I Keep Hitting My Nose

[mikebiz]

Since all my servings are now blood stained and the bellies of my bows are blood splattered I figured it was time to ask this gang for some advice.  First some info about my shooting style.  I shoot three different D-shaped Hill bows and an R/D Hill Badger.  I'm right handed, but left eye dominant.  I also shoot three under if that matters.  My problem is that my string consistently hits my nose just inside the tip of my right nostril.  Pretty gross, right?  I'm sure that it's the result of me not turning my head enough to the left during the release, but when I do so it really throws off my shot placement and it's uncomfortable.  Anybody know what else I can try or should I just get used to living with lovely scabs in my nose?    

[K. Mogensen]

Same thing happened to me with my Savannah. Seems when I went to a tied on serving as opposed to the brass, it helped quite a bit. I also used to anchor with middle finger to corner of mouth (3 under as well) and switched over to index in corner of mouth.

Somewhere in there, it quit happening. Never had the problem on my Lost Creek...

Sorry if this doesn't help you, just my personal experiences.

[K. Mogensen]

Forgot to add, it sure hurts like a "B" word huh?

[stevewills]

i do the same thing on purpose.i push my face into the string,so i can get over my arrow...if that makes sense...i dont have a problem when im shooting my hunting bow cause i cant my bow,i only do it when i shoot my target bow.so i take it you hold your bow verticaly...ive learned to put a piece of tape on my nose,and if your hitting what your looking at and its working put some tape on your nose and shoot.....

[Arwin]

Not sure how long you've been shooting but heres my advice.
 Don't be scared of the string. Find your anchor and just let your fingers slip naturally. Cozy up to that string and relax, let it slip past your cheek and not your nose.
 This is what I have seen with some shooters in the past, they don't like the string close to their face and they jerk their hand upon release.

 BTW my son is left handed and right eye dominate. Keep both your eyes open and all should be well.    

[T Folts]

I know people have switched to left handed because of this and thier shooting improved greatly and I bet you would stop hitting your nose.

[mikebiz]

Wow you guys are quick.  

K. Mogensen - Yes I do use a brass nocking point and intend to switch over to a tied on version.  That's the first thing I thought of just haven't made the switch yet.  I also anchor with my middle finger in the corner of my mouth.  I will try moving to the index finger. And yes it hurts like a "B"      

stevewills - I cant my bow slightly, always have, except when I shot compounds with sights.  

Arwin - I have been shooting off and on for over 25 years.  I shot recurves early on.  Never had a problem.  Then I shot compounds for a while (fingers and mechanical release).  Never had a problem.  Since getting back into traditional with low brace height longbows my nose has taken a beating.  

Thanks for all the advice.  I will see if I can clear this up.  My nose thanks you, too.     :D

[Arwin]

Do you shoot your recurve and compounds with the same form?
 When I switched to traditional from a compound, my first bow was a recurve. I liked it because it felt similar to the compound grip(old Pro- Line Point Blank).

 When I first got into longbows it took me a while to learn how to shoot them. I found if my shoulders were turned a little more toward the target, it made my elbow on the bow arm bend a bit more providing more clearance.
 I had serious arm slap issues in the beginning because I was trying to hold it like a recurve.
 Maybe one thing to try???  

[Orion]

Mike:  You already alluded to the solution to your problem, turning your head toward the target more.  The string is coming across your face now.  The other is to close your stance a little, i.e., move your right foot forward.  That will turn your entire body more toward the target and should give you more clearance from your nose.  

Being a right handed shooter and left eye dominant does create some sighting problems, but I don't know how turning your head, or body a little more would exacerbate the problem.  Should be just a matter of getting used to the the slight change in form.  Good luck.

[NBK]

Good advice by all.  I had the same problem and for me it was because I was turning my head into the string near the end of my draw.  Now I concentrate on turning my head towards the target and pulling the string to my face without moving my head.  I may still "tilt" my head up/down slightly, but not left/right.  I know it's time to quit shooting if I hit my nose because I'm getting fatigued and I'm compensating by turning my head too much.  If you've seen Rod Jenkins in MBB III, he too hits his nose a little bit on each shot, and hey, if Rod with his form whacks his nose, then who am I to argue?!

[wtpops]

Do you use a tab or glove? If you use a tab have you trimed it down? I tried to switch to a tab once and left it full lengh and one the first two or three shots i about tore the hole side of my face off, trimed it down and it stoped the face contact.

[crandog]

I think your left eye is trying to take over.  Either close or squint it, or try to shoot left handed to match your eye dominance.

[BobCo 1965]

Originally posted by mikebiz:
 Anybody know what else I can try or should I just get used to living with lovely scabs in my nose?      

Yes, try doing some neck stretches everyday for the next few weeks. After that time, you should notice greater flexibility and a difference in having the ability to have your face positioned square to the target.

Most of the time from what I see, people like to start out facing the target only to move out of that position when drawing the bow. Watch yourself in a mirror face on to notice any inconsistancy.

[JO_EZ]

My thoughts are along those of Crandog's.
I am a lefty with a dominant right eye. If I shoot with both eyes open, I notice that sometimes I don't turn my head enough to even see the target with my left eye.

I recently started shutting my right eye and I moved my anchor UP so that my index finger is on my cheek bone to make it feel more like sighting down a shotgun barrel.

For me, this has cut my group size in half.

I know you are supposed to shoot off handed if your are off eye dominant, but closing one eye is free while buying a new bow ain't.

[zetabow]

When I switched from Longbow to ILF Recurve I had to break 12 years of tilting head but I also noticed the extra pressure I put on ring my finger and too deep draw would turn my head away as I settled into anchor, the string was still hitting my nose even with correct head position and fixing these other two minor form flaws solved this nose problem for me.

[Terry Green]

If you are shooting good...really-really good, but hitting your nose.....simple, just have it surgically removed.....that's what I'd do.

[Terry Green]

BTW...I bet some of you are scratching your head...


My last comment was an attempt at Comic Relief.    :D

Every once in a while this happens to me, I barley click my nose....and its because I'm out of alignment...not the clock...my spine...and my chiropractor straitens me out.

Looks like you got a lot of good answers.

[zetabow]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
simple, just have it surgically removed

The way things were going for me it was going to drop off all by itself, I was shooting one day and resting 3 so it could heal and this Summers European field champs is a 5 day tourney so I was getting worried my nose wouldn't last more than 3 days shooting    :(  

very happy I seemed to have cracked the problem    

[fmscan]

Mikebiz, I was just going to ask the same question, out of the blue I started whacking my beak. That got me anticipating and jerking. NOT good. I will try some to the suggestions, esp. opening my stance a little.
Do yourself a favor, for yrs I was OK shooting right handed with a dominant left eye. I wasnt too bad, BUT that was my backyard. When I got in the field I sucked. I was making mental adjustments that I was not aware of in my backyard due to repetition. I was 50 yrs old and said I'm going to try left handed, borrowed a friends lefty bow, and I could tell after 3 shots that this was the way to go. I roughly 2 days I was shooting better than I ever had shooting rifhty. My right eye is VERY bad so maybe that made a difference. I feel to shoot instinctive you need to shoot according to your dominant eye. NOW I HAVE A DOMINANT NOSE PROBLEM!

[canshooter]

I put a bandaid on my nose to shoot and every one looks at me like Im an idiot, but it looks way better than a bloody nose and when I finish shooting I can take the darn thing off. I tried turning my head more towards the target and my shooting suffered. It only happens with my target bow, not my longbow or hunting bows.