is it possible?

[VA Elite]

to actually be more consistent shooting with bare fingers? I tried it tonight just to see and while I know that multiple shots will be painful, I shot pretty darn well with the 5-6 shots I took. the bow seemed more quiet and I felt like I anchored better. I have done this before and had same results.  now I know I can't shoot like this for extended time but for hunting situations could this be good? one shot maybe two at best?

[The Whittler]

One or two shots might be fine but what happens when it gets really cold. I would think cold bare fingers wouldn't do well on a string.

[VA Elite]

I was thinking the same thing. I lost my glove and bought a new one but it just is t the same. I do have a cheap one that has a felt type material for the tips and I shoot with it just fine. I can't remember the brand but if I find one I will by another.

[AZ_Longbow]

More than likely you focused more on each shot. You knew you had to make these count before the pain set in. Try the same focus with a glove and see how it goes.

[DanielB89]

stick your fingers in some ice for a minute to simulate a really cold hunting scenario.. then shoot the bow with bare fingers... It'll be sure to give the neighbors a good laugh.. it'll hurt like the dickens! lol

[30coupe]

I get the same thing by using a plain cordovan tab...no divider, no multiple layers, just a piece of leather with a hole for your middle finger and a slot for the arrow. I trim it short enough to just protect my fingers but so that my FINGERS touch my anchor instead of the tab or glove. I use a Screaming Eagle tab and love it. I could never find a glove that I could shoot as well...even the high priced Big Shot glove.

[Gray Buffalo]

I make my own tabs using hair on calf leather and a thin goat hide. I have enough to keep me in tabs for years to come

[Ouchigan72]

I shoot bare finger....just feels normal to me. I've tried tabs -n- gloves and never could get use to them.Shoot year round that way, just learn to keep that hand warm in cold weather

[VA Elite]

good point... It does feel like I hit my anchor more solid. the Damascus and big shot gloves just seem to make me more inconsistent

[Sam McMichael]

I could never stand the discomfort long enough to develop the toughness needed to shoot bare fingers.

[Hoyt]

I used to hunt with a guy that shot bare fingers when he hunted with his recurve. He was a good hunter and killed more than his share of deer.

But, he was also one of the luckiest people I knew and most of his kills with bare finger..if not all that I saw results from..and trailed for him..were hit in the femoral artery in hindquarters, liver on top of back...can't remember a hit even in the chest cavity.

We shot a lot of field rounds back then, but he didn't shoot much..said he was good on game but could't hit targets.

[habujohn]

Hard to imagine that you would getting a better release with bare fingers.  That said I do know some people that do shoot this way and do it well, it is not for me though.  One of thing some people do is to double up on the serving.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Been shooting bare finger, triple served for over 30 years.  I cannot bear to have a tab or glove on...lose all feeling of control on the shot.  Some of the best shots I know shoot bare fingered.  I cannot imagine going to a tab or glove for hunting personally.  I'm sure my father has been shooting bare fingered for close to 60 years now.

R

[VA Elite]

hey Ryan, talk to me about triple serving. is it easy to get a shop to do it? I know I can't. At least not with my limited experience.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

You use double nocking points and nock between them (I use the brass ones, but have used served on string nocking points for this too).  Make sure they are where you want them because if you decide to change the nocking point you have to cut off the 2nd and 3rd serving and start over.  For the top finger (shooting split finger) start your second serving 1 1/2 inches or so above the top nocking point, serve under, then serve down to the top nocking point, keep serving and you'll find the serving jig reverses when it hits the nocking point and serves now up, giving the 3rd layer of serving.  You may have to manually serve the last 1/16th or 1/32nd inch to the nocking point if the serving jig wants to start back up too soon.  When you reach nearly the start point of the 2nd serving (ie 1 1/2 inches above the nocking point) serve the tag end under.  No need for knots, you just serve under like you would on the 1st serving of a bare string.  For the bottom 2 fingers its the same deal, just start serving maybe 3 inches or so below the bottom nocking point.  I just do it by eye, so measurements are approximate.  I put a small dab of contact cement at the end of the serve-under, just like for serving a string.

If you don't know how to serve a string this might be confusing, but if you have served regular strings it should make sense.  Watch a youtube on serving a string and you'll see what I mean.

I wouldn't pay anyone to serve my strings...buy a jig and a spool of serving thread for a few bucks and learn how.  Takes about 5 minutes when you know how, gives you something to do when you're sitting in front of the TV.


R

[VA Elite]

10.4 gotcha! thanks

[LBR]

It's possible to do, but not likely the reason unless you have a poorly fitting glove or something along that line.  I've picked up a bow I never shot before and shot it better than my "old faithful"...for a few shots anyway.

[jmar595]

I use the no gloves. They work really well for me. I shoot two under with a nocking point above the no glove and enough room  for the arrow nock plus a little more. The no glove being on the bottom serves as a bottom nocking point. I have also been practicing the Schultz Hill style to keep focus on the target at all times.

[30coupe]

Ryan, I thought of your dad when I saw this thread. I knew he shot bare finger with the triple served threads but didn't know you did too. I've tried it, but just prefer my plain old tab. Each of us has to find out what works for us.