The dreaded clicker...

Emmadragon

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So, I've taken the plunge and fitted a clicker! Controversial in some circles, I know. :) But now I have a question...
My usual draw is to put a little tension on the bow, rise up above the target gold, extend to full draw, and then lower fully onto the gold - a classic T-draw, I think. However, some of the clicker users in our club seem to put a little tension on, and then aim on the gold while they draw back fully before releasing at the click. Should I be changing my draw style, or will my normal draw work with a clicker?
I'm thinking my normal draw, then aim and expand that little further to go through the clicker might work, but am interested to know the various opinions...
 

LionOfNarnia

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I haven't changed my draw.

The hard bit was setting the clicker to exactly the right point where it doesn't click before full expansion. A mill or two either way makes a huge difference. Trial & error. Lots of both!
 

Graham Smith

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I don't think you need to change your draw Emma but it takes a while to get the clicker in just the right place, at least it took me a long time.
It's much better and easier if you can get someone to help setting it up otherwise you are just guessing how much adjustment you need. I set mine up on my own and it took ages,
Unless your draw and stance are both very consistent, mines not perfect, you will have times when the clicker goes off early or you struggle to get the arrow through it.
As I said it takes time and perseverance. I think that's why a lot of people either don't bother with one or give up on it but try it and see and I hope it works for you. For the cost of a clicker it is well worth trying out.
 

Emmadragon

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Oh, I fully expect to have trouble with it, but I just didn't want to have to change my draw style. I intend to persevere. My draw and stance are pretty consistent, but I sometimes get lazy - not tired, just lazy. I know it's going to take a long time to see improvement, and I'm ok with that.
 

geoffretired

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The clicker is something to use, just like an arrow rest. Look forward with interest to the benefits it brings.
To make a clicker work in your favour, requires the ability, to draw the string as far as your face.... and... to continue that drawing a little bit further.
Setting that to work for you does not require huge changes if you are already used to drawing to your face then continuing to draw further. You seem to be doing those things already. Setting the clicker in the right place is not a matter of finding the exact spot!
Initial setting will require you to have it far enough back( towards the arrow rest) so that when the string reaches your face, it does not go off. That is important. The clicker must wait until you have done some of that further drawing. You already do that drawing so with no changes to your usual shot process, the clicker will go off.
You know the clicker will go off, it has no option. Let's say your extra drawing after reaching your face is 5mm or 10mm. So long as the clicker requires slightly less than you normally manage, it will go off. If you find the time between reaching your face and the clicker going off is a little too short, set it further back towards the arrow rest.
When you shoot with the clicker it is better to try to forget it is on( don't draw while wondering when it's going to go off)
It's like setting an alarm clock to waken you next morning.... no point in staying awake all night to see if it works!! Set it and forget it.
When you first fix the clicker, you may want to get some help with setting its position. The reason for that is this. The observer can see where the arrow tip is when you reach your face with the string. He/ she can then find out how much further you are drawing normally. That is not so easy to do on your own. So the observer could mark where the arrow tip is at your furthest draw length. The clicker can be positioned in that region.
The chances are that during the setting up you will draw slightly differently because of the clicker, That is difficult to avoid. But the initial setting is not set in stone, you adapt as you settle in. When you are happy that you are not hearing the click before you are ready... and not struggling to pull 3 extra inches!! you can adjust till things happen as you wish.
Many archers use the sound of the click as " you are free to release " advice. If you were already feeling good about the shot and the aim, there is no point in delaying. Within a little time, it can almost feel that the click tells you the arrow has left.
 

Emmadragon

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I always really look forward to your replies to any query, Geoff, they're so thoughtful and considered. And illuminating, too. Thank you very much.
We're not shooting much at the moment - the hall is closed for exams, and the weather has really not been condusive to standing in a field - so I won't get to try it for the first time until Sunday's frostbite (if the rain keeps off for a bit), but I'm looking forward to it. I think it will be interesting.
 

geoffretired

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I have been guilty in the past of over teaching clicker use; by that I mean trying to cross all the t's and dot all the i's in the hopes of leaving nothing to chance. Now that I have learned a bit more about it, it is possible to demonstrate it in less than 5 minutes. It takes far too long to write about it, in truth. That can give a false impression of gravity.
Watch top archers and you will see that at full draw , when they reach their face with the string, they have about 1mm still to draw. That is because they are very good at it.
Someone shooting no more frequently than a club archer needs a bit more wiggle room for their variations. The precise position for the clicker is months away when you first start. Sometimes, when reaching the face with the string, the clicker could be 5-6mm from going off; sometimes 3mm. But so what? How long does it take to draw 6 mm? To you, it will feel like a normal amount of time,, which is what it is.
 

