toddr96

I am hunting with an HHA Sports LP-3 Wrist Strap back tension release, and I love it. The trigger isa safety that you must squeeze to "arm" the back tension system, but it has a second trigger that you can trip for a regular trigger release. I agree with Kodiak that the situation will come up where it is time to punch off the shot right NOW. I'm impressed with the wrist strap part of the release the most; it seems more comfortable than many I've shot over the years. I found mine on EBay for a decent price, and I don't plan on buying a new release for many years. Just my opinion.

Brett/IL

Thanks again everyone. I am going to order one next week. I will post what I end up going with. I am going to try and get to a shop that is about 45 miles away to try a few out before I decide, if I can sneak away from work for a little while this week.

Paul L Mohr

If you are going to hunt with a back tension release I suggest you practice A LOT! Keep in mind you can also force a back tension release to go off. And once you figure out how say hello to target panic.

I personally don't feel back tension releases are suited well to hunting, but go with what you are comfortable I guess.

Paul

gibblet

paul, don't you shoot a trigger? and i really disagree w/ that. everyone who shoots bt knows you can roll your hand out and get it to fire. just like you can jerk a trigger. doesn't mean we do it. that's just bs man.

archer58

Back tension releases require almost perfect form to go off. I don't think being in a tree in an awkward position trying to get a shot would promote good form.Alot of the timeyou're twisting, sitting, leaning , etc.
I could see that bt release not going off or going off when you are trying to get into a position to get it to. And like Paul said , I think target panic would occur for some.

pjarrows

I will have to disagree with you I have been using that release and other stans for over 15years. I feel that if you can't get a good BT release off that maybe you don't have as good of a shot as you need and should pass. I will say that this style of release is NOT for everyone.

After reading the rest of the post I can't believe the people that are willing to punch a shot off!

Paul L Mohor
I agree with you first line (If you are going to hunt with a back tension release I suggest you practice A LOT!) but than all the BS came out target panic from a BT release? You don't really believe that do you? I would say it is the opposite punching a release MAY cause target panic to be an issue.

And for those of you that try to use BT but still punch a shot off when needed (as a few have stated) when is it ok to punch (bad release) vs. BT (good release) will you same people say that BT is the more accurate? or is punching the way to go?

Paul L Mohr

I shoot both, and I have seen many that shoot a pure back tension release have their shot sequence go to hell when they figure out they can make it happen. My girlfried did it last year. I had to go back and have her start blind bale shooting again to get it fixed.

Not everyone that uses a back tension release executes it properly, you have even stated this before Gibblet, at least I'm pretty sure it was you. You can, and many do cheat a back tension release. And it's even easier to cheat a triggered release shot with back tension like a thumb or pinky release.

I also have a pinky release. Worked great for a little while then I started having trouble with it. If I shoot with a back tension release it has to be a pure back tension release. I got my girlfriend one with a safety, I sort of like it.

You are correct though, I do most of my shooting with a triggered release (Fletch hunter 3-D) and I do not shoot it with back tension, I trigger it. It is part of my shot sequence though and I don't even know I do it. It just goes off.

I still stand by what I said, if you are going to use a back tension release for hunting you better be real good with it. I would not advise it to most of the hunters I know, they just don't shoot enough.

That is my opinion anyway.

Paul

KodiakArcher

Let me lay out a scenario; you've got a 3-D rabbit target on a revolving motor that crosses through a metal framed 3ft. x 5ft. opening in about 2 seconds. Are you going to be more accurate at hitting it with a trigger release or a back tension? (Back tension release shooters got smoked at this one, I was one of them the first year. The second year I showed up with a thumb trigger.) I'll be the first to admit that triggering the release is not proper form, but sometimes it is a necessary evil. The same goes for stalking animals in heavy cover. The situation dictates the shot. If I've got the time and space to execute a perfect back tension shot then by all means I do it but there are situations that I've added a little squeeze to the thumb trigger too.

If I felt that I was going to ever be in a situation where I had to "help" the shot happen then I'd have a trigger not a back tension. Back tension releases were too difficult to "help" along and still get a good shot. That's why I traded my Stan in on a Carter. Notice I didn't say "make" the shot happen, making it happen only leads to target panic, drive-by-shooting, and huge form nightmares. "Helping" the shot along is simply adding a little squeeze to the back tension to control when it goes off more predictably.

pjarrows

Kodiak,

I like that you answered my question, and the answer you gave was well written. But shooting a 3-d target and hunting are very different, I would take the 3-d shot you explained but in a hunting environment any moving shot will lower your odds. If I can't get a standing still shot or a slow moving grazing shot I will not take it. Have I missed out on shots because of that? Yes and that is my choice.

Paul,

(I have seen many that shoot a pure back tension release have their shot sequence go to hell when they figure out they can make it happen. My girlfried did it last year. I had to go back and have her start blind bale shooting again to get it fixed.)


This statement you have made is very interesting I will say that ALL of the people that you have witnessed this happen to didn't fully have their BT shot down, BT shots are more about control, controlling your body, actions, aiming, and emotions. If they had total control than target panic wouldn't have been a factor. This is why in my mind BT is not for everyone, because to achieve these things it doesn't just happen it takes time and effort.

I don't in any means try to sell BT to the average hunter, it takes 1,000's of shots to get it right, and than it takes 1,000's of more shots to keep the right form.

I do respect your opinion and I hope you respect mine.

Paul

Paul L Mohr

I completely agree with you, doesn't mean it that it doesn't happen though. I bet more people than not do not shoot a BT release properly or that well simply because they have had no decent instruction on how to do it. They just got one and winged it or had a buddy show them that may not have known for sure what he was doing either. Or they got one trying to cure target panic with a trigger release.

I know I use both and I am no where near good enough or confident enough to use a back tension release while hunting. But I can snap shoot with a trigger release like a mo fo and still be really accurate. When I hunt, I aim, draw and release. I just can't be that fluid with a BT release.

I'm not saying you CAN'T hunt with BT release, because I know people that do it. So it can obviously be done. I just wouldn't suggest it to the normal archer. I also know guys that do very well at vegas using the same trigger release I do. You don't HAVE to have a surprise release to shoot well, you just need good follow through.

My opinions anyway

Paul