For those having trouble just relaxing fingers, I read a recommendation years ago that helped tremendously with my release. Put sand in a bucket and hold it down at your side gripping the handle as you would the string. Focus on keeping your hand and forearm relaxed, then relax the fingers. After a few tries I really sensed the feel of letting the string move my fingers instead of me moving them.
Kiwi matthews z7 shooter here. Love your wisdom. Going to a costal hill block of cold temperat rainforest to hunt feral sheep on sunday. Souhern tip of new zealand. A prayer for the comming hunt. Getting ready now the world is burning, and you've inspired me to build fletch and shoota stick bow. When it goes mad max my compounds only good while ive got carbon shafts, and havend worn out/broken me z7. Gratitude , i look forwards to you teaching me to harest red deer, wapitie deer, fallow deer, the fabled mystical moose rumored a to live still in fiordland, some dude released a few early 1900s, hymalayan tahr, descended from some gifted to nz by an austrian emporer in 1916.... theres bison, yack, highland coo (scotts cow) swamp buffalo. Even a handful ad assorted african antelope in a couple ofwildlife park / zoo setups here. The apocalypse will be deliscious. pigs hare pigeon, sheep, rabbits chamois, goat's walabies trout, salmon perch swan, canada goose, mallard and paradise ducks. The odd black swan over from auussie,.. feral cats, and any zombies which may eventuate. Keep your string waxed and your pecker hard my dudes dude❤
Well,gotta tell you,I'm 67 years young,and every once in a while you teach me something. In you I ha e found a kindred sp6from what appears to be the way you live your life, to the way your raising your kids.there should be more people like you and your folks must be proud.keep up the good work,and by the way, me and my boys enjoy every video you've uploaded lol
This guy is an inspiration......my reinvigoration for bowbuilding and the outdoors has kept me alive during these trying times. ...happenning worldwide! My daughters are also shooting with me. After a death making me a lone parent, and depression to follow...finally after 4 years my love for this stuff has pulled me out of it! Thank you
Been shooting these danged bows for 40 years. Your series has helped me great deal. You are the only one that has explained “back tension” in a way that my slow brain could comprehend. That in itself has been my biggest improvement. However, your timing on this video was a little late!!! LOL I have been changing my technique, experimenting, and trying “your way”, as I watch. I started tilting (lowering) my head into the string, after watching you. Initially, it SEEMED to work out for me and temporarily, improved my shooting. However, just last night, I figured out I was more consistent with more of a simple “address the target” head position, rather than trying to get closer to the arrow. Then on this video, you indicate you reverted back also!!! HAHA!!!! Thanks!
Thank you sir for all of your videos I have been watching you for a long time you have helped me on bow building an shooting my bow so again thank you so much for all that you've done for me and I know for so many others
Clay good job bud, I simply look forward too each video your traditional archery shows from shooting too hunting keeps me in the woods year round mentally and soothes my soul because I'm true traditional toxopholite like you and I never can get enough and your in that next step league and summer slowly going away and we will be nested in are woods with are stick and string in are healing woods were we come alive with joy with are pursue of are trophy within and satisfied sometimes with just a perfect stump at the end of the day and too say with that perfect dot,,tommorow is the day, as we stair at the wood grain of are bow and know we are ready for the gift,,keep them coming brother
Thanks Clay like shooting arrows repetitively , , I watch this video to get it to really sink into my sub-conscious mind, anchor, release, and follow through. Great video !!!!!
Hi. Thanks for so much highlight. Im really new to archery and been training to improve my form,anchor. Your tips give me much more understanding how to aim.
Hey Clay that’s awesome stuff thanks! Been following you for a couple months now. You’re really helping me out with these tutorials as I’m new to archery. I’m trying to learn as much as I can before I attempt to hunt with the bow
I think I need to give your advice a go! I like feeling things out and since I started shooting I've been purely focused on shoulders as I don't want to find pain there. I've been rocking my bow shoulder down and locking up my bones which seems to greatly improve my accuracy from time to time. I've been trying to figure out what exactly I need to do with my string shoulder so I've just been squeezing shoulder blades together which feels... inconsistent... this method you propose sounds so simple i can't help but humor it and see where it goes! Thank you 🙏
Hi Clay. I have been practicing aiming, as you thought from your first video "how to shoot a traditional bow". It is quite a journey with you thus far and I imencly enjoyed your slight smile after the comment that you stopped dropping your head a few videos ago. I have done the same and my shots group amazingly constant now - what an awesome feeling. I appreciated you authenticity on the matter. Enjoy your videos allot. Warm South Africa greetings
I bought a recurve, never had a lesson or watched a video on "how to". Watching this video made me realize I have been plinking this bow off the exact way u explain it. I heard it was all about how it feels so I went out and just felt out my shots until I was hitting a small group. Turns out to be true.
