"Accurate Sights" for barebow archers

[James Park]

One thing I played with a while ago was creating sight settings for barebow.
While you are, of course, not permitted to have a sight as such, we all know that most (good) barebow archers do in reality use a "sight". This is typically where they aim the point of the arrow, or how far below the arrow they place their fingers on the string.
The best of the barebowers usually use a finger tab with very carefully spaced stitching down the tab along a line where the tab sits on the string. Their "sight" is then how many stiches down below the arrow they place their fingers. You can then model this and write a "sight setting program", just as I have with "Accurate Sights" for normal sighted equipment. In fact, I did write just such a program some years ago, and used it for a little barebow playing around our field course.
Is there any demand for such a thing?

[tyro]

Jim, anything that adds to the body of knowledge is a help. Barebow shooting for competition has long been one of the dark arts, for a couple of reasons. Firstly we are thin on the ground! Not often having competition means there are few opportunities to discuss techniques and skills with other barebow shooters. Secondly I understand there was an overt secrecy that prevented barebowers from passing on their knowledge ("I'm not going to help you beat me" attitude) This is changing, particularly in Australia. I recall having a drink with 3 or 4 barebowers last year tossing around the value of a weekend together to pass on the skills. It was no more than a germ of an idea but I haven't forgotten it. Maybe on day - when life is a little less busy and we can lobby AA for some support.....

Back to Accurate Sights, a barebow version or inclusion would give us the advantage of all the numbers in the one package for use as a learning and practise tool, as other archers have been using it since publication. I would buy it.


Trudy