About the Author: Austin Murphy is a skilled hunter with a passion for archery. With 17+ years of experience, he possesses extensive knowledge of various archery equipment, including compound bow, recurve bow, and crossbow. His expertise in these accessories allows him to pursue his love for archery while honing his hunting skills with precision and finesse. As participant in NFAA and ASA competitions, Austin own around 8 Recurve Bows, 6 Compound Bows, and 2 Crossbows.
You draw an arrow and shoot with your Bow, but you miss the target. After consistently missing, you ask yourself, “Why is My Bow Shooting Left/Right?”. To answer your question, I have discussed the reasons, the solutions, the tips, and techniques, and have cleared some main points about why you are missing your target and why is your Bow shooting to the left/right.
Archery is a hobby that requires the right amount of skills, passion, and the right types of equipment. There are a variety of different companies and brands that manufacture different types of bows. These bows are marked with different specs, features, and designs, and all of them require proper tuning or maintenance for long-term performance.
You might be interested in: Explore various methods to reduce the noise of your bow in our article on Quieting Your Bow.
Why Is My Bow Shooting Left / Right
When you draw your bow and release it you find the target going either left or right. Sometimes, it can be a human error but if this happens consistently this means that there are some imbalances in the bow that needs to be solved.
Below I have discussed some reasons that can answer your question, “Why Is My Bow Shooting Left / Right”.
Bow torque
Every time a bow is shot it produces a rotational force which is called a Torque. When bows create torque it has to be properly handled, resulting in your arrows moving away from the target or causing the bow to shoot to the left or right.
- Hold the bow properly.
- Grip the bow in a natural position.
- Ensure that your wrists are not bent.
Read More: How to Adjust Cam Timing on a Compound Bow
The Wind
The wind is the biggest environmental factor in causing your arrows to move to the sides. Sometimes, there is harsh weather and the wind flow is fast. This makes your arrows tilt in the air as you shoot and you miss your target. You should use heavier arrows or move closer to the target to solve this issue.
Weak Arrow Spine
One of the main reasons or cause for your shots moving off-target or going left or right is a weak arrow spine. Arrows that are too weak or made with low-quality material for your bow will bend too much while in the air causing you to miss. You should visit a professional archery shop and pick the best option for your bow.
Are You Over-Bowed?
Being Over-Bowed determines that you are shooting with a draw weight that is marked too heavy for you and you are unable to control it at your will. Many people do not take this seriously and it causes your shots to go off the sides because there is no proper handling and control over the bow.
Sight and bow out of tune
If any part of your bow is out of tune it can result in your Arrows shooting on either the left or right side of the target. This issue can not be overlooked as you can not accurately find which part of the is un-tuned and resulting in this issue. So, all parts of the bow should be tuned appropriately.
Improper anchoring
Anchoring plays an important step in shooting a bow, improper anchoring can cause your arrows to go off to the sides every time constantly. This issue happens mainly because people do not have the right technique for anchoring the bow. To solve this issue you need to improve your technique and slightly move your anchor point to the direction you are shooting at.
Environmental causes
The environment can have a large impact on your arrows shooting to the sides. Most of the time Wind and Uneven ground level can cause this issue. Wind can move your shots in its direction and Uneven ground can cause your shots to tilt or move to the sides of the target.
Read More: How to Adjust the Draw Weight on a Compound Bow
You Need To Tune Your Bow
If there are no other issues or environmental factors affecting your shots, this means that your bow needs tuning and that all parts of your bow are not tuned properly.
Aligning the Limbs
Sometimes the alignment of the limbs becomes unaligned and causes your arrows to bend to the sides. Especially in a recurve bow, the limbs come out of alignment. This problem can be solved by using Limb Line Gauges, which are pieces of plastic that attach to the limbs, and checking if the bowstring is between the lines and gauges.
Paper Tuning
Paper tuning is a process of checking whether you need any adjustments at your nocking point or rest area. In this method, a stable piece of paper is placed and an arrow is shot through it, the markings of the arrow will tell what kind of adjustments you need.
You might be interested in: Learn the essential steps for tuning a compound bow for accuracy in our guide on Tuning a Compound Bow.
Walk Back Tune
Walk Back Tuning is another method of telling that you need any adjustments at your rest, this method is particularly used for horizontal adjustments in the bow.
