Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Fingers or trigger?

I am just getting back into bow hunting. I only hunted deer in 1993. At the time I used a trigger release aid but I am thinking about going back to just using finger release. I plan to hunt elk this fall on foot (no tree stand). I envision the trigger release aid to be a major pain in the butt. In the way when trying to use my binocular and rangefinder and calls, not to mention the potential for clanking on the bow. What do you elk hunters use? Fingers or Trigger? If trigger how do you manage the trigger so it is not a noisy nuisance? What are the advantages of the trigger? Just more accuracy? I think I heard that one tends to get a bit higher speed also with a trigger. Thanks, Rufous

I use a release. Most bows today are short enough that you need a release unless you order a finger bow. I use a release because it's more consistantly accurate than my finger release technique. I'm not a archery purist, I'm a hunter.


I don't use a rangefinder or binos when I'm anywhere near an elk I want to kill. I can jusde yardage inside my effective range well enough to skip the hardware. I only use binos for looking for elk in basins and meadows far away if I can't hear them bugling or pick up any sign where I'm hunting so that's not an issue. You can tuck the release into your sleeve if it gets in the way but I've just gotten used to it being there.

Release aids (for the most part) are pretty darn simple. They don't pinch your fingers, due to short axle to axle angles and are EXTREMELY accurate. I use a Hot Shot release. I had the rope loop removed and tied one on my bow string instead. I just hook the metal hook of the Hot Shot on the loop on my string and draw. No aligator clips, no velcro wrist bands, no fumbling around, no noise, just a simple hand held thumb release that is bullet proof. I have shot them for 24 years and love them. I still have my very first one.....and still shoot it. I shoot year round, so it sees a lot of carp shooting in wet muddy conditions, rain, snow, everything.

I have shot all kinds of releases and find most TOTALLY useless for hunting. They are too cumbersome, rattle, clank against my bow and if you are climbing a steep hill and need both hands, they are in the way. Forget about working calls, especialy the wrist band velcro aligator clip releases. YOu have to take your eye off your target to get them into action and that simply doesn't work. Each to his own, but I don't want any velcro straps to mess with. Flinch

I shot release - I have found that I was way more consistant in my shooting. My brother shoots both equally well. FWIW - I like the repeatability of a release it should be the same everytime you let an arrow fly - with fingers I just never got the same repeatability.

YMMV...

Flinch, which Hot Shot release are you using? I found the website and would like to know which one you like.
http://www.hotshotmanufacturing.com/html/releases.htm
Thanks for the idea. Rufous.

I use the model AR with the loop removed. Flinch

I shot fingers for many years and was loathe to tote another gadget into the woods, but I tried a release anyway. Wow! I helped a friend get into his first bow, and was joking around shooting his right handed bow with his release. I found I could shoot it as well as my LH bow with fingers! I won't be without a release now. They're more than worth the hassle.