I had the honor of meeting Tim Gillingham of Gold Tip Archery at the ATA Show in Indianapolis, Indiana and instantly was blown away by his passion for and knowledge of archery. It’s rare that I actually shut my trap and listen at full attention when someone is talking about archery because, quite frankly, not too many people are that knowledgeable on the subject; not with Tim. When I met him, we shook hands, we talked, and I tried to absorb every word he said. Tim has done us the honor with providing us a few articles that we will publish in the near future so lets take a quick look at him in this Shootingtime.com Shooter Spotlight.
Tim Gillingham – Professional Archer
Age: 44 Height: 6’6” Weight: 240 lbs
Years Shooting: 30
Occupation :National Shooting Staff Manager for Gold Tip Inc./Professional Archer
Draw Length: 33.5”
Current Equipment
Indoor Setup
- Bow: PSE Dominator 60-65lbs
- Arrows: Gold Tip Triple X Pro with 200 grain points and GTO Nocks
- Fletching: 4 fletch Vanetec 4” Vanes
- Release: Carter Insatiable 2 or Stan Shootoff
- Scope: Shrewd Small 7X with .019 fiber with LP Light kit
- Sight: Shrewd
- Stabilizer: 30” Beestinger Premier Plus with 14oz in the front and 20” V- bar with 20-24oz
- Rest: Hamskea Archery Solutions Versa-Rest w/ .012 blade in limbdriven mode
- Bow Strings: Threadz Bowstrings/ Brownell Fury material
- Quiver: Bateman
- Optics: Bushnell
Outdoor Field and Fita Setup
- Bow: PSE Dominator 60lbs
- Arrows: Gold Tip Kinetic/140 grain points/ Pro Hunter 300 w/170grain point. Fletching: 4-1.87” Vanetec Swift vanes
- Release: Carter Insatiable 2 or Stan Shootoff
- Scope: Shrewd 5X -7X with center drilled lens and red fiber or razor pin
with LP Light kit. Black dot for Fita. - Sight: Shrewd
- Stabilizer: 30” Beestinger Premier Plus with 10-12oz in the front and 20” Vbar with 16-20 oz or V-bars with the weight split.
- Rest: Hamskea Archery Solutions Versa-Rest .012 blade in limb driven mode
- Bow Strings: Threadz Strings/ Brownell Fury material
- Quiver: Bateman
- Optics: Bushnell
3-d Setup
- Bow: PSE Dominator 65-70lbs-ASA w/ Drive Cams / UF Cams 70lbs for IBO
- Arrows: Gold Tip Triple X w/140 grain points (ASA) points(IBO) Triple X Pro with 50 grains and HD pin nocks for both setups
- Fletching: ASA—4 -2.5” Vanetec VMAXX Vanes IBO—4 Vanetec 1.5” HP
- Release: Carter Insatiable 2 or Stan Shootoff
- Scope: Shrewd Nomad 4X with .010 blue fiber/drilled lens with a LP light kit
- Sight: Shrewd
- Stabilizer: 30” Beestinger Premier Plus with 8-10oz in the front and 20” v-bar with 16-20oz split
- Rest: Hamskea Archery Solutions Versa-Rest .012 Blade in limb driven mode
- Bow Strings: Threadz Bowstrings/ Brownell Fury material
- Quiver: Bateman
- Optics: Bushnell
Hunting Setup
- Bow: PSE Freak at 80lbs
- Arrows: Gold Tip Kinetic Big Game 200/ Velocity 300 Pro
- Broadhead: NAP Killzone 2” cut
- Vanes: 6-1.8” Vanetec Superspine vanes for mechanicals and 4-2.88” Swift for fixed
- Sight: Spott-Hogg Tommy Hogg
- Stabilizer: Bee Stinger Sport Hunter Combo 10”-8” in the front on an offset bracket to offset the weight of the quiver and sight
- Bow Strings: Threadz Bowstrings/ Brownell material Fury
- Optics:Bushnell
Tim Gillingham on release style
I shoot a command style release, meaning it is not a surprise when I shoot the shot. I feel like it gives me more control in various conditions and fits how I aim better. Although mentally it is not for everyone, I personally believe a surprise release is not either. We all have different aiming abilities and the subconscious can be harnessed no matter how we fire the release. I do, however, work with the Hamskea Break-Through release to eliminate anticipation and create a strong dynamic shot.
