Back tension hunting

[SlickStickSlinger]

Practice all year with this release. Dialed my anchor and I've read majority of people switch back to index or thumb release. I dont have a thumb release and the index anchors different.

Would an animal likely hear the click or should I absolutely turn it off?

Do I drop the $200+ dollars on a thumb release?

 

[Zac]

Many people hunt with a click. Really it depends on your specific release and how loud it is. I had a Carter 2 Smooth that was barely audible. How many finger hinge are you running? The 2 finger versions are meant to be run without a click because the tail is bottomed out in the forward position while drawing. This means your starting from full rotation. When you start adding fingers you can get lost in the exact rotation due to slight lateral pressure of 3rd, and 4th fingers. That being said you would probably do just fine unless it's set really hot. I wouldn't get a thumb button unless it is the exact same profile as the hinge you have.

 

[Arctic Hunter]

I have never had one hear the click. Or at least they didn’t react to it. My last thumb button is currently for sale.

 

[Aussie-bowman]

I have been hunting with a hinge for around 4 years or so now. I can't really recall a situation that I wished I had a trigger or thumb button. You can still command a shot with a hinge if you really need to send one quickly. I would shoot what ever you shoot the best with. being confident with what you shoot that is what is most important.

 

[Planopurist]

Practice all year with this release. Dialed my anchor and I've read majority of people switch back to index or thumb release. I dont have a thumb release and the index anchors different.

Would an animal likely hear the click or should I absolutely turn it off?

Do I drop the $200+ dollars on a thumb release?

I don’t shoot a hinge, but I doubt they react to the click. The question that I’d ask is “can you speed up the shot execution of the hinge if the situation necessitates it?”. If yes, don’t bother with the thumb, else get a thumb. You may find a used thumb release for about $125-$150.


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[OFFHNTN]

I don’t shoot a hinge, but I doubt they react to the click. The question that I’d ask is “can you speed up the shot execution of the hinge if the situation necessitates it?”. If yes, don’t bother with the thumb, else get a thumb. You may find a used thumb release for about $125-$150.


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Yes, with practice you can speed up the shot process to fire a hinge quickly. I generally can shoot a hinge in any situation better than hammering a trigger, the only exception is REALLY windy days, so I always carry a thumb or trigger finger release in my pack.

To the OP, I have never had an animal hear the click, some have been within 15yards. I insist on having the click as a "safety" measure. If I have to be at full draw for a long time and start to get tired or relax, the click will let me know that I either need to let down or pull harder cuz close to sending one.

 

[805Bowhunter]

I hunt with a silverback and have never regretted doing so. Hunting with a back tension release, if you're training properly, is going to make you go through your process and thus have a much higher likelihood of a good shot under pressure. I have harvested several animals with my silverback and am going to be hunting again with it this year. I see no reason to switch releases if you have something that youre comfortable shooting and shooting well. Stick with what works.

 

[D.Rose]

Stick with the hinge and don't look back. Me personally I would lose the click unless you are extremely confident. I will shoot a click in competition but always go non click for hunting. The click always builds anticipation for me when I'm drawn back on an animal. Tried it both ways and definitely prefer the no click.

 

[Jimbob]

My carter 2shot index has a loud click when attaching to the loop. Hunting on the ground I had a doe at 8 yds hear it and run away, didn't even get a chance to draw. I'm not afraid of anything hearing my hinge though. Also, the noise it at full draw so a little different.

 

[Marble]

I say trust your process and know you are executing a good shot.

I lost out on 2 bucks last year because I trusted my process. I switched to a thumb with an almost identical profile compared to my hinge. I can shoot the thumb like a hinge. But can also command it if needed.

Whatever your release, trust the process.

 

[SlickStickSlinger]

WOAH.
I was honestly expecting a lot more feed back in the opposite direction. All of you just made my fourth of July, seriously.

I am far more confident shooting my honey badger claw. It is a 3 finger release. Ever since I began shooting it my groups became far smaller and kept getting smaller.

Personally I do like the click. I guess I havent shot without the click but when it does click, it let's me know how far into the process I am. Its reassuring to me that my pin is where i intend on it being at that moment. If I need to pull back a tad harder, faster at that point then so be it.
I didnt want to get an elk or deer at 20/30 yards and hear a funny noise just to bolt out of there without having the opportunity to pull back harder.

I cant tell you how reassuring this is. I am definitely going to keep training how I am and maybe toss in the wrist index a couple ends a session just to know it is working and have a general idea of what to expect in case I lose my back tension in the field.

