Draw to ear

[Steven-P]

I have moved my anchor point to the ear for shooting my 71" American long bow. There were the expected adjustments to make for a change in anchor, but one I didn't anticipate was the cock feather cutting up my cheek in a line from the ear hole. I've tried all the changes I can think of short of holding the nock away from my head at full draw (which wouldn't be much of an anchor). Can someone who draws to the ear advise me on where I might be going wrong?

Thanks.

[McDave]

Hi Steven, welcome to Trad Gang.

I've read of archers in the Middle Ages drawing to their ears, but I don't think that's commonly done in modern times.

Likely if you are drawing the nock all the way back to your ear, you are not engaging your back muscles.  You could get the same power with more accuracy by drawing to a conventional anchor with a slightly heavier weight bow, and using your back muscles.  The poundage would be the same at full draw as drawing to your ear, because you would be drawing a heavier weight bow a shorter distance.

With a conventional anchor, your feathers are in front of your face and can't cut you.  People with a conventional anchor sometimes manage to cut themselves anyway, but at least not with the feathers.

[Stumpkiller]

Shoot cock-feather in.

[YosemiteSam]

If you're going that far back, get a thumb ring.  The paradox is reversed so the arrow actually pulls away from your face upon release.  When using a thumb ring, I don't pull all the way to my ear but I can feel the feathers flat on my cheek at anchor.  Upon release, I feel nothing at all since the arrow pulls away from my cheek as it moves forward.

An opposite-handed bow is best but some do fine with a slight crawl on their normal bow.  An ambidextrous bow is even better.

[Gordon Jabben]

I have the same problem but it's the index on the nock that cuts my cheek.

[Steven-P]

Do you use a brass nock index? It might help to use a wrapped nock guide. I build up a nock guide with overhand knots using serving material. It is about the same length as a brass guide,but no more than 3 layers finishing the last knot with a drop of fletching glue. (if you know a choker knot you can use it as well - a little more bulk and holds better).

To find the correct position, start with 3 overhand knots that can be re-positioned as you're tuning bare shaft tuning - then lay on the permanent wraps for the knock guide.

I've never had one come loose and it is not a projectile like a lump of brass.

[Sam McMichael]

When I first took up archery as a kid, I read that the military archers of Medieval times pulled to the ear. Therefore, that's what I did also. But I never had a consistently reliable anchor point, which caused all kinds of problems. I never figured out how to shoot well, so I wound up going to the corner of my mouth and have fared much better. I realize this is not what you are asking about, but I would suggest using the corner of the mouth.

[Steven-P]

Thanks for the input, gents. I normally shoot a 50# recurve at 30" draw with a conventional anchor point and I agree with the related comments above that support this approach.

The longbow experiment has been driven by a desire to test this tool as it was used in the day and I've gained some useful insights from your comments on how this can be achieved with minimal loss of blood (mine that is). I have a thumb ring on order and will renew my "education" when it arrives (cock feather in).

[John Malone]

My great uncle shot a long bow and pulled to the ear. He shot cock feather in as already mentioned. I could never get the hang of it but he could hit anything he looked at.

[Steven-P]

McDave. I missed your point about not using the back muscles if you draw to the ear until I read another of your  posts. You said that the higher you anchor the less your back comes into play which becomes obvious once you're aware of it. Thanks!