archery five years ago with my son, shooting intinctively, I tried gap but could not get my head around aiming at a point other than the point I wanted to hit. I am still learning and have good days and bad, and still love it. A question, why have you changed from split finger to three under, does it help, and it what way? Keep up the good work and thanks.

Totally agree my friend

You seem to be criminally undersubscribed.

Hard aiming systems are prone to target panic, at least that's what my experience with gap shooting was. I had to get away from it. By consensus I really wonder how many people develop target panic when they adopted gap, fixed crawl or string walking into their shooting.

👌 good video, to me its a lot like shooting a catapult or like you say, bowling / pitching

So what we are really saying is practice a lot get the sight picture in your brain and the memory in your muscles and shoot!

Well said.

An accomplished and experienced "instinctive Archer" has 100% of their mind focused on the intended target. All others split their focus on the bow and the target. I embrace the first, others may embrace the second. An embrace is still sharing the LOVE. Scrapple Bob

I got taught instinctive with split finger, but could never get it down and just felt deflated. Switched to 3 under and started sighting down the arrow in my peripheral (split vision) and had way more fun. I don't know the gap or measure it, that's the instinctive part for me, in time my eyes and arms will work together. Some will say it's not instinctive and that's fine and their opinion but if my body measures the gap without conscious thought, then that sound pretty instinctive/intuitive to me. Shoot how you want to shoot and do what feels best for you, too many try to conform to what the internet tells is the "proper" 🤮 way to shoot and just lose love for the sport/hobby.

The only way I know how to shoot is instinctive...I have experimented with gap but without a doubt my best results come from just looking at the target. I'm looking forward to that book.

When I try to explain instinctive archery to neophytes, I use the example of the Pitcher in a Baseball game. Generally, they understand the analogy fairly well. It's not a perfect image of instinctive archery, but the Pitcher does almost the same thing as an instinctive shooter, in my opinion.

With instinctive archery it's less learning a point on the bow and more learning the bow. You subconsciously kinda predict the path of the arrow and then adjust based on where it goes

How far can you accurately shoot instinctively? Is there a distance that you switch over to gap? Like if you were going to take a 50 yard shot?

Thank you very much. Would you kindly tell me how long it takes to become an instinctive archer?

hi bud i think well said iv been shooting nearly three months now my instructor tells me i am a reasonable archer for this time and i love instinctive its the only natural way for me, i just want to say to you dont let the pillocks that think they know but actually know didly squat dictate to you who actually does know what you are talking about iv watched you shoot so the proof is in the pudding just let them ramble on and waste their time and breath as they will never ever progress as they are too narrow minded too many of them on our planet im afraid, kind regards mike in lancashire.

I am more accurate standing there aiming thinking etc etc but it sucks out the fun for me. I want to Nock the arrow and stand ready. Look at my target draw anchor shoot and have fun fun and more fun i love it

Good points for me, as I’m experimenting with instinctive archery after years and years of Olympic style. This seems to be a good time to learn new skills rather than just treading the same roads! BTW, you don’t currently have a playlist called “Instinctive Archery.” I see the “Archery Tips” but might it be a good idea to have another selection that’s just tuned to that topic?

Wise words Jim. Good to see that you're in a good nick. Dropped a pound or two?

I've found that most people that are passionately against instinctive archery are people who tried it and it didn't work for them. They seem to think that because they put forth a valiant effort and just couldn't be consistent it's a bad system or impossible. They will say that all the great instinctive archers like you, or Jeff kavenaugh, or wolfie hughes must be "Subconsciously aiming". They are also usually the ones that are "Dicks". Its like they cant except that something that didn't work for them could work for someone else. Kevin from robbin hood archery is great as well! Just my 2 cents.

I think it's fascinating how many people won't disagree that instinctive archery tends to make people happier, but still they choose to use a different method, because they "need" something easier. For what?

Perhaps the work Instinctive could be replaced with intuitive. I totally understand instinctive shooting and it is my favorite way to shoot. It is me and the bow. No mechanical devices to aid in accuracy. I'm old school and have stayed with split finger and a tab. LOL! I just watched one of your 9 year old videos titled Instinctive Archery, The Basics and saw where you also suggested that Intuitive may be a better name.

my biggest mistake was over thining things, don't get me wrong you have to think about what you might be doing a bit wrong etc but not to overthink it and mess your own style up. There are the basics and then what is best for you , and what is compfortable for you . IMHO Oh and i need more practice

Eyeballing archery, that's another name for it.