# Pause to aim



## ZDP-189

*How long do you hold the bands at full draw?*​
*How long do you normally hold the bands at full draw?*

Instaneous3711.08%Under 3 seconds20059.88%More than 3 seconds but under 57522.46%More than 5seconds but under 10195.69%More than 10 seconds30.90%


----------



## ZDP-189

I wonder how most people shoot.

I hold for about 3 seconds as I aim.


----------



## pelleteer

I hold between 1 and 2 seconds before letting the shot fly. I've tried some snap shooting (where the shot is drawn and released in one fluid motion with no discernable pause) with fair results, but not as good as when I hold for a second or so. If I try holding any longer than a couple seconds, I actaully shoot much worse. I think it gives me time to second guess myself, causing me to miss the shot.


----------



## Bugar

Never really thought much about it- as I shot instinctive archery for -probly 50 yr or somthing like that, and slingshot more than that, I just shoot when it looks good, probly no more'n a second or 2, seems if i hold to change grip or get distracted to slow down and re-aim, really messes me up.











ZDP-189 said:


> I wonder how most people shoot.
> 
> I hold for about 3 seconds as I aim.


----------



## dragonmaster

I fire on the exhale as that is a relaxed time for my entire body that gives me the best shot not really shur bout the time


----------



## Tex-Shooter

I inhale while drawing and exhale about 1/2 before releasing. -- Tex


----------



## ZDP-189

This is fascinating, especially for someone like me who's never been to a shooting meet-up with serious shooters . I plan to use it in the experimental protocol for bench testing, but also it's as important to hear the experienced and successful shooters tell me what works so that I can improve my own abilities.


----------



## Fork Hunter

I shoot slingshot the same as rifle.........inhale on the draw, then exhale 1/3 at full draw and concentrate on the target.


----------



## ARB

Instantaneous for me. I find that I get both more power and more accuracy that way. I focus on drawing past my release point and releasing the shot while still drawing. If I focus on drawing to the release point I find that I introduce a short pause when I reach that point .


----------



## Flatband

When you're an "aimer" like I've become over the years,holding on the shot is mandatory. I recently changed from 3/8" ammo and bumped it up to 1/2" and to be honest, it wreaked havoc with my shooting. I could not for the life of me hold on target for even a second. It was draw and release. I would tell myself to hold but then -the shot was gone in an instant. Another shooter had the same thing happen to him too. (very weird). I am starting to gain control of the problem and am now holding for around 2-3 seconds. This is better but I would rather more 5-6 then I can back off when a certain comfort level is reached. Flatband


----------



## ZDP-189

Flatband, how about drawing to 80%, aiming and then drawing to 100% and firing? That way you'd have very little weakening of the band wile you were aiming.


----------



## Thwupp-p-p

pelleteer said:


> I inhale while drawing and exhale about 1/2 before releasing. -- Tex


These are the techniques that I'm currently using.


----------



## huey224

i pull straight to my jaw and aim then release.
but i make the bands a little longer than i need to just i case i see a rabbit.!


----------



## hawk2009

I aim but very breifly a second or so I breath in while pulling the bands back then hold my breath while taking aim and after release breath out.I used to hunt with air rifles from the age of 14 and would breath in while raising the gun and hold my breath when aiming,this way there is no movment of the chest muscles as their would be if you were breathing in or out only minimal movement from your stabilizer muscles hardly noticible.


----------



## Flatband

Hi ZDP,
I will give that method a try. It makes sense too. I also tried to line up next to the bullseye and then go over to it. I also practiced holding using one of my wifes LENNOX VASES!







I know the fear factor alone forbade me to release too soon!!!!!!! God, if I ever hit that! There is something Tex talked about years ago on a post mentioning that our minds are conditioned on a shoot-release timer or something to the effect of bullseye fever( difficulty in staying on the target with out firing for too long. Oh well, I'm working on it and all opinions and techniques are welcome! Flatband


----------



## Brooklyn00003

I hold around 1 sec the longer I hold the worst I shoot.


----------



## Dayhiker

The more I pay attention to how I shoot, the worse I shoot. But I figure I aim for around 3-5 seconds.
(and then miss most of the time)


----------



## dgui

dragonmaster said:


> I fire on the exhale as that is a relaxed time for my entire body that gives me the best shot not really shur bout the time


Now I know where I heard the if life, Dennis Hopper, Born to be Wild.


----------



## njenkins

As with any shooting sport there is a point when you want to slow your heart rate and thus movement down for steadier shooting. The best time to do this is on an exhale. I have always shot this way when sight shooting.


----------



## dgui

Snap shooting for me works well if I only extend my holding arm is only extended half distance.


