Who let's the broadhead touch their hand at full draw?

[JamesKerr]

I would not do it. I am a pretty cautious guy and like others said above I could just see over drawing  just a bit and pulling the arrow off the string and dry firing possibly blowing up a bow or worse cutting off a finger.

[Frank V]

Not me, I don't like the idea of pulling a broadhead back to touch my fingers. If I got excited & drew just a bit past my normal anchor I'd get cut for sure......  

[shankspony]

I did it for a while, until I tried new broad heads with sharpened rear edge. Only did it the once after that.

[Hermon]

I see a couple of folks saying that Fred Bear did this.  I have seen interviews with him where he explains that he basically had one sight picture and just drew the bow farther for longer shots.  I don't see how both of these things would work together.

[Missouri CK]

Paul,

I do the same thing with my broadhead and have for the last 4 years.  It's a great draw check and I use it as a trigger for my release.  Unless you are shooting some crazy skinny broadhead or trying to shoot an arrow that is too short I don't see it is a problem. To cut your finger with the broadhead you would have to draw back so far and so forcefully that you would be pulling through the back of the broadhead.  If the back of the broadhead angles forward then I guess it would be feasible to cut your hand but those aren't very good broadheads to use with this technique anyway.  
All I feel is the back of the broadhead which isn't sharp at all. I shoot a simmons landshark and safari.  They both will contact my finger because the back of the head is perpendicular to the end of the arrow rather than angling forward.  

If it helps you then I say use it.  It has worked for me and I don't see any risk in it unless you have a 27 inch arrow and you draw to 30.  Guys talk about getting excited when they are shooting at game and overdrawing the arrow and cutting their finger. Personally, I'm stretched out towards my limit of my draw anyway so I'm not sure it would be physiologically possible for me to overdraw that forcefully. My draw is slow and smooth rather than sudden and forceful like a person might see on a compound shooter.

Just my two cents.

CK

[Scott Barr]

I'm surprised that no trad historians mention that this method was commonly used by old England longbow archers as a type of clicker method with their iron broad heads.

[Brock]

I have my heads set up vertical...and dont use it as draw check as much to make sure I am not OVER DRAWING during heat of moment.  I have only felt it on my knuckle a couple times in 20 years.  You would have to be pretty unaware, spastic and out of control to pull it completely back UP the trailing edge and onto your finger to the rear.....and then to still not notice and release the arrow to slice going forward.

Might say at that point...maybe you have bigger issues than the broadhead position and need to question your use of sharp tools or dangerous equipment like automobiles or power saws as well. LOL

[Orion]

Don't think Fred Bear did it, but Howard Hill writes that he did.

I don't know.  There is the possibility of pulling the arrow off the string, of course, if one overdraws a little.

With all the emphasis nowadays on back tension and pulling through the release, it seems the likelihood for that happening would be greater.

Even though some three under shooters make this work, I would think the propensity to do this would be greater for them because the arrow isn't held onto the string between their fingers.

But, whatever floats your boat.  

[Charlie Lamb]

There is a lot of speculation  here by those who have not tried/used this method. To over draw your bow so much that you unseat the arrow from the string or cut your finger with the broadhead edge is not liable to happen at all.

As in properly using a clicker device you come to full draw and then "expand" into full extension. This movement is hardly more than 1/16" if that when adjusted correctly.
If you have a half inch or inch or even two inches left that you can accidently draw into then you need to work on your form because you are severely short drawing all the time.
Remember, you don't draw the string with your arm. You draw with the back.

That's not to mention that you are definitely under bowed.  

I use Magnus Stingers which are sharpened on the back of the head and I maintain them in a razor like condition on all edges. And yet I commonly draw the arrow until the back edge touches my knuckle. Haven't cut myself once... ever!

Watch a good target archer release his shot using a clicker. The arrow is drawn smoothly until it stops naturally with a fraction left before the the clicker drops. Then the chest and back are expanded to achieve that last fraction. The clicker drops and the shot is away.

I'd have to say that if cutting yourself on the broadhead is a real concern then one needs to see a good shooting coach because the shot process is not under control.

[Kris]

NOT I!

2 blade BH's ALWAYS mounted horizontal for me i.e. flat over the hand if I were to draw that far.  G. Fred Asbell turned me on to that 25 years ago!

Kris

[dragonheart]

I tried it for quite awile using the BH back as a reference "clicker" for expansion as Charlie talked about in his post.  I got my arrow just the right length for a minor expansion, the BH would touch my pointer finger (psycho-trigger), and away the arrow went.  It worked for awhile.  I did not like shooting the shorter arrow, and at that time I was trying the method, I was really struggling with anticipation of the shot.  I did not like the method as any anticipation led to me moving my bowhand.  TP is no fun.  I found a better psychotrigger that works with any arrow and any arrow length.

[GreyGoose]

I think I'd try to figure something safer for a trigger sensation, maybe put a small rubber band on the shaft a little behind the broadhead (or field point, for that matter), though I expect it would be kind of a pain to do that shot after shot.

[Bjorn]

There are other options like-what's wrong with finger to mouth?
And how would you practice this when not shooting BH?

[Hermon]

Originally posted by Bjorn:
And how would you practice this when not shooting BH?

I was just asking myself the same question.

[RecurveRookie]

Byron Ferguson said he did in his book "Become the Arrow", so his draw doesn't collapse.  I haven't tried it.

[PaulDeadringer29]

I thought about how it would be possible without BH's as well. Maybe an opportunity for one of us to come up with an arrow installed draw check? Lol

[TooManyHobbies]

I do. Never bothered me, as long as it's the back of the broadhead and not the front. It just barely touches.
I always held my finger up with my compound too, with no problem, until a friend noticed I was within a hair of the sharp side on release. Then I became aware of it. Only cut myself once. The arrow swung out a little and rested behind my finger at full draw. I was screwed, couldn't release and couldn't let down without it slicing.

[reddogge]

Nope, not me. The BH doesn't come anywhere near my hand. Besides I like a long arrow in my sight picture.

So how DO the guys who use it as a drawcheck do it with field points?

BTW since I'm a doubter I pulled my old copy of "The Archer's Bible" and there was old Fred pulling the BH into his hand in several shots.

[Roadkill]

Adrenelin might make me overdraw.  I have seem
N others do it

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

Interesting to see the mileage this topic is getting. A couple thoughts here.

I shoot field tips that are 250 grains. They are larger in diameter than the arrow, which is all I need.

Second, I got a first hand exposure to adrenaline this last fall when I shot my first bull (a monster at that). If anything, I am more aware of the little details while under pressure. I am really doubtful that I could manage to pull the big Simmons into position to cut my finger. But that is just my experience. I will continue to do so.