Thumb ring

[kleinpm]

I hunt almost exclusively solo in grizzly country. I noticed last year (in one terrifying encounter, with a cow that looked like a bear for a few seconds) that my three finger shooting glove limits my dexterity enough that I can't access and deploy my bear spray without removing it. Since seconds matter if I need to actually use it I started experimenting with pinch grips. I have fair success with an unassisted pinch grip up to about 35 pounds, but I can't get used to assisted pinch grips with higher weight bows. Daily practice for about six weeks and I am only marginally less awkward.

I am thinking about trying a thumb ring. Any thoughts, opinions, or experiences using these NOT on asiatic composite bows with the arrow on the "wrong" side of the bow.


Patrick

[Ringeck85]

As far as I know you can use a thumb ring with any bow, but you do need the arrow on the same side as your draw hand (if your bow hand is your left hand, then the arrow should be on the Right of the bow handle, with your right thumb drawing it) due to the mechanics involved in the release.  It'll probably take some getting used to if you've only done three-finger up until now.

[Wooden Spring]

I tried a thumb ring the other day having never used one before... I completely missed a 4 foot diameter target from 15 feet away and came to within inches of shooting one of my wife's chickens. She took away my thumb ring and forbade me from ever using the blessed thing!

Try using a shooting tab instead of a shooting glove, you'll get a little quicker release if it's the kind with hair, and all you have to do is let it lay against your palm and you can easliy grab your .44 magnum, or whatever you use for bear repellant.

[TimBo]

If you google "archer's thumb ring" there is a good article on this topic.  It would increase your draw length, which might be a negative, especially for self bows.  (Good excuse to make some new bows though!)  It is an interesting style for sure.  One of these days I am going to give it a good try...watch out, chickens! 

[bubby]

you could always learn to shoot bare handed

[dragonman]

have you seen those rubber things that you slide down the string,  so that you dont need a glove or tab?  I have never used one  and dont know  where  to get them, but I have seen other archers use them  and you can shoot comfortably without a glove...they look cheap to buy but hard to put on the string

[kleinpm]

you could always learn to shoot bare handed

I think this is probably a good option. I plan to use a sinew string for most of my hunting this year and they are not quite as painful bare fingered.  I keep hoping that one form of pinch grip is going to click for me but it doesn't seem like its going to.

Wooden Spring,
I completely overlooked a shooting tab. I might give that a try. I love my glove but I don't like the loss of dexterity that comes with it.

Patrick

[swimbill]

The rubber things are called no glove finger savers.  They are cheap and really easy to put on if you let them soften in hot water for a couple of minutes.  I use them with all my student bows.  Much easier than messing around with gloves or tabs.
Swimbill

[Traxx]

but you do need the arrow on the same side as your draw hand (if your bow hand is your left hand, then the arrow should be on the Right of the bow handle, with your right thumb drawing it) due to the mechanics involved in the release.

I hafta disagree.I was under the same impresion about that as well,untill  i saw a vid of Mongolian elders doing the opposite.I tried it and fiddled around with it and can shoot the same way.I use my middle finger to hold the thumb.

[Carson (CMB)]

I prefer tabs over gloves because of the dexterity thing. Once you get used to wearing a well fitting tab, you forget it is even there. 

I have a crude horn thumb ring that I have only used to draw back a few bows, but havent shaped it up enough yet to try actually loosing arrows yet. 

[mikekeswick]

The main thing with a thumb ring is a completely different way of aiming. As mentioned before the impact point is way different if you just aim the same as when using a finger release.
If you make yourself a thumb ring then the first will likely be junk, the second mildly better....after a few you will be getting there 

[Marks]

I use the no glovs on my bowfishing #%^pound bow. I can shoot 30-40lbs all night without conditioning my fingers with no ill effects. Not primitive but it works.

[reminniear]

I am new archery and bow making.  After an evening of working on a bow with hand tools, my fingers hurt for days afterwards so I decided to give a thumbring a shot.  I made one from a piece of water buffalo horn that I found at a pet store for less than $10 bucks.

I am shooting off the knucle of an osage bow that I made.  ( Thanks to everyone at the West Bottoms Bowyers!) 
I can't say I'm a great shot, but I am getting better.  I'm hoping to get a copy of "Kay's Thumbring Book", I hear it is good resource for using a thumbring.

I like my thumbring and am looking forward to trying Traxx's suggestion of using the middle finger to lock the thumb.

[ohma2]

Ive shot a tab forever, I use black stretch band for attachment and I can just brush my leg and turn ibt around onto the back of my hand in a second. I got to hand it to someone who bowhunts in griz country would take some getting used to.a cougar was filmed just across the road from where I bowhunt and I have been looking over my shoulder ever since.you can also tripple serve your string where your fingers sit on it.

[Traxx]

The main thing with a thumb ring is a completely different way of aiming. As mentioned before the impact point is way different if you just aim the same as when using a finger release.

once again,at the expense of sounding argumentative,i disagree.I think the mistake that most make is,they assume,that when the thumbring is used,the asiatic style is used as well.

I truly believe,based on personal research,that a thumb style hold and release was more widely used than previously believed,by American native people.I believe it was used in a more shorter draw style that had the same aiming,or lack of aiming style,much like many use today.I personally,can be fairly accurate,with this style,out to 40 yards,so far.I played with it here n there over the years,but recently started giving it serious consideration.