Pinched fingers

[beads]

Lately when I shoot- #45 Gamemaster w/ 26" draw w/ gloves - my ring finger is hurting. I'm assuming it's finger pinching but am I doing something wrong w/ my draw? Haven't tried shooting w/ a tab but guess would be the same. Wondering if it's form or still getting my hands broken in to shoot Trad

[Blood]

I noticed the same thing the first few months of shooting. Learned that we naturally use more of the pulling force on our ring finger than we should. It should be pulled primarily by the index and middle fingers in order to avoid this stinging sensation on our ring finger. So next time when you draw try and move your ring finger so that less of the digit and more of the tip is on the string. You'll notice it won't hurt (as much).
-PWong

[beads]

Thought so too will practice this more

[Texbow94]

Why not eliminate the ring finger all together? Back in the old days before I used a release I just used my index & middle fingers. Never could get comfortable using ring finger. Of course I taught myself, but could out shoot my friends who were using releases.

[Txnrog]

When you say 'hurts' - do you mean numb? Had that for the first several months shooting - would just switch between a glove and tab to temporarily alleviate it. Goes away after you build calluses. Don't think it's necessarily finger pinch. Most of the weight should naturally be on your middle finger - which is where I went numb the most at first.

[trad"Doc"53]

Great info from all above!

[beads]

Yeah more numb not painful or anything- was thinking it was finger pinch and poor form. Shooting good groups though. Want to get a tab to try which is better for me but did the glove when I was a kid and would be easier while hunting

[Ol Man]

Sounds to me as though your hook on the string is not deep enough to get the string locked in the first joints of the fingers. If you don't you are pulling on the fleshy part which will go numb as it puts pressure on the nerve.

[Samiel2d]

another possible problem is you're shooting a bow that is too short, but a 58" bow (which the gamester is) at a 26" draw you shouldnt have a problem. sounds to me like you're putting too much pressure on your ring finger, i had the same problem when i started shooting 3under, what helped me with how much pressure to put on the string w/ my ring finger was basically to shoot only 2 under.. by shooting 2 under for a week or so i could tell how much pressure i had on my index and middle finger, now when i draw the string my ring finger is mainly there for an anchor reference, i put little to no pressure on that finger. not saying its the way to go, but it helped me.

[Wayne Meuir]

One possibility is that you may be drawing with your elbow too high which will put more pressure on the bottom finger because of the angle of your hand in relation to the string and cause it to pinch.

Also, I used to shoot a glove and when I did I built up a heavy callous on the bottom of the ring finger. I could not get off the string smoothly with the glove because it always developed a groove where the string lay on it. I switched to a Cavalier tab and two things happened, one I get off the string very smoothly, and two, the callous totally went away. One other benefit that was a surprise is that I did that about 5 years ago, and I am still shooting the same Cavalier tab with the original cordovan leather on it and it is still not grooved out after many thousands of shots. I thought it was rather expensive when I bought it, but I would have gone through dozens of gloves by now.

Wayne

[meangene1969]

sounds like you have a starting point