Should a youth archer shoot fingers or a release with a compound bow?
(well, they don’t actually shoot at fingers, that’s actually “shoot with a finger release or a mechanical release” but any archer would understand the question) This is one of the most frequently asked questions for the new compound archer and one of the most difficult to answer. In the long run an archer will be more accurate and the bow more forgiving with the archer using a release aid. It is very difficult to be competitive at state and national competitions using fingers with a compound bow. Besides, the youngster sees Mom, Dad and all the other compound shooters using the release aid and they believe they should use one also. Having said that, it is better for a young archer to start out shooting fingers. a good analogy is when a young person begins to move from a crawl to a walk. They dont go directly from the crawl to a sprint. It is better to learn to walk before learning to run. In archery it is better to learn the proper form and technique by shooting with the fingers before
