Shooting a compound bow without a release

Is a release more accurate?

Yes, in general, I would say, that shooting with a release makes you more accurate. If you train 200 archers, and you give 100 archers a release and 100 archers a finger glove, I believe the 100 archers with the release would score significantly higher. Shooting with a release in competitions is only allowed in the compound class, according to the World Archery rules. This means that World Archery sees this as a performance-enhancing aid.

You might now ask, why is shooting with a release more accurate? To say it simply you mechanize the release process, reducing the chance of inconsistency. You only have to pull the trigger and you fire the shot. With traditional archery, you have to make sure that you consistently release. With a release you can’t really be inconsistent with the release, because you don’t directly hold the string. When you are not using a release your fingers will get tired by holding the string, which can increase these inconsistencies. Therefore shooting with a release is a major advantage over shooting with a tab or glove.

A very good reason to use a release instead

Compared to recurve bows, extra care should be taken how you grab the string. Since compound bows have cams, they can derail when you are not being cautious. If you twist the bowstring you can force the string outside the groves in the cams. When you release the bow will violently derail, which can result in major damage or injury. Therefore if you decide to shoot with your fingers, you should be aware on how you grab the string. You can see what happens when a compound bow derails in the video below.

How to shoot without a release?

As you read previously, the angle of the string can make shooting without a release very hard. Therefore if we can reduce this angle, it will be much easier to shoot without a release. The only good way to reduce the angle of the string is buy buying a compound bow with a large frame. A small hunting bow will have a steeper angle than a large target bow.

Another way to reduce the angle is by reducing the draw length. In general this is not a good idea, your draw length should be based on your comfortable shooting position. Therefore I would not recommend doing this. You can note, however, that it will be easier for a small person to shoot with their hands because their draw length is shorter.

I would recommend drawing with two fingers. By placing the index finger above the arrow and the middle finger below the arrow. I wouldn’t recommend the three-finger under-the-arrow technique, which is often used in traditional archery. The third finger will be quite far away from the arrow, which can result in your fingers getting squashed. I tried this and it feels really unpleasant.

When you are shooting with a compound bow with your fingers, you might have trouble finding a good anchor point. If you want some tips, I would recommend you to read this article: ‘’Finding and maintaining your anchor point: tips and tricks’’

Tips for shooting with your fingers

If you insist on using your fingers instead of a release here are some tips to do so:

• Keep the bowstring vertical at all time: as we saw in the video if you twist the string you can derail the bow. If you slightly twist the string this is unlikely to happen but it still affects your accuracy.
• Place the string deep in your fingers: don’t place the string on the tip of your fingers. Not only will it strain your fingers, but you can also let the string slip by accident. Placing the string deeper into your fingers also decreases potential variation by tension in the fingers.
• Place the fingers as close to the arrow as possible: the further you place the fingers from the arrow the more uncomfortable it will be. You should however be wary that you don’t touch the arrow when at full draw.
• Use the one finger above and one below the arrow technique: with this technique, you will equally draw the string below and above the arrow. This more closely mimics how a compound bow would be drawn when you use a release.

Find the right finger protection

Although I discussed both a tab and a finger glove in the example, I would highly advise a finger glove. This makes it easier to use the one-finger above and one below the arrow technique. You just have a lot more flexibility with your anchor point when you use a glove.

You must buy a well-padded finger glove. Most finger gloves are made for traditional bows. Since these bows have a lighter draw weight than most compound bows, not all finger gloves are suitable for compound archery.

I recommend the finger glove from ArcheryMax. This finger glove has added padding on the fingertips which makes it more comfortable to use on a compound bow. Click here to check the price on Amazon.com.

If you decide to shoot with a release instead

If you want to shoot with a release you are probably overwhelmed by the amount of options and the huge price range. In this section, I will give you some tips when you want to buy and use your first release.

Choose the right release

There are hundreds of different releases available, but they are roughly divided into the following categories:

• Wrist release: you attach this release to your wrist and use a trigger to release the shot. You often use the trigger with your index finger, but there are also some available with a thumb release.
• Thumb release: you hold this release with your fingers and release the arrow with your thumb.
• Back tension release: with this release, you don’t use any of your fingers to fire. Instead, you pull the bowstring further backwards. When you draw back far enough the release will fire the shot at a certain poundage.
• Canting release: the last type of release works fires by canting the release in a certain direction, which makes the release go off.

There are huge debates among compound archers about what type of release increases your accuracy. I would advise any starting archer to start with a wrist or thumb release. The back tension/hinge release is more advanced and requires more training. The decision between the thumb and wrist release is purely based on your own preference.

In general, hunters use a wrist release, while target archers use a thumb release. A thumb release takes more time to set up, that’s why many hunters prefer a wrist release. With a thumb release, you get a more solid anchor point, which makes it preferred by target archers. I shoot target archery with a wrist release because I prefer the feeling of a wrist release, so you shouldn’t necessarily base your decision on what’s common. It can be a good starting point though, if you have no preference. Read the article below, if you want to learn more about the different releases:

How to choose the right release aid

Start with a cheap release

I wouldn’t recommend any starting archer to start with really expensive stuff. Sometimes other archers look down upon archers that use cheaper gear, but there is no good reason for it. Although the quality and finish of expensive gear tend to be better, I don’t see a big difference in performance. Therefore, I would recommend buying a cheap release when you are just getting started.

Don’t forget the D-loop

If you shot your compound bow with your fingers before you switched you probably don’t have a D-loop. You probably have standard nocking points instead. If you want to shoot with a release you need a D-loop. You can attach the release directly to the string, but this is a bad idea. Not only can you damage the serving and nocking points, but it can also cause inconsistencies. Instead, install a D-loop and avoid these problems. If you have some decent string or paracord laying around, you can even use that to tie a D-loop. See this video for a step by step instructions.

Try different release

If you can’t get used to one type of release, you might want to switch to another one. You can’t know your preference before you try, so if you don’t like the feeling of your release I would recommend buying another one and experiment

Final thoughts

You have probably noticed that I don’t really see a point in shooting a compound bow with your fingers. I tend to be quite open-minded towards different shooting styles and ideas. Although if you take proper care you can safely fire a compound bow without a release there is basically no reason to do so. The only reason I can see to fire with your fingers is if you really dislike the feeling of a release and you can’t get used to it.

I have shot recurve 3 years before I switched to compound archery, so I was quite used to the feeling of the string on my fingers. But within a month I got used to shooting with a release. I have fired my compound bow a few times with my fingers, but it was really uncomfortable and I was constantly riding up to the arrow. Shooting with a release immediately solved these issues.

There is a good reason that almost all compound archers use a release, including hunters. It makes you more accurate, more comfortable, and is overall a lot safer.