Deep hook?

[Phopkins]

I've been shooting bows a long time. Counting willow stick bows we cut from the neighbors tree about 59 years. I've always gripped the string on my fingers pads. Hooking in the bend of the first joint doesn't feel right. Shooting yesterday I was getting nock right flight on release then straightening out from fletching drag. I shoot three under.

After reading the post about 2 under grips I thought I would give it a try. It did work well, the arrow flight cleaned right up. But it wasn't comfortable at all. I could draw and shoot that way but it was a bit of a strain.

Then I thought of taking a deeper hook just to look at arrow flight. Again it improved immediately. And the arthritis in my wrist didn't complain about it.

So for the time being I'm going to take a deep hook and see if I can get used to it. My biggest worry is reverting to old habits when it's crunch time when I change something up in my form or routine.

So having said all that how many shoot off their finger pads as opposed to a deeper grip? I'm curious about arrow flight differences/improvements for those that have done both as well?

 

[Blacksmith]

I've shot bare fingers for about 50 yrs. I also hook at first joint. Two yrs ago I went to a Black Widow Tab just for a try and my release improved. It's smoother and I've shot one ever since. I think the tab helps take a deeper hook but still be smooth. I've always triple served my strings for a bigger diameter and less strain on the fingers. Anytime we change our system it takes a lot of practice to not revert back at the moment of truth. Good Luck.

 

[Bigfoot522]

For me a deep hook is in the first digital groove of the fingers.
I never felt comfortable drawing on the finger tips.
I draw with the string in the groove of the fingers but as I come to full draw and am mating my face to the string, my middle and third fingers slightly extend pretty naturally following the string angle.
There is more tension on the middle finger than the third.
I used to shoot 2 under and had my bow well tuned.
When I went back to three fingers I immediately noticed the arrows striking slightly stiff I believe.

I knew the bow was dialed in and I knew the only change was adding the third finger in so I purposely increased the pressure on my third finger and also relaxed it on some shots.
The bow shot good when shot with relaxed third finger and not so good with increased pressure.
The release is also not as smooth as the string doesn't feel like it slips off the fingers.

Most of my bows are high 40s low 50s and the hook draw feels better.
I can still two finger draw and it was kool and effective but three finger draw feels better and works good.

 

[Red Beard]

Deep hook for me also. I can definitely see a difference when I get lazy and draw with a weaker grip. I've worked the deep -or strong- hook it into my mantra so I don't forget...

1. Deep hook
2. Point the bow
3. Elbow square
4. Touch your ear

 

[Red Beard]

I knew the bow was dialed in and I knew the only change was adding the third finger in so I purposely increased the pressure on my third finger and also relaxed it on some shots.
The bow shot good when shot with relaxed third finger and not so good with increased pressure.

Think this is exactly why I began experimenting with a 2 finger hook. My mind couldn't concurrently process the "deep" (or strong) part of a deep hook and also the relaxing of my ring finger at full draw. So I ended up dropping my ring finger altogether and voila! I concede though that a 2 finger draw probably isn't viable above ~45lbs of draw weight.

 

[gcr0003]

My shooting has always been poor when I move more on the pads of my finger so it’s a strong or deep hook for me always. I shoot a 55# bow and it feels better as well as shoots better for me.

 

[Bigfoot522]

My shooting has always been poor when I move more on the pads of my finger so it’s a strong or deep hook for me always. I shoot a 55# bow and it feels better as well as shoots better for me.

I make my tabs thicker than most and pretty much refuse to shoot a single shot bare fingers.

I come from a big family and I washed more dishes than most.
Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

Second pad(s) after first joint(s) with 2-under, same place I use to pressure my compound’s release trigger. I’m not an amazing shot with a trad but I have no issues with comfort or consistency out to 15/20 yards.

 

[gcr0003]

I make my tabs thicker than most and pretty much refuse to shoot a single shot bare fingers.

I come from a big family and I washed more dishes than most.
Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

I can shoot bare fingers up to thick gloves, but I started with a thick glove so that’s what feels the best to me.

 

[Blacksmith]

I make my tabs thicker than most and pretty much refuse to shoot a single shot bare fingers.

I come from a big family and I washed more dishes than most.
Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

I understand. Mine are in a Blacksmith Shop every day and pretty well caloused over. I used to shoot 72# w/bare fingers. Not so tough anymore and down to 54#. I put a lot of weight on my ring finger even though it may not be correct. My fingers are half again as wide on my R. as my L.

