3 Minute Friday: Stalking - 3 Finger vs. Thumb Draw

[@lifepolicy]

Today was my first time ever shooting a bow with thumb draw (haven't shot any bow for a long time). Thumb draw fixes a lot of problems that I have with the "classic" style and thanks to your videos it was very easy.

[@corujariousa]

Many cultures have used the arrow on the right side of the bow for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. I am impressed that some people still mystify that and believe it does not work so well. As a young child, I liked to build bows and always used the arrow on the right side because it felt natural. Once I grew up I was introduced to the western way. Both work and have advantages as well as disadvantages.

[@rickfrazier7114]

I stalk small game almost daily. Larger game when the season is appropriate. I find the short horse bow, easier to move in the bush. Along with thumb draw. Especially here in Texas. Where the grass and trees can be very thick. Compared to 3 finger on a longer recurve or long bow.

[@marcusfridh8489]

the thumbrelease was developed for its stadyness when riding on the horseback, becourse it naturally "glues" the arrowshaft onto the riser.

[@BibtheChib]

Armin lives in the future, hence why this has been released now 🧠

[@ArminHirmer]

today felt so much like Friday, so I had to hahahaha

[@marcelllovas1465]

to be fair, i think, it wasalready friday in Japan, when he is uploaded this video, so it just a matter of viewpoint

[@notapplicable531]

If, Armin had released this video any time after 19:00 CEST, then it would have been Friday here in Korea. Nice video to watch with a cup of coffee before heading off to the Jeong (archery club) this Friday morning. Best everyone and many hits however they may come.

[@theuniqueoutdoorsman8952]

Incredible, thank you.

[@garnix5612]

Same conclusion here: I even think that the thumb-release is even better for stalking

[@sigmanarchery54]

So true great job. 👍🏼👍🏼

[@Taylor_in_Southern_Oregon]

Thanks Armin! Oddly enough I already had to work this out for myself, came to the same conclusion. I'm glad I'm not the only one who wonders about these things

[@numairu]

Dont shoot on the wrong side, shoot on the RIGHT side 😎🏹

[@arciere9986]

Always a learning experience when i watch your videos, im a new archer and ive learned a lot of my technique from you so thank you for sharing your knowledge

[@Q44bs]

Perhaps in the future you will make a video about how to survive in the jungle with your bow? That would b a great series :)

[@ArminHirmer]

not an expert in this topic :)

[@daigans]

you should watch "alone" in the chanel history it's the season 8, Clay hayes and the others contestants had to choose 10 items in order to survive, in a beautiful but hostile place in antartic (i guess), they all choose to doing it with bow and arrows. they have to deal with bears by the way.

[@Q44bs]

@@daigans i see, thx for the info :)

[@HipposHateWater]

How to survive in the world-famous Jungles of Malta. Might be a good April Fool's video ;)

[@daigans]

@@Q44bs you are welcome

[@repentant]

Excellent vid Armin

[@colleenparsons51]

Thank you Armin, for your Video advice, I have a compound bow which I use at our archery club, that too has a arrow rest on it which helps me keep it in place, and sometimes I hold it at an angle to shoot at our target, I find that I hit the bulls eye centre a lot better, I find it works better for me,

[@johnsmith9431]

Agree completely. Fact is, once the arrow is nocked on the string - either way - you can hold it with your bow hand and totally remove your draw hand. Very handy for tossing a grenade, sword fighting with a rapier, back fist if empty hand... etc, etc. ;-)

[@TechWorkshop]

Amazing video timing. I just got my 55lb sada (recommend by your video) and it's amazing. This is amazing because i was going to go deer stalking on my property that has woods. Thanks a lot.

[@dunerino892]

Sure, completely obvious if you tried both shooting techniques - i guess anyone who prefers 3 fingers when stalking just didn't try thumb release (properly)

[@AnangSyaifuddin]

Love it brother

[@agamagreen]

Great stalking! 😄 Thank you for the entertaining video! ☺️🙏

[@CROOKED_ARROW16]

Useful comparison, thanks alot💚👍

[@In_fluss]

Exactly why I love the thumb release 😎

[@GenX6887]

The great thing about thumb and Slavic draws is that your pointer acts as an anchor and holds your arrow up against the bow.

