Question regarding tuning

[Buckeye1977]

I've normally always shot 60-62" bows and never had an issue with nock high arrow flight. The last few years I've dropped down to 58" bows and have had nock high issues when bareshaft tuning. I normally shoot split finger but thought I'd try 3 under to see if I could tune better that way. I was able to get perfect arrow flight but it just doesn't feel comfortable shooting that way. I've had a few people tell me to try an elevated rest and that should take care of it. Has anyone tried this with success? If anyone has any other suggestions feel free to throw them out there I'm willing to try new things but would like to stay split finger. Thanks

[McDave]

It might be more likely that you're pressing down on the nock with your index finger with a 58” bow than with a longer bow. If so, this will result in nock high. This would be a likely suspect if you don't have nock high shooting 3 under. Check your elbow alignment and make sure you're pulling with your back and not your arms. Keep your string hand relaxed.

[Buckeye1977]

I need to get someone to video me shooting to see what's going on there. Do you think the elevated rest would help any? I don't believe it will if it's a form issue but I'm kinda new to the tuning game

[McDave]

You can get a cheap stick-on elevated flipper rest for less than $20, and see if you like it. My experience is that an elevated rest generally works better with 3 under than split. This is because trad bows are designed to be gripped and pulled from a certain place on the string, and are usually designed for a split grip, unless the buyer requests 3 under.   When you grip a bow 3 under, you’re pulling from a slightly lower place on the string, and sometimes putting on an elevated rest moves the 3 under grip back up the string closer to where it should be. I don't really see any tuning advantages in an elevated rest if the bow was designed for split and you're shooting split. However, bows vary and it doesn't hurt to experiment.

An elevated rest allows you to shoot with plastic vanes, if you want to. It puts the arrow further away from your bow hand, which exaggerates the effect of canting the bow. It is a little less natural to nock an arrow on an elevated rest, but people get used to it.

[Bldtrailer]

Or you can make /buy a feather rest

[Bldtrailer]

[Buckeye1977]

Question on the elbow position. Should it be straight in line with hand or slightly above or below?

[slowbowjoe]

I'm watching this one; I get the same thing (I think) with 56 or 58". I often see the arrow porpoise once to the target. Tried a range of nock heights, figure it's my finger pressure/release.

[Orion]

That's one of the issues with shorter bows.  They're more sensitive to vertical torquing, i.e., primarily unequal, inconsistent pressure of the index finger on the string.

I don't see an elevated rest helping if it is this form issue.  In fact, raising the arrow rest takes the limbs further out of tune, and they would become even more sensitive to vertical torque. 

Of course, arrow porposing can also be caused by a nock point that's too high or too low along with a brace height that may be too low.  The latter also contributes to fishtailing.

[McDave]

Question on the elbow position. Should it be straight in line with hand or slightly above or below?

Forearm should be inline to slightly higher than the arrow.  You should be able to feel the contact between your forefinger and your middle finger and the arrow nock.  If you feel downward pressure on the arrow nock from your forefinger, lower your string elbow until the pressure goes away, and all you feel is a straight back pull against the string with neutral contact of your index and middle fingers with the arrow nock.

[slowbowjoe]

Orion, McDave, thank you both for the tips... they definitely helpful.