Shooting an arrow around obstacles - GIF

[Altair]

Shooting an arrow around obstacles.




Previously:

Shooting an arrow through a swinging ring - GIF
Arrows vs. breastplate - GIF
Pump action bow - GIF and videos
Rapid-fire magazine for a bow and arrow
1403 arrowhead extraction tool - photo

[Frank S]

Now that is a trick I'd like to learn, but I have enough trouble hitting the target straight in front of me with my cross bow

[schuylergrace]

Ha! You do that by nocking the arrow high. With the bow turned 90°, the arrow oscillates side to side, naturally trying to correct its course. It will oscillate like that, but with decreasing amplitude, until the arrow hits something. You could probably do the same with a crossbow, but I wouldn't want to be the one who tried, given the extra power/acceleration of those things. The shorter, stiffer bolt might also make it more difficult to do because part of the oscillation comes from the arrow flexing back and forth as it flies.

[Frank S]

Ha! You do that by nocking the arrow high. With the bow turned 90°, the arrow oscillates side to side, naturally trying to correct its course. It will oscillate like that, but with decreasing amplitude, until the arrow hits something. You could probably do the same with a crossbow, but I wouldn't want to be the one who tried, given the extra power/acceleration of those things. The shorter, stiffer bolt might also make it more difficult to do because part of the oscillation comes from the arrow flexing back and forth as it flies.

Its been so long since I had my old Ben Person 95 Zebrawood bow I had completely forgotten about how an arrow makes undulations in flight, Haven't done any archery in many decades, until just recently I was given a XR250b wildgame recurve crossbow by Bernett. By no means a high-end bow but the 175lb draw and 250ft per minute launch speed is decent enough for a 30 yard kill on smaller game I've bagged a couple coyotes with it. If I were to think about getting a serious C bow I'd probably look into something like the ten-point nitro 505, but those things are like 3 grand per copy
Sorry that should read 250 feet per second

[Saltfever]

edit . . . 250ft per minute launch speed is decent enough for a

Probably should ask for your money back!

[Frank S]

Probably should ask for your money back!

Sorry that is 250 feet per second

[mlochala]

I've shot bows for years and I couldn't tell you how this is done. I suspect this is one of those green or blue screen tricks like you see on Tik Tok all the time.

[schuylergrace]

I've shot bows for years and I couldn't tell you how this is done. I suspect this is one of those green or blue screen tricks like you see on Tik Tok all the time.

No, it's not that difficult with some practice. See my comment above if you want to try it sometime. That said, I've only done it using a recurve bow, like the one he is using, and I'm not nearly as good/accurate as he is (assuming that wasn't just one lucky shot). I don't know if you could accomplish that with a compound bow.

[mlochala]

No, it's not that difficult with some practice. See my comment above if you want to try it sometime. That said, I've only done it using a recurve bow, like the one he is using, and I'm not nearly as good/accurate as he is (assuming that wasn't just one lucky shot). I don't know if you could accomplish that with a compound bow.

Most of my shooting has been with a compound, and I wouldn't try anything like this with one of those. I've seen some trick shots similar to this done with traditional gear (stickbow or recurve).

Yes, on second thought though, if like you said you were to nock it high and turn it sideways, the arrow would try to correct or stabilize itself and this would be within the realm of possilibity. Even so, I highly doubt this was a first try success.

[dagrizz]

On close examination, it appears that the fletching has been placed just aft of the CG (center of gravity). If true, the extension of the shaft behind the fletching could cause an exaggerated oscillation. It'd be interesting to do a simulation to see if I'm right.