String Catching my coat. What to do?

[PastorSteveHill]

I took a practice shot from my stand as always and suddenly I'm way off the mark.  Thinking , "that was strange",I took another.  Same thing.  I noticed a weird sound.  My String was hitting my coat.

  It has just now turned chilly around here.
I've not shot in my heavier clothes because it's been so warm.  The last couple days we have hit 30 degree weather for the first time.    

So I take off my coat and shoot.  Bingo. Dead on    In a practice session later that day I tried the coat again.  No go. String hits it every time and arrow is way short and off mark.

What have you guys found to help?

FYI.  Shooting a 64" longbow.  

What clothes are thin yet warm?

[stick hunter]

Rubber bands up your arm, you can space then out as needed. Wokks very well!!!! and cheap! you can also keep the rubber bands around the hood of your bow quiver as Fred Eichler does.

[macbow]

Found out a long time ago that bulky arms don't work.
I start with good Merano wool under wear.
Using vest for the core helps keep the bulk down on the arms.
I like a medium weight wool shirt.
When it is really cold a,heavy wool coat.
Top everything off with an arm guard to flatten the bow arm.

[stykbow67]

If you have a thinner vest like wool or fleece you might try putting that on over your coat and use it as a compression vest. I've done this in the past and it works good for me. Hope this helps!

Steve

[Knawbone]

Take the coat off    Sorry I couldn't resist.

[Randy Koleno]

I have a thick jacket I like to use in the late season. It's pretty bulky. I've put an armguard above and below my elbow and started using a belt around my waist outside of the coat. I'll pull down on the coat below the belt periodically to tighten the area on my chest and under the bow arm. Works for me.

[Maxx Black]

I found some Velcro strapping at the local Lee Valley store they use to hold up plants . I put a strip around the arm of coat to hold the bulky sleeve . It comes in a roll for just a few bucks.

[joe ashton]

I have an arm guard that is shorter than my regular guard and put it above my elbow.  works great..

[bfrbmj]

I use an armguard tightened up nice and a chest protector like target archers use.  I also use my safety belt to take any slack out of my coat that might get in the way of shooting.  I  practice in my cold weather gear as much as possible and take some shots before hunting to make sure nothing is in the way.

[onewhohasfun]

I have been using "Tick Gators" for about 6 yrs. Got them at Mac's Prarie Wings. 8 inch tall elastic bands go on my bicep. Works great.

[JO_EZ]

The giant rubberbands work as stated. I have a pack of them that came from one of our kids toys. They look more like inner tube slices.

I have, also, taken a length of paracord and hooked it to my armgard, spiraled it up my arm, wrapped it around my torso and tied it back on itself. Kind of redneckish, but it worked.

The vest on the outside is a good idea, but you still may want to compress the sleeve a little somehow.

Just remember not to cut off the circulation.

[ron w]

Are you hitting your sleeve or the front of your coat......? I use a long arm guard with my Ghillie coat. If it's the front of your coat maybe a vest over it!

[YORNOC]

Originally posted by ron w:
Are you hitting your sleeve or the front of your coat......? I use a long arm guard with my Ghillie coat. If it's the front of your coat maybe a vest over it!

X2, whats hitting?

[PastorSteveHill]

I'm hitting the Chest Area of the Coat..  It was a Beavertail Vest by KOM.. Plenty of warm, but to bulky.. (see classifieds for a good deal on it.)  

I"m a pretty thick bodied type and the thickness of the Vest was catching the string...

Any suggestions?  

I used it because it didn't have any arms to interfere with the string... But the chest is catching it...

[ron w]

Boy, I don't what to tell ya.....if it's already a vest, I have no clue how to help you! Not a good time to try but maybe if you open your stance a bit!

The chest protectors should work.  If not, perhaps a slight change in your form may be in order.  Have you tried shooting with a more open stance? That will reduce your draw length.  When I shot with my "looked like I was about to fall over backwards" target form, I had a 29" draw and absolutely had to have the protector vest on over my coat.  With my Howard Hill wannabe form, my draw is 2.5" less right hand and 3" less left hand, but I never tag my coat, a Filson double Mac with a Filson vest under it, even with my 68" longbow.

[centaur]

Opening your stance will probably fix your problem, but may take some practice to get used to. The midst of hunting season isn't a good time to make changes, though.

[Trad Whitetail]

I have the same problem with vests worn over my other clothes.  They just stick out too far at the arm hole.  I use a full length arm guard with a coat or long sleeve shirt as the top layer and put the vest under that.  The arm guard holds the coat back enough that if the string does touch the coat it only pushes it back instead of dragging across it.

Another thing to think about is your anchor.   I anchor at the corner of my mouth and my head is pushed forward quite a bit.  I also lean forward and cant my bow.  It is definitely NOT Olympic form but it keeps the bow string off of my chest and merely compresses my coat (due to the canting) if my bow string does touch it.  This has worked well for me as gets VERY cold and windy here half of the year and warm, bulky clothes are a necessity!  If you have your head way back, anchor at your ear, or keep your bow vertical you are going to be more likely to have your string hit or drag on your coat.

I shoot a 62" recurve, so I am going to have a little less chance of the bow string getting into my coat than your 64" longbow due to string angle, but they are close.

pavan is right about opening your stance too.  I can draw to 32" but due to opening my stance and the above I dropped to 29"

[PastorSteveHill]

I do anchor at ear. I do keep bow vertical and head is pretty neutral. So I'm guessing I gotta figure out how to be cold! Hahaha.

[Trad Whitetail]

Up here 30F with no wind is short sleeve weather.  You will be fine lol