I cant thank all of you for responding.

Thank you so much.

I'll try to remember to come back to this thread with success photos

Almost forgot. I contacted Tru Ball and the other identical feel to the Honey Badger Claw is their GOAT release. The GOAT is a back tension release aid that can be converted to a thumb release yet also costs nearly $300 dollars. I would have to take a loss on selling my HBC to buy it or cough up $300 and have 2 identical back tension and 1 thumb release. I'd be in over $500 for release aids and I simply cannot justify that right now.

If I do make the switch it womt be until next year and when that time comes I'll have to go through the trying process trying other releases out at a bow shop.

 

[Marble]

WOAH.
I was honestly expecting a lot more feed back in the opposite direction. All of you just made my fourth of July, seriously.

I am far more confident shooting my honey badger claw. It is a 3 finger release. Ever since I began shooting it my groups became far smaller and kept getting smaller.

Personally I do like the click. I guess I havent shot without the click but when it does click, it let's me know how far into the process I am. Its reassuring to me that my pin is where i intend on it being at that moment. If I need to pull back a tad harder, faster at that point then so be it.
I didnt want to get an elk or deer at 20/30 yards and hear a funny noise just to bolt out of there without having the opportunity to pull back harder.

I cant tell you how reassuring this is. I am definitely going to keep training how I am and maybe toss in the wrist index a couple ends a session just to know it is working and have a general idea of what to expect in case I lose my back tension in the field.

I cant thank all of you for responding.

Thank you so much.

I'll try to remember to come back to this thread with success photos

Almost forgot. I contacted Tru Ball and the other identical feel to the Honey Badger Claw is their GOAT release. The GOAT is a back tension release aid that can be converted to a thumb release yet also costs nearly $300 dollars. I would have to take a loss on selling my HBC to buy it or cough up $300 and have 2 identical back tension and 1 thumb release. I'd be in over $500 for release aids and I simply cannot justify that right now.

If I do make the switch it womt be until next year and when that time comes I'll have to go through the trying process trying other releases out at a bow shop.

I user the HBC too, then I hunt with a GOAT. Primarily.

I think the most important thing is to have your process. Trust it and perfect it. When you get all worked up and the heart is racing, shit goes sideways.

When I shot my elk last year, I dont even remember pulling through my shot. I got on target and pull pull pull and it went off. But I had done that in practice well over 1000 times.

 

[4ester]

HBC user here with a click. Buy the strap attachment and run it.


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[SlickStickSlinger]

Heck yes. More assurance. Feeling way better about this.

 

[*zap*]

I killed around 35 deer in 4 years with a Carter evo+.

 

[SlickStickSlinger]

That's a lot of deer.

 

[stonewall]

Haven’t read all replies. Shot my bull last year with Scott longhorn (hinge). I keep in bottom compartment of bino harness btw. Shot him 20 yards frontal. I think he heard the click but he may have just been looking for the “cow” and it was coincidental. But I feel like he looked right at me when it clicked. Regardless it didn’t matter. I’ll probably never go back to a wrist strap. The hinge gives me much more confidence in my shot

 

[nphunter]

If they hear the click then it’s too late for them. I’ve never had an animal react to me clipping my thumb button onto the loop and it’s louder than the click on my hinge.

I’ve been shooting a hinge for years and still have never had the desire to hunt with it. It helps a ton with target panic but I really like the thumb button for executing a shot either quickly or in a awkward position. My POI from my hinge to thumb is about 2” difference at 80 yards which is close enough for me. I really feel like constantly switch from hinge, tension to thumb keeps me shooting the best. A lot of times I’ll shoot with all three in my pocket and just shoot whichever comes out first.

I’ve shot my best groups with a thumb trigger but am slightly more consistent with my hinge, I shoot the evolution when I notice I’m getting lazy on the shot.

Two years ago I hit a branch when I had a bull at 10 yards, I quickly nocked another arrow and killed him at 25 yards. I wouldn’t have wanted to try to pull that off with my hinge. I will say the worst shots I have ever made were also with a hinge, one thing you should practice a lot is letting down and coming out of the valley without letting one fly.

Both of my boys 10 & 13 shoot only hinges and my oldest will be hunting with his hinge this fall. They are shooting a truball sweet spot though which has a safety

 

[Marble]

Learning how to let down with a hinge is a must! Not only for safety, it's for confidence too.

It is something everyone should practice.

 

[NYyotekiller]

Another Silverback user here and have great success with it.

Makes me focus on where I'm aiming and executing my shot. Has alleviated my buck fever by doing so.