Three under vs. split finger (Beginners Guide Volume I)

[moe monsarrat]

I shoot split finger & also teach that method. I find that 3 under works for short distances pretty good, but gets shaky out past 20yds. The two split fingered release is actually an archaic European military release called the "Flemish loose".

[jerp]

Question for you 3-under guys. If using a tab, does the tab with the split work OK or do you use one that is solid?

[camoman1966]

When I learned to shoot a bow as a child I shot split finger. When I started shooting again as an adult I started out split finger because it felt natural. Someone told me about 3 under and I gave it a try. I noticed that shooting split finger I tend to torque the string a bit and it causes some irregularity in arrow flight. With 3 under I don't torque the string and the arrow flies straight. Hope this helps!

[realmccoy]

I am new to trad. I have tried both ways. Both seem to work pretty good for me. But, I try to shoot instincivly(just the way i want to do it), Every time I shoot 3 under someone accuses me of aiming. I am going to give over/under a try. Maybe then no one will accuse me of aiming. (point on ect) It seems to me if you shoot good someone always attaches a negative reason: he shoots point on, carbon arrows, elevated rest ect.........I wish we were a little more inclusive. I just got a new longbow. Woodies and carbons are shooting pretty well off the shelf. What will they say now??

[meangene1969]

forget everyone else

[huntinpool]

If a bow is pulled and the arrow is shot, some form of aiming occured. Shoot the way your most comfortable and screw anyone who has problem with it.

[meangene1969]

thats harsh

[huntinpool]

That's life

[moe monsarrat]

Yeah, you can go at it with no instruction & do anything you want. If you want it to take a long time to achieve mediocre results, that is. Archery has been around well over 10,000 years & not that much has changed. If you want to take advantage of all that knowledge & experience you can probably skip a bunch of BS & get to the fun of shooting with a fair degree of accuracy. OR you can just start from absolute scratch and employ trial & error just so you can say "I did it MY WAY". Your choice, but if I want my kid to learn to read, I send him to school. I don't just hand him a book & say "Figure this out."

[zbraman]

Have been shooting Split for nearly all my Archery life. Tried the 3 under but did not work for me.I am a BAREBOW shooter and do not gap.I shoot pure instinctive or as near as possible. I shoot Indoor at 20 yrds and in most Field and 3D it is shorter distances.

[mpotts]

Doesnt the way your bow is tillered have an effect on the way you shoot

[texasproud11]

thanks for the post

[wayne worthy]

Is it true that in the TBoT championship you have to shoot split fingers? Refering to Texas State championship also.

[Bisch]

Wayne, At the Texas State Longbow Championship (which is NOT a TBoT shoot), they used to have a rule that you could not shoot 3-under. They changed that rule and 3-under is now allowed as long as one finger touches the nock.

3-under is a llowed al all TBoT shoots.

[chausler]

Why is it I shoot good split finger with one of my bows and not the other. the other bow I shoot better three under.

[native_texan]

You too??!! Hi Chew ... how's it going, brother?

I just made the decision to go traditional too. Haven't ordered a bow yet but I will soon. I got a lot of great advice here in the last couple of days. Just like the guys and gals around the campfire, lots of great people here. They are willing to bend over backwards to help and get us newbies shooting straight. I know I'm gonna have lots of fun here. See ya in the LDP's brother. may God bless.

[Wampuscat]

I say whatever works best for you works... split or 3 under. I don't cross fingers when playing golf and some people think thats strange, but it feels right to me. But that may be a bad example since I suck at golf.

[ChadMR82]

Good post! I can shoot both but prefer split.

[Chameleon]

I don't find much difference between the two, except that split finger is slightly easier to keep the arrow on the string.

I shoot 3-under because I touch the feather tip to my nose now, and that helps me quite a bit.

[xjojox]

I had a bow as a teen and shot split, but was never serious about it. I just got back into it recently, and I've gone back and forth trying to figure out what my eyes and hands like. I have some friends who shoot one way and some the other, all seasoned bowhunters and good archers, so I don't feel pressured either way, other than by what I've read about tournament rules seeming to favor (at least until recently) split. I really want to like split, it just seems "right", but for whatever reason I shoot better three under and it's more comfortable for me.

