Just wondering who uses them and are they legal for 3-d shoots.

No reason why they wouldn't be. Just allows you to shoot more open handed. DANNY

I've seen lots of folks use them. May vary by class you're shooting in I can't remember.

With todays rules it's anyone's guess, but I can't see why it should be illegal.

I can see why they should be illegal, but I don't object to them myself.

If you have a type of shoot, where the most basic class is fairly simplified, then everything you add to give yourself an advantage detracts from the class for folks who want to shoot trad archery. Whatever image you have in mind for the traditional end of traditional archery it doesn't include slings. While I know folks must use them in various recurve classes, I can't personally think of a single picture that I have in my head of a trad archer using a sling, and certainly not if you go back to pre-trad, vs. post trad (say 1983 waterline). Obviously people used slings well before that, but they weren't traditional archers, they were technical archers shooting before the compound or trad period.

Actually bow slings were documented to have been used on native American bows of the past.

I can kind of see a rationale for keeping them out of certain classes in competition, but otherwise, if you like it.... use it!

"Obviously people used slings well before that, but they weren't traditional archers, they were technical archers shooting before the compound or trad period.""

That's about as condescending as you can get toward people you have no clue about. What an asinine statement. Yeah, I'm sure you can pick out the real "trad" people over the others. Good grief.

I've used one on my recurves for years...decades. I grip a longbow.

I really love em for hunting...I don't hang my bow, so I can let it sit accross my knees without needing a death grip.

So, if I'm not trad enough...so be it.

Thanks for the tip, I am not surprised, everything is normally present in some form at some earlier time. But:

A) Native American archery to me is not really traditional archery, it is ancient archery but traditional archery has nothing to do with dozens of ancient forms of archery, it is to do with the traditions of today's archery. I am always taken by the fact that Pope and Young studied Ishi, and yet about the only sign I can see of that in their gear or doings is that they had fringe jackets, and I have never actually seen Ishi in one of those.

B) Do we have any evidence that they used them as tournament shooters do, or did some folk just not want to drop their bows at critical times.

c) And where is the continuity/link between these discoveries and the modern day use. Was someone at Hoyt poring over archives of ancient archery to pick up tips on how to win the next olympics? One of the disturbing things about the cheater impulse is it reaches back in time to attribute technology to an earlier age, but often that is not where the innovation came from, or what it is it just looks similar. So in order to create cheat momentum for various classes we rob modern day archery of it's history, and innovators of their innovations.

"That's about as condescending as you can get toward people you have no clue about. What an asinine statement. Yeah, I'm sure you can pick out the real "trad" people over the others. Good grief."

Was there a point in there somewhere, George?

There are people who do make a living picking out the real trad archers, for magazine covers, books, and videos. So far just any dude from the past with a wrist sling does not seem to be a popular choice, but you should get in touch and give them hell about it.

"or did some folk just not want to drop their bows at critical times" that is why tournament archers use them.

We don't need another division of archery "ancient archery". It's just longbows and recurves. Some longer, some shorter, some wider, some narrower.

As for the continuity link it seems to me it would be rather self explanatory. So where would you draw the line? What year? What decade?

"Obviously people used slings well before that, but they weren't traditional archers, they were technical archers shooting before the compound or trad period."" "That's about as condescending as you can get toward people you have no clue about. What an asinine statement. Yeah, I'm sure you can pick out the real "trad" people over the others. Good grief."

I'm with you George, what a ridiculous statement. I started using a sling in the mid 60s for target work(technical archer?) and found the technique increased my accuracy so straight away started using a sling on my hunting bows as well. The whole "trad" thing is becoming more and more ridiculous. In my mind if you shoot recurve or longbow, so called instinctive or sighted that to me would be traditional archery. At the moment "Trad Shooting" just seems to be an excuse for poor shooting in the field and low scores in competition.

I use one and haven't been called out as illegal for any 3D shoot I have went to. I also use it hunting as well. Regards

Always had a wrist sling on my recurve, don't have one on my longbow.

