De-Clicking

[Soilarch]

I don't mean to be a post-whore but I saw a question come up in another clicker thread that I've been wondering about for a long time.

A lot of guys swear by them. I tried one the other night for the first time and....WOW!!!!  

But the concern is going BACK to a bow without the clicker.  One of the main, if not THE main reason I wanted to go trad was to get away from reliance on extras.  I don't want to "NEED" a clicker.

So for me and the other guy:  

What's the word on tradgang for not becoming dependent on a clicker?

[Hud]

Having shot for a long time, both hunting, field, 3-D and target, I used a clicker on a target bow and understand the principle. I no longer target shoot, and would not use one on a hunting bow. My personal choice.

It was necessary to make some changes in my shooting style from target to hunting, and going back and forth drove me nuts. It is difficult to avoid developing bad habits. In the 1980's I picked up a book by John Schulz, and then his DVD. It explains in detail how to shoot in hunting situations as Howard Hill did. If you have read his books, or watched the DVD you will know what I am talking about.

Howard said, "you need to decided whether you are going to hunt or shoot targets, because the two do not go together". Targets are usually shot with deliberation, hunting is more fluid, tempo and timing is different. Both forms are different in drawing, aiming and releasing. Practice is different.

Fred Bear said, "he dealt with the business of target panic". He did so, by developing a practice and method of shooting instinctively, visualizing the flight of his arrow, coming to full anchor and releasing when he was at full draw without hesitation. He said, there are two kinds of instinctive shooters those that come to full draw and those that don't. He would come to full draw before releasing, always.

I like to hunt and gave up target shooting except for shooting 3-D which I shoot the same way. I like to shoot moving targets (game or birds) and wouldn't want to be bothered by a clicker. Going back and forth would drive me crazy.

[Soilarch]

You raise the good point of the target/hunting differences.

That whole full draw thing......that's the kicker.  And honestly I didn't think it was an issue for me.

I put a clicker on my bow the other night out of curiosity... and I immediately started slapping arrows against each other.  Something I've never done with trad equipment.

So that pesky full draw thing IS an issue for me...but I don't want to become dependent on one.

Can I have the cake and eat it too?

[Old York]

If you've only been using a clicker for a short time, why not continue? Burn it into muscle memory for some months. Try the clicker too when you're hunting with winter clothing on and you find you have to open your stance....coming to anchor does  not  guarantee you're at full draw. I say be nice to yourself, enjoy slapping arrows for a change, and go git some venison  

[McDave]

I agree with Old York.  Use it as long as you feel it helps.  I did.  My reaction was the same as yours: WOW! and so I put one on every one of my bows.  It served it's purpose, and now I don't have one on any of my bows.  When you begin to feel confident that you can come to full draw and shoot when you want to, you probably won't want to use it anymore.  Hint: you can save money if you rein in your enthusiasm to the extent that you don't buy one for each of your bows.

[Basic Instinct]

I have shot with a clicker for 4-5 yrs, You can dampen the sound to almost not hearing it at all I set mine up and do not mess with it until I'm ready to switch to a new string. Then only takes a few Minutes. Doesn't bother me at all for hunting, I Know I shoot better with it, So I just leave it on, if for non other than confidence.

"Can I have the cake and eat it too?"

Yes you can.  It's all a matter of learning and burning your form in to your computer.  I think you'll need to take the time in your practice sessions to pull through the clicker, and let down.  Don't allow the stimulus to release "become" the click, but rather a draw check.  

I know it may be a lot tougher than it sounds, but if you work at it, you'll be fine.

[xtrema312]

I have found if you have good form and pull all the way back with back tension until you run out of shoulder pinch and then pull into that with the realise just happening, you will have a very constant draw length and release.  If you have target panic and need something to trigger the release then that is a different issue all together.  I only used one for a draw length check and it helped me, but soon found that changes to my form eliminated the need for one.