Traditional archery is as much about feeling as it is about technique. Unlike modern compound bows with mechanical releases and sights, shooting a recurve or longbow requires developing an instinctive connection between archer and target. Over years of practice, I’ve refined my shot process into a simple mantra: “Draw, hold, focus, push.” This four-word phrase encapsulates everything needed for consistent, accurate shooting with traditional equipment. While it sounds simple, each element contains layers of technique that work together to create a repeatable shot sequence.

The beauty of traditional archery lies in its simplicity, but that simplicity can be deceptive. Without the training wheels of modern equipment, every small movement matters. Your body becomes the bow’s aiming system, and developing muscle memory through proper technique is essential. What follows is the exact shot process I use every time I draw my bow, whether I’m shooting at ten yards or sixty.

Focus on the Spot

Before anything else happens, my eyes lock onto a specific point on the target. Not the general area—a spot. This might be a single hair on a deer’s shoulder, a particular blade of grass behind my 3D target, or a pencil-dot-sized mark on my foam block. The smaller and more specific, the better.

This initial focus is critical because it sets up everything that follows. Your subconscious mind is remarkably good at directing arrows where your eyes are looking, but it needs a precise reference point. Staring at the general target circle won’t cut it. I’ve found that maintaining this laser-like focus throughout the entire shot process dramatically improves consistency. Even before I touch my bow, that spot has my complete attention.

Point the Bow at the Target

With my focus established, I raise the bow toward the target. This isn’t a casual lift—it’s a deliberate movement where I ensure my bow arm elbow is in line with both the target and my drawing arm. Think of creating a straight line that runs from your drawing elbow, through both shoulders, and out through your bow arm to the target.

Many traditional archers struggle with consistency because their elbow positioning varies from shot to shot. I check this alignment every single time. My bow arm should be extended but not locked, with just a slight bend in the elbow. The key is that this elbow points directly away from the target, creating a solid bone-on-bone structure that won’t collapse under the bow’s draw weight. Getting this right from the start makes everything downstream easier.

Full Draw to Anchor Point

Now comes the draw itself. I pull smoothly to my anchor point, which is actually three anchor points working together: my index finger touches the corner of my mouth, my thumb rests along my jawbone, and the fletching of the arrow tickles my cheek. This three-point anchor system ensures my head position and draw length stay consistent shot after shot.

The anchor point is where feel becomes paramount. I’m not looking at my hand or the arrow—my eyes never leave that spot on the target. Instead, I feel these three contact points settle into place. It’s like muscle memory meeting proprioception. With enough practice, you’ll know immediately when something feels off, and you can let down and start over rather than forcing a bad shot.

One crucial detail: the string should sit deeper in your finger grooves, not on your fingertips. This promotes a cleaner release and helps prevent the dreaded “pluck” where your fingers pull away from your face during release.

Aim and Focus on the Spot

At full draw, I refine my aim while maintaining that intense focus on my chosen spot. For closer shots up to about twenty yards, I keep both eyes open and rely on instinctive aiming. My brain calculates the trajectory automatically based on thousands of previous shots. For longer distances, I close my non-dominant eye to sharpen my focus and better gauge the gap between my arrow point and the target.

This is where traditional archery becomes almost meditative. Everything narrows down to just you, the bow, and that tiny spot you’re focused on. The rest of the world fades away. I maintain light fingertip pressure on the bow’s riser—just enough to keep it controlled but not so much that I’m strangling it. A death grip on the riser telegraphs tension into the bow and ruins accuracy.

The aiming method you use—whether it’s gap shooting, instinctive, or a fixed crawl for specific distances—works within this same shot process. The fundamentals don’t change. I primarily use a twenty-yard fixed crawl for hunting situations where I need precision, but I can switch to instinctive shooting without altering my basic technique.

Push and Pull to Release

Here’s where most traditional archers either succeed or fail. The release isn’t about “letting go” of the string. Instead, I simultaneously push forward with my bow arm and pull back harder with my drawing arm, creating opposing forces. This push-pull tension builds until the string simply slips off my fingers.

Think of it as pulling through the shot rather than stopping at full draw. My drawing hand continues moving backward even as the string releases, coming to rest somewhere behind my ear. This is back tension—using the muscles of your back and shoulders rather than just your arms. It keeps the release clean and straight, preventing sideways string movement that throws arrows off target.

The straight-back release is crucial. When your drawing elbow stays in line and you’re pulling with back tension, your fingers can’t help but come straight back. Compare this to a release where your hand sweeps to the side or forward, and you’ll understand why so many arrows miss left or right.

Putting It All Together

This entire sequence—from initial focus to release—might take five seconds or fifteen seconds depending on the situation. What matters is that it’s consistent. Every shot follows the same pattern: focus, point, draw, aim, push-pull. Draw, hold, focus, push.

Practice this process with blank bale shooting first, where you shoot into a target at close range without worrying about where arrows hit. This lets you concentrate purely on technique without the pressure of accuracy. As the movements become automatic, you’ll find your groups tightening and your confidence soaring. Traditional archery rewards those who trust their process, and this shot sequence has proven itself in countless practice sessions and hunting situations. Master it, and you’ll discover what our ancestors knew: sometimes the old ways really are the best ways.