----------



## josephlys

3-4 seconds for me. inhale while drawing then exhale slowly then release. Thats the way i shoot a catty


----------



## stelug

i have been a slingshot shooter, then an istinctiv e archery, now back to slingshot. I think bow changed my habits. Now, with catty, I look and the targhet, go full drow, pause one or two seconds just to adjust but not propperly aiming because I have any reference point on the forks, then suddenly release. Breathing is not so important, now, as it was on bow but i used to pull 55-60 libs.
this is the last hit, 15-20mt average, of about a dozen kills.


----------



## Guest

about 2-3 secods


----------



## NaturalFork

After many years of shooting a sighted compound bow in competition I HAVE to aim when I shoot. So I hold the shot until I am properly aimed. About 4 seconds.


----------



## USASlingshot

normaly when i target shoot i dont aim, when i am hunting however i spend 5 seconds or so making sure im aimed correctly


----------



## dgui

We gots to do what works for us. I cannot aim to shoot. Now I pause very briefly and whamo I lets it g. o.


----------



## Flatband

I am holding on target longer now. Early this year I changed my ammo size from 3/8" and bumped it up to 1/2" steel balls. It reeked havoc with my accuracy because I couldn't hold on target for enough time to be comfortable with the shot. It was just draw and release-no good for an aimer. Now I'm able to hold on the target longer to get better acquisition and am doing better. Took awhile to get accustomed to the bigger ammo though. Flatband


----------



## Martin

It would depend on what I'm doing. If hunting its Instantaneous, I concentrate on the the

spot I want to hit and draw reach my anchor and let rip.

If target shooting follow the same process but pause for a couple of seconds when I reach my anchor point.

Martin..


----------



## dragonmaster

Tried instinct shooting yesterday and was really surprised that I hit the target a few times and the other shots were still in the catch box.


----------



## mr.joel

I try for a inhale as well letting about half out while trying for one fluid motion of aim, draw, and fire, similar to the chariot archers in "Gladiator(can't think of how else to describe it)." Ordinarily there is a pause but it is brief, about a half second.


----------



## Guest

do you think of the rubber drawing Attenuation after 3 seconds when u draw it out completely? 
ok ,for example if the the tube pull is 10KG, the pull will decreased to less than 8KG soon after when u draw out totally and hold it after 3 seconds. the pull will continue to decrease rectilinearity,maybe less than 4-6KG after 8-10 seconds,rubber life will be shortened very quickly meanwhile. 
that means u must shoot after u draw it out totally in 3 seconds,otherwise that will cause the shooting accuracy due to pull decreasing rectilinearity,at the same time it lead to ineffective hunting lethality with lower pull.


----------



## pelleteer

danny said:


> do you think of the rubber drawing Attenuation after 3 seconds when u draw it out completely?
> ok ,for example if the the tube pull is 10KG, the pull will decreased to less than 8KG soon after when u stretch out totally and hold it after 3 seconds. the pull will continue to decrease rectilinearity,maybe less than 4-6KG after 8-10 seconds,rubber life will be shortened very quickly meanwhile.
> that means u must shoot after u draw it out totally in 3 seconds,otherwise that will cause the shooting accuracy due to pull decreasing rectilinearity,at the same time it lead to ineffective hunting lethality with lower pull.


I remember reading that "attenuation" (perfect word for it, by the way







) didn't become an issue until after longer than 3 seconds. For some reason 5 seconds sticks in my mind, but I'm not sure of that's correct. There's been a lot of discussion of this phenomenon in relation to slingshot rifles, since it's much easier to hold the rubber back for extended periods with them.


----------



## Peresh

I got the same problem. The longer I hold the worst I shoot is basically what describes me here. When I lock on, I release the shot.

(I read the above sentence over and over and it sounds like it came from a Viagra forum... funny !)


----------



## dgui

peresh said:


> I got the same problem. The longer I hold the worst I shoot is basically what describes me here. When I lock on, I release the shot.
> 
> (I read the above sentence over and over and it sounds like it came from a Viagra forum... funny !)


Just pull back momentarily relax and then let go.


----------



## Darb

2-3 Sec here.


----------



## danny358

i hold for a second or 2.i draw most of the way then hold my breath draw the last bit and release.i dont aim using anything on the forks i just focus on the target and release.i have alway shot this way. but recently i started with a new style and for a while i was aiming with the left hand fork.but have now gone back to the point and shoot method.and am reasonbly accurate.usally at least always inside a 5-6 inch target at 10 metres.(not competetion level yet lol.)


----------



## luresalive

Probably about 2 or 3 seconds, if I wait any longer I start to get hand wobble which dramatically cuts down my accuracy, which is mediocre as it is..


----------



## Brooklyn00003

Depends on the size of the target .

I am practicing at 8 meters target is 3.3cm it takes up to 3 full seconds to aim when bigger targets might take 1 and eveen less .


----------



## PandaMan

changed my vote. I find the more I think about my shot, the more accurate it is. Sometimes I even move my head down slightly so that the top of the forks are at eye level, so I can get a better idea of where it's going to go.


