Shooting brace

[Big Fin]

I am starting to worry about the archery hunts I have planned for this fall. I have been shooting all summer and groups are not looking that good.

I have a pretty serious tremor in my left forearm/wrist/hand. Some of you who have seen me at times probably think I have a bad case of the DTs. Not the case, just something I have to deal with.

It is now to the point that I really struggle holding my bow rock-steady at anything beyond 30 yards. That combined with a never-repaired torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder is not making my shooting anything that I would be willing to take to the hills at this time.

Question is this - Have any of you seen a brace for your wrist and hand that might attach to a bow? Most of the tremor is from my forearm and wrist area. I am thinking that if I could brace that better, things might improve.

As it is, 25 yards is the end of my shooting range. Will keep working on it. Wonder if cranking down the poundage would help. Don't want to get too low, for obvious reasons. Currently shooting at 64#.

Once I am at 30 yards the groups are not consistently in the 3-4" range that I need to be comfortable. Last year at this time, I could keep that group at 50 yards.

If any of you have experienced this, or know of solutions, I am all ears. I have three archery hunts planned for this year, and would really like to not mess them up. Hard enough to get within 25 yards by myself, but add a camera guy, and that task become almost impossible.

 

[schmalts]

Just a thought, check out some bowling wrist braces, maybe something would work.

 

[cornfed]

Have you checked with a Physical Threapist.They may suggest some stretches or exercises to strengthen some muscles to aid in curing your problem.

 

[shoots-straight]

You could definitely go down in weight and be alright. Sounds to me like your clinching your bow arm at the shot. It's like target panic but the left arm, is clinching to hold tight on the target in anticipation of the shot. First suggestion would be to use a bow sling, open your hand slightly, making sure your not griping the bow. Hold the bow concentrating on a relaxed left arm. Follow through. The bow arm has to be relaxed and following through on the shot. I hope I'm making some sense. I talk myself through each shot, I try to stay totally calm. I really had target panic bad. The sense of excitement you get when approaching the target would trigger me to release the arrow. I also would clinch the bow forcing it on target. Shot to much for too many years. Is your rotator problem on your bow arm? If so clinching would irritate that.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Randy, I would definitely drop the poundage. Drop down as far as your bow will let you and work your way back up as your groups improve.

A lower poundage will definitely help with target panic too. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot anything up to and including moose with 50lbs as long as I wasn't shooting over 40 yards. High poundage ain't all its cracked up to be, especially if its causing accurracy problems.

 

[174in]

PM sent Big Fin

 

[mconway951]

Like the others said you can def drop the poundage my father in law has problems in his right arm do to skin cancer and having skin grafts and he shot a moose with his bow set at 55# and penetrated all the way to the knock of the arrow.
Good luck buddy

 

[Big Fin]

Thanks guys. I have tried most the stuff mentioned. No clinching and no locking out of the left arm. My tremor can be pretty significant even when I am just sitting here at my desk. Put strain on the arm from anything and it just magnifies much more.

A good friend is a PT and serious archer. I will be working with him to see what might help.

The tremor increases as the strain on the arm increases. It is that reason I have assumed a reduction in poundage and an increase in let-off might help.

The rotator cuff problem is in my right shoulder. I shoot right handed. I am able to work around that one, but having a tremor in your left hand, the stabilizing hand is one that seems hard to overcome.

I am ordering a brace like Schmalts mentioned. It is not that expensive and hopefully helps. Worth the try.

I will let you know how it gets solved.

 

[mconway951]

Good Luck hopefully you can figure something out soon seasons are closing in

 

[Dinkshooter]

Drop the weight. If people can kill stuff with a long bow you certainly can with 50lbs or so.

 

[shoots-straight]

http://www.knightandhale.com/steady-ready-shooting-rest

You might look into this Fin.

 

[IdahoBugler]

Randy,

Sorry to hear about your tremors. It won't be a problem in NM for lopes because that 90 incher is going to be drinking water, broadside at 20 yards when you shoot him.

A couple things mentioned were good ideas. I would definitely lower the poundage on the bow. I just bought my son a new Mission Menace by Mathews and could not believe how fast that bow was at a 20 pound draw weight. With the new bows out you won't be missing much with speed or energy. Remember you are going for comfort here. Don't worry about the energy you are creating, you will have no problem blowing through an animal with your setup at its lowest settings. If you don't have a 80% letoff cam that might help you a bunch too.

I can't remember how you shot your bow last year. Do you have a low, middle or high wrist position when you shoot. If you are going to go with something like Schmalts suggested you will definitely need to go with a high wrist position. Even if you don't go with the wrist guard you might try shooting with the high wrist. I would think it would take some pressure off of your wrist and make it a little easier to shoot. Here is a good article about it. http://bowsite.com/bowsite/features/practical_bowhunter/grip/index.htm

If you go that route you may need to get a different grip so you don't create unnecessary hand torque. I'm leaning on buying me one of these grips as I've had issues with the mathews grips. http://www.torqueless.com/GetAGrip.htm

I'm no expert but give me a call if you want to talk about anything I've mentioned.