I recently bought my youngest daughter a bow, and it initially had no nock point on it. So, I surmised, here is one more reason to shoot split: in case I ever need to shoot an unfamiliar bow without a nock point (like... I'm stuck on an island and have to make one out of yew and sinew, LOL). Split would help stabilize the arrow on a suboptimal string. So once again I tried for a couple of days to just shoot split. I can do it, but three under still feels better and my groups are tighter when I shoot three under. Go figure.

I'm left eye dominant but right-handed, and shoot rightie. I aim instinctively, and since I'm a newbie I feel like I probably need to commit one way or the other in order to gel properly.

[westtex]

I shoot 3 under. I started at split and gap shooting. Then I went to three under and pure instinctive. I's say check out rick welch on shooting instinctive, it worked out great for me. I anchor to my ear and the fletching touching my nose. the only times I've had issues was then there was a dip in the ground or if the target was just past a small rise and I couldn't see the whole distance. I shoot with just a glove and a PSE Sequoia. It's a beast of a bow, but I really like it. After trying some recurves, I think the 3 under worked well on longbows for me, but it didn't line up right on a recurve. I guess that would be the tillering you hear about.

[oldwibowhunter]

3 Finger makes it easier on my pointer finger by the finger nail from pinch.

[Tex Expatriate]

In becoming a bowyer I have learned that split finger supposedly works best when the top limb is slightly longer than the bottom, and that three-finger or Apache supposedly works best when the limbs are equally long. In my own case, I began with Apache because when I tried split finger I twisted the string and moved the arrow off the shelf. I can shoot split finger now but I do not. I prefer the Apache. As for the bows I make, I make the limbs equal in length unless a buyer prefers a longer upper limb.

Now, just this word about those who use mechanical casting devices called compound bows. If they use a mechanical release, it is going to be attached to the string right below the nocking point and nock. These mechanical bows have limbs that are equal. I am not certain that suggest that a central location of fingers is better, but I suspect so.

[Tex Expatriate]

If you use a tab you can glue a piece of leather over the string-side leather and then trim it. You can also buy "three-finger under" tabs.

[Bisch]

Originally Posted by Tex Expatriate

In becoming a bowyer I have learned that split finger supposedly works best when the top limb is slightly longer than the bottom, and that three-finger or Apache supposedly works best when the limbs are equally long. In my own case, I began with Apache because when I tried split finger I twisted the string and moved the arrow off the shelf. I can shoot split finger now but I do not. I prefer the Apache. As for the bows I make, I make the limbs equal in length unless a buyer prefers a longer upper limb.

Now, just this word about those who use mechanical casting devices called compound bows. If they use a mechanical release, it is going to be attached to the string right below the nocking point and nock. These mechanical bows have limbs that are equal. I am not certain that suggest that a central location of fingers is better, but I suspect so.

Most all compounds today use a D-loop that puts the release at the same level as the nock and not below it!

Bisch

[dougedwards]

Seems as if split would be best for accuracy because of the angle of the string. If both the ring and middle finger apply like pressure on each side of the arrow the string will provide a flat surface for the nock. Three under creates a slight string angle through the nock.

However, not everyone is capable of keeping the exact same pressure with both fingers on the string. That goes for three under shooters also but with fingers splitting the arrow it seems that this uneven pressure would have a greater and more adverse affect on arrow flight than fingers which were further away from the arrow.

Am I wrong?

Doug

[Jacobh05]

I shoot 3 under.. Seems to be more accurate for me

[jhall239]

Everytime I try to shoot split finger I torc the arrow off the shelf

[arodsamms]

Split feels more Natural , but I shoot tighter groups with three under . I am pretty new to trad archery so I am having a hard time making up my mind Wichita technique to stick with .

