3 under shooters

[bucknut]

Anyone ever have issues with hitting your nose with the string or arrow. Don't know which. I use my middle finger as my anchor point. Get a strawberry on the side of my nose on extended shooting days. Any ideas or remedies?  Going thru lots of band aids.

[reddogge]

Turn your head slightly away from the bow.

[McDave]

I've had this problem from time to time, and I know from other posts I've read that other 3 under shooters do to, to a greater degree than split finger shooters, at least from the number of posts I've noticed.

Once you start bleeding, any little touch will start the bleeding again, so it might make you think you have a worse problem than you really do, and might also make you start lifting up your head when you shoot as an involuntary response, which is a bad habit to get into.  So do whatever you need to do to avoid hitting your nose until it heals, including really exaggerating the rotation of your head if you need to.

Switching from a tab to a lightweight glove helps some 3 under shooters to avoid hitting their noses.

If you're not getting your elbow all the way around behind the arrow at full draw, the outward angle of your forearm can cause some sideways forces that can result in the string hitting your nose on release.

Fortunately, rotating your head and getting your elbow behind the arrow are good form, so as you're solving your nose problem, you may also improve your shooting in general.

[bucknut]

Yeah, Dave I've been thru the bleeding part and got it healed with band aids. Had me gun shy for a long while. I think I may have resolved my ordeal partially today. I have indexed nocks and noticed blood on them the other day after shooting. Turned all my indexes inward and no bleeding today after shooting a couple hundred arrows. Had me scratching my head for a while. Had the wife filming me and the whole 9 yards. Form looked good but did notice torquing of the string though. Too much pressure on my bottom finger.  Thanks for the input.

[McDave]

I've wondered why 3 under shooters seem to experience problems with string hitting the face more than split finger shooters.  Your comment about torquing the string might be part of the reason.  Torquing the string could certainly throw the string into the face, similar to the sideways forces that are developed when the elbow is not behind the arrow.  I think it is more likely to torque the string when shooting 3 under because of the lever effect of having that third finger lower than it would be when shooting split.  It is just good shooting form for anyone to avoid torquing the string and keep the weight off the third finger, but perhaps even more important for 3 under shooters for the reason you mention.

Also your comment about the indexed nock.  I've never heard that one before, but have often heard about problems with a brass string nock hitting the face, and if an indexed arrow nock were big enough, I suppose that could cause it too.

I switched from brass string nocks to tied on nocks for that reason.  Then I made the mistake of tying the string nock in too big of a wad with the burned off ends still sticking out, and ended up with scratches on my face from the burned off ends.

[Bladepeek]

I would bet that a lot of us are torquing the string without realizing it. I have a problem with my bow flipping counter-clockwise at the shot (I'm a lefty). I don't grip the bow, but merely let it rest on the base of my thumb with the fingers lying lightly on the back of the grip. I believe I am torquing the string so that when I release, the bow reacts by flipping left. If I make a conscious effort to turn my string hand a bit more to the outside, the bow stays upright, or with whatever cant it had at release. It really takes a conscious effort, though.

Guess I need to video some closeups of my string hand at anchor and release.

[bucknut]

My problem is a little more unique because I have a stubbed index finger and have to use the other 2 a lot more to draw and hold with. It seems as though if I don't concentrate on my draw hand it doesn't line up with the string. It is much less prevalent if I don't cant the bow it seems.  Dave It was definitely the Index on the nocks. Or at least a major contributing factor. Some of them were very sharp.  Blade I notice the same thing at times with my bow on release. Usually I can hear my release too. Plucked string.  Thanks for the input.