Stickbow Target Archery Forums

I shoot with a thumb ring and it is frustrating for me to not be able to "fit" into a category. I have actually gone bear thumb with my lighter bows so I could shoot in the traditional division, which is fine for a 3d shoot but when it comes to a longer shoot is a pain both physically and mentally.

The thing about shooting with the thumb draw is the arrow is on the other side of the riser and you are shooting off your hand. I don't see how the thumb ring provides any kind of a crutch to overcome these truly traditional means of shooting, in fact it only functions as protection like a tab or glove. I never had a problem at the local clubs shooting in the traditional division until I started scoring higher scores. Amazing how that works.

My point is I am not face walking and the ring is not a mechanical release but protection for your thumb like a tab or glove for fingers. Why do I get put into another class because of the thumb draw?

I would imagine that it is because the thumb ring is viewed as a "mechanical release aid". (Think about though and you realize that by the strictest interpretation gloves and tabs are also "mechanical release aids.") If you really want to compete maybe see if you can get a piece of thick hard leather that you can fashion into some sort of protection for your thumb. I don't know if it would work but I'm envisioning some sort of sewn together cylinder that slides down over your thumb with a long skinny tag that lays in the palm of your hand. The tag would wind upbeing grasped by your hand as you draw so the whole thing doesn't just take off when you release. Get any flak over that and well then EVERYBODY needs to shoot bare finger.

I have a leather ring that I use and believe it or not I have still gotten grief not about ring but about my index finger touching the nock of the arrow. With the thumb draw the index finger is making contact with the arrow just above the arrow nock not AT the arrow nock. Now that is really getting ticky tack but it is true, it is not like I could string or face walk with a thumb draw. This all came about because at a recent shoot I scored 270, when I was below 200 it didn't make a difference. It is amazing how that works:) That was on a 3D course not a 300 Round.