Vision Question

[Dustin07]

Sorry if this topic is beat to death;

but I have noticed at 25 yards and further my pattern stays consistent and I can see the target just fine and am able to fire accurately, however I cannot see the arrow from where I am standing until I approach the target.

So the shots seem to be as accurate as I expect them to be, but I don't know for sure until I approach the target and verify. is that normal? at what range do you guys begin to lose the arrow? in the last week I shot an arrow straight down the spline of another arrow and then shot an arrow through the fletching of yet another.  But I knew this based upon the sound of one arrow hitting the other.  I didn't know what to expect until I reached about 10 yards or so.

I do use contacts as well and I'm thinking of getting my rx just a tiny bit increased this summer... just in case. but i'm wondering what normal is.

[Dustin07]

39 views already and no responses. I assume so far of the 39 views nobody was able to clearly see the words 
good to know we're all on the same page.

[buckfvr]

Nock and fletch color, target color and lighting all affect what you see and dont.  Everyones eyes are different.

[Jpmiller]

I'm in about the same boat but I've got some color blindness I attribute it to. 20/20 otherwise.

[Dustin07]

that's a good point maybe I'll try a different fletch color on my next round of arrows then. right now I have red, orange and white but still at 25 yards they just disappear into the target.  maybe blue might help.

[DOUBLELUNG]

I wear progressives and cannot track my arrow in flight like i could before I needed glasses.  I was fortunate to make it to 47 before I needed corrective lenses.  I have been told by a couple of eye docs that most people need corrective lenses around 40.  I don't have any answers sorry.

[Dustin07]

I wear progressives and cannot track my arrow in flight like i could before I needed glasses.  I was fortunate to make it to 47 before I needed corrective lenses.  I have been told by a couple of eye docs that most people need corrective lenses around 40.  I don't have any answers sorry.

I'm 36 and I've had contacts since I was 12 so I'm not too upset about that lol.
I guess my big question is from successful and ethical bow hunters, how well can you see your arrow placement at 25 yards.

I mean, my shots are OK. I'm not too worried about accuracy, that seems to be fine. It always just feels sorta weird to take 3-6 shots and not fully know how they patterned until I walk up there to retrieve them.  I wondered if other archers can relate to that or if I have a problem. 

I should have started this thread by saying, I'm new to bow hunting, I just started in March but I try to shoot a few times a week if not daily if I can so I'm getting to know my bow and whatnot pretty well. the vision thing is just a little weird.

sighting in a rifle at 100 or 200 yards and using binos are one thing, feeling blind at 25 is weird... lol

[Dhoey07]

At 25 I can usually see them fine, but I use 4" fletchings.  At 40 I use my rangefinder.

[RockCreek]

I have used lighted nocks for practice since they first came on to the market.  Way before Washington made them legal to hunt with.  They are fantastic for spotting your shots on target when practicing and they also can show some arrow flight issues if you have any.  They make arrow flight issues while tuning broadheads easier to see.      -Rock

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I would not worry about it.
Good form and follow through is looking at target.
Sometimes trying to watch arrow interferes with follow through by looking around bow and moving bow arm at release.
Its nice to see a hit, but not necessarily beneficial to be able to watch arrow.
Use brighter nocks or fletchings to increase visibility, but you should be focused on the target, not the arrow.

[luckyman]

I can see motion and can follow the arrow to to target upon release most always. Once its in the target I can't see it pass about 25 yards but I know if its nuts on, high, low or off by a mile just from follow through. My eyes have been affecting my shooting for about 15 years now.

[Dustin07]

Thanks for the great replies, really appreciate it and feel better about my eyes now 

I would not worry about it.
Good form and follow through is looking at target.
Sometimes trying to watch arrow interferes with follow through by looking around bow and moving bow arm at release.
Its nice to see a hit, but not necessarily beneficial to be able to watch arrow.
Use brighter nocks or fletchings to increase visibility, but you should be focused on the target, not the arrow.

Yeah I put in some good time this weekend working on my own shooting errors and I definitely saw this to be true. I could see the little things I was doing wrong that would cause a shot to drift a bit and what you just said about good form and follow through/looking at the target helped me fix some of my own mistakes big time. thank you! 

[NOCK NOCK]

I prefer not to know where each practice arrow hits. Usually only get 1 arrow in a hunting situation, so make every shot THE one shot. Focus on target and shooting form/follow through.
Another thing, hitting arrows gets spendy, I rarely shoot more than 1 arrow at the same spot on a target.

[Dustin07]

I prefer not to know where each practice arrow hits. Usually only get 1 arrow in a hunting situation, so make every shot THE one shot. Focus on target and shooting form/follow through.
Another thing, hitting arrows gets spendy, I rarely shoot more than 1 arrow at the same spot on a target.

after my second time plunking an arrow through another one I changed up my target setup.. 
yeah the first time was bragging rights, wasn't even angry. the second time and I said OK I need to not do this anymore or I'm going to go broke lol.

[300rum]

Try this, set up a video camera/phone on your eyes when you shoot, or just have someone stand next to you where they can see your eyes.  It is natural for someone to close their eyes (flinch) when shooting bows/guns, (Same for each, it doesn't matter).  What you want to do is get to where you keep your eyes open from the break of the shot through the recoil impulse, here's the reason....

When you have both eyes open during the shot, you will be able to tell where the arrow goes (or bullet), before it even hits the target, by knowing where the sight was at the very instant of the break of the shot.  With time and practice, you can "call your shot" and with a high degree of accuracy, over time, you will know where the shot impacts before it even hits the target.  Shooting a firearm, you will know instantly if a followup shot is warranted, if shooting a bow, you will know if the shot is too far back, etc.  without even seeing the impact. 

[Jpmiller]

That both eyes open thing is a good point. If you're shooting opposite of your dominant eye and have to have one closed it's harder to track arrow flight. . I'm in that boat.