Resurrecting the Hunting with a Hinge thread

[Gumbo]

So I am making the leap into shooting a hinge and am really liking it. I searched and found a couple old threads about the topic, but nothing really recent. I am just curious how many here are shooting a hinge for western hunting and to any experiences they've had, good or bad. The hinge has really made me focus on elements of my shot that I have developed bad habits with and gotten lazy/sloppy with (i.e. draw with elbow down, pulling hard into the wall, and start/stop execution). I've been shooting the Nock 2 It for the last couple years (I have three) and I really like the handle, so I bought three 2 Smooths so I could switch back and forth. On a side note, it kind of bugs me that I'm shooting fanboy releases but I really like them. I have noticed it has made me shoot the thumb and Silverback (ugh..fanboy again) far better too. But I also have to give Dudley the credit for salvaging my archery hunting from target panic.

Any thoughts????

 

[sandhillhunter]

Any thoughts????

I would like to try one but it is so overwhelming sorting through all the different options.

Where is the most concise guide to these things?


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[TripleJ]

I have hunted the last 2 years with a hinge. I'm using a TruFire sear, and have it looped to a wrist strap so that I always have it accessible. I have completely re-defined my shot sequence, and it has really helped me conquer a 20+ year struggle with target panic. I haven't killed an elk with it yet, but I was able to kill my 1st animal with a hinge this year, a little blacktail buck.

 

[Gumbo]

I would like to try one but it is so overwhelming sorting through all the different options.

Where is the most concise guide to these things?


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John Dudley and George Ryals have the most and best (IMO) that I have found, although I'm sure there are others. The rcrchery guy has a lot of content too, but he is no where near the teacher as the other two (maybe it is a lack of charisma?), and I think he piggybacks off of them a lot. To my knowledge he isn't as proven and/or respected in the archery world either. He has lots of tuning "tricks" too, but for some reason I question his knowledge so I don't follow him. I guess I'd suggest Dudley, especially for someone looking to up their shooting in a hunting situation.

 

[Gumbo]

I have hunted the last 2 years with a hinge. I'm using a TruFire sear, and have it looped to a wrist strap so that I always have it accessible. I have completely re-defined my shot sequence, and it has really helped me conquer a 20+ year struggle with target panic. I haven't killed an elk with it yet, but I was able to kill my 1st animal with a hinge this year, a little blacktail buck.

I have a little loop of D loop material on my thumb releases and I attach them to a carabiner on my bino harness. It works great for me because I always have my bino harness on while hunting. I am going to make a little velcro release pouch for the side of my harness to hold my hinge while hunting because the release doesn't have a hole.

 

[OFFHNTN]

I have hunted with a hinge for the last 3 years and will never go back to a trigger.........unless the wind is hurricane force. I use a TruBall HT3, and have it attached to a wrist strap so it never gets lost. I also always carry a trigger finger release in my pack just in case a situation arises where I need to punch. In 3 years I have hunted in all types of conditions with zero complaints.

 

[El Gavilan]

I used and hunted with a Stan evolution resistance release for a couple of years, killed a cow elk, and took second in the masters class at a big 3D shoot. I actually got pretty good with it, then switched over to a hinge when I picked up a Scott Backspin. I shoot it well and have taken 2 cow elk with it. I now own a couple different hinges but keep going back to the Backspin. The journey has really helped cure my target panic and I won’t be going back to a wrist strap trigger release.


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[Coastiehunter2]

A hinge is the only release I will shoot, I have hunted and killed mule deer and blacktail with a hinge and don't plan on ever changing. I always used a Scott longhorn for hunting and tournaments, but this year I switched to b3 archery and it's my new favorite. They have one for hunting with a strap that's what I will be using next year. Good luck man !

 

[Arctic Hunter]

I use a Carter honey 2. I shoot a lot better with a hinge these days.

 

[Huntinman57]

I hunt with a hinge I normally hunt with a Longhorn hunter but I'll be using a Scott Ascent this year. But here is my elk from this fall using a Hinge.

