Using a clicker/sight markers altered??

TRG

Member
OK, so I have been using a clicker indoors at 20m with my recurve set up and yes it has helped the draw issues a bit. I'm still a bit "punchy" when it comes to the release but I will work on that, the thing is that I have noticed that my sight markings have altered dramatically. For that distance indoors, I normally am around the 3.5 mark, since using the clicker it is now moved down to 5. Even though the clicker is helping me getting a proper connection with nose to string etc, surely the sight markings would be the same?
Also I was trying to shoot outdoors today at around 60m (without the clicker) and the sight markings might as well not be there at all as every arrow ended up in the grass. It was that bad that the sight was moved down to a far as it could move and the sight bar was again moved down to as far as it would move... it just didn't work.
I'm thinking of going bare bow outdoors for a while and I do know about getting a coach to watch you etc but it's difficult when the coach himself is shooting and you get the feeling that you are peeing him off with constant problems with your form/bow etc

Any advice would be greatly appreciated
 

jerryRTD

Well-known member
You can't be drawing to the same point with the clicker as you are when shooting without the clicker. Its the only possible answer.
 

TRG

Member
Interesting thought there as regards to change in draw. The reason why I'm using the clicker is because of draw issues/TP where I am under drawing (cannot get to full draw without the need of wanting to "let go")
 

TRG

Member
This might be a daft theory but "could" the clicker be giving me a true draw or anchor point? Sorry, I can't think of another way to put it
 

KidCurry

Well-known member
AIUK Saviour
I would double check the nocking point on the string has not moved. I would then video myself shooting with clicker and without. I would be looking for draw length changes, also anchor point changes and head position changes between the two.
 

Simian

Supporter
Supporter
This might be a daft theory but "could" the clicker be giving me a true draw or anchor point? Sorry, I can't think of another way to put it
Not really, as you set the clicker at your proper draw length, not your draw length to where the clicker is. For your sight mark to drop 1.5cm as 20 yards (I assume...) you'd need to lose maybe 2 inches of draw length, but you only need to change the angle you're releasing at by one degree.

So, putting the clicker on as part of a form change is obviously affecting something:

you could now be pulling to the front of your chin rather than the side (decreasing the eye nock distance)
maybe you've moved your hand up under your chin properly (ditto)
shooting with your teeth together rather than apart (ditto)
now using the tip of your nose rather than the side (changing head angle)
perhaps you used to jerk your arm up on release
or perhaps you're now dropping the arm on release
possibly you are putting pressure on the bottom of the arrow which is lifting it off the rest without the clicker
have you tried moving the clicker and increasing the length you have to pull through to see if it's just set too short
alternatively, you might have set it too long and now the arrow is hitting your bracer as you contort to pull through
the side pressure of the clicker could be causing the arrow to slip under the button when you draw or possibly it's bending the rest down.
 

TRG

Member
I keep my mouth closed when shooting, to the point where I tend to clench my teeth together. My arrows are not cut down (they are around 28" 3/4, 1616 spine, I did however move the clicker to its true position where it ought to be but I had about a good 3/4" left of arrow to pull through and I don't want to cut down the arrows any shorter than they are now in case if I make a mistake or make them too stiff) ....but the clicker is positioned on the sight bar itself so it can slide up and down to accommodate the arrow length without chopping bits off.

I however starting to notice that when I stare into my sight while using the clicker, the sight moves slightly to the left of the string when drawing to my nose/anchor which I have never noticed before, obviously because of the TP/draw issues
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
TRG, if you fitted a clicker to try to help prevent releasing too soon, then the draw length should be longer when you reach your face, than when you release before the string reaches your face. That should mean the sight marks go up.
One thing that can lower sight marks is that you might draw to your face and the clicker goes off, but perhaps you wait a little before releasing and in that time the draw shortens as you creep forwards. Often that creeping goes undetected.Often , the bow arm drops too.
I think it is important to realise that it isn't the clicker changing the draw length, it is you.You are probably drawing to your face before the clicker goes off. You get there on your own, no help from the clicker. I would advise you to set the clicker so that once your string has reached your face, you have a cm more of drawing to do. Draw that extra amount and release at the click, not after a delay. Get used to releasing at the sound of the click first, then sort out sight marks.
Barebow archers manage without a sight or clicker. they need a good consistent draw and release to shoot well. Going barebow might sound like less to worry about; and there is some truth in that. It is also true to say that there is less help with barebow, you have to work out how to aim and how to manage the draw length.
 

TRG

Member
I think I've made a slight mistake in explaining the movement of the sight, I was supposed to say that I adjust the sight downwards so it moves up
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I'm not sure I follow that. When you adjust the sight down, that usually means the sight aperture moves down towards the arrow. That means the bow is tilted up more at full draw so the arrows land higher in the target.
 

ieuan_johns

New member
What I suspect is that your technique has altered elsewhere.

Most likely you are either more relaxed (perhaps in the wrist/elbow of the front arm), thus shortening the draw length or were previously drawing through your face (pulling against your chin/nose and turning/pushing your head back) compared to shooting without the clicker.

I've seen both with some archers coming on and off clickers, which just highlights that when using the clicker (and evidently when being measured up) their technique is more relaxed (and often far better) than when shooting without one.

this would also possibly fit in with the problem you mentioned of "wanting to let go" before full draw without the clicker. Clearly you want to let go because you are taking a heavier load than you do when the clicker activates.
 
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