# Shooting Fingers



## bountyhunter (Jul 6, 2005)

I'm tire of using a release with my compound, too nosie, too slow and a pain if you ask me. Does anyone here shoot fingers with their compound and if so, what rest do you use?


----------



## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

I used to use fingers on my old Golden Eagle but I was told the new bows will rip the tips of them. So I don't even think about it.


----------



## Dead Wait (Mar 8, 2005)

Hey Bountyhunter, I think if I were you, i'd just go release shopping for a day. Take your bow, try a few out. My personal oppinion, and my oppinion only is that, I don't think I would be as accurate with my fingers since it hurts like heck just to pull it back, second, I also want to keep my finger tips. I'm pulling 73lbs also. I've attached a pic of the one my bro in law, son, and myself use. 59.99 at bass pro. There on sale now. Super quiet, easy to use. I'm sure other guy's use a more expensive or different style but, this is what work's for us. You need your finger's to reply back to us. LOL. Hope this helps you. Oh, forgot to add, it's made by Tru-Fire. Several different styles to chose from.


----------



## Dead Wait (Mar 8, 2005)

I also forgot to mention that this release is adjustable.


----------



## bountyhunter (Jul 6, 2005)

Bucksnort said:


> I used to use fingers on my old Golden Eagle but I was told the new bows will rip the tips of them. So I don't even think about it.


My Aeroforce is easy on the fingers, it is almost a recurve compound so to speak.



Dead Wait said:


> Hey Bountyhunter, I think if I were you, i'd just go release shopping for a day. Take your bow, try a few out. My personal oppinion, and my oppinion only is that, I don't think I would be as accurate with my fingers since it hurts like heck just to pull it back, second, I also want to keep my finger tips. I'm pulling 73lbs also. I've attached a pic of the one my bro in law, son, and myself use. 59.99 at bass pro. There on sale now. Super quiet, easy to use. I'm sure other guy's use a more expensive or different style but, this is what work's for us. You need your finger's to reply back to us. LOL. Hope this helps you. Oh, forgot to add, it's made by Tru-Fire. Several different styles to chose from.


Not just that I don't like the release, I shoot a longbow as well which is all fingers. I want to shoot my compound using fingers and keep my anchor point consistant between the two.


----------



## Dead Wait (Mar 8, 2005)

Well, you got me. I've never shot a long bow so, I have no info. But, as far as keeping your anchor point the same on your compound, well, wait a minute. How could they be the same when you have two completely different style bow's. Oh, forget it. It will give me a headache trying to figure it out. Anyway, the release I showed you is adjustable on your draw length. Screw it out to lengthen, screw it in to shorten. I'm still bumfuzzeled on how the anchor point could be the same between these two bows. That's a whole nother thread.


----------



## 300 R.U.M.-DUM (Jun 4, 2008)

In my opinion I do not think you will be able to keep the same anchor point either way you go due to riser highth and draw length changes between the 2 ( compound / recurve ). Take a look at the t-handle releases w/thumb trigger. Goodluck!


----------



## bountyhunter (Jul 6, 2005)

When shooting fingers I anchor by placing the tip of my index finger in the corner of my mouth and my nose on the string. That didn't change when I went from a recurve to a longbow, and shouldn't change on the compound. If I continue to shoot sights on my compound it would cause for them to be adjust to my new anchor, but the method and place of my anchor could stay the same.


----------



## Chunky (Oct 15, 2006)

When I shot compound, those many years ago...I shot fingers. I have never like releases (can't argue with their effectivness).

I think the problem is that the bows have gotten shorter and shorter, axel to axel, making the finger pinch a problem.

Let me know how it goes.


----------



## Mo City Rick (Sep 3, 2008)

With the shorter compounds that so popular today (I shoot a Drenalin), i would think shooting fingers is not even an option. The finger pinch would be unbearable.... IMHO

Rick


----------



## BIGCAT Texas (Jan 29, 2009)

Agreed - I shoot a very short compbound, the smallest I could find. And I've tried to shoot just fingers....no way, wouldn't have any left.....they'd be pinched off for sure.

Also on the releases, not sure what I use, but it is silent. The main thing about the trigger releases I could say is don't get one with velcro - they are very loud. I suggest one that has a leather strap with a buckle, kind of like a belt buckle, but very small. This way it is very quiet. One more thing - I have a harder time pulling back my 70# bow and holding with my fingers.....when you use the release you are pulling with your wrist or arm, not strength of fingers.

I am going to hunt with a recurve next year and I am probably going to have a slight learning curve when using just fingers, but seems different on a recurve for sure.


----------



## bountyhunter (Jul 6, 2005)

As you can see from the pic below my compound looks very much like a recurve, and doesn't pinch my fingers. I understand most of you with new compound can't shoot fingers, but I just thought there might be a few with older bows that might, that is why I ask.


----------



## lunatic (Jan 20, 2009)

Back in the 80's I shot a Hoyt Finalist compound with fingers and a Flipper II arrow rest.Don't know if that rest is even sold anymore.


