Thumb rings?

[Lee Lobbestael]

does anybody here shoot/hunt with a thumb ring? Can you be accurate with them? seems like a smooth release

[mullet]

 James Parker does, and is very good with them. I'm learning and was good enough to hit 16 out of 20 targets at the last Classic with my hornbow. I just wasn't sure where I was going to hit the target. I'm practicing and getting better.

[JBL]

I shoot and hunt with the thumb draw and am better than I ever was with fingers.  The biggest difference is the sight picture as the arrow is on the draw hand side vs the bow hand side. 

[mullet]

 And you are really screwed up for a few shots if you switch back. I shot the twenty targets and then went to fingers with another bow and missed the target by 4' to the left.

[Lee Lobbestael]

sounds cool! would be interesting to try

[zdogk9]

IF,your follow through is good they work incredibly well. If, like me you have a tendency to relax your bow arm at release, (workin' on that Boss), you'll find that you're shooting about a foot to the right. You'll gain a few inches, say about 3-4 of draw length without fighting your body's natural range of motion. The release seems smoother to me. Read "Kay's Thumb Ring Book".  I find the ring from Three Rivers to be most comfortable for me, fit is important, poor fit will reward you with a really sore thumb. Trim your thumb nail way back to start.
Z

[zdogk9]

Here are a couple of links to people using thumb rings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q81H-V1_gGo
]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_6YDX32xgc&feature=related]

[mullet]

 James made my ring out of a billiard ball. It fits tight and feels really good. I have one I made out of water buffalo horn that works real good also. Like said, the tight is really important, along with technique.

[JBL]

The release/follow through is described in Ancient text as a punch forward and elbow "punch" back; a relaxed bow hand is key.  The one thing that you need to be careful of on follow through is not to exagerate the follow through because like in Western archery this will cause bad arrow flight.  I can never switch back and forth and strictly shoot with a thumb draw.

On a thumbring note:I make my rings out of PVC pipe, very small compared to some of the other rings out there.  I find that I get a cleaner release with a smaller ring.  The fit is key; too lose it flies off too tight and you are cutting it off your thumb and  unable to shoot because of bruising. 

[Cameroo]

JBL - I don't suppose you could post a few pictures of one that you've made? I've never used one but would like to try.  I can also be very cheap, and like to make things myself

[JBL]

I will try to get some pictures but in the meantime here is the quick a dirty to building a thumb ring from a 3" ABS pipe coupling.  I got this from a guy on the spitfire horsebows forum. 

Cut the coupling to the length you need for the ring, drill a small starter hole on one end of the ring and then file the hole out to just fit over the thumb knuckle.  Then form the ring "face" that is the part that holds the string away from your thumb, and file this face so that it is thinner at the end and sides. 

As the guy who gave me this "recipe" it takes longer to explain and don't worry about making a mistake because each piece will make about 7-8 rings.

[Polar Bear]

Okay I have to ask.  Why is the arrow on the draw hand side of the bow?  Why would it not work on the bow hand side?  I'm an old dog but I'm not afraid to learn a new trick.

[mullet]

 Because when your thumb opens up to release it opens to the right if you are pulling the string with your right hand. When releasing with a three finger or two finger draw, with your right hand, your fingers are opening to the left.

[Polar Bear]

Makes sense.  Thanks

[JBL]

Another reason for the arrow to be on the draw hand side is because the thumb draw is actually a thumb "lock" developed for horse archery and the arrow is actually held with slight pressure on the riser with the index finger.  You don't want too much pressure on the initial draw and basically no index finger pressure on the release but if you were on horseback being bounced around the index finger came in handy o keep the arrow on an even plain.