Hey Clay, oh that’s wonderful advice that you’ve given. I have been a traditional archer for over 62 years. I fell in love with this wonderful activity, sport, martial art, and lifestyle when I was eight years old. Growing up in rural Mississippi and reading stories about the greatness of; Howard Hill, Fred Bear, and Ben Pearson was so exciting to a young boy who envisioned shooting a bow the way those early pioneer heroes were able to do. So of course problems Manifested in my form of shooting. Sense for me there was any kind of mentor or someone to teach me proper form. Then it happen without any kind of instructions I developed some bad form that I have battled with those demons for my early life of poor form. I have endeavored all of my life to overcome. So your comments about looking at other issues correct form like target panic are right on target. I am looking forward to seeing you present those videos. As I’ve grown older like many baby boomers I have experience health events that have diminished my physical ability to pull a bow to full draw. I have decided as long as humanly possible that I want to keep shooting my beloved: “Bows” from HABU Bows, the very first made, my “Death Adder ”66” @ 52# my PSA X Black Widow “60” @ 54#, my Ben Pearson “HUNTER “58” @ XX 60#, my Bobby Lofton “Choctaw Chief “62” @ 40#, my Duane Jessop “Thunder-horn” 60” 55# handmade longbow. What could you perhaps suggest recommend I do to build a routine so that I can continue and improve shooting these wonderful classic instruments?I also plan to review some of your previous videos in which you may have covered some of my issues and concerns. Thank and Bless, you for Sharing the “Traditional Archery Movement” and keeping it alive. I wish you great success!!! Bob Hesson Covington Louisiana
Hello Clay, I’m a view from Indiana. Us Hoosiers love our traditional gear! The final leg of the Hoosier triple crown tournament is this weekend. Your videos have improved me as an archer tremendously, so I want to thank you for taking the time to make such high quality content! Next time you’re in the Midwest come shoot at Branchville with the Ohio River Valley Bowhunters!
Hey Clay, what do you think about the fixed crawl? It seems like a great way to get your eye closer to the arrow. With selfbows I can see it causing limb strain issues but you could tiller the bow to accommodate for that, correct? Why don't you use the fixed crawl?
Thanks, you become to my online mentor number one 😁👍. This 3 under / nock close to the eye style is not really popular in Germany but works well for me as a 3D shooter. Cheers
clay, I would like to find a way to get use to shooting bare handed. can you share your experience of getting use to bare handed shooting? Do you always shoot with no gloves or tabs?
This is why I with small body 5 foot 2 inches in height and short arms I use the jaw corner to get the anchor. My dad uses this spot on cheek that is the same each time, then my bother does to the below the ear using the feather/fletching for the arrow touching the ear as his marker.
Have u ever considered saddle hunting? Id really appreciate a video about all the different forms of hunting (still, spot and stalk, ground blinds etc) that you do. I just got into archery a few months ago with the ultimate goal being to hunt one day. On a side note - I absolutely flipped when u mentioned bjj on that other vid 🤙🤙
I apparently anchor my thumb at the back of my jaw/ earlobe putting my string on my cheekbone. I'm guessing this is from my preteens when I would shoot in Rendezvous competitions (just recently started shooting again). Idk if this is something I should be breaking myself of?
Thanks clay for sharing your knowledge about bow making. I'm currently working on building a longbow using your video as a guide. I have a PSE coyote takedown that I broke a limb on and have previously reglued, due to the limb delaminating. have you made limbs for a takedown before and have you made a video on this? My attempt haven't worked.
