NHBuck

Anyone who has transitioned from shooting fingers to release what was the learning curve etc..? I have been shooting fingers for years but now will be going to a shorter axle to axle length and the shop suggested useing a release. I was going with the Hoyt Ultrasport but have decided I want to try the Protec for the upgraded limbs. I decided for the 70 bucks more the upgrade in limbs will pay for itself in longevity. I will be shooting the Protec next weekend to decide which I like better.

LeeinVa1

my suggestion is to find a place to shoot with plenty of room and a large backstop. when i first made the move from fingers to release, i had a tendency to jump the trigger. this put a lot of arrows way to the right, low, high and a few other places i would rather not say (will repair the holes in the side of the shed later). once you make the change you will be glad you did, just like anything else, it takes time and practice.

ewolf

A shoot a protec with fingers, it's not a problem (especially if you shoot 2 fingers under). I wouldn't go any shorter than 38" with fingers. There is a learning curve, but if you shot fingers before and can shoot a gun good, you will be shooting good in no time.

Sniper151

If your going to switch, make sure you purchase a release that attaches to your wrist. The habit of releasing the string can cause some problems should you let go of the realease that is not attached to your wrist.

tree rat

Just did it about 4 years ago. I wish I would have done it 15 years ago. It took a few days to get used to because I felt like I had more control with my fingers. The first year it was awesome because I spent more time concentrating on the spot and not the shot because my confidence was so high. If you don't wear an arm guard I suggest you get one. I almost peeled the skin from my forearm the first day of shooting.

Trock63

The first thing I would do is this having been a finger shooter for the first 8 years of my 18year hunting life. Dont knock an arrow and just practice drawing and anchoring the bow with the release first. Keep your finger behind the trigger so as not to accidentally dry fire. Once you comfortable with anchoring then,

1. Get a good large target to shoot at
2. Stand around 5' from the target
3. Draw the bow, anchor and aim at your target
4. Once aimed, close your eyes and gently squeeze the trigger till it fires.

The element of surprise is what your after for accuracyof course you wont be accurate with your eyes closed but once you know how it feels and take several shots with your eyes closed then open them up and do the same thing you just did. The biggest thing is like they said you tend to want to punch the trigger and that produces poor accuracy, if you dont get into that habit to start with you wont have to conquer it later.
Then just shoot 20-30 arrows everyday and it will become second nature.
You shouldnt need an arm guard contrary to popular belief, If your elbow is in a locked position at full draw then your bows draw length is too long for you. You should be able to draw the bow to full and then just and only just unlock your elbow, this forces your forearm away from the string and the bow and gives you clearance and you wont be as wobbly out front with the bow.
Hope this helps
Steve

NHBuck

Thank you all for your feedback. The shop I am purchasing it from has a deal when you buy the bow that you get ten hours of indoor range time, a tuneup at 6 months and a year. Additionally, the pro at the shop who is my salesman said included in the setup is observing me shoot and giving me pointers until the 20 yd pin is set and I am grouping my arrows well enough to walk out the door and consistently hit on game or targets at 20 yds. I have shot fingers for over 10 years so the transition has me nervous. Simply due to being a creature of habit.

dkeener

I bet you will find you like the release a lot after a few shots. If you are like me, you may find that you "jerk" the bow string a few times when attempting to shoot because of muscle memory telling you to open your fingers, which of course won't let the arrow release, but which may cause you to let off and "undraw" the bow. I also found that my trigger finger was jerky on occasion when first using the release, again I presume from muscle memory and from the fact that I admix shooting a compound with a recurve. Still prefer the recurve with fingers though when just shooting around for fun.

BGfisher

First thing to consider is that your bow's drawlength will have to be about 1" shorter than for fingers. Sound like you may be dealing with a pretty decent shop. Don't be afraid to ask them questions.

NHBuck

Thanks for all the input. I shot for the first time. Entirely new setup. I went with the Ultrasport it just felt better. The release will take some getting use to. Once it was all set up draw length, peep etc.. It was time to move to the actual shooting with a release. The salesman/pro at the shop was impressed with the fact I insisted on shooting my first six arrows with my eyes closed just to get the feel of the release.( Learned that right here from you folks) All six hit the paper and 5 were in the rings just barely but in the rings. Asked why I insisted and I told him I wanted to just get the feel for the setup and release. He laughed as he said the form was great and he could tell I was in a state of total relaxation the first few shots as he could see my head twitch from surprise when the release let go of the loop. We moved onto some regular shooting. 90% of the arrows were in the rings including one group of 2 1/2 inch apart in the bullseye. A bit sore in the shoulder and probably shot one group of 3 to many. The position of the hand and fingers with the release versus shooting fingers works some different muscles and concomminant ones in different positions. Overall I like it but it will take a bit to get use to. I'll be back next weekend to fine tune the 20yd pin and shoot somemore.