poll on release

[rshaffer1970]

#4385

Which style of release do u use? 3 under or split?

Why do you choose the one u use?

[James Harvey]

#30147

I shoot split, but I think the dominance of 3 under in field archery ought to be a clue as to which is easier to aim with 😉

Jim

[Stephen Graf]

#30457

I shot split in my compound days for 15 years. When I moved to a longbow I couldn’t shoot well. I switched to 3 under and stayed there for about 8 years. Last year I switched back to split and found the following advantages:

– Puts less stress on my ring finger (reason for trying it again) which alleviated pain from tendon injury.

– Discovered it wears the string / string nock set less than 3 under.

– Discovered it wears my glove less than 3 under.

– Definitely quieter than 3 under

All the best shooter’s I know of – F Bear, H Hill, B Ferguson, etc shoot split.

That said, I think 3 under is more accurate at 20 yds and under for me. But the other advantages motivate me to keep shooting split. Look out Howard!

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#30618

I think that whether one chooses to shoot split or 3-under needs to be placed within the overall context of how that person shoots. Many gap shooters I know prefer 3-under, and I can see how it works well for that shooting style.

I shoot split, for the reasons that Steve mentions.

But I wouldn’t say that one way or the other is inherently more accurate – either way can be very accurate, as many before us have shown.

[ChumpMcgee]

#30660

I shoot 3 under mainly because split finger just feels so bizarre to me. I have tried different anchor points with the split finger and I feel like my hand is always in my face for some reason….obviously I am doing it wrong. When I shoot 3 under I use my pointer finger as my anchor point in my mouth so as far as it being any closer to my eye than someone shooting split finger and using the middle finger as an anchor is out of the question. I do not see the tip of my arrow and focus 100% on the target.

But as far as why I shoot…comfort it feels so much better to me

[Doc Nock]

#30791

Neat topic—or the range and reasons of answers is neat…

I taught myself archery shooting split… but gun barreled down the shaft.

I was also right handed and right eye dominant.

Couple things. I blew up the tendon in my ring finger long ago and boy did that hurt…so shot 2 under and left my ring finger outa the equation.

Didn’t see much difference. Did that a couple years… but had long ago gone to finding my dominant eye was my LEFT eye now with aging…so no more gunbarreling or gap… started shooting truly instinctive w/ split till the injury to the ring finger.

Few years later, tried split again…but in truth, my pointer finger is pretty short…so I was torquing my hand to get it on the string…now Ipretty much just lay it along the arrow and probably more than not, still shoot 2 under. I don’t shoot heavy bows, so it’s not a problem.

As stated, your body mechanics, type of aiming, hand strength and draw weight might have a lot to do with how you release or how many fingers/which you use.

[Jason Wesbrock]

#30852

I started out shooting split fingered and aiming instinctively because that’s how the people in my family shot and that’s how they taught me. I did that for several years with minimal success. At some point in my very early 20s I became more serious about competitive shooting and took notice of how the people who routinely cleaned my clock shot. That ultimately led to me using a relatively high anchor and holding the string three under while utilizing a conscious aiming method. My accuracy took a fast and dramatic turn for the better, both in target archery, and more importantly, in the hunting woods.

[Troy Breeding]

#30966

Started out split finger (30 plus years ago). I did very well in tournaments even against the three under shooters. Finally I decided to give three under a try. Didn’t do a thing to help. Tried three under for two years and the increased noise almost drove me nuts. Went back to split under and havn’t thought about trying any other way of shooting.

[paleoman]

#31002

Split. Like everything else that has worked fine since I was seven I don’t mess with it. I would have been fine in the Stone Age:wink:

[Fallguy]

#31055

I started out with split. But I started have problems with my ring finger plucking the string so I switched to 3 under and the problem went away. I can not say I have noticed any difference in noise from my bow.

[Arne Moe]

#31112

OK, a coach is going to SPLIT(finger) some hairs here and hopes not to get run (3)UNDER. 😀

Split finger OR 3 under are ways of HOOKING the string for drawing and each style accommodates an aiming style BUT NOT the RELEASE. Split allows a longer point on distance, 3 under a shorter point on distance — an aiming accommodation nothing more!!

The actual release, ideally, is relaxing the fingers until the string leaves them while pushing (forcing/flipping) the fingers out of the way. But the method or style of hooking the string has (or should have) NO effect on the release itself.

The actual release should be totally unaffected by where your fingers are placed.

FWIW.

Arne

[Don Thomas]

#31131

Split, but it doesn’t matter. Pick one and stick with it or you will go crazy. Don

[SteveMcD]

#31871

Split for 40+ years.. no need to change.8)

But I’ll stir the pot a bit. I think 3 Under is a natural progression for the recovering compounder. 3 Under definitely puts the arrow shaft directly under the eye – me thinks one cannot help but use the arrow for aiming 😯 when using 3 Under. 😀

[smiley1]

#31901

Started out split finger. Shot that way for 20 years then had a serious hand injury in 07 that required microscopic tendon surgery. After 6 months of healing and therapy split finger just didn’t feel comfortable, so I tried 3 under. My accuracy seemed to improve a little so I stuck with it. Just last year went back to split finger but I changed my anchor point to middle finger at corner of mouth to bring the arrow to the same position as 3 under. My bows are much quieter shooting split finger.

[Bernie Clancey]

#32027

I shoot split fingered, anchoring with the middle finger in the corner of my mouth. Just the way I was taught and I have stuck with it. Never tried three under and for the time being I don’t see a need to change.

[Troy Warner]

#32830

Split fingers with ring finger in corner of mouth and cock feather just touching end of nose with thumb middle nuckle tight at bottom corner of eye socket for full draw reference. When all three are set I know my back muscles are in use and my elbow is in proper alignment for clean smooth release.

[Stumpkiller]

#34415

Split.

When I started if someone shot three under they accused him of string walking and it was decried as an evil and demonic “aiming” method.

[WyoStillhunter]

#35164

Split with a tab because that’s how I started. I’ve never tried 3-under, not even once. It seems like split gives me more control of arrow during nocking and initial part of draw.

[longrifle]

#35193

I shoot three under to take advantage of smaller gaps for 3D and hunting but if you’ll consider tiller advice from David(DAS)Sosa as pertinent(and personally, I do)there’s no need to endure a noisy bow, regardless of the method. According to Mr. Sosa, one piece bows can be made quiet by working with nock point adjustment to effect tiller and with ILF it’s a matter of finding the right combination of nocking point and tiller adjustment using the limb bolt settings. Once I’ve gone through our normal tried and true brace height adjustments, string silencing methods, and then incorporated slight tiller adjustments, I’ve found that my three under nocking point is just barely above dead horizontal and even with pretty light arrows for 3D it’s pretty much hunting quiet.

I’ll post a link if anyone would like to read his thoughts on tiller…

[Stephen Graf]

#36246

longrifle wrote: …I’ll post a link if anyone would like to read his thoughts on tiller…

Sounds like a topic for another thread… I like tiller talk!

[Ralph]

#36894

‘Piller’ talk too.:lol:

[Vintage Archer]

#37024

Shot split for 30 years with a tab than developed problems with fingers went to three under using a tab ………do not notice finger problems as much. My shooting has stayed about the same “hit and miss”..:D

[Mohawk13]

#38407

Split finger since day one, and it has been almost 35 years. Was shown that way and it has worked well for me. No sense changing a good thing.

Honestly, all the Deer, Elk, and Bear could care less. All they knew was some crazy guy just flung something at them, and then lights out..

Good thread…

[Author]

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