# gap shooting questions



## twofinger (Feb 12, 2012)

I am in the process of switching from string walking to gap. I have been watching the Jimmy Blackmon videos on this. is there anything different with the compound? any pointers from those of you that gap shoot?


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## mitchell (Mar 5, 2005)

Gary McCain is one of the guys out here you need to talk to. You can probably PM him and get his contact info. Great guy and been doing this at a high level for a long time. Bare bow gapper extroidinare.


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## zestycj7 (Sep 24, 2010)

You would gap shoot a compound the same as a recurve, but the gaps are just alot smaller.
Once you learn what yardage your point on is, it's not to bad.
After you learn your point on, you just figure out either in 1/16" or 1/8" gaps under or over the spot depending on if you are closer or furter than your point on.
Gary can probably explaine it better.
Don.


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## rsarns (Sep 23, 2008)

Jimmy pretty much does pick a point, where Gary and Ben use that California Gap, using the end of your arrow to set the gap at. Much smaller IMO than pick a point. Gary can explain it best. Once you get your point on distance, every 5 yards should be a 1/8" or whatever depending on your setup speed. I was figuring out my gaps today with my recurve, finally got under a 50 yard PO! My POD is 45 yards, my 40 is 1/8 under etc.... my 50 is an arrow shaft above.


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## boilybob (Oct 9, 2013)

M point on is 50 yards, and I judge my gaps by 'arrow thicknesses' I shoot split finger and find the nearer targets like 10 yards or so to be more difficult as my arrow point is well under score zone.. The longer distances narrow up the gaps.


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## twofinger (Feb 12, 2012)

I have shot some in my back yard, it appears my point on is around 40 yards I will know more after tonight. Tonight is our first night outdoors with our league and the range is marked in 5 yards increments out to 80 yards.
the first couple of weeks are for setting sight marks before we start shooting for score. thank you guys for your response I am going to try to get a hold of gary.


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## Windrover (Jan 6, 2012)

zestycj7 said:


> You would gap shoot a compound the same as a recurve, but the gaps are just alot smaller.
> Once you learn what yardage your point on is, it's not to bad.
> After you learn your point on, you just figure out either in 1/16" or 1/8" gaps under or over the spot depending on if you are closer or furter than your point on.
> Gary can probably explaine it better.
> Don.


I was surprised to see you mention an 1/8" gap. I think most trad guys including Jimmy B, gap at the target . One reason is that you can frame your gaps in deer references like top of body bottom of belly or half way to ground. It never occurred to me to gap at the bow/arrow although the concept is clear enough since I use a multi-pin sight on one hunting bow and I can easily imagine the gaps.
Now I guess I am going to have to try this.
Any specific reasons why a compound should gap at the bow?
Do you gap at the bow or the arrow tip?


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## 2413gary (Apr 10, 2008)

Hope this helps . Here's how it works. Ideally, your point on should be no farther than forty yards and you must find your point on to figure out your gaps. After finding your point on, go to the next 5 yard increment down.ie: p0int on=40, go to 35 yards. Now your gap is the distance between the top arc of your arrow and the spot. The mistake that 99.9% of archers make is that they want to reference that gap up on the bale or target in terms of inches. In doing so they are looking at the tip of the arrow to determine a point up at the bale or target and, repeating what i said earlier , this defeats the advantage of a good gap system. After finding your point on and going to a distance 5 yards closer, aim an arrow at your spot, not thinking the spot is 35 yards away, but sitting right over your arrow tip 30" away. You bring the spot to you and pretend it is sitting right over your arrow 30" inches from your face. At this point, if you looked where the tip of the arrow was pointing it might be 18" below the spot but this is not what we are looking for. Now, instead of looking at where the arrow tip is pointing, look at the distance between the top arc of your arrow tip and the spot that you have mentally brought back and placed over the tip of your arrow. At 35 yards there should be approx. a 1/4 inch gap between your arrow and the spot, all this at 30 inches in front of your eye. Generally, depending on the speed of your bow, the five yard increments are usually close to 1/4 inch per five yards. There fore 35=1/4 inch, 30= 1/2 inch, 25=3/4 inch, etc. In shooting past your point on the same concept is used except you look thru your arrow and gap the top arc over the spot, again this figures out to about 1/4 inch per 5 yards. You have to shoot with both eyes open to look thru the arrow. If you are having trouble understanding looking thru the arrow then put your thumb up and cover up a stump in the distance. with both eyes open you can still see the stump and your thumb will be a blur in your secondary vision. The hardest part of understanding this gap concept is being able to visualize the dot being 30" in front of your eye rather than 35 yards away. And for those of you who condider themselves just hunters it is amazing how accurate and fast you can get to your gap in the woods. I know this will sound confusing to a lot of you and some will never understand the dot being 30" from your eye rather than 35 yards away.OK if you got this far this is how to see the gap take a card and cut slots like the photo. hold it at arms lenth look through it. this is what a gap should look like. the top of the slot is on the dot bottom of slot on arrow. this will show you how to see the picture. the more you see it the easyer it is to cut or add a yard. I an not saying this is the best system but it is very accurate1383503[/ATTACH]


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## 2413gary (Apr 10, 2008)




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## zestycj7 (Sep 24, 2010)

Gary is the one who taught me how to gap.
But with the speed of my bow I have 1/8" gaps every 5 yards.
Don.


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## Windrover (Jan 6, 2012)

This post is enlightening. Just back from a 3D shoot. Noticed that I was good on typical deer shots where my pick a point was often down between the deers legs. Where I really fell apart were shots at a cat and a racoon were my picked point was well out in front in the dirt. I could not reconcile a 22" vertical gap when the target was on the ground. 
Gotta try to learn this California gap.


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