[arodsamms]

Which**

[Retsbew]

I've been shooting trad for quiet a few years and prefer split, which I started with and decided to stay with after a brief experiment with 3-under. For me, 3-under puts too much emphasis on the arrow shaft as part of the sight picture. I prefer to 'aim' without conciously using the shaft or point as a sight, having found this to be a better/faster approach for hunting, my main interest. For target shooting, 3-under does offer advantages re using the arrow as a crude sight, especially at close range (looking down the arrow) and for longer-range gapping (i.e., using the arrow point to 'aim' inches above or below the mark depending on the distance to the target...need to know yardage or have a very flat shooting set-up). All in all, split just feels more comfortable to me for shooting quickly at at the ranges/under the conditions I prefer to shoot at. But that's just me.

[rockmesteady]

I shoot 3 under as well. For me it makes it easy to have a clean release and not pinch the arrow nock.

As far as tillering i shoot a samick sage so changing that is not option. I didn't notice anything until I switched from homemade yarn puffs to cat whiskers. I noticed the top one gets tangled more than the bottom when I shoot. However, I don't think it effects my shooting - since that's the only way I shoot.

And consistency is more important than anything else for getting good groups (in my opinion). You can do the craziest thing, but if you do the exact same crazy thing every time the arrow with land in the exact same crazy place.

[bucknuts]

I just tried shooting three under. WOW, Im hitting everything im looking at . Bow is 64 inches , Had knock at 3/8 already didn't have to move it up. Arrows flying well. Hope this last or may go back to split.

[chillr+helim13]

just getting started trying both

[JPR79]

Originally Posted by rockmesteady

I shoot 3 under as well. For me it makes it easy to have a clean release and not pinch the arrow nock.

As far as tillering i shoot a samick sage so changing that is not option. I didn't notice anything until I switched from homemade yarn puffs to cat whiskers. I noticed the top one gets tangled more than the bottom when I shoot. However, I don't think it effects my shooting - since that's the only way I shoot.

And consistency is more important than anything else for getting good groups (in my opinion). You can do the craziest thing, but if you do the exact same crazy thing every time the arrow with land in the exact same crazy place.

You can adjust the tiller on the Sage... just loosen one of the bolts and keep measuring the tiller until you get the desired effect. I'd recommend adding some adhesive felt to the inside of the pockets before you set it up that way with a slightly loose limb, to prevent rattling. Just don't loosen it too far.

Adding touches of felt on the back of the limbs where the string contacts will also quiet down the bow a good bit. Amazing what you can do with a 8x11" adhesive piece of felt from the arts and crafts section in Wal-Mart.

[mding]

I shoot 3 under w/ a compound, string walking, but w/a recurve... split all the way, just feels, and shoots more naturally. As far as tiller, I set it neutral, then adjust for "feel" if the bow is bobbing up and down, because the top or bottom is stiffer, then adjust, your aiming will be more steady and your accuracy will benefit. And when I say adjust, it could be as little as a 1/12 turn, just enough to get the bolt to move.
cheers!

[Danblacksher]

I am backwards I shot 3 under to start and just switched to split finger and shooting much better.

[Junkers88]

Originally Posted by JPR79

You can adjust the tiller on the Sage... just loosen one of the bolts and keep measuring the tiller until you get the desired effect. I'd recommend adding some adhesive felt to the inside of the pockets before you set it up that way with a slightly loose limb, to prevent rattling. Just don't loosen it too far.

Adding touches of felt on the back of the limbs where the string contacts will also quiet down the bow a good bit. Amazing what you can do with a 8x11" adhesive piece of felt from the arts and crafts section in Wal-Mart.

I just bought my very first bow ever, Samick Journey, and although I know I don't know squat about bows I wouldn't think that shooting a recurve with loose limb bolts would be a good idea. I've been wrong in the past though so by all means tell me if I am now.

I do like the idea of putting a little felt where the string meets the bow though.

Richard.

[GunBow]

I usually shoot 1 above 2 under, but I have been looking into String Walking. Seems cool, I might have to check it out. When I am not shooting my compound.

