The Toelke anchor

[Machino]

Hello all.  I have been bit by the traditional bug for a little over a year now.  I have a 52# toelke whip and I am having a 52# takedown whip being made (which I will have to show you guys, the wood is wow!)  

Anyway, he pretty much taught me how to shoot and I have adopted "his style".  I would call it a modified split finger.  Ring and middle in a deep claw on the string below arrow and the index pointed straight.  Index (first distal) is brought up to the temple pocket.  Anchor and release.  I'm just trying to find someone who shoots like this just to pick their brain about some little things on form and in general how they like it.  Thanks

DT

[Randy Morin]

Dan is the Man. Period.
But...I had to go back to my normal 3 under form...more like 2.5 under actually.  

When I shot Dans way I couldnt get the fishtail out of my arrows.  I gave it a honest month or 2 and tried some different shafts etc. Arrows flew like darts with my normal form. Seemed wierd to me and I couldnt pin down the reason.  

Index on the "temple pocket" seems awful high to me.  Equal to your eye ball in height is it not?  He had me resting the index finger on the very back half inch or so of the arrow shaft (in line pointing toward the target). Like everything else I change it seemed awesome at first but eventually I went back to what works for me.  Perhaps if I had more coaching....who knows.

[Lamey]

while I dont use that exact style anchor,  Dan has walked me through a couple issues with ease over the  phone.  He has a nack for knowing what your doing wrong simply by the description of the problem, even when not "common" issues.

[tim roberts]

Recently, Dan told me that he could get me an extra inch of draw,my normal 25" has increased to a bit over 26" shooting how Dan has instructed. My shooting to the left problem has pretty much disappeared. For the most part I have only got to use the new style on a short 52" recurve that is 55 @ 25, and the extra 5+ pounds kicked my butt. But last weekend I shot one of the best rounds of archery golf I have ever shot. Next week I will be starting with the self bows I plan to hunt with this fall. So far I am impressed with the results, would like to make it up and have Dan help me a bit with getting the index finger secure on the jaw bone.
Thanks,

[Machino]

Thanks for all the responses.  I recently switched to some 70-75# surewoods and they have been flying great.  Now I am trying to go through form again and tighten some things up.  

Like Tim said, I feel like you get every bit of draw length out of the bow with this anchor and that extra bit seems to give me great trajectory. I remember Dan saying something like "rip the limbs off the bow" with a powerstroke shot and every time I do that it shoots great.  The biggest problem I have is the thumb knuckle.  Dan explain it as: Seat your index in the temple pocket, lock your thumb behind the jaw, then release.  Locking the thumb seems to be the thing I never can get just right.  Just trying to get some feedback.  Thanks for the responses.

DT

[kadbow]

How about some pics of what you changed to increase draw length.

[Machino]

Currently I am out of town working on cell towers.  That's what the take down will be for.  I could try to explain though.  With most anchors, be it three under or split, they are anchoring somewhere around the corner of the mouth.  With Dan's anchor it at least an inch further back and higher.  Try putting your index finger on your temple with the pocket of your index and thumb resting around your cheek bone. Point at your target and release.

DT

[fnshtr]

I've never tried the anchor you describe, but went to a Rick Welch workshop and adapted his style. While I've abandoned the "nose to the cock feather" I've kept the middle finger to the corner of the mouth and the thumb knuckle behind the jaw bone. I think the latter of the two really makes the anchor "repeatable" and consistent.

Good luck!

[JimB]

I really can't understand what you are describing.You do know that the temple is behind and above the eye?How do you anchor there?

[Brianlocal3]

I'm confused also!!!

[moebow]

I'm with Jim and Brian!  Sounds very unorthodox; I, too, need to see pictures.  Sounds exceedingly high to me.  NOT saying it doesn't work, just very different and I doubt I'd try to teach it to others.

Arne

[Brianlocal3]

This is what I'm seeing when you describe it to us.  Is this what you mean?
 

[LongStick64]

That can't be right can it ???

[Tutanka]

It's really not about the height of the anchor, Dan would not want an anchor as high as the one in the picture.  It's really about moving the anchor point back so that you are inside the bow, and the elbow is either in line with the string or slightly inside the string.  The anchor that Dan is talking about is really about getting the back of the thumb bone in firm contact with the jawbone, to have a bone on bone anchor.  For a height reference the cheek bone could be used.  But, it's more about opening the bow up and getting into the back muscles with proper alignment.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

I know the bowstring digs into my eyebrow when I anchor, but I don't think your temple is the right point...

[neargeezer]

Okay, I read this post this moring and while out stump shooting I gave it a try. The 2 under with index finger on the arrow really was rock solid and repeatable for me. Here's how it looks for me.

 

 

 

[Machino]

Geezer, that's very close to the way Dan shoots.  If he were to critic you he would have you move your index finger up to your eye level and slightly more forward, hooking your cheek bone with the crook between your index and thumb.  Didn't mean to cause so much confusion.  Its seems Dan has a good system and just was curious who else uses it.

DT

[Brianlocal3]

Geezer, keep us posted on this please.

[Nativestranger]

I see 2 issues with this method. Such a high anchor places a lot of stress on the deltoids making it hard to get good proper back tension and follow through. Putting the anchor far back towards the side of the face will put the arrow out of alignment with the eye. This is not a problem if you shot instinctive but kinda defeats the point of the high anchor which helps gapping.

[Mike VanBuren]

Mike Fedora teaches a similar method. He will tell you to keep your face square to the target and your chin next to the shoulder for another reference. This tilts your head slightly down and you will be cupping the cheek bone without the high elbow. Your anchor position changes from middle finger to ring finger at the eye tooth. Another reference this may give, depending on bowstring angle and face shape, is the string touches your eyebrow.

At first I thought this felt wierd and uncomfortable but I was exaggerating everything Mike was trying to teach me. All I had to do was keep my face square to the target and slightly bear down on the arrow.