3 questions about anchoring

[rluttrell]

I am still just learning and I am totally lost right now, I was shooting my bow with my friends  and they noticed that I my anchor point is to far past my eye. I was trying to anchor on the back of my jaw bone.  They asked me to move it forward with my middle finger going in the corner of my mouth.  I noticed 2 things my draw became almost to inches shorter and I scraped the side of my face with the string.
 Also when moving forward I was able to see the string and see down the arrow. So add another question when should you see when anchored??

[njloco]

I am assuming that the string is in the first joints of the fingers, and your finger tips should be pointed back at your face. Now, when you draw your middle finger goes to the corner of your mouth or one of your teeth. This way when you release your fingers can unfold with out being hampered by your face, also you draw the string to your face, not your face to the string. If you cant your bow you should also tilt your head to the degree of the cant.

Hopefully I explained this so you could understand it, it's hard to try and put into words all the movements and what one would view as they are shooting.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

The string should go just to the right side of your pupal (if you are right handed). You don't look down the shaft of the arrow, you concentrate on the spot you want to hit, in your peripheral vision your mind will take note of the arrow and point it appropriately.

To my thinking, most folks anchor too far forward and never reach proper bone-to-bone alignment.  When I've been around "the guys" I've done a little messing with them.  While it's all anecdotal and not scientific, to my notion most hunting archers should anchor at the notch between the upper and lower jaw with the web of the hand wrapped around the lower jawbone (skeletal structure will make your mileage vary).

[McDave]

In order to determine where you should anchor, you should first learn to come to full draw.  Full draw occurs when your string forearm is in line with the arrow, viewed from above.  There are good examples of coming to full draw in the video posted on this forum by Moebow called "Rotational Drawing Technique," and also in "Terry's Form Clock."

One basic anchor that has nothing to do with your face is the feeling in your drawing shoulder blade that it has moved toward your spine, which happens at full draw.  If you are properly alinged, this anchor will help you to come to a consistent draw length.

You should have other anchors on your face, in order to determine that your arrow is properly lined up up and down and side to side.  The location of these anchors will vary from person to person, and you can determine where they should be located after you learn to come to full draw.

[RedShaft]

maybe when you heard about anchoring behind your jaw you thought them meant with your fingers. what most describe is the thumb behind your jaw bone.. not your fingers. when i place middle finger corner of my mouth deeply my thumb lays rite behind my jaw bone, so i essence i have to solid anchor points. the way you was drawing i could imagine you having allot of string contact with your forearm/string slap from being so stretched out. give it atry prob feel more comfortable to ya.

[Gregg S]

Very good point McDave. Most guys, myself included, pick an anchor point that is suggested by someone rather then letting their body tell them where their anchor point should be. I found this out by accident. It only changed my anchor by a small amount but by pulling my elbow around and feeling my scapula move I find that I now have good back tension and my anchor ends up at the same point every time, without me trying. Anchored properly, I can hold and just let the shot happen. I wish someone had suggested this to me along time ago. Good point McDave.

[LongStick64]

McDave sir that was a lightbulm moment for me, completely explained why I have been hitting left.

[rluttrell]

I wish one of you guys were here in So-Cal and had a few hours of time.....
Thanks for your help. I think i might try putting myself on Video and repost

[njloco]

Putting yourself on video and posting is the best way for the Tradgangers to really help you out, try and get video from all around and even over head if possible.

[stujay]

Good idea with videoing your shooting

[David Yukon]

McDave, this is a great explanation!! Thank you!