Thumb Rings...Anybody shoot one?

[Jake]

Well I just came across this guy that has been shooting a thumb ring from the correct side of the bow.  Most thumb ring shooters nock the arrow on the opposite side of what is normal for them.  A RH shooter shoots a LH bow and a LH shooter shoots a RH bow.  This guy has added a loop to his string to enable him to shoot his bows with the thumbring or by fingers.  Has anyone ever had any experience with this?

 http://www.primitiveways.com/archer%27s_thumb_ring.html

[Jesse Peltan]

I shoot with a thumbring.  Don't use the loop.  It's unnecessary and you lose performance.

[Jake]

Do you have to shoot opposite side of the bow?

[Jake]

Do you have to shoot opposite side of the bow?

[Mechslasher]

i just bought a eight and a que ball i'm planning on turning into thumb rings.  tried a thumb ring a year or so ago but didn't feel comfortable switching in the middle of deer season.  thought i'd give it another go in the off season.

[Grey Taylor]

Jake, it's traditional to shoot off the opposite side of the bow but it appears to be personal preference. An article in an archery magazine a few years ago had information about a Mongolian fellow who shot off the same side we do. His sister, a national champion, seemed slightly scandalized.
Somewhere on ATARN there is a photo series of possibly the same fellow and he is using the side we normally shot from.

Guy

[**DONOTDELETE**]

are You using them just on horse bows or any kind of bow...

[AALLFAB]

I am very interested in this thumb ring thread as i cant even figure out how it is done and have also heard that righty shoots left and lefty shoots right. If true i would like to have some leftys to shoot with thumb ring as i have sold them because i am a righty. if i can keep and shoot any bow real well just by shooting a different way right handed it would be great. I need some detailed info. Jim

[Grey Taylor]

I found the   ATARN   pictures.

Guy

[TheFatboy]

Shooting off the right side of a bow (for a right handed archer), is a natural consequence of using the thumb draw. By applying only slight pressure with the index finger of your draw hand, you can keep the arrow locked in place. Naturally, that's a major advantage if you're a horseback archer. If you shot the arrow with a thumb draw off the "normal" side of the bow, again, only by applying slight pressure with the index finger, you would push the arrow off the hand/shelf.

[Jesse Peltan]

TheFatboy is right.  The pressure against the arrow not only helps on horseback but in a hunting situation too.  You will naturally apply this pressure.  It's true that right handed shooters shoot off the right side of the bow and left handed shooters off of the left side of the bow.  I can switch between thumbring and 3 fingers within a few shots but thumbring is more accurate.  It's basically impossible to torque the string with a thumbring.

[Greg Owen]

Where can a person get a thumb ring to try?

[TheFatboy]

Greg,

For the best results, you would have to get a custom made ring. If you get one either too big or too small, it will hurt immensely. Mine is made from moose antler, and it could not fit better. It has to slip past the thumb joint with a little force, and after that, it should not be too tight. I tried a few rings at a jewelry store until I found one that fit well. Then I had the inside diameter measured, and also measured the length of my thumb pad, from the first crease to the tip of the thumb.

[Greg Owen]

Thanks for the info. I will try to make one.

[Jesse Peltan]

The thumbring should have an elliptical hole.  You rotate it 90degrees to where it's going to be when shooting before you put it on.  This will allow you to get it over the knuckle easily.  Then you rotate it back into position to shoot.  This way the thumbring will be easy to take on and off but won't slip off when shooting.  The thumbring should be slightly loose because your thumb will swell after a few shots.

[DGEsposito]

Sounds like a good choice for bow fishing no wet glove!