Emmadragon

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Well, after two days of shooting with the clicker, I can report that I love it! It does exactly what I had hoped it would - stops me being lazy, and gives me that bit more consistency.
One of the other club members lent me 3 different types to experiment with, which was very kind of him. I settled on one of the flat blade types (it goes the best with the bow!), and am happy with that choice.
We went up to the field around 2pm on Saturday to get some sight marks for Sunday's Frostbite (boy, was that muddy!), and there was an immediate improvement in grouping.
I actually managed to get it set in almost the right position from the off, which I was pretty impressed with, as it was a total guess. I had set it around 10mm from vertical, pointing slightly forwards. That was far too far forward, so I slowly brought it back a mm at a time, until I had to concentrate to draw through, but without actually struggling. It's now set about 2mm from vertical, and that seems to be the right place. Enough to make me draw properly - when I stop concentrating, ie get lazy, then I can't draw through, so then I have to go back down and start again.
I'm really impressed with the difference it's made.
I got Darren (husband) to film it in use, and when I stop, there's about 3mm still left to draw through, which is enough but not uncomfortable.
I think I only shot through it once, on Sunday, but fortunately no fletchings were hurt in the making of that shot. Otherwise, if it becomes obvious to me that I'm not going to make it through, I come back down again. Better to do that than struggle, I think.
Of course, the amount of clothes I'm having to wear outside isn't helping with form in general, so I'll be glad to get back inside on Saturday! Difficult to shoot with two jumpers and an arm-freezer on. Brrrrrr!
 

LionOfNarnia

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You're making me shiver just reading that!

Happy you've made the transition though, clickers are great - if perhaps a little Pavlovian ;)

What were the other 2 you tried? (I have a Mybo crescent one, which is so easy to slip an arrow under)
 

Emmadragon

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One was an Avalon magnetic clicker, (Avalon Magnetic Clicker) which was far too long, it simply didn't fit in the available space, and the other looks like a Cartel clicker (Cartel Deluxe Clicker), which has had a bend put in it. That one was a little too short, because of the bend! It would have only just touched the top of the arrows!
The one I put on is a Beiter (Beiter Clicker). It's completely flush to the riser, so it took me a few goes to figure out how to get it onto the arrow, but it didn't take too long to figure out a method:
weave the arrow between the riser and string and nock it as normal, put it onto the arrow rest, and thenlift it away with the third finger while I pick up the clicker with the second finger, and then drop the arrow back underneath. Sounds much more complicated than it really is!
When I get my own, I'm thinking I'll probably get this one: Win & Win ACS Carbon Clicker, 'cos, you know it looks cool. I'll be getting the black one, since they don't do it in pink.
I know you like a pic, so here we go. I put a new sight pin and button on at the same time, so I was surprised it all went as well as it did.
 

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JohnK

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I have a few W&W carbon clickers lying around that I no longer use. I found the sound they made to be too loud, and I prefer the Beiter. In fact, I've actually put some felt under my Beiter clicker tip to make it a little quieter :)
 

Emmadragon

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A few...? Bit baffled by having more than one of the same kind... :) I do find the Beiter to be very quiet, certainly outdoors, so louder is better for me, but I'm in no rush. We're planning a post-Christmas trip up to Custom Built in Newark, so I can check the length then before I buy. Unless you could measure one...?
 

JohnK

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A few...? Bit baffled by having more than one of the same kind... :) I do find the Beiter to be very quiet, certainly outdoors, so louder is better for me, but I'm in no rush. We're planning a post-Christmas trip up to Custom Built in Newark, so I can check the length then before I buy. Unless you could measure one...?
I just find that loud, snappy clickers are a bit too much. You can feel a clicker drop as well as hear it, so I find loud ones are overkill, if that makes sense.

As for why I have more than one, I like to pick up spares of pieces of equipment when I can, and I sometimes have more than one riser set up at a time.

I can dig mine out and measure them when I have a minute. I'm currently suffering from my first bad cold in a couple of years, so it may be a day or two. Frankly, if you'd like to buy one you'd be more than welcome, but please don't think I'm pushing a sale on you :)
 

Emmadragon

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My hearing is occasionally a bit dodgy, so I find slightly louder noises are better for me.
I wouldn't worry about it, we're looking forward to the post-Christmas trip out anyway. But thank you for the offer.
 

Stretch

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I’ve seen a lot of people buy the carbon clicker but very few people shoot them. Almost all elite shooters choose the Beiter. There’s a reason for that.

If you want quiet choose a .2mm, if you want loud use a .3mm. Everybody bends them despite Beiter saying don’t. But be warned black blades may snap if you bend them:cry:

Beiter, Beiter, Beiter...

Stretch
 

Emmadragon

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Well, not so good on Saturday.

My arrows were all over the place, until I realised that the clicker had moved forward considerably whilst in my bag, so I was releasing them not at full draw. Matters improved no end once I got the screwdriver out and tightened up the screw holding it in place, having moved it back to where it should be. Fortunately I had managed to have the brains to take a picture of it last time.

It is getting to be a standing joke in our house, though, there's some sort of screw loose every time I shoot (possibly not just on the bow... 🤣).

I do find that the riser is such an efficient damper (internal hydraulic fluid, yadda, yadda) that I can't 'feel' the click, I can only hear it, so I'm definitely going to need louder. My intention is to go and hopefully try out a couple more before I buy one for myself.

I am going to persevere, though, I think it's worth the effort. When it all comes together, shots are definitely better. I WILL be a better archer!
 

Kerf

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As a bare bow archer I occasionally find myself giggling at my club mates whose after shot reaction goes: “Doh! (Expletive) clicker!”
There are those who can’t pull through it, those who ignore it, those who hear it and freeze, those who think they heard it and shoot through it, those who can’t hear it and those who hear the one next to them.
The latter prompted a discussion at the club pub about having a clicker which makes a sound unique to your bow - like a moo or a baa or a quack or a voice bellowing NOW.
It would make the shooting line a more interesting place, especially indoors...............
............. I’ll get my coat.
 
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