I know quite a few shoot a thumb button for hunting and I have decided I am making the switch. I already found one that fits me well and I really like it, a Stan SX-3 release. That said, I have shot thumbs before and once I got back into one for a while, shot them really well. However, I have always drifted back to a wrist strap for hunting for one reason or another, mostly just being stuck in my ways. But I'm committing this year to the switch and will be ready to go by fall. I like the idea of not having something around my wrist and just having it clipped on the d loop. With all that said. What has everyone found as pit falls or gotchas to using one for hunting?
Outside of the fear of losing it because it's not physically attached to my body, I've found zero pitfalls in a thumb button for hunting. I keep mine in my bino harness pocket so I always know where it's at, and always have a backup in a zippered pouch in my pack "just in case."
I used one all last season and had no issues. Climb up, get settled, clip my release to the dloop and I’m ready. I stored in my bino harness to and from the tree. The one thing I did add was a kydex holster for my release. The holster will now be on the strap for my bino harness. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I still use my Boss X from time to time .... what I found, is my screw ups are more exaggerated with the thumb as opposed to my Keyton wrist strap .... I do like just clipping the Thumb on the string and keeping my hands free, but I still feel more secure with the Keyton ..
Just my initial playing around with this release, it looks like I won't be able to switch back and forth as my anchor for wrist strap compared to this is different. I'm most likely going to have to move my peep up some to get the correct anchor with the thumb. I have all year to focus on it and then make a decision. I did this once before, but as I said, I"m so stuck in my ways when it comes to hunting setups and I don't like risking change. But... I really want to shoot a thumb exclusively.
I'm in the same boat. I really want to shoot a thumb release but my fear is it slipping out of my hand and sending the release into the riser/arrow rest. I thought about trying to switch and shoot a thumb release all summer and make the decision after but like you said I'm so stuck in my way i don't know if I will convince myself to switch or not. lol
Shooting on a hot day when sweaty, having the release slip from my hand... I dabbled with afixing a strip of sandpaper at the finger...worked well for a while. Later I moved to a paracord loop around my wrist. Gives me enough confidence and saved me a couple times when my fingers slipped from the release. Also like other triggers, a gentle squeeze...'Wrapping my thumb' around the trigger helps remind me...
There aren’t any pitfalls I can think of. Been using one since the early 2000’s. Never had a scenario where I wished I wasn’t using one. I do keep a spare in my bag just in case but I’ve never needed it. If your self filming it’s actually better because you can leave it clipped on the loop and don’t have to worry about it clanging on your camera arm when it’s time to try and get the deer in frame.
I started spending some time in the man cave blank bale shooting and setting up this release. One really nice thing about the Stans I just learned is the inclusion of a pin that can lock the release closed. It allows you to fire the release without shooting an arrow. Great for practice and setting things up. I have it set about where I like it with a very heavy trigger and no movement in the barrel. Time will tell once I get to shooting, but for now, I"m just going to work on execution with it and get myself reaquainted with a thumb again. So far, I'm really liking the size and feel of this one compared to the carter I used in the past.
Just watch that lock pin when you're not using it - I've had a few come loose, and I've lost them. The last time I purchased three extras just to be safe. Glad you like it so far! I switched to a Stan from a Carter as well and have been very happy with it. I'm currently shooting the PerfeX, which they don't make any longer, and I would love to find one out there I can snatch up just in case I have a problem with mine or lose it. I talked to the guys from Stan for quite a bit at the Lancaster Classic, and they have some parts for those older releases, but not many. So if something goes wrong with it, which is unlikely, you'll be SOL. They are really pushing that new Onnex release and say the entire thing is better as it's made from better quality components and internals. I may pick one up to play with and see how I like it. My only gripe, which is purely cosmetic, is that I like the heavy metal version, and the Onnex is brass, so it's gold. I hate gold.
I think I will leave the locking pin at home on my workbench. I thought that too about it coming loose and losing it. Thats such a nice feature on those releases though! I was going to just buy the Onnex, but I found a killer deal on this three finger SX3 that was like new and couldn't pass it up. Thats one really nice thing I'm finding out about releases, there is a really good used market for them out there. The one thing I was really nervous about with this release is the size. Its a medium and at first glance and holding it, it felt kind of small, but I"m finding that it fits nicely in my hand and I just more secure for some reason. My Carter I had was big and i always felt like it was coming out of my hand. I wouldn't mind the gold! It may make it easier to find if you drop it. lol.
Anyone shoot or tried the uv thumb button release? I held one and it felt good but didn't get to shoot with it. Just wish they weren't $300. lol I'm stuck between stan onnex and the uv thumb.
I have not shot one myself, but I have to tell ya, if it were between the two you mentioned, I'd be going UV if money wasn't an issue. I don't think I've seen one bad review or comment about it. Keep an eye out on various classified. Thing I've seen them down to around 250 in some places, which isn't but a few dollars more than a brand new Onnex. But I don't you can go wrong with a Stan either... they've been a top end release for a long time. I love mine.
I believe UV is now coming out with a 'large' ... you can get a 'blank' release from them or thru Lancaster to see what size will fit you .... as said, I still like my Truball Boss X, the UV is interesting IF I wanted to drop some big $$, which I dont right now ....
I have a UV thumb button, and it's a very well-built piece of equipment. My only gripe is that the neck is a bit longer than my Stan, which changes my draw length. I had to shorten the DL on my V3X to get comfortable with the UV button. It's hard to explain, but it's a little more cumbersome to load onto your loop than the Stan is. With the Stan I can literally do it with my eyes closed. The UV requires more work due to the nature of how it's designed. None of this has anything to do with the functionality of the release itself, I just find it to be more work when I'm shooting repetitively. That's largely the reason I opted to use my Stan while at the Lancaster Classic - I didn't want to be fiddling with the UV while on the line shooting. In a hunting situation you're clipping it on once at the beginning of your hunt and hopefully that's it, so it's not really a big deal. All in all, it's a great piece of equipment. I absolutely love the large barrel on the UV.
And yes, they literally released the Large version the day after we left Lancaster to come home. I point blank asked the guys at UV when it was coming out b/c the Medium is just a touch small for me, and they smiled and said "soon". Jerks probably had one in their pocket while I was talking to them.
Justin, I was really considering ordering the barrel to put on my stan. Seems like it might be pretty awesome even on that release.
no, it changes your ANCHOR, not draw length ... draw length is determined by the bow not the release .... however, if one wants to keep the same anchor, changes must be done to the bow/ loop length, etc. ... but the draw length is the draw length ....
One thing I'm really struggling with at the moment is a repetitive, easy to feel anchor. I've gone back to square one to "relearn" everything. Being that the back of your hand is to be flat, I find it really hard to feel the back of my jaw with the two knuckles as easily as I want.
Fwiw John Dudley had some material on this a few years ago...probably on his website or youtube too. Literally I set up with my index knuckle below my jaw and middle knuckle above...like this, though I'm not exactly lined up while trying to snap a pic... Peep, kisser and string just touching the nose also help keep me lined up...