----------



## Dead Wait (Mar 8, 2005)

Well Bountyhunter, it makes more since now. That's a crazy looking rig you got there. Do finger tabs help any? I've watched crazy ole Tred Barta on tv shooting his long bow with finger tabs. Just asking.


----------



## bountyhunter (Jul 6, 2005)

Dead Wait said:


> Well Bountyhunter, it makes more since now. That's a crazy looking rig you got there. Do finger tabs help any? I've watched crazy ole Tred Barta on tv shooting his long bow with finger tabs. Just asking.


The Oneida Aeroforce was one of the first bow to push 300fps, it came in at 295 but that was back in the early 90s and there weren't any light carbon arrows. I haven't chrono'd mine but is very fast. They don't make the Aeroforce any longer but Oneida still support it with parts as it is still it is still a favorite by a lot of shooters. A lot of those are just like me that grew up using lognbows and recurves but with age we just can't do it any longer. I hate the age thing.... It gives you a recurve look and feel (heavier) but it is stone fast.

I use a leather archery glove, when shooting fingers. I've seen tabs, but have never used them myself.



lunatic said:


> Back in the 80's I shot a Hoyt Finalist compound with fingers and a Flipper II arrow rest.Don't know if that rest is even sold anymore.


Actually I shot it this evening with fingers using the WB that is already on it and did very well. I didn't use the sights and was actually shooting it better than I had been shooting my longbow. Might be becasue I can hold it drawn longer. I was going to adjust my sights for using fingers, but now I'm thinking about taking them off all together.


----------



## CavassoCruisin (Jun 21, 2006)

I probably shot 20-30k arrows back in the early-mid 90s, all with fingers. I had (have, really) a PSE Pulsar that tops out at about 60 lbs; it has round wheels rather than cams, and a 50% letoff. The rule of thumb used to be that you needed 25 lbs or more at the string to get a clean release with fingers, and I had 30 or so. I used a basic 3-fingered glove, first some with plain leather fingertips and later one with the hair still on. 
Good luck!


----------



## TooShallow (May 21, 2004)

You will be fine shooting the Oneida with fingers. I shoot a Hoyt ProTec with fingers (tab). You will need a good quality plunger button and a flipper style rest. I use an ancient Golden Key Arrow Trac rest with a Cavalier master plunger. I don't think you can find the arrow trac rest anymore but Cavalier has a similar model called a free flyte.


----------



## baldhunter (Oct 8, 2004)

I shoot with fingers,I cannot stand to shoot with a release and the rest I like is the Golden Key Futra Huntmaster 2000 with a cushion plunger.That group is @ 27yds.,2219 arrows,Alpine Ridge Runner bow.


----------



## bountyhunter (Jul 6, 2005)

baldhunter said:


> I shoot with fingers,I cannot stand to shoot with a release and the rest I like is the Golden Key Futra Huntmaster 2000 with a cushion plunger.That group is @ 27yds.,2219 arrows,Alpine Ridge Runner bow.


You using sights? There reason I ask is I took my peep off but still using my front sight only. It seems to be working, well maybe too good, I robin hooded yesterday. Time to aim at different targets with this situp. I'm actually shooting better like this than I did with the peep and release.


----------



## baldhunter (Oct 8, 2004)

I use a Copper John sight and a hunter peep sight on my string.


----------



## bluegill addict (Aug 13, 2005)

I have an old Viking compound bow, back when Viking Archery in Houston made their own bows. I cannot stand using a release, and have pretty good accuracy to 30 yards with a finger tab. The bow is very long, so finger pinch is not an issue. It didn't seem right to pull the trigger while shooting a bow and not to be able to feel the string.


----------



## Bowhntr (Aug 7, 2006)

300 R.U.M.-DUM said:


> In my opinion I do not think you will be able to keep the same anchor point either way you go due to riser highth and draw length changes between the 2 ( compound / recurve ). Take a look at the t-handle releases w/thumb trigger. Goodluck!


 Hey 300 R.U.M

Another finger shooter here...this CAN be done-I do it every year. You have to know where you anchor with recurve and apply this spot to compounds-WITH minor adjustment made-remember you shoot recurve with fingers also and if you do it with coumpounds it the same. Only diff. is the canting of bows (now with compounds-but I do it well). Golden Eagle even put out a bow that had it handle slightly canted for shooters. The Evolution Bow-I should know I shot for them in the '80's before going to PSE-now with team Mathew-shooting the switchback-LD and the new Rezesen-both with fingers set on 70# 33" draw..key is longer limbs=no finger pinch
norm:walkingsm


----------



## Bowhntr (Aug 7, 2006)

Hey bluebill
I agree with you about not using a release with my bows (mathew switchback-LD and the Rezsen set to 70#) had to get longer limbs to do it, but they work out 50 + yards for me. My elk would say I accurate-have caribou hunt in September-want go along? I have been shooting my bow back when I shot for golden Eagle and PSE-now with team Mathew ALL with fingers-took state with finger in'97. So the setups have to very fined tuned for this to work, but who would not fine tune such a nice working setup.


----------

