clicker

[The Gopher]

I've gone through quite a rough patch lately on shooting. I don't know if it is because I have been making and shooting a lot of different bows that have casued my form to shift or what but i can't get any consistency anymore. I bought a clicker and put it on a board bow that i have been shooting and almost immediatly my consistency improved.

Does anyone else use a clicker? I think it is a great tool to have on a bow just as a "coach" even if you don't use that bow all the time, pick it up once in a awhile and shoot it, you may be suprised to find that your draw length was slipping or you weren't usign your back muscles like you should, it is a good trainer.

the interesting thing is that i get the feeling from people that having a clicker on a trad/primitive bow is just a notch below shooting a compound. Why is that? it is not increasing the performance of the bow in any way, or aiming the bow for me. just curious, maybe if i make one out of wood it would be accepted, although metal has been around a lot longer than Urac 

[Kegan]

A notch below compounds? Phooey on that I say!!! Hill, Pope, Young, and the Thompsons all used clickers... sorta. They drew the point onto their fingers. Same thing as a little audible sound to assure you have drawn the full length. It'd make you better, not your bow. Only reason I don't use one myself is because I haven't figured out how to make a good one yet

Clickers get a thumbs up in my book

[sailordad]

hell i dont even know what one is   
 

[PeteC]

Hey Gopher,I can't help you with the clicker ,I've never used one.Although I can definitely relate to the problem you mentioned.Yes,it can definitely affect your shooting when you shoot many different bows of different design and weight.I run into that problem every once in a while myself,and ,for me there is only one cure.I begin by shooting the bow I will be hunting with,and using a couple of exercises,can usually regain accuracy pretty quickly.The first exercise is to make sure I'm "gettin' it all".I do this by focusing on a spot,begin my draw,then close my eyes and "feel" the full draw and anchor.Open your eyes,take "aim",then let down.I do this several times,because,sometimes my release is so automatic,I literally lose control of it to the point that I draw ,aim, and release the arrow, even if I had planned on letting down.I simply cannot draw without shooting when I'm at this point.That's my clue that the"under-drawn snap-shot" problem has manifested itself in my mind. It has  become a "form" problem at this point .I practice this exercise until I can draw ,anchor,and let down without a problem.Once I'm back in form,I use an exercise described in TBB 4,that is as simple as drawing to anchor,then holding for 3 seconds,then let down.Next time,draw,anchor,hold for 3 seconds,then release. If your like me,this problem comes on so slow,it's difficult to see it coming.Using these exercises as a warm-up to a shooting session can help keep you sharp,in good form,and shootin' good. JMHO  God Bless

[mullet]

 Nope! It's just a crutch to me, JMO. I'd just work on perfecting better form. And practice more.

[Pat B]

When I find myself short drawing I concentrate of all aspects of my draw and when I reach full draw I hold for 2 or so seconds before I shoot. Unlike Pete, I can let down without having to shoot. Nothing wrong with what Pete does. I've herd lots of other folks say the same thing.
  I like to be able to concentrate on where my arrow will go! In a hunting situation I don't have time to think about anything else so lots of practice, concentrating on form, a full draw pull and a good clean release makes all of that stuff instinctual and during crunch time I usually don't remember the shot.
   I shoot lots of bows over the year. Bows I'm building, ones build before, others that have been given to me but a month before hunting season I pick one bow and shoot it exclusively with the exception of a bow that shoots similarly to be used as a back up bow. I shoot pretty well with lots of different bows but I am more consistent with the bow I pick to be my hunting bow because I learn it's idiosyncrasies as I concentrate on shooting it exclusively.