This is something that's been bothering me.

Gapping seems like a ridiculously simple concept, yet I have a hell of time trying to get it to work.

I've always shot 'instinctive' and can get arrows in a paper plate most of the time at 50 yards. Anything under that I feel like I have a pretty good foundation. I'm not always slapping shafts, but I'm a consistent 230 shooter who's a few bad shots from being in the 240's.

When I gap, I have to hold my arrow tip to the right of my target. It seems that this would typically indicate a stiff arrow or bad form, but my bare shafts are shooting well, and my form is consistent enough to shoot out to 50 yards.

I anchor with my index finger to the corner of my mouth, shooting split.

For you who do gap, did you adjust your anchor at all to get your arrows on target? I can consciously straighten up my arrow until I see the string in line with my riser and that helps, but it doesn't feel natural to me.

FWIW, I was looking to gapping as a way to tighten my groups up at longer distances.

Thanks.

If you have to hold your arrow to the left then YOU have to adjust your anchor for sure.

My anchor is the same whether I'm shooting "instinctive", consciously gapping; or stringwalking.

But, if you can consistently shoot arrows in to a normal size paper plate at 50 yards why do you want to change? That's better than 75% of the shooters in the world can do shooting a barebow.

I believe th OP is indicating holding low right puts the arrows more accurately on target. Is this an eye dominance thing, anchor, alignment, optical illusion?

You might try to get your eye more directly behind the string. If the string partially blocks the tip, or is close, you should get the arrow to hit more to the right (if you are right handed)

2 words......... string blur. This will solve your problem.

Its only slightly more complex than string blur. First head position, next string blur.The gapping part is simple.

FDP, I actually should not have said most of the time. I cannot walk out to 50 yards and drop 5 arrows into a paper plate. I need to be 'on' and the group can wander on the target a bit, but is still within 10". That was misrepresenting my abilities. It still takes some time to get my elevation dialed in.

Even under thirty yards though, I need to warm up a substantial amount of time before I start grouping well. I would like eliminate that variable and gapping or aiming of some sort seems like a viable option.

Sounds like I was correct in thinking I need to look at my anchor (or head position) to get the string more inline with my eye. I will look into it and see if it gets comfortable.

Thanks.

When you see the string blur, is it in front of your eye, or to the side?

String blur: pretty well guarantees your anchor...

OR, you can cant your bow and get the nock dead-center under your eyeball.

I’m still working on getting my 80-yard groups down under a couple feet wide. A vertical bow and string blur helps, but I prefer to keep a clear view of the target.

I do better at 65.

This is interesting. Those of you who cant the bow, do you use the string blur too? All of the time or as a reference some of the time?

Gapping is not simple. You have to judge the distance for it to work. You say you can put arrows in a paper plate up to 50 yards? You will be fine with that accuracy hunting.

We are all wired different, the gap or stack is easy for me to see but the windage takes a lot of concentration.

I'm an instinctive shooter as well (but not as good as you are) but the times I played around with gap shooting, it was necessary to hold a little to the right of target as well. I don't think this means you're necessarily doing anything wrong, especially with a more vertical hold of your bow. I suspect that you can line the tip up more directly with the bow canted. When I read Howard Hill's instruction on how to aim, he described holding the tip below and to the right of target.

Shooting my Hoyt (past center shot) VERTICAL I get maybe 6" of windage slop at 30 yds because my arrow is lined up when I aim just to the right of the string (has something to do with my reliable forefinger on cheek bone anchor).

However shooting my ASLs slight CANT and not quite center I can't line up with string (not surprised) but I'm consistent anyway because of that anchor...not quite as tight windage. Grip is important.

Not saying anything about gap, which sometimes feels like magic or blind luck.

If your nock is to the right, your arrow will go to the left. When gapping or string walking, get the nock of the arrow directly under the eye, which can be done by tilting your head. You want to be looking straight down the arrow. You can also try a lower anchor to get better alignment.

As others have said string blur can also be employed.

Rather than try to digest all the information you get here, and much of it is good, just revisit your form first, making sure the arrow is directly below your eye at anchor. String blur doesn't work for me....it's a distraction. And as was mentioned, we are all wired differently.

