# Aim Or Instinct?



## wolf (Nov 23, 2012)

hey guys, i'm just curious, do you aim or just shoot instinctivley? i have never aimed, and i want to try it. What is the best way to aim a slingshot?


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## capnjoe (Jun 3, 2012)

Whatever works best for you. Both take time to figure out. I shoot instinctively for the most part, but some benefit more from the lollypop stick aiming technique.
That's where you line up your bands or tubes and place the target atop the "stick" you created with your elastics.
Ther are many videos on youtube demonstrating the many different techniques. Just do a search there. Good luck


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## All Buns Glazing (Apr 22, 2012)

I aim - it's the way my brain works. I'm kinda anal and methodical with lots of stuff. With butterfly, I'm kinda instinctual, but I don't hit anything, so I just shoot, scream with delight at the size of the hole I put in the fence, and reload.


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## sduncan91 (Mar 13, 2012)

I always shoot instinctively. I don't know why but aiming is just something I can't get my head around, I have literally never hit a target after consciously aiming. I line up everything as best I can but always miss by a few inches at least. Of course I rarely try to aim since it feels so unnatural and awkward to me. If I were going to commit to aiming though, I would probably use the techniques demonstrated by Bill Hayes which you can find on YouTube. He uses the "lollypop stick" method, sideshooting (gangsta style). It appears to be an effective and simple way to aim incredibly precisely, so you may want to check that out.


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## DaveSteve (May 16, 2012)

I may open a hornet nest now but that's my thought on 'instinctive' shooting.
Pure instinctive shooting in my opinion is tossing something or kicking something.
As soon as you have something in front of your eyes like an arrow, pistol, rifle, slingshot ect. you will use (if you notice it or not) this equipment in front of you as a reference point.
Your brain is calculating the distance somehow from your hand, slingshot, ect. in reference to your target. Vertical and horizontal. Repetiton will cause the muscles to remember this and adjust.
I used to shoot traditonal longbow and it was considered 'instinctive' shooting compared to a compound bow with sights.
I always saw with my peripheral vision the target and the arrow. Did I aim?
Same with the slingshot. I have both eyes open and I see the target and my slingshot and bands.
At a given distance I (my brain, muscles) make adjustments.
I do not focus on a 'lollypop stick'.
That's how I shoot.
Instinctive or aiming?


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

No doubt about it, I'm an aimer.

I visually check both my bands are lined up with each other and the target. I then use a reference point on the fork and align then with my impact point. I release the pouch when all conditions are met.

I remember this subject coming up at a local pistol range years ago. Quite a few people considered themselves quality 'Instinctive' shooters. As soon as you removed any visual reference from them, or had them shoot in a position or direction they did not have a 'muscle memory' for, they hit nothing.


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## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

I am an aimer... meaning I use the fork as a reference point to my target... I have a couple of long winded videos on aiming that try to cover all aspects of it , but here is some basics to get you started.

first it will take some tinkering around to find what is most comfortable to you

Holding the fork "gangsta* tilting the fork 90* gives you the most reference points to guide your aim.

1. make sure you find an anchor point and keep it consistent... the spot where your pouch is when your draw is complete
2. line the bands/tubes where it looks like it the top and bottom band are one. and the center point at the fork is lined up with the target. (aiming with the eye closest to your bands)

release and hit the target.

try a few shots first keeping everything the same.. if you are too high, you will have to raise your anchor point to keep the fork at the same reference. visa verse if its too low.

If you hold the forks upright to shoot... you wont really worry about how the two bands/tubes look and the fork reference will depend on your slingshot type.. start with the inner corner of the fork closest t the body and see where the ammo goes and adjust the fork reference accordingly.

If you have a proper set up and release, you should find your "sweet spot"

Remember make slight changes after a few shot..

anchor
fork placement
head tilt

all affect where the ammo will go.. so take baby steps..
once you find your spot, it comes down to the most important rule... practice, practice, practice....

watching videos of people shooting are very helpful... for me at least. I shot many ways, and always love trying new things, and though I try to figure out things on my own, it is beneficial to see others that do well, to see where I stand...

I also watch my own videos,(even the ones I dont upload) so I can see where I went wrong, or how well I did.

