HH bug got me ... Part One!

[Rik]

If I am de-cyphering that photograph correctly, Howard's lower finger is just floating on the string, not really holding any weight once it gets to full draw.

I've done that my whole life, placing about 97 percent of the bow weight on two fingers once I am at full draw. I start my draw with 33.3 percent on each finger, but at full draw, my lower finger is there only for looks.

Until just now, I thought I was the only one who basically shoots with two fingers.

Nate, any insights? Is it just the angle of the photograph? Am I crazy? (Don't answer that last question---you may cause others to laugh out loud,and this is a SERIOUS forum).

[Ray_G]

Rik,

I was looking at that, too.  Recently, I have been talking with Nate about my ring finger pressure and have taken to shooting like you describe.  I have had problems unrelated to archery with my tendons in my string hand.  I saw a specialist in Boise about the symptoms a few years ago.  He told me what to do about shortening and thickening tendons - hand stretches.  What I notice is that I don't open my pinky with the other three fingers and plucking ensued.  Now, I see the ring finger getting slow.  Guess it "go time" for the stretching.  Anyway, "floating" the ring finger has helped with my release and where the arrow hits.  I have joined the crazy club with you!

Ray

I have a photo around here somewhere of Hill really loading the string with the ring finger, but most are balanced like the one here.  I would bet that there is more pressure on that ring finger than the picture suggests. Hill said the ring finger is the trigger finger. I take that to mean it is the first one to let go.  I can say that if one shoots with a real strong ring finger, it will affect your nocking point setting.
On this in the first little bit one can see that ring finger go first.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFqjNKC72dA&feature=related

[Rob DiStefano]

for me, the third (ring) finger goes along for the ride and the majority of the load is on the middle finger.  in essence, this emulates a release aid, for best consistency of release.  most serious target archers use that string grip, and it's just fine for hunters as well.  the flemish two finger grip/release does the same thing without the pretense of using the ring finger.  

I must do about the same thing, my middle and index finger were the ones getting wore out when I was shooting the 90 pounders, while the ring finger stayed healthy.  It is the one thing I do not have worked out completely naturally when i shoot left handed, slows me up a little.

[Owlmagnet]

I seem to put way too much pressure on my ring finger--and have the callouses to prove it.  I am trying very hard to increase the use of my index finger, which has been getting a free ride.  My release needs a lot of work.  I have always used a static release, but I seem to be getting a more evenly distributed pull--and less of a tendency to pluck--when I focus on a more dynamic, pull-through release.  Heresy! (I know, I know: "At the release, with both hands, do nothing.")

[Nate Steen .]

Rik...

according to info I received from Schulz, if the drawing arm is straight inline with the arrow, your fingers will pretty much line up with the string on the first joint, although with many people (myself included) the second finger joint doesn't align with the other two fingers, so the string sits back a little farther on the pad while the string is in the joint of the first and ring fingers.  Schulz liked a straight inline drawing arm....however, I've seen plenty of Hill photos and shooting that shows his drawing arm elbow a little high, which would put pressure on the ring finger if it's not kept relaxed.  I think that the majority of the photos I've seen of Hill, this is the case.  that's a result of his body mechanics I'm sure.  A straight drawing arm is good mechanics to attain to, which lends itself to a good release hand position....

I just woke up from a nap.  Last night my furnace tried to over heat and burn my house down.  Limiter spring stuck. i had a dream of me flying down the road after high school on my little Bridgestone motorcycle, 58" recurve with my four exposed broadheads in my kwickee quiver, heading for the river bottoms.  when I got there and all of a sudden, I did not have my recurve with four exposed broadheads, I was not in that much danger as they were never all that sharp, (still, they did kill that deer).  what I had instead is this long extremely complicated Hill thing and I could not for the life of me pull it back or figure out how to get the arrows out of the back quiver. I woke up somehow longing for those simple days, when I did not think about stuff so much, the simple life of a country boy in the 60s.

[GRS]

Time to get back on page one. Shot my new to me Big Five today at the CTA 3D club shoot. Bow is 50lbs.@ 28 (weighs 52) and is 68" long. I purchased this bow from far rider 1 month ago and have been shooting it almost daily since then. I draw 26.5-27 depending on shooting position and although I initially thought I would prefer a 66", this bow seems to be a good fit. Although we did't keep score, I shot as well or better than I ever have with my recurves. Targets ran from probably 10-maybe 25 yds. Lots of shoot between the trees and branches targets and surprisingly I made all of those. We had a great set up of 20 targets including 2 from a tree stand platform and our new running javelina. The guys set up a great shoot and tasty BBQ lunch. Anyway, I had always wanted to try a HH bow and so far I am VERY happy with it. Still can't believe how quiet it is and everyone who has shot with me or has shot the bow themselves can't believe how fast it shoots a 500 gr. cedar. I guess all of this means I'm hooked, reel me in!

Gerald

[Mudd]

GRS    

[ChrisM]

Got me a Wesley Special.  Still working on finding an arrow but I may have a real winner here.  It is smooth, no hand shock and really quick.

[GRS]

CrisM, speaking of finding an arrow, my bow pulls about 48-49 at my draw length. I found that with a 28" bop cedar that a 50-55 would fly good, but a 45-50 was perfect with my Big Five. Isn't that amazing? Just what those charts from 50 yrs. ago said!

Gerald

[Rik]

In the higher weights, I get the best flight from arrows spined five pounds lighter than my bow.

For example, my 75-pound Hills shoot arrows spined 70-75 perfectly.

Does this five-pound-lighter rule hold true at the lighter weights?

[Ben Maher]

Rik...Yep!
I shoot higher spine weights but only because i shoot 190 b'heads. With an arrow where I can use 125gn heads , i try to spine them matching my draw weight [ ie 50lb draw = 50 lb spine ] as i have discovered that this holds true for me with Doug Fir/ cedar etc

Hardwoods , for some reason I have to use heavier spine .

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Shooting 160 grain heads, and drawing 29", I have successfully used 95/100# Douglas fir out of my 75# @ 28" WS; now, with the same arrow requirements, I use 80/85# out of my 60# @ 28" Redman. But, I must admit that I used to use 80/85# out of my 67# @ 28" Redman, and that wearing 190 grain heads. I have heard tell that some fellows have found a rather wide range of spines to work fine.

[MikeM]

The footed hexshaft arrows that Bob Burton from whisperingwinds made for my Hill bows that are 45#-48#@29" draw and cut 30"BOP spine at 60-64#@28" (50-54#@30") with 125 grain heads

[yamapup]

For those who can't wait, there are three Howard Hill bows for sale on **** right now! None are lefties. Rats! Pup

[David Mitchell]

I have always had great success shooting arrows that are spined the same as the draw weight I shoot (at 28")--50-55 spine for my 50-55# bows work fine.

Originally posted by David Mitchell:
I have always had great success shooting arrows that are spined the same as the draw weight I shoot (at 28")--50-55 spine for my 50-55# bows work fine.

That's interesting!  and easy lol

[Buckhorn47]

Dave, I'm starting to think the same way with the arrows - used to make them up about 5-10 pound spine weight heavier than the actual bow weight @28". Arrows with the exact or slightly higher spine seem to shoot great out of these Howard Hill bows or similarly made longbows.