How To Use The Best Thumb Release For Hunting?

As a passionate bowhunter or archer, do you select gear that helps you achieve the best shot possible? If you’re anything like me, a bowhunter turned avid archer, you know how crucially important it is to have the right kind of bowhunting equipment.

The problem doesn’t lie in the fact that you missed a shot but rather that you missed it by some centimeters or even millimeters.

This is where the best thumb release for hunting comes into the picture. Since they significantly assist the bowhunter in achieving an accurate shot, their importance in the world of archery cannot be overstated.

What Release Aid to Choose?

What is a thumb release?

A thumb release is a device that uses trigger mechanism to release the arrow in bowhunting. It is also known as a handheld release. Handheld releases now have a trigger mechanism that is pulled by the thumb and not the index finger.

Reason being, the index finger tends to get a tad sensitive, which obviously and quite inevitably has a drastically negative impact on the end result.

Thumb releases are quite common among bowhunters who like to buy accessible bowhunting equipment. Based on my personal experience with thumb releases, I can vouch for the claim that most bowhunters have repeatedly made, that thumb releases are one of the most reliable pieces of hunting gear.

And that’s only because now I know how they provide you with the wonderful opportunity of being able to easily attach the thumb release to the string loop in order to have convenient access to it in case you want to take an impulsive or unexpected shot.

best-thumb-release-for-hunting

How to use a thumb release for hunting?

Now you must be thinking that the way to use a thumb release is by simply activating the trigger using your thumb in order to achieve a well-executed shot and that’s about it.

Am I right? If I’m right then I can’t tell you how wrong you are to think that you need to make use of your thumb to propel the trigger. It may come as a surprise to you, especially if you’ve never used a thumb release before, as it did to me too before I used one.

The thumb does not need to move when you want to activate the trigger. Period. Instead, you use your thumb as a barrier or block that trips the trigger. It’s more of a natural process than a manual one. I’ll take you through it step by step.

  • Once you decide to take the shot, the tension between your shoulders starts to slowly yet intensively build up.
  • Side by side, in order to take the shot, your release hand instinctively rotates or comfortably twists in such a manner that inevitably pushes the trigger against your thumb.
  • The arrow flies accurately and lands where you want it to land, in most cases, and that’s exactly what they like to call, a well-executed shot.

Thumb Trigger Release in Compound Archery

Does a thumb release help in improving shot execution?

You will find, only after mastering the art ofbowhunting, that the best thumb release for hunting does, in fact, help you with developing proper shot execution. What it doesn’t necessarily help you with is getting rid of target panic.

Now this is something that some bowhunters, mostly beginners, expect from a thumb release. My advice to them, please don’t.

Some Important Tips: Mastering the Release Aid

Even if you’re using the best thumb release there is in the world of archery, it will still not be able to completely eliminate target panic. Well, at least not directly.

Once you learn how to use a thumb release appropriately, once you let it naturally execute all the required movements, the accuracy of your shot will inevitably and significantly improve.

And such a positive outcome being produced consistently is what will help you get rid of target panic.

What is the best thumb release for hunting?

1. Tru Ball Max Hunter Pro 4 Release

Tru Ball Max Hunter Pro 4 Release

For bowhunters who literally want to get their hands on a caliper style release with a handle grip, the Tru Ball Max Hunter Pro 4 Release should seriously be your go-to option. It has been carefully constructed keeping the enthusiastic and intense bowhunting artistry in mind. I personally found this best thumb release for hunting extremely comfortable to work with. Plus, it offers an added advantage by remaining absolutely silent on the field.

If you’ve been bowhunting for a really long time, then you know how in order to expand draw length as well as bow speed, the caliper style head of the thumb release needs to be appropriately small in size. And that’s exactly what you get with the Tru Ball Max Hunter Pro 4 Release. It doesn’t matter if you’re hunting with thick, heavy gloves; the thumb trigger on this device is easily adjustable so as to fit your sensitivity requirements.

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2. Handle Thumb Archery Caliper Bow Release Grip

Handle Thumb Archery Caliper Bow Release Grip

The Handle Thumb Archery Caliper Bow Release Grip boasts a tough composite construction with a pretty easy to use thumb trigger. The latter is popularly known as a hair trigger, which clearly means that you should not make any physical contact with the trigger until and unless you’re ready to take that shot.

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I don’t mean to scare you and encourage more target panic, which is why I’ll quickly run you through the process of using this thumb release properly.

  • Place all your four fingers properly around the handle of the thumb release when you’re drawing the string back.
  • Once you reach the full draw position, it’s time to carefully place your thumb behind the calipers on the compact lump of metal. Remember that this step is only carried out when you’re absolutely ready to take the shot.
  • As soon as you shift your thumb to touch the trigger, you’ll see the arrow fly.

It’s really that simple, or not. But the goal is to keep practicing in order to get better eventually. The reason why the trigger is so light is because, as a devoted bowhunter, you can’t afford to miss even a single target.

The Bottom Line

It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or an expert, or what kind of bow you own, or what game you’re hunting. If you want to consistently achieve well-executed shots, buying the best thumb release for hunting can really go a long way in improving the accuracy of your shots along with indirectly destroying target panic over time.

Two such thumb releases for hunting are the Tru Ball Max Hunter Pro 4 Release and the Handle Thumb Archery Caliper Bow Release Grip. If it’s possible, try both the releases simultaneously to figure out which one is the most suitable for you and your bowhunting skills.

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Have you ever worked with any other best thumb release for hunting? And has it really worked for you?

I took a pretty long time to get accustomed to the whole thumb trigger concept, what about you?

Please feel free to leave a comment below.

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