[@harlinwall9367]

Nice concise and informative. 👍 A lot of people who hunt with the Mediterranean Three Finger Draw will also implement a bit of string roll tension...which helps to hold the arrow against the riser. When stalking/ hunting I find that I personally only hold the bow by the handle and curl my index finger to hold the arrow. (I use this method of nocked arrow carry for either draw technique, thumb or 3 finger) This leaves my draw hand free to be used in other ways. I think both draw methods have been effective in hunting situations for ages. Perhaps more a matter of preference than advantages. I love the 3 minute Friday videos. Keep up the great work my friend. 🙂

[@rwgoodship3653]

Another great Friday info dump. Cheers👍😎🏹🇨🇦

[@artimesbabai]

Awesome

[@mauriciom8430]

Perfect timing video I’m gonna practice a whole lot because I will start to hunt next year

[@miguelveratraditionalarche9374]

Cool nice topic Armin. I don't have any problem with the arrow in Stalking or shooting in a running motion is practice and have fun but safety first. I never change thumb release technique because is fell more natural, but is me. Thanks Armin.

[@danieljones7241]

Agree completely. Even slavic (or whatever we are calling this technique now) would work the same.

[@ArminHirmer]

for me it will be slavic forever :D

[@Albasapiens_Flinthandwerk]

great video, i love the new outro 😂👍

[@impermanenthuman8427]

If someone want to learn traditional archery specifically for hunting/stalking would you suggest Mediterranean or Mongolian? My understanding is that Mediterranean aligns the arrow closer to the line of sight of the eye so you can look down the arrow more closely and therefore develop accuracy faster?

[@GM-os6fo]

U got a better view on the arrow and tip with the mediterrian style, i love to aim the bow so that's why I like it better... The best if you can use both style :D

[@MiaogisTeas]

Why would you be looking at the tip of your arrow!?

[@GM-os6fo]

@@MiaogisTeas cuz im Robin hood

[@markcassar]

i love the 3 finger hold..... i guess i will have to give the thumb draw another chance.

[@kookingkook26]

Hi Armin! What are those two bows in this video? Or where can you buy them?

[@piotrszczurek8935]

ABSOLTULEY BRILINAT ! 3 minutes IS THAT what I NEED 😈, Salut from Poland o/

[@kmarchery]

Just noticed the changed thumb nail picture . Is it a philosophical or metaphorical image . The point if the eye ? Or mind eye pointing ??? 😂

[@a-macthegeneral4705]

When using three finger roll your fingers backwards to apply tension on the string, and you will not have to hold the arrow, Odinson Archery has a good video on this

[@barnybudin8728]

Hmmmm..when hunting I would only hold my bow n arrow with my left hand because I need my Right hand free and also I keep the bow n arrow close to my body as so not to be tangle onto something and that would make sounds that would spook away any prey in the distance...🤔

[@SwissFiveNine]

I'm also a stalker and a good one too, so I caught you on your Friday video allready on Thursday ... :-). It's like a shot in the bulls eye by accident. And it's a good one, this video. But don't think the work is done, tomorrow is friday and we expect ... you know. Have a nice, relaxed evening, greetings from Switzerland.

[@ArminHirmer]

:D

[@baz3184]

Whalk round the garden= hunting simulation 😂

[@ewanhamilton1012]

Armin, have you ever spent time shooting the bow 3 finger but with the hand inverted (thumb down, palm out). When I was young I had a crappy plastic bow with a poor arrow shelf. I compensated by holding the bow more at a 45° angle. Drawing it with the traditional 3 finger Mediterranean draw wasn't comfortable so I just flipped my hand over. Just curious if there's any major downside to that sort of draw. I have a good bow now so I dont shoot that way, but seeing you stalk in the brush brought back memories of holding my bow that way.

[@ArminHirmer]

yes I did that sometimes, need to adjust as the arrows go wayyyyy to the left hahaha

[@robertgraham3553]

Out of all the bows you have I would like to know which ones are your favorites

[@ArminHirmer]

I am planning to do a top 5 or top 10 video soon. thanks for watching

[@greyareaRK1]

I was just looking for information on this last night, however it seems immaterial to me whether the arrow is secured with a forefinger or thumb. I'm considering switching to right-sided (the nearest martial arts club teaches right-sided), but wondering if there is any real advantage other than preference?

[@MiaogisTeas]

There are a tonne of videos on this channel, and additionally 0 reasons why you can't just go try it out. Nobody's gonna arrest you because you tried it!

