Release options

I find myself punching a lot on my caliper release. What other options would you suggest for hunting? Thumb release?

i love my thumb release.

As long as you punch it the same time, every time, you'll be fine.

If you're punching a wrist release, you'll punch a thumb release even worse.

The trigger is fairly stiff. Do you recommend that I lighten it up? Mentally I know it's stiff so I believe that is why I punch.

If it's stiff, adjust it. But don't go too light. If you don't have confidence in the release, replace it. You need to aim with your finger on the trigger. Like so:





Your finger should never bend to fire the bow. Instead, you should pull with your arm or squeeze your back muscles (like you are trying to make your shoulder blades touch). When the bow fires, it should be a surprise.

OR if you have target panic like I do, you'll punch that sucker every time. Target panic stinks.

Use back tension during the spring and summer to train your mind not to punch it. Then calipers won't be so hard....normally. It worked for me.

Don't know if it will help, but recently read some articles that suggest a single pin sight helps with target panic.

I went to a thumb release and adjusted the thumb out until it caught my knuckle at almost full extension. When I anchor, I put my thumb around and tighten by back muscles while making a fist. Always surprises me. Seems to have taken my mind off the trigger pull and allows me to focus on tighten all me muscles.

I hate auto correct

I'll admit that I squeeze the trigger on my release, a lot like a gun trigger. I will work on the back tension method and see how I do. Like most aspects of shooting I know it's a mental/thinking problem.

I get my bow out regularly and get ab 10 feet from target and work on form. I shoot until I just start getting tired. If you over do it you can kill your technique. May help you as well. That way you aren't focusing on the target as much

To get target panic under control you need to be focusing on aiming, not firing the bow.

I'm a trigger squeezer/puncher...I've tried my best to use back tension, using my finger as a hook...seems the harder I squeeze with my back, the more unsteady I am trying to hold the pin on target.

Not to hijack, but on the subject of proper form, should your bow arm be straight out from your side at full draw (parallel with your shoulders), or slightly out in front of your torso?

This is from shaws tip box, shorten the arm on your release till the trigger is between you two knuckles on your booger picker. By far the best tip for shooting a bow ive ever gotten. Put a shaw built string on it and you have a 1/2" bow at 100 yards