----------



## cvarcher

The dreaded Target Panic exists in slingshot shooting as well!! Thank God I do not have that. As I shoot a longbow instinctively and Howard Hill style I aim while Im going thru the draw and as I touch anchor on the corner of my mouth I release maintaining back tension.Its a fast pretty accurate type of shooting for hunting only.With slingshots however I dont get that target panic as great as the bow because of the lighter draw weight. So I draw to the corner of my mouth and hold while aiming. Sometimes I count to 3 or 4 or 5 seconds and release. See which becomes the most accurate. Turns out for me about 4 -5 seconds give me a very accurate shot.More importantly though is I can do it over and over exactly that way.IF I snap shot I might make an accurate shot but I dont think I could duplicate it over and over.The mind does become the trigger and with high weighted bows it plain stinks.So Ive dropped bow weight to the 45-50lb pull and its much much more in control.Plenty of killing power there too.


----------



## Flatband

Well like I said earlier in this post,I bumped up to 1/2" steel from 3/8" awhile back. I gave that bigger ammo a good chance but I went back to 3/8". I just feel so much more comfortable with the smaller size. I'm also able to hold on target longer which in my case makes for a more accurate shot The reason I say my case is that I developed a little tremor in my left (holding ) arm. The extra hold on target time seems to be helping me. Whatever works guys!







Flatband


----------



## Jaybird

A lot off people think a snap shot is a fast instinctive shot.Not true, a snap shot is a uncontrolled shot.A fast instinctive shot is a controlled shot.It can be a "snap shot"uncontrolled shot but not necessarily so.No one wants a snap shot.


----------



## josephlys

I still can't control snap shots. I need to hold around 3 seconds.


----------



## dgui

Im almost sure the longer you pause to aim the greater the opportunity for a no hit rises. At least it does for me.


----------



## AJW

Dayhiker said:


> The more I pay attention to how I shoot, the worse I shoot. But I figure I aim for around 3-5 seconds.
> (and then miss most of the time)



Dayhiker, I had the very same problem, the harder I tried or didn't try, the worse I got. I finally found the problem and now shoot fairly well , The problem was the targets were too small, as soon as I replaced the pop can at 10 paces with a paint can my results soared to 6 or 7 hits out of 10. I'm a very happy shooter now and stay close to the house, there is however, a nagging concern I have. Do you think this will hold true for shooting game, will I have to skip the squirrels and doves and go right after the wild boar and cougar? Any advise will be seriously considered. AJW


----------



## mckee

it depends


----------



## Bert

You're going to hit it when you feel in the zone


----------



## dgui

Don't wait just let er rip.


----------



## Rapier

Fork Hunter said:


> I shoot slingshot the same as rifle.........inhale on the draw, then exhale 1/3 at full draw and concentrate on the target.


I noticed your signiture and just wanted to ask if you listen to the skeptics' guide podcast? If not just disregard
Cheers


----------



## Rapier

Well it really depends on what I'm aiming/shooting at. I'm very new to shooting slingshots but have shot rifles and shotguns for nearly three decades. I find that if I'm shooting inanimate objects like bottles or cans I seem to hold for a second or three with a breath in slowly, breath out slowly and THWACK! (or piiinnnnngggggggg!) This seems to be slightly exeggerated when shooting paper targets (i.e. with rings and a bullseye) I might then hold for may be 5 secs... Similar to how I take a shot with a rifle. However when I shoot a moving target (which I really like) I seem to shoot more intuitivly with sometimes a full on push pull shot where I draw and release in one motion, extending my arm toward the lead and drawing back the shot simultainiously. Sometimes I dont think I even really aim down the bands as such! This is also quite like the way I might shoot ducks or birds or clays with the shotty so may by just habbit, good or bad I don't have the experience to tell just yet.


----------



## Bob Fionda

I prefer shooting instinctive without holding, it works better for me, I get more. I'm trying to learn to hold and aim but often ammo goes away from the target.


----------



## Bob Fionda

In the last few days I'm trying to pause about three seconds to see how it's like. I must say that it works for me provided I pay much attention and hold my breath.


----------



## rubberpower

I only shoot moving targets and a pause makes for a miss. When I practice it is the same way, as soon as the feeling is right I release even if I am not at full draw. I guess it all depends on what style of shooting you want to do.


----------



## Ordie69

I use the same principles that I do in pistol and rifle shooting. Draw in on aim, exhale slowly on release.


----------



## dgui

If your a Sniper, wait for it.

And if your not, when you see it just go ahead and hit it, that's how Rufus did it, he would just hit it.


----------



## SilentRobo

Wait a few seconds and when i feel comfortable/ready i will shoot


----------



## pop shot

i have my shot lined up as soon as there's medium tension on my bands. i release as i'm pulling back behind my ear, i try not to have a static release, i shoot better if i'm still slowly drawing.


