Can someone explain gap to me?

[ishiwannabe]

Mods, I know there is another gap thread, didnt want to hijack it. If this has to go, I understand.
I have read a lot about gap shooting on here, and it makes no sense to me. I havent a clue as to how it is done.
I shoot instinctive....I draw, anchor, zone in on a spot and release. I hit ok, but not nearly as well as I would like.
Is gap more accurate? What are the basic needs of the gap technique?
Can someone put it all in layman's terms?

[reddogge]

I shoot like you but simply put at your personal anchor point there is a distance you can put the point of your arrow on the target and the trajectory of the arrow will allow it to fall into the target at that spot. That's your "point on" distance.

Everything shorter there will be a gap between your arrow point and your target.  The closer you get to the target the larger the gap and the farther you are from your target the smaller the gap until you reach your "point on" distance.

Anything over your point on distance you must aim over the target or lower your anchor point.

You must practice and memorize these gaps so you can visually recreate them when shooting.

Hope that is clear enough.

[McDave]

To add to reddogge's comments, I don't know if everyone does this the same, but I find that I can only shoot gap accurately if I keep the target in focus, so that the tip of the arrow is blurred in my peripheral vision.  I don't know why this is, since in the Marines we were taught to focus on the front sight, but it seems to be different in archery.

[ishiwannabe]

So you are using the point of your arrow as an aiming guide? Doesnt the difference between a BH and other points change it all?

[Greg Owen]

Good question, I have wondered this myself. It seems like the longer broadhead would affect your aiming.  I suppose you could use the point where the tip connects to the arrow.  I usually just pick a spot and let the arrow fly. 90% of my hunting time is spent looking for arrows behind my target.

[reddogge]

So you are using the point of your arrow as an aiming guide? Doesnt the difference between a BH and other points change it all?
 

I'm not a gap shooter myself and perhaps one could shed light but I would imagine you are really looking at the gap as a composite of the front end of the arrow, head and shaft combined to give you a certain sight picture, not necessarily the point alone.  From 29" back the head just looks like a rounded end of the arrow.

You may have to align you broadheads to give you a similar sight picture but it just may be not that important in the long run.  After all, at shorter distances the point is pretty far under the target so you are not really aiming it at anything.  

Think shooting a shotgun at a flying bird and you concentate on the lead (gap between bird and barrel) not the barrel or front bead itself.  That could lead to a great discussion of how you shoot at flying game with a shotgun; sustained lead, swing through, or swing forward. Nevermind.

[ishiwannabe]

I think I followed ya ok Reddogge.
I am beginning to get the general idea, I guess maybe the next step would be finding someone local that uses or knows that method.
It sounds promising, once the details are figured out.

[SHOOTO8S]

Originally posted by McDavid:
 I don't know why this is, since in the Marines we were taught to focus on the front sight, but it seems to be different in archery.

The difference between focusing on the front sight of a rifle or handgun instead of the target, which is universally correct, is follow through.A rifle at 2800+ FPS or even a handgun at 850+ is lots faster than our arrows and since at firearms speeds the bullet is out the barrel faster the degree of follow through is much less critical than arrow velocities. Being totally involved with the target makes use of the many abilities of the subconscious.

[ishoot4thrills]

Pick up a copy of Byron Ferguson's book, "Become the Arrow". That's what I did and knew nothing about gap shooting before. I used to shoot totally instinctive and was not satisfied with my shooting past 15 yds. After reading Byron's book, I gained much, much more confidence and have a whole lot more fun shooting now. I don't think he calls his method of shooting "gap", but it is very similar, nonetheless. He explains it in great detail and length.

[BobCo 1965]

Originally posted by ishiwannabe:
So you are using the point of your arrow as an aiming guide? Doesnt the difference between a BH and other points change it all?

I don't think so. Mainly because what you sill see is the end of the shaft before it tappers to a point. You actually do not see the very tip of the arrow, just the end of the shaft.

[Bear Heart]

Watch Masters of the Barebow.  Ron breaks down his method of gap shooting.