Good luck,
Bryce

 

[shoots-straight]

I guess I shoot a low grip, and didn't even know it was low. Just goes to show you that you can learn something new every day.

 

[Big Fin]

So, here is the advice given by the medical specialists who archery hunt.

1. Shoot a low wrist angle. Muscle strain amplifies a tremor. High wrist position places more demand on your muscles.

2. Shoot one arrow every two minutes, not multiple groups of five back-to back-to back. Muscle tremors increase as muscle demands increase. After the first group, the tremor is far worse than what is it on the first shot, making the value of practice much less.

3. Practice a few different times per day, rather than long practice sessions. Easier on the muscles, less tremor, and more realistic of actually shooting in the field.

4. Tighten wrist strap to the point where it is almost hard to get your hand in it. Gives more relaxation to the hand in the low wrist position and reduces unintentional gripping/torque.

5. Pay most attention to the first shot of the day and the group. That is more indicative of the actual hunting shot/situation.

Most of you serious archers already know this stuff, but not ever being coached on proper shooting techniques, it seemed like a great bit of advice to me.

Was excited to get home and try the advice. Went out and shot 15 arrows after work tonight, according to the instructions above. First 30 yard group was 2". Now, to see if the improvement continues in the morning and tomorrow afternoon/evening, and for the coming months.

Was also told that increasing let-off to greater than 65% and lower poundage will help, especially if I have to hold at full draw for long periods. Might look into that, also.

Feeling better about these upcoming hunts, already.

 

[shoots-straight]

Sounds like great advice. You'll do just fine Fin.

 

[IdahoBugler]

Thats awesome. Low to mid is best anyways so you will be in great shape. 2" in group is great at 30 yards and will equal a dead lope come mid August.

 

[BobT]

Randy,
I know it's a bit late in the game but I just saw this thread. I had a severe elbow problem several years ago that I believe was caused from shooting high poundage bows for hours at a time. I had to lay off shooting for almost 2 years and then really ease back into it slowly. I started out with a low poundage bow and could shoot no more than 4 or 5 shots before my practice session was over for the day. One thing I did that really helped me was to use a single arrow for my practice sessions. I would shoot that arrow, set my bow down and go get the arrow. During the walk to the target I would concentrate on relaxing my bow arm. I found I could concentrate on the mechanics of the shot and follow through much better after the relaxing walk. I am now able to shoot 30 or 40 shots with out much pain but my elbow still lets me know when it's time to quit.

A couple of years ago I gave up the wheels on my Mathews and went to vintage bows exclusively. My current hunting set up is a '58 Bear Kodiak 60" shooting cedar arrows with either Zwickey Eskimo or vintage Bear Razorhead broadheads. This set up will blow through a white tail on a broad side shot with no problem! The draw weight is a whopping 43# !

Good luck, I'm sure you will be good to go soon!

Bob

 

[Horn Seeker]

Randy,

You dont shoot groups at animals. You know how to shoot (I assume)...so, just shoot an arrow once in a while to make sure you are on.... and much good advice up there about dropping poundage. I know guys that have put arrows clean through elk and bison with 45# Recurves. You could shoot a 45# compound and be completely safe on any animal here... you'd porobably want to use something like a Magnus stinger single blade though, as I think the bigger 3 blades and expandables do take some pretty good Oooomph to get through critters...

Good Luck man!!! Keep us posted how its going!

 

[SDHNTR]

Health issues or not, low wrist is the way to shoot.

Randy, you need to check this thing out. Guaranteed it will help you. I've seen it bring back guys into archery who thought they were done after shoulder/arm injuries.

http://www.riparchery.com/

 

[Big Fin]

Thanks guys. Things have been improving.

I have been shooting two or three groups in the morning and another two or three in the evening. Recently, while shooting five arrow groups, I will consistently keep four of them in 4" ring, at least with the first group. Seems to always be that one that for whatever reason ends up ruining the group. By the second and third group, things are getting worse, so I stop.

Got a new bow yesterday that has a greater let off than my current bow. Going to try it out over the next two weeks and might even use it in the show. It shoots very smooth. I have it set at 58# and it is amazing how the lower poundage and higher let off has reduced the tremor. Seems hard to believe it can make that big of difference, but it has.

Bad part about getting a new bow this late in the game is the string/cable to stretch. The timing of the cams will probably need to be adjusted after a couple hundred arrows. Going to stand in front of the hay bale at 10 yards just to get a ton of arrows through the bow and get everything readjusted.

Will be bringing my current bow as a back up, in the event I cannot get this one to my comfort zone before game time.

As far as broad heads, IDBugler turned me on to the Magnus Stingers last year. Very impressive. Two arrows launched at animals last year and two very wide wound channels. And they shoot very similar to my field points. I will continue using them. Plus, the lifetime guarantee is hard to beat.

Thanks for the advice guys. I have been told to expect my tremor to get worse over time, so I suspect this will be a continual management issue for me.

All your advice and input is greatly appreciated. Hopefully in a month I have pics of a big NM pronghorn and a great NV mule deer to show for my efforts.