 

[josh9284]

Glove, split finger, and always shot off my pads. It just always felt like a cleaner release to me.

 

[BTaylor]

I hook up just a frog hair in front of the joint crease, maybe 1/32 or 1/16 in front. In the crease wasnt as clean for me and further out on the pad I didnt feel I had as much control of the string.

 

[raisins]

I hook extremely deep and I've never had trouble with my release or arrow flight. I've video'd myself and my hand goes straight back and is very quiet (no flutter). I attribute this to the deep hook.

 

[overspined]

A deep hook is a very good way to grip and release a Trad bow. Over many many years, so many of the great archers have proven this part of the shooting technique.. its effective, stronger, could improve arrow flight and aids in control.

 

[Jagger0502]

I just got back into traditional and worked my way up in lbs this past year starting around 38 lbs and went up to my hunting weight at 60lbs. Started with a deep hook (glove and three under) like I did when I was younger but when I moved up in weight I started to get numbing in my fingertips so I switched to the very tips of my fingers and rolling the meat of my finger tips into the string as I drew and I found I released better at the higher lbs limbs this way and had a much cleaner release. I did however have to build up a good bit of finger strength to draw and hold the bow with my finger tips but now that I have that all worked out I can’t see me going back to a deep hook. Maybe by next summer I can give two fingers a try, might get better if I can hold my draw with two.

 

[Red Beard]

I just got back into traditional and worked my way up in lbs this past year starting around 38 lbs and went up to my hunting weight at 60lbs. Started with a deep hook (glove and three under) like I did when I was younger but when I moved up in weight I started to get numbing in my fingertips so I switched to the very tips of my fingers and rolling the meat of my finger tips into the string as I drew and I found I released better at the higher lbs limbs this way and had a much cleaner release. I did however have to build up a good bit of finger strength to draw and hold the bow with my finger tips but now that I have that all worked out I can’t see me going back to a deep hook. Maybe by next summer I can give two fingers a try, might get better if I can hold my draw with two.

This man is a beast drawing 60lbs with the meat of his fingertips! Good for you buddy!

 

[will4554]

I shoot split finger. My shooting is better with a deep hook and it’s easier on my wrist.

 

[Jagger0502]

This man is a beast drawing 60lbs with the meat of his fingertips! Good for you buddy!

Haha. I wouldn’t say beast… I mean… I do drink protein shakes after my three finger workout each morning. Give it a try, it’s not as tough as you think and didn’t take long to get it right. Just go 1/4 way from the fingernail to the first joint, push in and roll your fingertips so the meat holds the string rather than the joint. I found it much more comfortable and my finger numbness went away which was why I tried it in the first place.

 

[josh9284]

Haha. I wouldn’t say beast… I mean… I do drink protein shakes after my three finger workout each morning. Give it a try, it’s not as tough as you think and didn’t take long to get it right. Just go 1/4 way from the fingernail to the first joint, push in and roll your fingertips so the meat holds the string rather than the joint. I found it much more comfortable and my finger numbness went away which was why I tried it in the first place.

Finding the right thickness glove or tab helps a lot with this problem. Most will probably find slight nerve damage over years of shooting hunting weight bows off the crease of there fingers. On the pads your fingers will develop callouses that will aid in shooting this way, not so much on the crease. To each there own though. The amo length of the bow is also a significant factor in this conundrum, the shorter the bow the more it will pinch. I'm in your boat but in fairness I work in construction so my fingers were kinda already broke in!

 

[overspined]

Shooting finger tips doesn’t help to keep the hand relaxed and in alignment with the string. Harder to do, and usually causes hand misalignment and tension. Much like many techniques in Trad, do what you find to work the best. Generally speaking there’s a basic path to “proper form”, form that tends to hit all of the main items in shooting repeatability and how it affects the bow, arrow, etc. This stuff has been developed since the English were dominating the world battles with longbows. When you deviate, it’s fine if you’re consistent but this is where you get the questions that consistently come up like nock high, loud bow, can’t tune arrow’s easily, develop bad releases, and on and on. The exact same complaints tend to repeat themselves over and over, and typically easily resolved.

Probably the best place to start with some instruction and explanation would be G Fred Asbell books Instinctive shooting I and II. The aiming part of “instinctive” aside, the main “how to” is very well addressed. Probably the best explanations I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen him speak in person and it was spot on. He’s really dug deep into bow design, how it relates to how they’re meant to be shot, what happens when you “this” of “that” to change the baseline. Good stuff.