Anchor points?

[ishiwannabe]

What works for you? Im shopping for something a bit more consistent than my thumb knuckle on the corner of my mouth. I shoot a glove. Thanks!

[laddy]

Howard Hill taught middle finger in a comfortable spot near the corner of the mouth with the thumb knuckle coming behind the jaw.  One thing to avoid with double anchor points in my experience is to get the feel like you are holding the bow back with thumb knuckle pressure behind the jaw bone.  Keep it dynamic and pulling as you release and you should get the best possible arrow flight.

[GrnMtnTradNut]

For me I feel comfortable with my middle finger in the corner of my mouth.

[Stringdancer]

I shoot Index finger corner of mouth.  I've been doing it this way for 37 years, and it works for me.

Mike

[B.O.D.]

laddy is true, keep it dynamic, keep it moving through.
BD

[Terry Green]

If you put your thumb knuckle in the corner of your mouth, you aren't getting enough back tension cause your not properly aligned probably, as your elbow will not be pointing back enough to get your energy going directly away from the target....

AND, you are loosing power by having a shorter draw length.

I use a double anchor and slide that thumb knucke base into the corner of my mouth and keep sliding it...my middle finger will reach the corner of my mouth, and I keep sliding my thumb base till it slides in behind my jaw under my ear...and the corner of my mouth, with middle finger still in the corner, it pulled back from it original position.

[HumbleHunter]

howdy IW,
I have been dealing with the same thing here lately and finally found what works for me pretty well.

I shoot 3 under and anchor with my index finger tucked into the little pocket above the corner of my mouth kinda under and in front of the cheek bone. Kinda hard to explain but feel around and see how it works. For me it's like 3/4" above lip corner and 1" back towards ear.

It's been working for me pretty consistently. I would think a double anchor would prolly be better but, I just can't find a good one for me. JUST thoughts. Have a great one! HH

[ishiwannabe]

Thanks everyone. Im trying different things to see whats comfortable. I would also like to keep my nose attached. It seems when I find a comfortable anchor point, my nose is somehow in the way...
I have been fighting that back tension thing as it is. I will see how it goes with different anchor points.
Again thanks everyone.

[Terry Green]

If you 'draw the bow to anchor' and don't hit your nose, the string shouldn't hit your nose on the release.

If you draw and 'go to anchor', you may be sticking your nose in the path of the string.

[BTH]

I got the opportunity to see Terry's anchor in action on the Solana Ranch hunt. Made a difference "seeing" how he does it. It has made a huge improvement in my accuracy and consistancy using that double anchor.

[ishiwannabe]

I think Mr. Green just nailed it on the head. I think I know what I need to concetrate on now. I shot a bit yesterday with all of this in mind and hit a lot better than normal...I will keep working on it. Again, thanks to all.

[toyrecurves]

I have used my fletching in the corner of my mouth as an anchor. Not saying it is right but that is what i have done.

[Badlands]

Terry
I remember seeing a few of your shooting videos before, but I don't remember being able to see your anchor in them.  
BTH said that your anchor point in action made a difference.
Is there any chance that you could post a video that would illistrate your anchor?

I have been fighting a floating anchor for years and I know that I am going to have to develop a more consistant anchor before I can go to the next step.  
Everything in my sight picture is fine until the base of my thumb has to travel around my face to get to the back of my jaw.  At that time the arrow moves to the right. Seeing it happen out of my peripheral vision distracts me and my concentration is lost. As a result I have a tendency to short draw and release as my thumb hits my mouth.

Brad

[longbowguy]

I think it is best to seek your anchor not on your face, but in your string arm and shoulder. Hold your head and face out of the way and draw to where your arm and shoulder feel best aligned and stable. That is your proper anchor.

Once you have found it you can move your head and face over and lay it against your hand as you would lay it on the stock of your favorite shotgun or rifle. Then you can think about some reference points like maybe a finger in your mouth or a knuckle on your jaw. Such references are important, but they are not your anchor, just reference points. The anchor is in your arm and shoulder. - lbg

[Terry Green]

Brad....when you say 'travel around' your face, are you saying that you don't drag your thumb base knuckle down the side of your face but are arching out away from it?

[Badlands]

Terry
I don't consiously gun barrel the arrow but it seems that I naturaly draw the bow in a way the places the arrow directly under my eye, but when my right hand gets back to my face it must move a bit to the left to allow my thumb to past.  When this happens the back of the arrow moves to the right and slightly out of line with the target.  At that time my sight picture changes. My thumb is dragging across my face but it is forced to the right a bit in order to draw the arrow far enough to get my midle finger to my mouth or under my eye.

[Molson]

I think what Brad is saying is that when the base (fleshy part) of his thumb hit his mouth he is locking up and not able to get the fleshy part of his thumb back any further to reach his anchor with his finger.

I think that is what he is saying because that is exactly what is happening to me right now.  Ironically, I've somehow acquired this problem by working on gaining more "control" at anchor on targets.

I've always been a pull through guy.  Hit anchor and away the arrow goes.  My hand would move straight back an inch or two.  That along with my instinctive shooting style has been great for hunting and stumping, but I was looking to improve on targets so I started holding at anchor.  

Now for the cure...  I don't have one! I'm still fine hunting and stumping, but it's a most difficult chore to get that last inch back on a target. I can do Jay Kidwell's drills all day long without a problem.  I can draw and anchor perfectly if I know I'm not going to release.  I can even trick myself by telling myself I'm not going to release, anchor perfectly, and then release, but there is no flow to that and the concentration is not on the target.  Bow weight is not an issue.  Same thing regardless of a 36# or 66# bow.  Yeah, I know....Mental!

Don't mean to hijack the thread but if you guys have anything to add, I'm listening.

[WestTnMan]

Terry, I am a fair shot and work on it year round because I just like to shoot. I have read many books, articles and even a few DVD's and have NEVER heard or read "drawing TO anchor vs. drawing THEN anchoring". That is a key I have been missing. I can visualize perfectly how that is the way to do it. I discovered a while back how key back tension is and how when used properly a nice inline release is the result. My hand just naturally comes straight back when I use back tension. This is another "revelation" in my shooting style. Dragging the thumb nuckle across the face as you come to anchor makes for good alignment and a nice inline draw.I have never been able to understand a "non-static" double anchor but I do now. I can see how this will work. Thanks for the tip !!! I will try it tonight. I have spot lights on the targets in the yard and shoot alot a night after work.

[Haldir]

Originally posted by longbowguy:
I think it is best to seek your anchor not on your face, but in your string arm and shoulder. Hold your head and face out of the way and draw to where your arm and shoulder feel best aligned and stable. That is your proper anchor.

Once you have found it you can move your head and face over and lay it against your hand as you would lay it on the stock of your favorite shotgun or rifle. Then you can think about some reference points like maybe a finger in your mouth or a knuckle on your jaw. Such references are important, but they are not your anchor, just reference points. The anchor is in your arm and shoulder. - lbg

Interesting thought...I had stumbled across this very thing recently and I tend to agree to an extent.      

 What say you, Mr. Green??

[Badlands]

I too, did not intend to hijack the thread.

In my mind it has to be a dynamic process.  Was it HH that said that drawing the bow was part of the aiming process and that there shouldn't be anything static about it.  I'd like to think that I could draw the bow smoothly to anchor while concentrating on the spot I want to hit and release.  It seems to me that the draw should slow as the shooter nears the anchor point to all him to maintain control, but should never stop.