Very deep hook

[Ray Johnson]

Does anyone shoot with the string near or in the second joint of fingers.I am having shoulder pain and a little TP and this hook seems much easier on the draw.It is also much easier to hold.I am just wondering if it is too deep though.I usually use the first joint but thought about working with a deeper hook for a trial period.

[McDave]

From lack of response, I suspect that nobody has had much success with holding the string in the second joint.  I would steer people away from doing this, and in fact am trying to steer one of my friends who asked me to teach him archery away from doing this, because it puts the string behind the reinforced part of his glove and I can see that he isn't getting a good release that way.  He just seems to want to hold the string that way naturally and keeps coming back to it, so I guess I'll just leave him alone about it.

What you might try instead is one of the release aids, like the talon that is discussed a few posts down from this one.  I don't have any experience with them, but you could PM one of the people who do and ask them about it.

OTOH, I don't have any experience with holding the string in my second joint either, and if you really like shooting that way, maybe you should keep doing it for a while and report back to us on how it went.

[WVbowhunter]

Tried it for a while about a year ago, could never get off the string cleanly, but that's just me everyone is different so try it and if it works it works

[Ray Johnson]

I may try it for a short period of time.I should find out pretty quick if it works or not.

[hart2hart]

Ray,
FWIT,If you use tip of index finger to corner of mouth(split or 3 under doesn't matter),try instead putting the nail of your index finger against the corner. For me that throws the string midway between 1st and 2nd joint..also seems to move the arrow under my dominant eye better..helps my BT..plus not as hard on "Arthur".
String roll brings it very close to 1st joint.
Your mileage may vary.Visually check it out with some half draws about waist high.
Good Luck,
Fellow Texan
Mike

[Matt E]

I do believe you will find that a deep hook will require a bit stiffer arrow. I shoot off the first joint and ivaribly shoot  less spine than my friends who use the deep hook with the same weight of pull bow.

[moebow]

The definition of a "deep hook" is not how far down the fingers towards the hand the string is (second joint crease for example), rather it is the degree your finger tips are turned back towards your face with the string in the first joint crease (from the tips of the fingers).

Just a clarification.

Arne

[knobby]

Years ago Steve Gorr of Cascade Archery told me of a fellow that was Wisconsin state champion in the sixties that hooked at the second finger joint. (The last name may have been Bork, or something along those lines.) Try it, you have nothing to lose.

[highlow]

I use a pretty deep hook but not quite to the second joint. I find it allows use of the back muscles and not the arm and shoulder, which, at my age, is vitally important. It also has increased my draw length. When I get to full draw I then move to the first joint and pull through the release. Jeff Kavannaugh has an excellent Ytube video on the deep hook and its benefits. I recommend it highly.

[highlow]

Forgot to mention that I use a tab. I can see where a glove would present a problem.

[Overspined]

I made a finger tab to accommodate it, and that's what I've been using now for a couple weeks. Calf hair, very clean release, I like it.