 

[dkime]

Last year was my first commitment to hunting with a hinge, I too use a Scott longhorn. It just made sense to me seeing as how I have a hinge in my hand for the other 9 month out of the year. 3-4 whitetail and 1 Bull last year fell to it, the last whitetail I shot was a testament to the hinge. I was a wreck watching this buck come in but the hinge kept me in my process. One of the best decisions I’ve made.


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[Coastiehunter2]

 

[Chucklehead]

While a hinge may be good on the range, I just can't hunt with it anymore. But I practice with them extensively until hunting season approaches. Then I switch to a Carter like mike for hunting.
If you go long enough, there will be times you miss shot opportunists with a hinge. (animals moving, very long periods of having to hold at full draw, high winds, etc). There are just times when hunting where you have to command a shot. But I can still execute a good shot with the wrist strap given time to do so, as the like mike has zero trigger travel.

I feel the hinge gives me shot process awareness and keeps my target panic in check in the off season. Then the wrist strap gives me the ability to touch one off quickly if needed.
I feel like this gives me the best of both worlds. But its probably not for everyone.

 

[Gumbo]

I hunt with a hinge I normally hunt with a Longhorn hunter but I'll be using a Scott Ascent this year. But here is my elk from this fall using a Hinge.View attachment 87357

Sick bull, well done!

 

[Gumbo]

While a hinge may be good on the range, I just can't hunt with it anymore. But I practice with them extensively until hunting season approaches. Then I switch to a Carter like mike for hunting.
If you go long enough, there will be times you miss shot opportunists with a hinge. (animals moving, very long periods of having to hold at full draw, high winds, etc). There are just times when hunting where you have to command a shot. But I can still execute a good shot with the wrist strap given time to do so, as the like mike has zero trigger travel.

I feel the hinge gives me shot process awareness and keeps my target panic in check in the off season. Then the wrist strap gives me the ability to touch one off quickly if needed.
I feel like this gives me the best of both worlds. But its probably not for everyone.

If my release has a trigger I hit it when the pin gets on the spot. That is the main reason I'm making the switch. I pull through every shot at targets, thousands upon thousands upon thousands a year, but about 2/3 of my shots on animals are command shots with my thumb button. Drives me freakin' crazy. I used to have TP very bad, and at least I get my pin where I want before I send one flying at an animal, but old habits die hard. Hence my switch to the hinge. But, if I decide not to hunt with it, at least I can shoot my hinge and thumb button interchangeably.

I also shot the Like Mike for a while, but the head was a little long for my liking, and the trigger was a little too short for me, BUT it is a hell of a nice release, and I bet it does shoot pretty well with backtension because of that super crisp Carter trigger!

 

[OFFHNTN]

You can "command" a hinge as well. I practiced and compared a hinge vs a trigger and I can shoot a shot almost as fast and WAY more accurate with a hinge than I can a trigger.

 

[Gumbo]

You can "command" a hinge as well. I practiced and compared a hinge vs a trigger and I can shoot a shot almost as fast and WAY more accurate with a hinge than I can a trigger.

That's my hope, apart from the command part..

 

[OFFHNTN]

That's my hope, apart from the command part..

What I meant with the command is, if you need to get it off quickly, you can really get after it and work the hinge to fire. I am not saying to RIP IT off, or something uncontrolled, but a very fast yet smooth shot.

 

[dkime]

What I meant with the command is, if you need to get it off quickly, you can really get after it and work the hinge to fire. I am not saying to RIP IT off, or something uncontrolled, but a very fast yet smooth shot.

If you listened to the Kifarucast with Levi Morgan you’ll note that he is of this same mindset. If it’s good enough for the greatest 3D archer of all time it’s good enough for me....and that’s coming from a guy who doesn’t own a black and gold jersey


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[scho0558]

Hinge releases saved me! Huge panic issues and almost hung it up as it wasnt enjoyable anymore. Tried my bro’s thumb button and that revived me for a while but wasnt long until I was punching that. Fingers crossed but the hinge has proven the only way for me so far (along with extensive blank bale training). I hunt a hinge with no reservations.