[@mccarthy86]

Sill question maybe, but if you pull the string with 3 fingers then you are holding more string than with thumb draw where its more like a pinch, do we know how they effect the physics of string differently? If I can visualise (rotate these letters 90 degree clock wise) what I mean the three finger is more like U whereas the thumb release is like V

[@ArminHirmer]

Worth exploring

[@mrtaffspoon]

I definitely think that you should teach Peter thumb release. Always good to challenge yourself & try new things :)

[@ArminHirmer]

sure thing and I will get a Howard Hill style longbow :)

[@srinjoyroychoudhury7034]

Please do a comparison between the Hou Yi and the Zhuran

[@ArminHirmer]

no need, Zhu Ran would win :)

[@srinjoyroychoudhury7034]

@@ArminHirmer Really? That good ha?

[@peterbogar5445]

@@ArminHirmer 🥴

[@ArminHirmer]

@@srinjoyroychoudhury7034 draw longer, arrow pass is more narrow

[@Archerstidbits]

Armin the Stalker... That sounds kind of ominous :-p. Nice video, really like it, especially the thumb protection you're using :-)

[@ArminHirmer]

Yeah this piece of leather is not too shabby hahahah

[@beldegrom]

What is the protective glove you are using for thumb release style? I am not very happy with a thumb ring and wish to buy a glove like this.

[@ArminHirmer]

the new one from Archers Tidbits, video is coming (but I di one on the previous model)

[@yussufmohanmud2038]

if you dont live in a country that used with thumb draw.indeed it's hard to find suitable thumb ring.

[@jenjen7728]

I just got a thumb protector from Archers Tidbits 2 days ago. It's SO comfortable, fits snug, doesn't slide or spin like thumb rings always did on me. You won't be disappointed if you order one.👍

[@Mr840126]

Slavic way is the one if you really want to use Three fingers 😉 I feel it's better than thumb draw, mainlt because I can't find a place to buy thumb ring at where I live, and with slavic release, I don't need any hand protection

[@jrs4516]

i shoot off the knuckle side with my own draw technique than i guess you could describe as tertiary draw without the index finger. although arrow stability is not why i use it, a neat side effect is you can hold the bow at any angle while drawn and the arrow won't move. that said, for typical short draw western archery where you look down the arrow shaft it's less comfortable than 3 finger. but for drawing past your face i find it superior to 3 finger while having an advantage over thumb draw in that you can still see your arrow, which is beneficial in "intuitive aiming. if you're interested Armin, i can send you pictures of it. i know you like to try different things out.

[@seaotter52]

JRS There are many cultures that have shot arrows just like that. Just goes to show that every possible variation has been tried on the traditional bows and even on bare bow recurves there are different methods of aiming. Find what works for you and have fun. Going to string up and go put some more holes in the target.

[@jarridcarter5001]

What bow and glove is that?

[@ArminHirmer]

Chinese Bow Hou Yi by Vegh, glove is from Archers Tidbits (did video)

[@jarridcarter5001]

What would you say is your favorite bow to shoot?

[@unihenke8913]

In your face! Peter ;)

[@ArminHirmer]

both ways work ;)

[@Kersich86]

that peter guy has no idea what is he talking about... works on horseback but would not work walking around LMAO cmon

[@Daylon91]

He is a western style shooter and I find a lot of them know what they know and that's good enough for everything seeings how everything else is wrong

[@greybeardedition]

I chose the same colors for my tidbits glove.....great minds :^]

[@gushlergushler]

I am not a bowhunter but I think there is an argument to be made for holding the arrow in the hand while stalking until you are really close to the animal in question. It seems like holding it in the bow or arrowhand would lead to less snagging on the arrow on branches etc. as well as being less prone to accidentally hitting the arrow against the bow and making more noise. Does anyone have experience with hunting while holding the arrow in the hand instead of nocked?

