About a month or so ago my shooting fell apart. I'd just spent a ton of money buying new stuff and had went to a thumb release. Bought two Stan SX3s one large and one medium and a Stan JustX in medium. The Stan JustX fit my hand so well, made the draw easier - I love it. However I don't shoot it worth a crap. I've tried every thumb release out there and I don't think I've even accidentally anchored the same twice. My draw length is correct at the moment at 28.5". I've tried 27.5, 28, 29 and 29.5. Moved the peep all over Hell's half acre and can't anchor with the string on my nose and be consistent. I know the nose to string isn't 100% necessary but it helps me tremendously. Got the Little Bitty Goose out and immediately piled 5 arrows on top of each other 3" low and 8-10" right. Adjusted my site and just about back to normal. I may have to come to grips that I can't be one of the cool kids at 3D with a wrist strap! LOL!
That's great to hear ****ens. Glad you got it dialed back in. I've read that back tension and thumb releases will help get rid of the target panic. So maybe that's all you needed was to refocus.
Yeah, really don't have a TP problem, knock on wood, but I have a hitch in my release somewhere that's pulling shots left and right.
A hand held thumb release is not something that you are going to pick up overnight. A few will claim they made the switch in a few shots, but that is rare and I don't hear much later on about their continued progress. When I changed from a wrist to a thumb release a year ago May, I made the commitment to invest the summer of 2015 to developing a new anchor point and learning a repeatable "firning engine".....all on the blank bale where I was not focusing on accuracy. Sure, it was repetitive and boring at times to keep shooting arrows into a backstop with the focus simply on execution......but it paid off. You bought some of the best hand held releases made, so the issue is not one of release quality. If you are convinced the wrist is better for you then have at it and enjoy. However I don't think you went about it in the right manner to develop solid techinque that will get the most out of the hand held design.
Just registered to the site so i could reply. Alaska is spot on. You have to commit to the hinge or thumb and find a firing engine that you can use consistently. Also, most shooters will need to adjust the d loop length to get the correct anchor point when switching from a wrist to a hand held. In the end its personal preference but Im very glad i made the switch to a thumb. Started in January and i went through about 2 feet of d loop material before i found the right stiffness and length but I'm shooting much better with a Carter target 3 than i ever did with my little bitty goose. John Dudley has quite a few great articles about this, look him up.
With all the trying dif draw lengths, moving peeps, etc you seem like you're hoping to just stumble on a magic formula. That's not the case. If you're 28-1/2 how on earth did you attempt and inch n half one way and the other? Draw even 1/2" too short you couldn't anchor, too long it'll kill your back tension and again you can't anchor. Seems someone besides the forum might help you better? Get a coach/instructor n let them check bow fit. Then adjust the way you shoot. It wasn't the release imo
You have to be willing to make the sacrifice of shooting terrible for a couple of months when changing release styles. Takes a while to figure out what's comfortable and easy to repeat time after time. There's a lot to learn from shooting a thumb or hinge but you need to just understand it will take you a while to learn it.
Some of the draw length changes may be a bit cryptic since some of it was done on my HTR before it blew, Their mods seem to run 1/4-1/2" long. With the bow blowing I've also threw a new bow in the mix and went with an Obsession. Their DL mods seem to be spot on and 28.5 is where I need to be. I have a coach so to speak (two actually) and it seems my biggest problem is repeating my anchor point. Bottom line I guess is since 3/9/16 I've had a lot of changes some I made on purpose and some made for me. I guess I just need to buckle down and work on it. 3/9 Bought HTR 3/15 Trufire Patriot to Little Bitty Goose 3/15 Peep cut string on HTR without bow a bit 3/30 Recalled OMP scale blew up my bow 4/8 Got bow back from Mathews 5/28 Changed to fall away limb driven 5/30 HTR limb cracked 6/15 New limbs on HTR 6/17 Committed to Stan release 6/19 HTR limbs cracked again (No bow until 7/7) 7/7 New Obsession with Medusa Max rest and starting over once again I guess.
Practice w a string bow first, your bow might need adjustments. There's a reason top archers shoot Carter or Stans or any other well made release for that matter. It does take time but it's not Magic and your shooting will improve. Knuckles behind jawbone, string on nose n looking through peep, if all is set up properly you'll be comfortable. Draw properly with eyes closed and see if it all lines up. You have some great releases, practice will help. George Ryal's you tube videos show alternate ways to fire release, even if not using his way back tension is key
I'm trying to get in for a lesson tonight. I think my peep is too low for one thing and my dloop is too short as well. I shoot those little accu nocks from GT and they work fine but I got out some previous arrows with normal nocks and can't even hook on - so I have some issues. Just fun stuff from changing bows.
Back to the beginning. First have to find the anchor point you are comfortable with and get the draw length adjusted for that. Don't worry about peep or sights or anything else until you get that figured out.
Spent three hours on a lesson (5:30-8:15) this evening. He said my draw length was perfect, shoulders were perfect, peep and dloop all fine. He videoed me and I'd started tucking my chin for some reason, anticipating and gripping right as the shot went off - but mainly instead of pulling straight back with the shot I was doing a little semi-circle away from my face then back. Shot about 60 arrows and then he wanted me to do a 10 rnd 3 spot deal. First 6 or 7 rnds I was drilling the X and then I got worn out and fell apart a bit on the end. Finally back tension clicked for me and for the first time I can really feel that muscle back there got some work. I know now what I need to do to execute the shot I want and know I can do it, it's just a matter of practicing to make sure I do it. I got my anchor down, firing engine down - I just have to make sure I leave my bow hand relaxed and don't grip at that last second. He sat with his back to the target and could tell me when I gripped at the last second and where the arrow went. Well worth the lesson as opposed to me standing in the back yard spinning my wheels.
The lesson apparently translated over into today. I'm working on a big audit, plus I shot so many arrows last night I was wore out! Took a little time out and walked back from 5 yds to 30 and shot very well. Got off maybe 40 arrows before form fell to crap from being worn out.
