Clickerman's TP thread and a recurring question...Triggers!

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

Ok. having read the target panic thread, I see a consistently recurring question from folks. "What should I use as a trigger, now that I am trying J. Turner's method?"

My though, was that those with a working trigger, could list them here. Nothing else, just the different triggers that people use. If you don't understand the concept of a trigger, read the "target panic reality check" thread first. If you still have questions, many here are willing to help.

1. I have my arrows set so that at anchor (full draw, with the aiming process complete) my broadheads are are roughly an 1/8"-1/16"(haven't bothered to measure exactly) from my bow hand. Now I begin expanding(increasing back tension) until the broadhead touches my knuckle. That touch is the trigger/release activator. Simple enough, effective, and no clicker string to get tangled on anything.

Let's hear your trigger, and give people a good reference list of ideas to try.

[bbell]

I use a clicker. On my self bow I would squeeze my bow hand thumb until it touched my pointer finger. That worked alright but was more easy to anticipate.
Brandon

[Cecil]

I pull till the feather touches my nose. it is the best thing I have found.

[McDave]

I've developed a trigger that will work with the dead release, as taught by Rick Welch.  No trigger that depends on movement will work, because with this release there is a balanced pulling at full draw and all conscious movement stops.  I could use a tab sear release, but I don't want to be consciously pressing on anything that doesn't have to do with the shot, either.

So I found an app for my iPhone for use in interval training, where people alternate fixed time periods at max effort with fixed time periods at lower effort.  I timed my shot sequence from just after my arrow is nocked to release, and found that 5 seconds is my average, assuming a relaxed draw and a two second hold at full draw.  For a while I thought it would be 6 seconds, but 5 seconds seems to be more my natural rhythm. I set the app so it would beep every 5 seconds. Or, if I want it quiet, I put the iPhone in my pocket and set it on vibrate; it works fine either way.

So it's actually pretty simple.  I nock an arrow and when I hear the next 5 second beep, I start my draw.  When I hear the next 5 second beep after that, it triggers my release.  In one morning's use, it has virtually eliminated my rushing the shot.  It also makes it much easier to let down if I get the jitters before the 5 second beep, whereas before, I probably would have just gone ahead and shot early.

It also works for timing a rest in between shots. If I don't want to shoot an arrow any sooner than 30 seconds after I shoot the last one, I just hold off for 6 intervals.  It would be possible to program in the 30 second waits, but if your first shot is at the beginning of a 30 second period, you'd be waiting at the line with people looking at you for a long time.  So I thought it would be better to just have a never ending series of 5 second beeps.

When I'm shooting with other people, I will probably have it on vibrate mode. Hopefully, having a little buzz in my pocket every 5 seconds won't be too annoying.

[Lee Lobbestael]

I slowly move my index finger on my bow hand until it touches my thumb. in my mind I imagine a string attached from my index finger of my bow hand to my draw elbow and I tell my self keeppullingkeeppullingkeeppulling and as my elbow rotates around my index finger closes until it touches my thumb and I release. This way I still get the benefits of increased back tension and the trigger is easy to reach.

[Rossco7002]

I tried the thumbs ear but found that while it worked extremely well as a trigger I was not getting off the string cleanly with it.

Given that I shoot split finger I adapted the feather to nose technique - I use feather to the top lip and it works very well.

I have also seen people use a broadhead mounted vertically and then pull until the back of the head hits the index finger. When using field tips they use an over sized tip to get the same effect. I think this is an excellent trigger and may switch to it when I have the time to tinker with my arrow tuning to get the desired length of shaft while still spachieving good arrow flight.

I have also heard of people mounting a kisser button on their strong and drawing to the eyebrow - that sound slime it'd be a good one too.

[Rossco7002]

Wow! Sorry about all the iPad auto-corrects there! Yeesh....

[TimBoA]

I was using some dry grass tied behind the point this morning and it worked great.  It slides back on impact with the target.  I put a dot at 27" with a sharpie so I don't have to remeasure every time.  The fletching to nose doesn't work for me, and my arrows are a bit too long (like Rossco above, I may cut and re-tune them eventually), but having a reference on the arrow was pretty helpful.

[pamike]

i just use the clicker, but since i am also buying and selling bows i would like to find another option.  I will keep watching this one.

[Green]

If you shoot right handed, and use RW Shield cut feathers, turn the cock feather in on wood shafts once you figure out the distance you need the back of the fletch from the valley of the nock.  This is "anchor dependent", but depending on your facial features, this will work for most folks.

When you're determining the distance to fletch, make sure that each time you grip the string to draw, that you are dealing with a completely relaxed forearm and drawing hand.  This will insure that the distance from fletch to nose is consistent not only while you're setting up the fletch as a trigger, but that it stays consistent in your shooting.  This gives you one less of those "errant thoughts" where you ask yourself if that dang'd feather is EVER going to hit your nose and cause you to have to let down.     :D

[Rossco7002]

Second what Green says - fletch to upper lip works as a perfect rigger for me. It also has the added bonus of ensuring a highly repeatable anchor point every time.

[Green]

:D

[Green]

Fixed it.     :rolleyes:

[Lee Lobbestael]

To expand on the grass tied to the shaft idea, You can use an O-ring instead of grass. Its durable and will easily slide up the shaft on impact. This allows for you to use any length arrows you want and also works with field points. You can find a wide variety of little rubber O-rings at lowes in the plumbing section. Might be worth giving a shot (no pun intended!)

[TimBoA]

Yeah, I am going to try some O-rings.  I moved on to short pieces of Velcro tape after the grass, but they tend to fly off and get lost.  The grass is more primitive though...maybe I will make some sinew O-rings!

[LongStick64]

I'm using the same system as Malachi does, and it works real well, nothing like the pinch of a broadhead to give you the Go signal.