Bill Mahoney I also have a pse coyote mine the string has started cutting through the tip overlays . Realy want to fix it for a bow fishing rig. I've tried several times to outright buy new limbs but no authorised dealer will even attempt to order them . Even caught a dealers throwing the order form in the trash when he thought I had left. Called him out for it to his only response was they have a right to refuse service. Any way this bow had two limb manufacturers later models were a bit better limbs . Doesn't matter if you can't order them though. If you find someone or figure out how to make the limbs would be intrested in the mean time thinking of trying to repair tip overlays myself. Also thought of filling with ca glue and hoping for the best. So now it just sits in a drawer taken down. My main hunting bow is now a tradtec titan 2 17" riser carbon wood limbs but of course still want to build a true traditional bow. Just realy eats at me to have a bow sitting in a drawer not being used. Lol
hey this probably has no chance of getting seen since the video is a few years old. But I have a high anchor right under my eye. Its great for hunting large game 20 and in. Problem with that anchor is when I have flu flu arrows of any type on for small game or bird hunting. They get directly in my sight picture. Is the answer just change my anchor point for flu flu arrows?
Hey Clay, cheers from Greece and thanks for this series. As a new amateur and self-taught archer that just started shooting a few months ago, I have seen some great improvements in my form and accuracy. I would like to ask what could be a potential reason for the string slapping my lower lip, when I am anchoring in my tooth. This happens pretty consistently and even when I am using a band to practise form. I am maintaining a pretty neutral head position (i.e. not leaning forward). Could it be a case of overdrawing?
When I shoot 3 arrow groupings most of the time I have 2 arrows very close and one stray. What would you recommend I do to figure out the problem so I can fix it? I'm currently restricted to a range of 15 yards.
Your not the only one, I do the same majority of the time,. Guess it's just practice, Changing the angle to the target helped me bring the stray closer but the arrows criss cross more , if you catch my drift, it's not as clean looking group 🤷. Just keep them flying 🙏
Hey, love your videos. Seen almost all of them. Im just getting into shooting a recurve with no shelf. Prolly not the best to learn with because there are so many more variables. But im trying my best on keeping the same grip, in the same spot. I have a nock point tied in so I have a consistent nock. I watched your form videos and im starting on working form and back tension and wow, the difference in my grouping. Stepping back from 10 yards, I tried 20 with good results. But im having trouble with some arrow wobble, it flies straight but seems to fish tail some shots. Also im hitting left which I think is my bow arms fault. To much bend trying to avoid string slap as I dont have a arm guard. What tips do you have for me??
Man, another great video with outstanding content. I do have a question about the release. By relaxing your hand and “doing nothing “, does that cause the string to twist and have an adverse effect on the arrow flight? I really enjoy and appreciate your videos! Keep it up!
Brother, why do my arrows keep nocking left and hit more towards right? I have to aim left a couple of inches to get in on the bullseye. I'm using a 500 spine on a 40 pound recurve.
Mr. Hayes, Thank you for these! In the video you mention another form instructional about lining up your forearm and pressure point on the bow (and a link in the description). I didn't see that link, sir. Could you point me to it please?
Quick question, the fletchings seem to hit the side of my hand every shot and cut it pretty well, is there anything I can do to cut down on the blood cost of archery?
@@clayhayeshunter I've been talking around some trad archery groups and found the brace height to be low, but now that I've twisted the brace height up, it has relatively moved the nock down so the arrow is resting upwards about 5 degrees, so that's the next thing to tackle
Hi Clay, and everyone in the comments section. I'm new to archery, shoot a 25lb recurve, three under, 1st anchor middle finger at corner mouth, 2nd anchor (release anchor) at the base of my ear. Issue is I keep hitting the side of my nose and know that my form is off somewhere. Need some guidance. Is that typically due to poor release? Poor anchor placement or back tension? Hoping someone can steer me in the right direction. Thanks!
You may be turning your face into the string. Or it could just be the way you’re shaped. It’s actually fairly common for good shooters to hit their noses.
@@historystudiosarchery1369I have seen that before - appeared to me an unconsious attempt to get fingers out of the way of the string. At extreme, it looks like archer is trying to push the string. Try some blind bale practice (two yards from butt, eyes closed) to concentrate on your form without thought for aiming. After a few shots, focus on letting shot happen without consciously moving hand/fingers.
