Gap shooters help!

[Iowabowhunter]

Recently started trying to consciously gap shoot by looking at the point of the arrow.

Stating to figure out gaps except for one thing-im consistently shooting to the left when i'm looking?

Im not sure how to fix this, anybody know where I can find some good advice for my problem?

[longbow fanatic 1]

I would take a video facing you at a right angle, then take a video above and over the shoulder. Post that video to the shooters forum here and you'll get some great feedback!

I'm not sure because I am not a gap shooter, but I have looked into a it a time or two, and every good gapper that I know says you don't ever actually look at the tip of the arrow. You just see it and the gap while staring at your intended bullseye!

Thats the part that has kept me from learning to gap. Every time I try to see where the arrow is pointed, my vision goes right to the tip of my arrow and I lose focus on my target.

Bisch

[gonefishing600]

This is probably the best description of gap shooting that I have found.

 http://www.stickbow.com/FEATURES/SHOOTING/gap.CFM

[Iowabowhunter]

I do have a video camera, but no computer unfortunately so I wouldnt be able to put the video up I dont think

[bigbadjon]

Is it also possible that your arrows are overspined? I would check that with a paper tune before anything else.

[Iowabowhunter]

Thats very possible, I will tune them to the best of my ability tomorrow and report back

[bretto]

Gonefishing600 that was a good read!! Thanks

bretto

[PeteA]

You should checkout the videos made by Jimmy Blackmon. I've learned great deal from his videos on gapping.

Something else to consider is to open your sight picture By canting your bow to about 1:00. If your a righty. You should also  consider practicing wand shooting. Put a strip of bight tape vertically down the entire face of your target from top to bottom. This will give you a perfect straight line to shoot for. It help you focus on your left, right aiming point.

[PeteA]

[riverrat 2]

Gap shooting for me is a programmed shooting sequence. Bisch had it right in his opening statement. arrow tip is for gap reference. I use the shaft of the arrow as a straight line to my bullseye. Tip to gap above,right on,or under the bullseye depending on its distance. Practice makes you know where that arrow will hit after lots,and lots of shots. I anchor middle string finger into mouth corner,draw till my bowarm is straight and parallel across my chest and utilize the arrow shaft to keep a straight aiming line to the bullseye. Gap it with the point,hold just a second.....gone.    rat'

[Caughtandhobble]

Jacob,

Try this, close your eyes and draw your bow. When you open your eyes see where your arrow is facing. I am willing to bet that you will be surprised where your arrow is pointing. If the arrow is not pointing at the target adjust your stance accordingly.

When I tried gap shooting, I too looked at the point of the arrow. This is how I was instructed by a former IBO World Champion, thanks James.

As everything in traditional archery, aiming is a very personal thing and not one size fits all. To the best of my knowledge I do keep the arrow tip in my peripheral vision. A lot of the great shoots that I have been lucky to meet called their aiming style "instinctive gap". It has been explained to me that the gap becomes so instinctive after time that very little thought is given to the gap at the time of the shot.

If you have not watched Jimmy Blackman's video the "Gap Compromise" I will highly recommend watching it. As far as that goes all of his videos are very informative. Good luck and have fun with it.

Ben

[Kingstaken]

When gap shooting are you holding the bow differently? Are you holding it more vertical instead of canting?

[Iowabowhunter]

I had always help the bow straight up and down, will try canting to about 1:00 to see if that makes a difference.

[longbow fanatic 1]

I shoot a very vertical bow position like you do, Iowa. My advice would be to make sure you're getting to full draw with proper shoulder rotation. Check Terry's form clock image. Then, make sure you're not torquing the bow. The final steps would be paper tuning and bare shaft tuning your bow. You could be shooting left because of too stiff of spine. I am a gap shooter and sometimes I get left arrows too. If you have proper alignment and good form, that should correct most problems. When I struggle with left/ right arrows, sometimes it's form breakdowns. Other times and with a bow I haven't shot much, I could be the arrows. When I mess around with arrow shaft sizes and tip weights, that seems to help. Also make sure to check your brace height for your bow.

[mahantango]

In my experience, if your arrow spine is correct, a left miss for a righty is most often caused by not having the arrow nock directly beneath the right eye at release. If you are going to gap shoot, using the arrow point for a "front sight", you must have the nock end "rear sight" beneath your eye so it is a straight line from nock to point to target. If not, then the arrow will be pointing off to the left even though the point is lined up on the target. Make sense?