Why is string walking disallowed?

[Briar Friar]

Amongst various archery organizations and their competitions.

Im sure it can be a very effective shooting style.(Nobody get their panties in a bunch....pretty please. Unless your **** cutter looks fantastic...then I demand pics.)

The only reason I can think of might be safety.

Thanks.

[DRT]

I have never shot in these competitions but I completely understand and agree with it being dqed.

Just look at Rick's shots in the FSC set ups. In general to even the other experienced shooters he has an edge because it's a sight system. Based off of a fixed forward point and adjusting the rear point.

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[KenWood]

Very good question. I've often wondered the same thing.

[KenWood]

I have never shot in these competitions but I completely understand and agree with it being dqed.

Just look at Rick's shots in the FSC set ups. In general to even the other experienced shooters he has an edge because it's a sight system. Based off of a fixed forward point and adjusting the rear point.

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Rick is very accurate. Though in the FSC he knows the distance. String walking, in my understanding, is very dependent on knowing the exact distance. I'm probably wrong because I never have messed with it.

[gonehuntin68]

Even after 30+ years of bow hunting I'm still learning new terms. What the heck is string walking.

[boh347]

Even after 30+ years of bow hunting I'm still learning new terms. What the heck is string walking.

.

String walking is a traditional technique that allows the archer to use the arrow point as his aim. It allows the archer to walk or slide his hand on the bowstring on a fixed distance below the arrow nock. The distance between the arrow nock and the archer's fingers is called the “crawl” or also known as the serving.

[CRM_95]

I'm not sure. I don't share this belief, but there's a lot of old school trad guys that sort of have the mindset of if you don't shoot split finger, instinctive, and off the shelf it's not really trad. String walking from what I see is relatively new maybe? Or just starting to gain some popularity? Anyway, I guess the rules for most trad shoots have been around longer than string walking has been. For what it's worth, I've watched the videos and it doesn't really interest me now, but maybe someday I'll try it. But to each his own. Rick is a good example of how well it works though!!

[speck1]

I watched that hour long video on string walking that someone here posted. It was pretty amazing. The fixed crawl nock was set at 20 yards and he stepped down from there. I went outside and launched two arrows into the woods trying to duplicate that 20 yard mark. I don't shoot past 20 yards so I decided to just stick with what I normally do. I want to take a bow I don't shoot much and try and figure it out. Maybe someone will link the video. It was one of the best I have seen.

[jerp]

String walking has been around a long time. There is an old guy at our club (shoots primarily field archery) who uses it very effectively. Field archery is shot from known distances. He looks at the yardage then starts counting down serving wraps with his thumbnail. When he reaches his spot on the string for that distance he grips the string there- at that point it's just draw and shoot. 3d shoots are supposed to mimic hunting scenarios and many feel string walking is an unfair advantage. Instinctive or gap aiming is thought to be more "pure trad", whatever that means.

[RickBarbee]

String walking literally is a very proficient way of using your arrow as a sight. Gap shooting is also, but string walking has a little bit of an edge on it where pin point accuracy is concerned.

That is why most trad venues do not allow it.

It takes a lot of work to be proficient with it, and you absolutely Must Know how to get the optimal tune from your rig, or it'll never work well for you. You also have to be a pretty good judge of distance to use it in competitions of unknown distances. In short, it isn't easy, but if you put in your time with it it's pretty awesome.

I agree it should not be thrown into the mix of competition with the "finger must touch the arrow" crowd, but it's plain silly to say it isn't trad, or to not accommodate it (and elevated rests) in a class of their own. The IBO Trad venue has a format for doing just that, and it is working quite well for them.

Rick

[DRT]

That's why over the years so many archers have tried to find ways to mark dowls or their bows to use gap markings to get a good guess at ranges.

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[RickBarbee]

That's why over the years so many archers have tried to find ways to mark dowls or their bows to use gap markings to get a good guess at ranges.

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Yes, but in competitions not allowing those tools, or marks on the bow (most of them), you're left with relying on the best educated guess only your eyes can give you.

Rick

[M.E.B.]

Way back when Traditional archery was just archery, pre-compounds, people gapped, string walked, used elevated rests and sights on their bows. Look at your old recurves from the 40's and 50's. They have flat shelves because a lot if not most archers shot off of a rest.

After compounds were out for a while some people gravitated back to recurves or tried them for the first time. Most went to "Trad" equipment because they wanted to start shooting a simplier style so they did not want sighting systems or rests.

Then books were written on the subject and the snobbery started. If you did not shoot a certain way you were not one of the cool kids. I even fell into it for a while.

As far as competition goes I do not believe that string walking should be allowed into the bare bow class. I have no problem with gapping.

Hunting wise I think you should do whatever it takes to prevent a wounded animal. If that is string walking, gapping, sights or shooting a compound so be it.

[Briar Friar]

Even after 30+ years of bow hunting I'm still learning new terms. What the heck is string walking.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1E1vKkSSoNs

Worth watching or even just listening too. I have to this several times whilst driving around. (However Ive wanted to kill the cock in the background or at least find out the breed...being Im a chicken herder). Good stuff.

[DRT]

Regardless it provides a more consistent form of aiming solution this the reason some do not allow it. Not saying it's easy to master but those who do, like Rick, can shoot lights out more consistently. Especially if they master range estimation as well.

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