Good Luck, and enjoy.... even if you dont find aiming as your thing, it is always cool to change it up a bit from time to time

LGD


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## Scrambler84 (Dec 8, 2011)

I do a little of Both at times . But Got to say both eyes open works best for me seeing the hit in my mind then just go for it .......


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## Berkshire bred (Mar 4, 2012)

when i got my first slingshot i tried a little bit of aiming but it just didnt work for me so i shoot instinctive and i am hitting stuff so i am happy with it.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

Check out the "Bill Hays" videos in the pocket predator section of the forum.


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## mopper (Nov 17, 2012)

I usually do the instinctive point and shoot method because if you actually hit something with it it is somehow more satisfying.

I will say though that I am considerably more precise when I shoot in my "half aim" style, that means I use only the top band of my slingshot for azimuth (left/right) but determine elevation instinctively.

I always shoot my ss target style (90°canted to right) butkeep the pouch "upright" so it gets the 90° twist. This is not because i am one of the "twist the pouch" believers (every single one of my fork hits was because of bad pouches or messed up release) but just because it feels natural.

Those of you who also shoot target style and line up the bands: Do you twist the pouch too? Because if you do how do you manage to line up the bands? That seem impossible to me.


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## capnjoe (Jun 3, 2012)

mopper said:


> I usually do the instinctive point and shoot method because if you actually hit something with it it is somehow more satisfying.
> 
> I will say though that I am considerably more precise when I shoot in my "half aim" style, that means I use only the top band of my slingshot for azimuth (left/right) but determine elevation instinctively.
> 
> ...


Once they are under tension the twist kinda disappears. It's still there, but it's less noticable. It certainly doesn't seem to effect anything. Try it with an empty pouch.
I don't believe it's necessary to twist when shooting target style or with any fork having enough room to allow safe passage for the ammo.

I turn the pouch with the pfs because it's how I learned to do it. It now just feels right with any slingshot I shoot. One quarter turn and I'm good to go.

Just remember, it's all about preference. YOUR preference.


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## wolf (Nov 23, 2012)

wow, I am amazed at the effort you guys put in to helping me out, i really appriciate it. i have been shooting a lot here in barbados with my axiom, and i just want to ask one thing; is it easier to aim when the bands go around the forks then when they go ott? because in when they go ott they have to twist around before they reach the pouch, so it might be more difficult to line them up. i'm not sure, what do you guys think?


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## Incomudro (Jan 12, 2012)

Stop playing with yourself Hooper!
Slow ahead - if you please.

It's instinctive for me.
I've only given aiming a bit of a try, but I'm not into it.
Maybe if I was going to get competative about it, or wanted to _seriously _work on my accuracy - I'd give it a try.

As far as I'm concerned, shooting a slingshot is like casting a fishing lure, passing a football etc.

Of course, there are guys cutting cards here and I don't think that's possible without aiming.
But frankly, I'm not into that kind of accuracy at this point.
Maybe when my kids are bigger, and I'm less busy with them I'll experiment more.


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## Hawkman (Oct 18, 2012)

Before I chip in with my contribution let it be known I am a bad shot. I 1st tried instinctive style this morning when I noticed a huge difference in speed with an accidental slipped release.
I did not aim at all, not even slightly. It was literally point and shoot immediately and I was hitting shot after shot on target. I couldn't believe it and the satisfaction was monumental! I hit a groove for a good few minutes then I started losing accuracy. When my form starts slipping (with anything) I'll generally stop what I'm doing as I don't believe in practising wrong, as you end up learning wrong. I honestly don't think there was any aiming involved over than pure old fashioned hand eye co-ordination.


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## PrideProducts (Jan 4, 2012)

i think aiming and instinctive are very similar as when you shoot 'instincively' you shoot when it feels right this is the same as aiming as you let go of the pouch only when it feels right. i think if you shoot instinctive it is only because you rather than aiming the target ont the fork tip you have what i think of as muscle memory.
where you feel the shot is right i also think that if you shot instinctively and looked where the for tip was and lined it up with somthing behind it and then did it again it would be the same rather than aiming you build up muscle memory and that allows you to not need to line the fork up with the target


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