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What’s the Best Release Aid for Bowhunting?

September 9, 2024

Video best bow release for accuracy

What's the Best Release Aid for Bowhunting? — A wrist-strap, index-finger release such as the TruFire Edge seen here is the most common style employed by bowhunters. (Photo courtesy of FeraDyne Outdoors)

This question generated quite a bit of debate among our social media followers. After all, deciding what release to hook onto your D-loop is a highly individual choice. I thought one of the best answers came via Matt Showman (@mds599 on Instagram), who had this to say:

“The best release is personal. I can’t help but punch a [thumb]-button or index-[finger] release so bad that my arrow never goes where I want it to. So, while they might be the best if executed properly, they’re not for me. For me, a hinge is most accurate and properly executed. It’s my hunting release of choice.”

There’s a lot of truth and wisdom in Matt’s response, and I’ll start at the top. As Matt notes, the best bowhunting release aid for you is a personal decision. There really is no wrong answer — as long as the release aid you choose is properly activated using back tension to create a surprise release of the bowstring. That’s the real trick, and you should seek out a release that lets you consistently achieve that, shot after shot, on the range and in the field.

There’s no doubt that, among bowhunters, the most common type of release used is a wrist-strap model with an index-finger trigger. In fact, I’d bet 90-plus percent of new bowhunters start with an index-finger release, and of those, probably 90 percent never use anything else. Again, that’s OK, as long as the release is used properly. Based on my own observations and personal experience, however, that is often not the case.

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If you don’t believe me, stand behind the shooting line at your local pro shop or archery club and spend time watching others shoot. In the majority of cases, the only movement I see from index-finger trigger users when releasing the bowstring is the shooter’s index finger! Basically, they are squeezing the trigger like they’re shooting a gun. They are not employing any of the tension in the bow arm or release arm, or the back muscles, to activate the release.

Most archers can shoot fairly well this way, at least for a while. But for many archers — me included — repeatedly shooting with conscious movement of the trigger finger leads to conscious anticipation of the shot that eventually manifests itself in “target panic.” Common symptoms include severe flinching while aiming, an inability to place the sight pin on the bull’s-eye and trigger punching. Needless to say, none of those are conducive to consistent accuracy.

Years ago, I suffered from severe target panic and struggled to hit a target at 20 yards. My pin would freeze below my aim point, and in frustration, I’d jerk my bow arm up, hammer the trigger and watch in horror as the arrow sailed into the woods beyond the target. Obviously, this was a problem, and the only way to fix it was to tear my shot process down and rebuild.

Doing so was accomplished first with the help of handheld, hinge-style release that forced me to employ “push-pull” tension between my bow arm and release arm as I allowed increasing tension to fire the shot. And because hinge releases have no trigger, my mind was free to focus on the sight pin and watch it float on the spot until the shot broke. After several months using a hinge, I switched to a resistance-activated release. Similar to a hinge, a resistance release requires an archer to “pull through the shot” until sufficient tension is achieved to spring the D-loop hook free and release the bowstring. The amount of tension required to activate the release can be adjusted to the shooter’s personal liking. I find a resistance release superior to a hinge for hunting (personal preference), and I’ve been carrying one afield for about a decade now.

See also .30-30 Winchester for Moose Hunting? Best Ammo (Round, Load, Cartridge) for a Successful Moose Hunt Hunting Calibers 04 Apr, 2020 Posted By: Foundry Outdoors Is the .30-30 Winchester a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for moose hunting? The accurate answer is “it depends”. However, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether the .30-30 Winchester is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest moose. As with anything, the devil is in the details. To answer the question completely, we would need to evaluate the downrange distance to the moose, the bullet type, the grain weight of the bullet, the physical condition of the firearm, the size of the moose in question, the shot placement, the local wind conditions, the expected accuracy of the shooter, the ethics of the ideal maximum number of shots – the list goes on. [Click Here to Shop .30-30 Winchester Ammo]What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a moose in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. Let’s dive right in. In the question of “Is the .30-30 Winchester within the ideal range of suitable calibers for moose hunting?” our answer is: No, the .30-30 Winchester is UNDERKILL for moose hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement.Let’s look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. Assumption Value Caliber .30-30 Winchester Animal Species Moose Muzzle Energy 1890 foot-pounds Animal Weight 1200 lbs Shot Distance 200 yardsWhat is the average muzzle energy for a .30-30 Winchester? In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .30-30 Winchester round is approximately 1890 foot-pounds. What is the average weight of an adult male moose? Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. In this case, the average weight of an adult male moose is approximately 1200 lbs. [Click Here to Shop .30-30 Winchester Ammo]What is the distance this species is typically hunted from? Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in moose hunting. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. This phenonemon is known as drag or air resistance. Thus, a caliber that is effective from 50 yards may not have enough stopping power from 200 yards. With that said, we have assumed the average hunting distance for moose to be approximately 200 yards. What about the other assumptions? We have three other primary assumptions being made here. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .30-30 Winchester. The second important assumption is ‘slightly-suboptimal’ to ‘optimal’ shot placement. That is to say, we assume the moose being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet.Various calibersA common thread you may encounter in online forums is anecdote after anecdote of large animals being brought down by small caliber bullets, or small animals surviving large caliber bullets. Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. A 22LR cartridge can fell a bull elephant under the right conditions, and a newborn squirrel can survive a 50 BMG round under other specific conditions. Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .30-30 Winchester is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest moose - and to this question, the response again is no, the .30-30 Winchester is UNDERKILL for moose hunting. [Click Here to Shop .30-30 Winchester Ammo]This article does not serve as the final say, but simply as a starting point for beginner hunters, as well as a venue for further discussion. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below. Disclaimer: the information above is purely for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as permission to use a particular caliber, a statement of the legality or safety of using certain calibers, or legal advice in any way. You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting moose to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option.Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online.We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo.We offer a 100% Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website. Please email us if you have questions about any of our product listings. 1 Comments Jerry Peach - Jun 02, 2022I have to take broad exception to this “expert” opinion piece. Hunting and living in Newfoundland and Labrador, my father only ever owned a 1957 Mod 94 .30-.30. He took down more moose than I can remember, with stock ammunition and in all types of terrain and weather with this rifle. His mantra was; be a good enough hunter to get close enough to your game to ensure a two bullet kill (one to down and one to ensure) before sighting on a moose. In turn, I used this same rifle to down my first bull moose which “dressed” 650 pounds of meat. A properly placed shot that I took at approximately 250 yards in a clearing. Your article seems to advocate for larger calibers that would excuse the lack of ability of the hunter to get close enough to ensure a kill with a smaller caliber. Shouldn’t the opposite be true? Shouldn’t someone purporting themselves to be offering an “expert” opinion on the subject of hunting calibers be more inclined to encourage better skill sets in the field and encourage people to hone their hunting skills for in-close shots? This would a) limit long shot misses, b) potential danger from over-kill heavy calibers at close range, and c) practically guarantee a kill/recovery of meat as opposed to losing an animal because of poor tracking skills (or interest) hit with a heavy caliber at maximum distance. Be a hunter……..not a sniper. Leave a commentComments have to be approved before showing up Your Name * Your Email * Your Comment * Post Comment

If you are a veteran bowhunter, you probably have a favorite release you’ve been using for a long time. That’s fine, as long as you’re shooting well and your confidence is high. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

If, on the other hand, you know you aren’t shooting to your full potential and struggle with bad habits such as punching the trigger or the inability to consistently aim where you want your arrow to go, give a hinge or a resistance release a try. Even if you decide to return to your “old, faithful” release for hunting, you’ll use it more effectively and enjoy more accuracy in the moment of truth.

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