----------



## Vekta

It's hard to describe.

The best description I can come up with is I release when I see a blurry straight line (the bands) in front of my line of sight and the spot where I want to hit is clear. It's kind of like the site picture one might get on self defense handgun. I release as soon as I pick up that sight picture and aim for "center of can". Sometimes that's 3 seconds, sometimes it's more.


----------



## RedRubber

I'm still in a learning stage after many years of not shooting a slingshot. I shot a lot of archery, both compound and recurve and longbow.

RR


----------



## filipino_saltik

look aim and shoot just let the shot happen be one with your ammo or like other says be the ammo. i love when i give feelings to my shots its like going to my own happy place, filipino


----------



## rdmiller3

I try to shoot as close to instantaneously as possible because bands/tubes lose energy pretty quickly while you're holding them stretched. Holding them for several seconds can lose more than 10% of the draw weight.


----------



## Incomudro

Dayhiker said:


> The more I pay attention to how I shoot, the worse I shoot. But I figure I aim for around 3-5 seconds.
> (and then miss most of the time)


^^^^
This is what happened to me.
When I came to this site, and purchased the book; Slingshot Shooting - I re-though, and paid too much attention to my technique.
I made a post about this here earlier, so I apologize for repeating myself - but everything about my shooting got worse!
Fork hits too!

To answer the question, I probably hold about three seconds after I anchor.


----------



## THWACK!

huey224 said:


> i pull straight to my jaw and aim then release.
> but i make the bands a little longer than i need to just i case i see a rabbit.!


_WABBIT!!!??? WHERE?????_


----------



## newconvert

aiming is hard if you practice with multiple ss's so i am with DGUI when it feels right release, but i have to learn that muscle control to be more consistant


----------



## Berkshire bred

pull to my ear and aim for about three seconds then let the shot fly but i have the bands so that i can pull to half butterfly if i need to take a rabbit.


----------



## Jakerock

I try to have my arms in motion, pulling pouch / pushing fork as I release.


----------



## mopper

I shoot target style and use the top band for aiming right or left (azimuth) but I use instinct for elevation. I do not hold for more than two, max three seconds.


----------



## Arturito

I never aim much time ... between 1 or 2 seconds ... I don't aim verifying alignment or elevation or whatever, I only put my attention on the target and release ... what I do is a careful loading, that takes me some time ...


----------



## halbart

dgui said:


> If your a Sniper, wait for it. And if your not, when you see it just go ahead and hit it, that's how Rufus did it, he would just hit it.


We all shoot for fun, but your style looks the most fun of all !


----------



## halbart

Still finding my way.


----------



## dgui

Incomudro said:


> 'Dayhiker' said:
> 
> 
> 
> The more I pay attention to how I shoot, the worse I shoot. But I figure I aim for around 3-5 seconds.
> (and then miss most of the time)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ^^^^
> This is what happened to me.
> When I came to this site, and purchased the book; Slingshot Shooting - I re-though, and paid too much attention to my technique.
> I made a post about this here earlier, so I apologize for repeating myself - but everything about my shooting got worse!
> Fork hits too!
> 
> To answer the question, I probably hold about three seconds after I anchor.
Click to expand...

This is so typical and so did I till fortunately got a look at how The Bean Shooter Mans shooting style. Lots of miss information out there.


----------



## The Warrior

I was just saying the other day that it seemed I did better the less I aimed. Not sure about time, but not overly long.


----------



## All Buns Glazing

There's an old poll on this on the forum. On my phone now, so of course, I can't find it. Anyone?


----------



## dannytsg

I generally acquire my target aim pull and fire within 3 seconds. I always give myself some extra time to be able to make minor aim adjustments especially if I am hunting.


----------



## comviz1

Slingshot: Horizontal over flat bands

Grip Hand: Right hand holds sling and Left the pouch

Grip: Finger wrap and thumb brace

Pouch holding style: English breakfast tea cup grip

Orientation: Vertical (slightly bend forward)

Technique:

1. Locate Target

2. Breath 3 to 4 times (faster to slow)

3. On the last inhalation, I draw sling toward the target while keeping both eyes open and on the target (not the sling)

4. As the pouch reaches my jaw, I close my dominant eye (Right eye) and adjust the target dead center at the level of the tip of the forks

5. I exhale and mid exhalation I release the pouch

I do steps 1-5 in less than 3 seconds. Number one however can take hours if you are hunting of course.

Hope that helps. Someone mentioned Rufus for speed loading/shooting. Also look for Charles on tips to becoming a good shooter. He can also tell you how to avoid injury etc. Definitely recommend Charles


----------



## Crimson Owl

I draw and release once i hit full draw ( behind my head ) i usually max out the bands or atleast try to.


----------

