Avoid Punching The Trigger with your Archery Bow Release

I think that it is safe to say that the most important part of shooting a bow and arrow with an archery bow release aid is to focus on form. The technicalities may differ from shooter to shooter, but one thing remains constant. If you are able to repeat your stance, form, style (whatever you want to call it) then you will have a greater chance at success. Through my years of shooting with a bow release aid, I have learned that the biggest culprit for many shooters is punching the trigger.  

Punching the Trigger on Your Release

Punching the trigger is something that you should avoid at all costs when shooting with a bow release. It will undoubtedly take away from your concentration and cause your shots to go astray. To avoid this common mistake, there are a few things that you will want to be aware of:

• Make sure that the trigger sits on either the first or middle joint of your shooting finger. This will help with achieving consistent form.
• Shorten your release if possible to gain more control over the trigger
• Do not grip the release!
• The heavier the trigger, the less instance there will be to "punch"

Flow with the Bow Release

One thing that all of the good shooters out there agree upon, is that they do not over think the shot. Over thinking the shot will most certainly send your arrows towards unintended targets. Having good-repeatable form means that you do not have to [over ]worry about taking the shot. It will come naturally to you. The best advice that I ever heard, was that the secret to shooting well with a bow release was that you should focus your energy on aiming. If you are focused on aiming, there is no reason why you should be "punching" the trigger. It might sound a bit crazy at first, but once you learn to shoot by surprise, you will never go back to how you used to shoot. Now that you have a few extra tips, you need to head out there and practice. Shooting form will be slightly different for every shooter, but the one thing that should remain the same is the pursuit of consistency. If you practice enough, you should be able to make those shots in your sleep!