[DRT]

I used some of the foam junction box seals to pad my limb pockets. That and the new string made an incredible difference in sound and hand shock/vibration.

Gary

[FKFL]

Very helpful! I’m new and don’t even have a bow yet. I really want a recurve now and just have been doing all the reading I can before buying. Any advice would be great!

[Dasma]

Shoot split most of the time. Will go to the Apache draw when shooting 10 yds and under, say turkey hunting.

[Hooverfb]

Tried 3 under when i was having trouble adjustig nocking point as i would torque the string too much with split. However when I first started as a kid i used split and thats what I've returned to.

[RickBarbee]

I switch back & forth from 3under to SplitFinger occasionally, and I don't have to do anything special (as in change the tune of my setup) to do it.

Here's a tip :
Always load the finger just below the arrow just before & as you release/loose.

When shooting 3under, I load the index finger as I loose the arrow.

When shooting SplitFinger, I load the middle finger as I loose the arrow. The top finger is only used as an aid to draw the bow, but is only along for the ride after that, and you basically wind up shooting two finger under with that top finger above the arrow for looks.

You will get a crisper/cleaner release with this method, and will often find the setup easier to tune to your liking.

Rick

[nosight]

I’ve mostly used three under. I found that with one over two under I would try to pinch the end of the arrow.

[Briar Friar]

I shoot split for my dual shelved recurve and 3 under for my takedown longbow. Shooting split finger, I have developed a callus on the outside/pinky side of my ring finger. I think I am seeing sporatically erratic flight from torqueing the string and overloading my ring finger. The Flemish loose is gonna get some string time...time to lop off a finger.

[sideways]

Originally Posted by FKFL

Very helpful! I’m new and don’t even have a bow yet. I really want a recurve now and just have been doing all the reading I can before buying. Any advice would be great!

ZfI


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[Javy]

Split finger. Feel like I have more control over arrow and seems quieter to me.

[RifleBowPistol]

I shot with three fingers, split for many years. I had multiple people tell me I would shoot more accurately with a release. I have finally switched to a release, I am not any more accurate with the release.

At one point years ago, I noticed that I was applying pressure, to the nock. Basically I noticed the finger above and below the nock, were being squeezed together by the string, so as I released, the tips of those two fingers were flipping the nock to the right, as my fingers cleared the string. At times, I noticed I had shots that I was sure went right, as a result of my fingers pulling or flipping the nock to the right.

My cure for this was to wrap the middle finger of my glove with a couple layers of leather. I wrapped the leather on that finger so that it was towards the base of my finger. So the leather did not hang up on the string as I released. The purpose of wrapping the leather around that one finger, was to hold the fingers apart. It helped quite a bit, to prevent my fingers from squeezing the nock, and prevented my fingers from flipping the nock to the right as they came off of the string.

It felt a bit odd, but did not bother me any. At the time, I was shooting a bow with low percentage of let off, then the bow was set to 70 lb. draw weight. The combination of 70 lb. draw weight with low let off, resulted in my fingers getting squeezed together tightly, causing them to grip the nock. Which caused my fingers, to some times flip the allow off of the rest to the right, as I released.

I tried three fingers under the arrow at the time, before I came up with wrapping the middle finger. To me with three fingers under the arrow, I could tell my fingers were low on the string and seemed like the bow was getting tilted downwards slightly, from my fingers being off center so much on the string. If I remember correctly, it did cause my shots to go very low, yes I could have resighted the bow, but it felt so awkward with my fingers that low on the string. I am sure I could feel the bow tilt in my left hand as I drew. It was not much but enough to feel odd and cause my shots to go low. But doing that also prevented my fingers from gripping the nocks, as I released.

I saw too many other guys draw bows with releases, then have the arrow drop off the rest. The only way they could get the arrow back on the rest was to let the bow back to rest. The put the arrow back on the rest, then carefully draw the bow again. When I shot with a glove, I was very good at just using my fingers to flip the arrow back up on the rest, while still having the bow at full draw. I am going to guess, that's why someone came up with the idea for the Whisker Biscuit.