Byron Ferguson "Become the Arrow"

[outdooru]

Anyone out there seen and read Byron's books. Great info but I have a question. Maybe I'm a slow learner or maybe I just don't fully understand his technique. His method is explained as a modified form of gap shooting where distance does not matter. In his latest DVD he made the comment that his gap does not change out to his point on distance. Not sure how this works or what he meant. Any additional insight would be appreciated. I do understand the part of visualizing the arrow flight path but can't get past this gap part. I am a fairly new trad. shooter and I have not practiced gap shooting very much. I mostly look, shoot and hope    

[RonnieB]

I never read his book, but there was a show on last night on the History channel called "Master Sharpshooter", I think was the name.  Mr. Ferguson was on there and is was truely amazing to see him shoot!  He did trick shots at a distance most of take hunting shots!  After seeing that I'll definately be getting his book!

[pjsnell]

I take his meaning to be that there is no gap out to "point on" range, the arrow is traveling with a flat enough trajectory that the shooter will hit what the arrow is pointing at. A key part of Mr Ferguson's method is knowing the distance where your trajectory drops below the point you are aiming at, and then knowing how "high" you need to aim to compensate.  
I use this method as well, but don't practice enough to be much a shot beyond 20 yards or so.

[Swamp Pygmy]

I just switched from gap to byrons method. I never read his book, so I could be wrong, but I think we are pretty much alike.

I think it has good hunting application, and I think it's what many instinctive shooters do without realizing it.

You concentrate HARD on the one spot you want to hit, but rather than just shoot instinctively you are really envisioning in once sense or another your arrow.

It's a bad choice of words because I don't actually envision anything. I am just consistent on form and basics and understand my arrow trajectory. Shoot enough and you know what a shot would look like without having to release the string.

It IS pretty hard to explain come to think of it, and it's probably a good book. Like pj said once you hit a certain range and your arrow drops it can lead to "huh?" moments. It'll be in perfect alignment but low. I don't practice out past that distance much either though because I'm a hunter, not a target shooter. But at any rate I feel it's a good system for hunting. It's not based on memorizing gaps which might get confusing in the field, or change due to small changes in form, etc.

 You just pull back, can see where your arrow will go, and let it go. It's not based on any specific distance, target shape, or environment background. It is based on many hours of shooting the same bow though. I never noticed if the gap changed to be honest, because I don't know what the proper gap would look like to begin with. But I'll take byrons word for it.

[JoeM]

The gap is a necessary step that the more you shoot the more it becomes learned.  In other words use the gap in the beginning to learn the arch of your arrow then as you learn the arch you will be able concentrate less on the gap and more on aiming.  He talks about how a lot of archers get content with there success using the gap and never progress to becoming the arrow.  It takes awhile but soon you should be able to concentrate on your spot and your mind and bow arm will subconciously set the gap.  Joe

[Orion]

Byron uses split vision like Howard Hill did.  Except for some set up shots, he doesn't use specific gaps for specific distances, but rather is aware of the arrow/gap through peripheral vision.  Over time and a lot of practice, the brain determines when this "look/peripheral view" is correct to hit what one is aiming at.