For this method, you need to have a large target with something on top like a T pattern with tape and you have to hit between the lines. The first shot should be at 20 yards distance and then increase the distance and observe the pattern of your shots.
Read More: How Fast Do Arrows Fly from a Compound Bow?
Your Sight Is Moving
If the sight on the bow is moving due to vibrations or loose screws while the bow is not under use, you will have trouble with drifting. This can happen if the screws are not tight enough or if there is a manufacturing error if it is a new bow.
Tips and Techniques for Adjusting Your Bow’s Center Shot
Below I have guided you about the tips and techniques for adjusting your Bow’s Center Shot, to solve the issue of your bow shooting off-target.
Read More: Cost of Precision: How Much Does It Cost to Tune a Compound Bow?
Understanding the Center Shot
The bows are marked with different specifications and are used for different purposes from target shooting to worldwide competitions. These bows require proper adjustment and tuning to provide maximum and constant accuracy. This important factor is called the “Center Shot” which is the alignment of the bowstring’s nocking point with the arrow’s rest.
Identifying Center Shot Issues
The Center shot of a bow is marked as one of the major reasons that can cause your bow to shoot to the left/right. If your bow is not marked with a proper center shot alignment, it can result in poor arrow flight, decreasing the speed and fluctuating accuracy of the bow. This setup of the Center shot requires proper tuning for better performance.
Fine-Tuning Your Center Shot
The effect of a badly aligned Center Shot on the accuracy of the bow is huge, but solving this major issue is simple. The process of fine-tuning your center shot requires a few basic steps;
- Adjust the arrow rest of the bow, such that it is not too close or too far from the riser.
- Double-check the alignment of the arrow’s rest with the bowstring’s nocking.
- Identify your type of shooting to find and set your Center Shot perfectly.
- Evaluate your shooting results after shooting, and adjust the center shot accordingly.
Consistency and Follow-Through
To achieve the best results and maximum performance, proper consistency and follow-through are essential. Even the best archers and professionals require consistency to professionalize their skills. Find a tall target to shoot, stand at a fine distance, shoot with your bow, evaluate the results, and adjust your bow, then follow through these steps to attain perfect results.
Read More: How Far Can a Compound Bow Shoot? Formula-Based Analysis
Seeking Professional Assistance
If you face any kind of issue in any field of life, you seek professionals for proper assistance. The same is the case with the field of archery and bows. If you are facing issues with your bows, tuning issues, Center shot problems and adjustment issues, you should seek professional assistance to guide you.
Related Common Questions
Are you over-bowed?
There are a variety of different kinds of bows, equipping different specs, and attributes. If the draw weight is heavier or much lighter than your consideration, then it might be hard to control the bow and you might get Over-Bowed, resulting in off-target shooting.
Are your arrows shooting weak?
If your bow is shooting off-target and you are missing your shots, this may be due to the lack of arrow speed. With proper adjustments and alignments of the center shot, the issue of weak arrow shooting can be solved.
How to make horizontal sight adjustments
If you are shooting with your bow, but the arrows are missing the target and are moving slightly in the horizontal direction. This issue can be due to bad Horizontal sight adjustment, which can be solved with proper tuning and sight alignment.
How to make vertical sight adjustments
If you are shooting with your bow, but the arrows are missing the target and are moving slightly in the Vertical direction. This issue can be due to bad vertical sight adjustment, which can be solved with proper tuning and vertical sight alignment.
Can you train your other eye to be dominant?
For a right-handed bow shooter, the right eye should be dominant to get accurate results. Similarly, for a left-handed bow shooter, the left eye should be dominant for better performance. But with proper training, both eyes can be made dominant.
Read More: Can You Shoot a Compound Bow Without a Release?
End Note
Although the marketplaces are full of advanced and latest types of bows, providing modern features, vibrant designs, and unmatched specifications, still the question of Why is My Bow Shooting Left/Right can arise and only the best Bow can’t provide you with perfect results. Moreover, a proper check and balance, regular maintenance, and timely inspection of your bow are mandatory to achieve the best results.
To Conclude this informative guide, I would suggest that readers and bow owners consume every bit of knowledge regarding their bows. In the above discussion, I have explained each and every main point regarding your questions that will boost your knowledge and Archery experience.