I use the tip of the arrow after I reach point on..which is anywhere from 50 to 60 yards. I use it on the center of the target, so if I hit left and right, I know it's my form. It only takes a 1/4" miscue at anchor to make a pretty wide miss at 50+.

In addition to what George said, if you have to hold low and to the right to hit a target, you either have an alignment, or spine problem.

Holding low and to the right means that your arrow is flying in an angular path away from the bow. That angle will be continually move the arrow further to the left the further the arrow flies.

Find an anchor/aiming reference that allows you to look straight down the arrow from nock, to point and have the whole thing pointed at the center of the target. And as mentioned, you can do that by tilting your head if required. Once you have found that anchor, the only mystery left is elevation because windage is a pretty well done deal.

Also, don't think that you have to use one of the "traditional: anchors, ie. finger in the corner of the mouth or what ever. Find the anchor that works for YOU, and your physical features.

I went out and tried to just get comfortable with the string blur and not pay attention to gaps.

I get the 'tilt your head' thing now and can get the string in front of my eye now. I'd say that helped to straighten things out.

It's a new thing so I was still kind of all over the place, but I think I may at least be able to utilize this even if I stick with my normal instinctive shooting.

I've also noticed my elbow creeping up so I need to work on that as well.

Lots of good info and some food for thought. I've got enough to play around with for a few weeks here.

Kiefer, set your head tilt first then draw bow. Reference the arrow from nock to point to be sure it is directly in line from eye to target.

After awhile it will just be there and will need less effort on your part to ensure that alignment.

George...please post your great 50yd shot video again !

I think "head tilt" is a bad idea. Head straight up, body tilted as necessary for uphill or downhill, up tree or down. We naturally know "straight up" because our inner ears do know that for balance... but we don't naturally know some head angle.

Am I wrong?

jk, tilting the head doesn't work for me. It does for some however.

fdp...you're right...EVERYTHING works for somebody :-)

You guys are making it too hard. Just pick a spot and keep shooting til you get good at it.

Fdp is correct, tilting the head does work for some.

Everyone is built and wired differently. Try out different styles and systems as Kiefer is doing and give each an honest go to work the bugs out then pick the one that best suits you. If you're totally happy w your current way, then stick w that.

For me it has been what has yielded the most consistent accuracy.

"making sure the arrow is directly below your eye at anchor." - George giving good advice.

Dominant eye, that is. The arrow is the sight with left and right determined by the arrow alignment. Elevation/gap(from arrow point to target) is what you learn from experience. Start at ten yards and work your way back. Pick a small spot and eventually it will appear/seem to you that you are pointing the arrow to hit only that spot, at various distances.

IMHO, fifty yards is a waste of time, that is, if you are interested in learning to shoot closer distances. Because you are shooting fifty yards, anchoring with the index finger is elevating your arrow arc of travel. Switch to the longest, second finger for anchor for closer distances.

I never see the string or arrow nock at full draw.

Actually if you shoot with both eyes open it doesn't matter if you anchor under your dominant eye or not. The dominant eye is the dominant eye, an will take over.

Same as when learning combat pistol shooting from the ceter of your body with both eyes open.

Yes..both eyes open eliminates the dominant eye issue...assuming both open eyes are normal range. Mine are normal range because I wear good glasses :-)

A friend had a bad eye and a good eye, lost the good eye and now can only shoot with the bad eye. He used to be a big believer in eye dominance and now, having only one eye, his theory is confirmed.

it is all a matter of angles and everyone is different. I anchor with my middle finger just past the corner of my mouth. i cant the bow more than most, but straighten up and slow down as the yardages increase. For me, because of the the cant variance the crown of the back of the head is just under the chest of a deer on level ground from 30 yards to 40 yards with my sherwood arrows and my Sunset Hill longbow. That changes with different bows and different arrows. When I hold the bow more vertical I need to move the arrow image to the right when shooting right hand. The arrows are not over spined, it is simply the visual angle.

fdp,

A handgun is different from a bow and arrow, in that you can move the gun to the best position for the dominant eye to engage the sights. An arrow is more like a shoulder mounted long gun, with both eyes open, the sight alignment is best done from the dominant eye side of the body. In the case of a long gun, as a gun range safety officer, I've discovered many cross eye/handed shooters stretching their necks over the gun stock to bring their dominant eye to the sights for alignment of the gun with the target.

