Gap shooting help

[tyson216]

Hey y’all.

Just looking for some advice on gap shooting. I’ve been instinctive shooting all my life but want to try gap shooting for more consistency. My first try at it I found to things that I’m curious about.
1. I don’t seem to have any gap from 10-20. It’s basically put the point right in the center (up and down) and that’s where it’s hitting.

2.  I see two point unless I close an eye.  Is that normal or am I getting old and should go get glasses.

Any advice much appreciated

[McDave]

The only way I know that you wouldn't see any gap from 10-20 yards is if the arrow is right up under your eye.  In other words, if you have a really high anchor.  Where are you anchoring?

It is natural to see two arrow points.  However, most people have a strong dominant eye, and the arrow point they see through their dominant eye is the one they will automatically use to aim.  Some people have a weak dominant eye, or maybe neither eye is dominant.  They need to squint the eye that is not over the arrow to get rid of the secondary image.  If you are shooting a right handed bow, you would squint your left eye, and vice versa.

[tyson216]

I’m shooting three under and anchoring with my middle finger in the corner of my mouth. It would seem like there should still be some gap with that. Just starting on this so maybe after more reps I’ll find something different.

I am a little ambidextrous so maybe that’s it with my eyes? I’ll try squinting my left eye.

Thanks for the info.

[McDave]

My anchor point is very close to middle finger in the corner of my mouth also.  I have a huge gap at 20 yards, with my maximum gap at about 22 yards, because my point on is about 44 yards.  The maximum gap is about half the point on distance. What is your point on distance?

[McDave]

Just to expand a bit, my gaps are about as follows, measured at the target:

10 yards, 1’ under
20 yards, 2’ under
30 yards, 1’ under
40 yards, 6” under
44 yards, point on
50 yards, 2’ over

I'm using round numbers just to give you the idea of how gaps work.  As the arrow arcs up, initially it gets higher and higher over the point you want to hit, and hits its highest point when it is halfway to your point on distance, so that is your maximum negative gap.  As you go beyond the point on distance, you need to hold your aim higher and higher the further away you are, because the arrow is falling at an increasing rate as it loses momentum.

[tyson216]

My point on is literally 10-20 yards which is why I’m confused.  I started with the point at the bottom of the target and hit the bottom of the target. Then did it 8 more times before switching to dead center and hit dead center. It just doesn’t seem quite right. One note is the bow is not tillered for 3 under, so maybe that has something to do with it. It’s also 65# so I do t know if that would make a difference. I have one on order for 3 under so maybe that will change things.

[McDave]

When I anchor middle finger in the corner of my mouth, and shoot 3 under, the nock of the arrow is right under my cheekbone, which puts it more than an inch below my eye.  This is what gives me a negative gap at 20 yards: the fact that the arrow is more than an inch below my eye.  The farther below my eye the nock is, the greater the gaps will be at 20 yards.  For example, those who commonly shoot at Olympic distances of 70 meters like to anchor under their chin, which puts the arrow even further below the eye and moves the point on out closer to the distance they are shooting.

How far below your eye is your nock when the arrow is at full draw?

Just for fun, try anchoring with your index finger in the corner of your mouth and see what happens at 20 yards.

Then try anchoring with your index finger touching the bottom of your chin and see what happens at 20 yards.

[tyson216]

Finally got my new bow, a beauty Toelke whistler, and got back to trying the gap shooting. I still can’t seem to figure out how to focus the field point on the spot. It’s very blurry and multiple points.  When I try I naturally hitting left about a foot.  The up and down is better now having about a 10-12” gap but it’s very hard to tell where I’m holding the point.  I tried closing my left I just to see and I can much easier see point but I have to aim a foot low and a foot right. Are these normal things to be dealing with when trying gap shooting. I shot it well instinctive  though. 

[McDave]

When you say you're squinting your left eye, I assume that means that you are shooting a right handed bow.  You also said you are ambidextrous, which I would take to mean that you really don't have a dominant eye, left or right.  So when you test yourself for eye dominance, does it  sometimes come out right and other times left?  If so, I guess you just have to pick one eye and go with it. Assuming you have this problem, you're always going to have to squint or close the eye that is not over the arrow.

As far as focusing the field point on the spot, you shouldn't do that.  You should always focus on the spot, and not the field point. You should be aware of the field point in your out of focus peripheral vision, but not focus on it.  After you squint or close your eye that is not over the arrow, you should see only one point.  If you see more than one point after closing your off eye, it gets a little over my pay grade.

[tyson216]

Update.

I figured it out. I continued to shoot 1’ left and came to find I am left eye dominant.  I took my daughters 15# left hand bow out and it worked perfectly.  Held 1’ below and dead in line left to right and hit dead center every time. So now I have to decide if I need to switch over lefty or just go back to split vision/instinctive.

[McDave]

You might consider being a switch hitter. I enjoy shooting both right and left handed, and it is better for your body to shoot both ways.