Tips from Tim Gillingham
Focus Point
I try to focus on where I want the arrow to go and try to train my subconscious to keep the follow through happening both physically and mentally. That keeps the mind from thinking about the release. It is very important to mentally pre-program each shot before you do it. This makes sure you are thinking positive and your subconscious is clear on what you want it to do.
Stabilization Tips
Hunting
Use your stabilizers to balance your hunting bow and add mass weight to your setup. I use a short stabilizer with an offset bracket to get the weight to left side of the bow to counter act the pulling weight of the quiver and the sight on the side of the bow. Also look for how the bow reacts when you fire. If the top limb is kicking back it will cause high arrows so make sure you add weight to the end of the stabilizer to counteract this. If I am hunting in a tree stand and not hiking a lot then I will use two stabilizers together with a front and a back using an adjustable side bracket. It will help you to have a heavier setup at the moment of truth when that big buck is headed your way.
Target
I try to keep the mass weight of my setup as heavy as I can handle and then just experiment with the stabilizer system to see what makes me hold the best. The beauty of the Bee Stinger system is that it is very versatile and allows for easy experimentation. I change the weighting on my stabilizer regularly depending on how I feel that day. I run a sidebar with around 20 oz for about everything but field where I shoot a v-bar setup. When I am shooting up and downhill as the long side bar close to the bow can get in the way when shooting a steep angled shot. I also use a 10 degree down angle mount as it allows me to rotate the mount to get the weight on the end of the stabilizer directly in front of the bow.
Tips for hunters
Buy the best optics you can afford and trust your rangefinder. Make sure your sight is level and learn how to shoot at every angle and distance with precision accuracy. I also use the cut shot charts on the Archers Advantage program to give me the exact cut I need for up and downhill shots. The skills I have learned in field archery have really paid off in the field. My last 3 mule deer have required extreme shots with 12, 15, 15 yard cuts off of the rangefinder reading, all resulting in dead center kills. Today’s new angle compensating rangefinders help very much but become familiar with them and if you are shooting extreme distances and extreme angles, be sure to check the rangefinder against a cut chart that is dead accurate.
Tips for tournament archers
Once you get to an experienced level of shooting, the game becomes extremely mental. The biggest asset you have is your confidence. Practice visualizing exactly what you want to happen before and after you shot each shot. See yourself winning in your mind and you will not feel intimidated when the time comes to perform. Your mind cannot tell the difference in an actual shot and a visualized shot. The same thing applies in a hunting situation
Tim’s Hobbies
I enjoy all disciplines of archery with my favorites being 3-D, marked distance FITA, Field Archery and Bowhunting. I also enjoy fishing and a little golf here and there.
Summary
I want to thank all of my sponsors and my employer, Gold Tip LLC. for the opportunity to do what I am good at and have a passion for. It truly is, a childhood dream come true. I have been shooting archery for 30yrs and have had my share of trials and tribulations. It is great to see the perseverance finally paying off.
I am best known for my style of shooting a release aid on command It has even garnered the nickname “the Hammer” that I receive some chiding about. I believe it is what makes me a very versatile shooter in almost any format of archery. I spend a lot of my practice time working on new equipment and judging yardage for 3-d events as the biggest amount of prize money to be won is in that format. I prefer marked distance as I believe it puts all archers on a level playing field and rewards the better archer rather than the better yardage judger, although I do prefer the scoring system that ASA uses that incorporates risk and reward into the tournament.
One of my long term goals is to gain the credibility to facilitate the growth and organization of archery into an exciting promotable format that is enjoyed as a pastime for millions in the US and abroad.
My short term goals are to do the work I know I need to do to win enough tournaments to give me the credibility to be able to promote my sponsors and my employer as effectively as I can. I try not putting any more emphasis on one tournament over another, rather, I try to concentrate on each individual arrow and let what ever happens, happen. I strive to be a smart, calculated competitor that is well prepared.