Normal Anchor doen't feel right with new widow?

[Spurs]

Guys, I have several different bows and shoot them all pretty good.  I was bare shafting my new widow today and everything was good.  I tuned my setup and then went to a fletched shaft.

The bow went from natural feeling with the bare shaft to really uncomfortable  when I tried to lay my nose on the fletching.

I use the double anchor Rick Welch method.  It seems on the widow that when I close my eyes, draw and get first anchor behind ear, the second achor ( the fletching) seems to want to be under my eye.  I fight myself to get my nose to lay on top of fletch like on other standard bows.  I blow the arrows like a foot to the left.

Does this mean that my anchor that I use on my Morrison's, shafer's and similar built bows will not work the same way on the widow style riser?
Has anyone else had this problem?  Does the widow have this completely different feel than other bows?  I hope this is the right forum for this.  I know this is a form question, but not your basic kind of form question.  Thanks, Tom

[McDave]

I shoot my Widows, Morrisons, Robertsons & Bob Lee recurves all with the same Rick Welch anchor you describe.  There are subtle differences among them, but nothing so dramatic as you describe.  I do notice with the Widow that I shoot it better with maybe a 5 degree cant rather than straight up and down, which also brings the point of impact over to the right a little.

You say you get your nose to "lay on top of the fletch."  I was taught by Rick to place the tip of my nose behind the cock feather, so that as I draw the bow, the back of the cock feather contacts the tip of my nose.  Perhaps that's what you mean, but if not, maybe you could explain.

I find that Rick's method doesn't work (things don't fit) unless I hold my head up.  It is probably a good thing that I have something to remind me that my head is drooping.  Some archery coaches describe the proper head posture as an "aristocratic look" as if you're looking down your nose more than non-aristocrats usually do.

I'm sorry I can't help you more than this, but I can tell you that I have shot a number of bows, including longbows with straight grips, and find that with very minor adjustments I can use Rick's method of anchoring.

BTW, you didn't mention whether your new Widow is a recurve or a longbow.

[Spurs]

You have helped tremendously Dave.  I have only adopted Rick's methods from the video.  I have had no actual hands on experience.  It is hard to explain, but I think you do understand a little of what I am describing.

I definately need to keep my head up and look down my nose.  You pegged that right off.  It almost feels like I am tucking my chin to my neck and getting down on the bow to much.  This is the closest that I can get to my regular anchor with this design.  Ok I can can't the bow and it shoots awesome.  It seems like I am canting much more than normal.  I would like to feel comfortable in all positions.  I am not shooting the bow straight up and down by any means.  If I don't cant enough the bow feels really awkward like it's in my way?  I can hit the target exactly where I am looking with my bare shaft.  It is when I go fletched that things are screwing up for me.  I guess I could spin my fletching, but I loose my double anchor.  

I will shoot some more tonight and play with it.  It has been a long while since owning a widow.  It may just be that it feels that much different for me and I have to adjust.  There have been a few shots that have felt comfortable, but I am usually too worked up to notice.lol!

[McDave]

Since you're self-taught in Rick's method, I'll give you another piece of advice.  Rick's method of using the nose anchor as a draw check only works if your nose contacts the back end of the cock feather, where it is cut down to meet the quill.  You may think your nose is contacting the back of the cock feather, whereas it is really touching the top edge of the cock feather, since the feeling is about the same.  If you are aware of this, it is fairly easy to correct, but if you are not aware of it, it is an easy mistake to make.

[wtpops]

This my not help you at all but what i am reading into this is your anchor with that bare shaft is not the same as with the flecthed shaft, your anchor should always feel the same. If your anchor feels right and confortable with the bear shaft but then you have to force your self into a unconfortable anchor with the flecthed shaft you might want to re-evaluate your anchor point.

I hope this does not open a hole differant can of worms for you.

[Spurs]

ok, I shot tonight.  just a few.  I shot left a little at first but was  not as bad.  I stated playing with the bow and anchor without shooting until it felt comfortalble.  i ended up leaning further to the right on the string.  It felt good. My nose was laying on top of the fletch.  I ws smoking the target for 15 shots and i stopped.  I hope that i can replicate tommorrow.  I don't think that my eye was over the arrow.  For some reason I hink that my eye was left of the arrow.  We will see tommorrow.  Tom

[Spurs]

Shot a few this am before work.  Definately not a flude.  I used same procedure as last night.  Arrows shot great.  Actually they were showing a little weak with the 300's so I will start bareshafting again since seemed to have found my sweet spot with this bow.  Thanks for all the help.  I think when we get a bow and it dose'nt do what we want instantly, we feak out.  Or maybe not we.  It could just be a me thing    

I will update you as I progress.  Tom