Shorter draw length

[jonathan creason]

Anybody use an anchor that purposefully shortens your draw length?  I actually managed to get home before the sun went down today so I thought I would try to shoot a little.  I took a couple of shots with my usual 3 under, index finger to incisor anchor with so-so results.  My hat brim was getting in the way as usual, so I tried a couple of shots with a shorter draw, anchoring the base of my thumb to the corner of my mouth.  To my surprise I hit where I was looking dang near every time.  This anchor lines the arrow up under my eye perfectly.  The only problem is it shortens my draw length by about 2".  I know hitting the right spot is more important, but I just hate to loose those few pounds of draw weight.

Anyway, I guess I'm just fishing for somebody to tell me it'll be ok.  I guess I can always build a bigger bow.

[sailordad]

i draw like that all the time
i an pull 28" if i go to where "they" say you should anchor
but i dont like the string dragging on my cheek
i also find myself a little more consistant draw 2" shorter like that

[Pat B]

I draw 26" and have a very loose fluid form with my bow arm elbow bent and my head down. When my index finger hits the corner of my mouth the arrow is gone.  One problem I have found with this method is the chance of short(er) shooting. When I find myself short drawing I purposfully stand erect and draw with an olympic style of rigid stance for a few shots. I guess this helps to stretch things out because I can go back to my normal style with no problems.
  I think for a hunter the looser style lends itself well. I have made shots that I could not have with any other style of shooting.

[Keenan]

Heck my full (max) draw is a short draw! 25" when I push it.   So I make short bows that hit my weight at 25" 

[jonathan creason]

I can definitely see where a shorter draw would be beneficial in a hunting situation (less movement, not as much need to worry about something behind you, etc.).  I really like shorter bows, too, so maybe this type of draw is perfect for me.

Plus, like you said sailordad, I hate getting slapped in the face by the string.

[Pappy]

The only down side to the shorter draw is the performance you give up,I have a short draw
25/26 and I can tell you that shorter power stroke hurts, I shoot with a guy with a full 28 and when we are shooting the same weight bow at our draw length,mine 50@25 his 50@28,his will out penetrate my by quite a bit,I have been working on squaring my stance a bit and make sure I get to the corner of my mouth,[I use my middle finger] To get a little more length,I also do like Keenan and build my bows a little heaver that I like to compansate for the shorter draw.
Just something to think about before you work on shorting you length by much,I also went to a much heavier arrow to help with penetration but then you loose a lot of distance.Since I am mainly interested in Hunting distance [10/15 yards] it seem a worthy trade off. I would kill for a 27/28 inch draw.
Pappy

[jonathan creason]

Would adding reflex/flipping the tips to add some early draw weight help much with the performance loss?  That is my main concern, but I just seem to shoot better this way.

[Kegan]

This is a bit off the main topic, but unless you're used to it or wearing a hat with a soft brim, the string hitting your hat can throw your shooting off alot more than you'd think

[jonathan creason]

Yeah, that's a big issue for me too, Kegan.  Even ones with a soft brim tend to throw me off when they fold down over my eye.

[Keenan]

Pappy said it right on, The shorter draw = shorter power stroke,  Compensate with as much weight as you can shoot (very good) and go with heavy arrows.

[aznboi3644]

My natural draw is 26".  But I do love to shoot short bows with 20-24" draws.  I can draw out to 32" but thats as far as I can stretch and accuracy drops...but its fun to flight shoot drawing warbow style.

[Alpinbogen]

My normal draw is 25".  I don't want to shorten that or I wouldn't have much of a power stroke.

[Traxx]

Jonathan,
You are not alone.I find pretty much the same as you.Dont know why for shure,but im more stable with the shorter draw and my alignment seems better and more consistant.Shorter bows,reflexed and sinew backed,seem to help with the performance some,at least at the yardage most of us shoot at.

[Traxx]

I also meant to say,a bow designed to utize the energy,of a short draw,will lessen the performance loss from shrinking your draw down,on a bow designed for a longer draw.

[Kegan]

What you lose in power you also make up for in the ease of finding arrows and getting them to spine and balance properly. I shoot a little over 29" and have trouble finding arrows stiff enough at times.

I also recently tried shooting a shorter bow I found at only 26" draw. It pulled about 60# or so and I found it painful to shoot at the shorter draw length, my elbows were unaccustomed to bearing the force rather than my bones and I tired out much more quickly. I had been planning a short Native style bow to shoot with a shorter draw length but not now.