Hill and Ferguson are/were gap shooters?

[M-2]

Are your misses on the "down" targets HIGH.. if so you might want to work on keeping your "T" by bending at the waist..

I'll remember that, Mike, thanks. Funny...you can have known about a technique (bend at the waist when shooting down) for a long time and...just totally forget all about actually doing it, lol.

[fletcherfor2]

And I promise she'll remember the advice better coming from a stranger than from her husband.

[Mike Javi Cooper]

And I promise she'll remember the advice better coming from a stranger than from her husband.

See here I go with the communication thingy again...

Shooting up hill and down hill isn't so much about bending at the waist as it is keeping your shoulders and the arrow parallel. The easiest way to say it is; "bend at the waist" but that usually conjures up visions of drawing level and then forcing a bend at the waist..

A much easier method is to simply set the shoulders and head to the necessary angle before drawing. Envision holding your arms outstretched with the bow arm pointing on a level line to the target and the draw arm in a straight line pointing away from the target "---".. then holding that position slowly bend your upper body so that the index finger of the bow hand is pointing at the target... and the index finger of the draw hand is pointing directly away from the target it would look something like this depending on the angle.. / with the head forming an inverted “T” with the shoulders.. this keeps your draw length and sight window the same regardless of the angle..

you can tell I ain't an artist...

[M-2]

And I promise she'll remember the advice better coming from a stranger than from her husband.

Ha! If said husband had responded to my specific query: "What did I do wrong there?" I most certainly would have listened, lol. Mr. Man of Few Words merely said, "I don't know."

See here I go with the communication thingy again...

Shooting up hill and down hill isn't so much about bending at the waist as it is keeping your shoulders and the arrow parallel. The easiest way to say it is; "bend at the waist" but that usually conjures up visions of drawing level and then forcing a bend at the waist..

A much easier method is to simply set the shoulders and head to the necessary angle before drawing. Envision holding your arms outstretched with the bow arm pointing on a level line to the target and the draw arm in a straight line pointing away from the target "---".. then holding that position slowly bend your upper body so that the index finger of the bow hand is pointing at the target... and the index finger of the draw hand is pointing directly away from the target it would look something like this depending on the angle.. / with the head forming an inverted “T” with the shoulders.. this keeps your draw length and sight window the same regardless of the angle..

you can tell I ain't an artist...

An excellent illustration, Mike - thanks!

[Buff]

I think I aim, without thinking about it. I look at my target and bare down on it until the world blurrs out. The only thing I can focus on is the spot. I draw my bow, I see the arrow under my eye but dont feel like I'm really aiming with it. I continue to focus on the spot as my bow arm settles then, the arrow is gone. I dont think about any of that it just kinda happens on it's own. If I try to think about what I'm doing I can't shoot for beans. If I just let it flow, life is good.

[M-2]

I think I aim, without thinking about it. I look at my target and bare down on it until the world blurrs out. The only thing I can focus on is the spot. I draw my bow, I see the arrow under my eye but dont feel like I'm really aiming with it. I continue to focus on the spot as my bow arm settles then, the arrow is gone. I dont think about any of that it just kinda happens on it's own. If I try to think about what I'm doing I can't shoot for beans. If I just let it flow, life is good.

NO ONE can argue with your success rate, sir. Dusty has read your book cover to cover and I've enjoyed just opening it up and reading a random story...

What you describe is what I hope to achieve with regularity and consistency. The lines I put in bold is the challenge for many, I think.

[Mike Javi Cooper]

Buff, that is instinctive shooting... good description and as Martha says; no one can't argue with your successes..

Aiming based on a spatial relationship between the arrow or other object/mark on the bow and the target is not instinctive.. although some blur the lines by using a combination of both...

[Ron]

This is a good thread. I like to just see my target with no other thoughts in my head and just shoot. Normally I can just walk out to any distance and turn and shoot with good results. I must be more on the instintive side, because I don't even know what gap y'all are talking about.