I'm with Wild Bill on this one.

I shoot very proficiently with a 1911 (both eyes open). I tried both eyes open with my longbow today at 15-20 yards. It was not so great with a canted bow as it was a little too busy visually.

I don't completely close my non-dominate eye, but I do squint it when aiming at distances over 10 yards. 10 yards and under I do pretty good with both eyes open. I also wear glasses (progressives), so that may be another factor.

A pie plate at fifty yards with a group that wanders a bit......

Squinting changes your entire face, including the way your eyes are aligned to your target. That's why riflemen shoot with different alignment (a bad idea) when shooting scope Vs iron sights.

If you're shooting instinctively you probably have to change everything to shoot various targets Vs what you think is your likely hunting distance/situation. If you shoot the same way at all distances you don't have to change your form to accommodate any distance. One form Vs two or more forms.

How many of us "instinctively" shoot rifles?

If we shoot handguns, how many of us train for emergency shots...and should we be doing that? How is an immediate kill or get-killed shot related to hunting Bambi's dad?

LightPaw, the reason you didn't shoot well is because you didn't give your self time to learn it. Just like anything else, you have to train your eyes.

Actually Wild Bill it isn't that different at all. It all comes down to being taught to do it properly. Cross dominance, strong right hand/strong left eye isn't an uncommon trait. However, as I stated above, you have to know how to train your eyes, and take the time to develop the technique.

The target should never bee to one side of your vision or the other, it should be in the middle of your field of vision.

Jk...shooting is shooting. Period. The same concepts that are used in one scenario the concepts that are used in another. They are just done at a faster, or slower pace dictated by the dynaics of the situation at hand.

I gap and was shooting my target bow yesterday 5 arrows every 5 yards from 20 to 55 (the street). Shot bow vertical and a little tweaking of the plunger I got great horizontal results. Arrow were in a line up and down. Unfortunately, I haven't nailed the best way to hit the longer ones so had some disbursement up and down. Need to work on them a little.

My 3-D bow/hunting bow shoots much the same, arrow under eye and shoots down the line well. I do cant a tad on that one.

I can appreciate giving some time to develop a new skill. It took me several years to learn to 'see' my front sight when shooting a plate rack. This will likely be the same. I would love to be able to shoot all distances with both eyes open.

There is a different dynamic with the bow though. With my handgun, the sights are right in front of my face (middle of both eyes) standing square to the target. With the bow, my sights (anchor, bow arm, arrow) are under or just to the right of my dominate (right) eye.

However, if I use a weak-hand only pistol technique (left foot forward, gun held in left hand only, gun sights canted to the right) then this starts to make sense. Main difference being the bow has a much longer sight radius.

This might actually work.

On utube there are a lot of good videos by pros like Jim Blackmon and others that will give you many good tips on how to learn to gap shoot.That would the easier way to learn.You can watch it up close and personal.Apply what they say and through time you will get it.

I think the question is what works the best in the LONG RUN. I've done things wrong (tilting the head) for 20 years. Learn the right way and all of a sudden that 240 becomes 250.

One other thing, depending on how you learn gapping you don't HAVE to know your yardage. If you measure your gap in inches you have to know the yardage.

Bowmania

One other thing - more often than not when you start doing things the RIGHT way, you won't see an improvement. For an example, I tilted my head for 20 years. Do you think I got used to that sight picture? IT was a major change to shoot head straight, if I wasn't committed to that change (knowing what better form is) it probably wouldn't have worked.

So that working with a tilted head works, but what works the best is what we're all striving for.

IT's why a coach is so important. Just think of how many directions a newb can go. Most of them will be south, when he wants to go north.

Bowmania

Tilting the head can be an advantage for a gap shooter. Certain form modifications can be very useful even if it isn't textbook. That said, if it's done without purpose or thought it can be bad.

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