[@benrent6625]

I hunt with a crossbow-and stalk hunt with it as well so I can chime in a lil here. The width of my crossbow actually snags on brush and growth to the point that certain areas during certain times of the year I can't stalk with it. That's actually why I got a hungarian horse recurve bow-its light and slim like a stick. I should b able to get into the honeyhole of deer that are just out of my reach. Basically ur right tho! Slimmer is slicker and u move thru the woods without sticking to crap and letting every animal know for 200yds lol

[@ИванДраго-ы8ж]

Three fingers, for Robin Hood moovies, thumb draw for real life ❤

[@aldster560]

You’re like the Jean Claude Van Damme of archery

[@TruthBeliever5557]

In thumb draw the arrow fly straighter❤

[@al-aurum2457]

its all come down to techniques

[@ziranwolf2696]

What is it in our nature that desires to argue for our limitations instead of trying something else….everything else. Cheers

[@Archer-op9cp]

What day is today? 3 Minute Friday

[@cornholio1612]

Not trying to sound disrespectful, but you'd actually have to hunt to see the differences. It's not about just hopping on the lawn or walking thru a couple of vines. Often you need to let go with one hand, a stalk can and will go on for more than a few minutes, sometimes hours. Maybe I need to brace myself on a log or push something out of my way. I have to let go of the bow with one hand or the other. With 3 finger draw I can hold the arrow in place with the pointer finger of my bow hand. How would you handle that with thumb draw? Conversely, with thumb draw I don't need to worry about the string hanging up on the sleeve of my jacket, or a loose piece of clothing. Pros and cons to both sides.

[@dmpenfold4536]

It's as simple as hooking your thumb over the arrow & holding it against the bow, just as you would with your index finger. Problem solved.

[@ArminHirmer]

was not meant to be a science project. just for me to see how both ways would feel :)

[@tammynfletcher]

I like how Peter looks at things from a hunters perspective but I don't think he understands the dynamics of thumb release. Eastern archers have hunted from foot and horse back for thousands of years. I really think he needs a lesson my friend! Great tutorial as always!

[@Frank-rk6ts]

ist denn bekannt, wie die Indianer es auf der Jagd gemacht haben?

[@ArminHirmer]

ich kenn keinen

[@Frank-rk6ts]

@@ArminHirmer 😁

[@dasMoto]

@@ArminHirmer badum, tsss

[@MarcRitzMD]

I welcome this new series about proving Peter wrong. Next up, female warriors and the orientation of early mosques!

[@ArminHirmer]

it's totally not about proofing anyone wrong. I simply never did stalking, so I wanted to see how it would be for me

[@MrRourk]

Stalk Ishi style

[@bethearrow675]

To each their own. Whatever works best for you is the way to go. The bush where I live is too thick to stalk anything with a nocked arrow. I find you are better off taking your time and focusing on staying quite as can be anyway. The arrow can be nocked just before you are ready to make the shot. Being down wind is most important. You can stalk a moose all day without ever getting with in 100 meters of it with just a slight breeze at you back.

[@vinniemcgrory7275]

👏🇮🇪

[@TNTnor]

3 minute friday on a thursday................?

[@ArminHirmer]

yeah I know I thought its Friday already hahahahaha

[@hyperion5836]

Interesting video, but the demonstrations showing both thumb release and 3 finger release while “stalking” were way too short regarding time/length in my opinion. Hunting deer while “stalking” (or in the USA = “still hunting”) is probably the most challenging form of hunting deer, elk, wild boars. It is also very time consuming requiring much patience and the willingness to walk long distances, not just ten or fifteen paces around a bush. I wish there were real hunting videos of people using a EurAsian thumb release bow, but I have never seen even one such video. Yet, there are thousands of videos of people hunting deer with Western style recurve/longbows using 3 finger release. Why is this the case? Is it because people in Central/Eastern Europe or Asia simply have no desire to hunt with a bow and arrow OR is it that the Western designed shelf rest bow is better for hunting? I do not know, but these questions makes me curious. As someone who grew up shooting Western style bows using 3 finger release since I was 8 years old until today in my mid-40’s and have bow hunted deer since I was 13 years old, I would definitely choose a Western shelf rest recurve/longbow to “stalk” hunt because I shoot them much more accurately than my (5) EurAsian style bows using thumb release and having a shelf rest to simply hold the arrow in place with no effort but gravity is a major plus when hunting sitting, kneeling or up in a tree while hunting deer. I definitely appreciate your efforts Senpai Hirmer to demonstrate “stalking” using 3 finger release Vs. thumb release, but this video is really not very realistic of actually “stalking” a deer, wild pig, etc.

[@ArminHirmer]

of co0urse, It was just for me to see how both ways will feel. was not meant to be a how to stalk video :)

[@dasMoto]

Pointless comment

[@ArminHirmer]

yeah you have a point with that

[@dasMoto]

@@ArminHirmer not really, just lost my arrow tip 😉

[@baz3184]

Show me the buck you shot or stfu 😅