I have a couple of target bows that I use slings on when shooting in winter leagues..

Can't see why there would be a problem at a 3 D shoot.

I told you we need a definition of "traditional archery".

I used a sling for convenience. Can't shoot good enough to tell if it helps.

"then everything you add to give yourself an advantage detracts from the class for folks who want to shoot trad archery"

another case of someone who evidently wasn't around in the days when traditional type archery was the norm dictating whats trad or not by a pic in his head,lmao

I have a camoed Red Wing Hunter (head ski or AMF) that has a wrist sling that looks to have been on it for a long time. Does the sling make that bow "technical"? Is it a "Trad Bow" or does the sling make it non-traditional now? If they use wrist slings in the Olympics, does that make all pre-compound wrist slings non-traditional? Do wrist slings on compounds affect the status of wrist slings on recurves? If you were to put a wrist sling on a Longbow, would you be kicked out of the sport? I'm so confused now.

Who really cares to be honest if the sling don't have sights on it. One time my buddy was shooting at the pro am and he pulled her back let go and so did his bow I thought it was funny as heck!! He did not and none of the shooter there did eather got some looks that day I still give him greff about it. If we are at a 3d I say to him hey man don't drop your bow when he is ready to release lol!

I was reading a thread over on bow site a few weeks ago...a fella was talking about trying elk with a longbow for the first time.

Some guys suggested he come over here with his questions...this was greeted by "us" referred as Trad Holes. I rather took exception.

It would seem, at times, "he" may have made a valid point.

I don't say this lightly.

Doesn't bother me if you use one or not.

Just be careful walking between targets if your hand is in it. Have seen a few people fall and couldn't get the bow out of the way.

Can we just dispense with this "cheater impulse" crap?

Formal competition is one thing; if there are rules and restrictions, you either abide by them or find a class more to your liking. Bending the rules to suit your own purposes... Now THAT is cheating.

But outside of a formal contest, gimme a break!

I and many others used slings well before "traditional" was ever dreamed up and blindly followed by the trad fashion bunnys.

so sorry to all the trad types but you can't change history no matter how much you try,,,, and lie.

John.

I use one!

I use a wrist sling once in awhile, I made a thumb sling I like,but really don't see any difference in my shooting, but I can see how they do make a difference with a looser grip.

A $1000 bow and a relaxed grip... Yeah, I use a sling.

I just bought a Nomad Stalker and the grip is bigger and more rounded than my Kodiak Mag. I noticed I was tourquing the grip more. With no way to mount a wrist sling, and learning to relax more..I'm going to try and find my thumb/finger sling and give that a try at least until I get more comfortable with it. Chuck

A few really stupid comments from someone who clearly knows nothing about traditional archery and the equipment used before "traditional" was "traditional"!

I started with a sling, got used to the feeling and then figured out my fingers are long enough to shoot loose grip without a sling (and I only have cheap bows).

Twisted: does it have a thread insert on the front of the bow and below the handle. If so you can make a wrist sling out of leather and attach it to the bow at that insert point using a washer and bolt (which I think is metric). If no insert you can make a wrist sling out of leather and stitch it on the bow handle. They used to be sold that way.

Twisted Branch, Neet made a "stick on" bowsling that had an adhesive that simply folded around the back of the riser and stayed in place. You don't even need a stabilizer bushing. Use double sided tape to attach them. Lancaster has many, as do some other distributors. Here is one: http://www.lancasterarchery.com/cr-standard-braided-sling- camo.html

You can also just make yourself one from a piece of leather and double sided tape. It's only there to keep the bow from sailing away on the shot.

Twisted: George and I just gave you two ways to use or make a sling. I have an old catalog that has 15 different slings they sold back in the early 70's. You want a copy of those for ideas, PM me your mailing address and I sill send a copy out for you.

Some were thumb slings, some stick on, some bolt on and some stitched on.

A simple thumb and pointing finger sling works well.very easy to make yourself.

My slings are bow mounted, the finger thumb slings work well but are funky for hunting. Don't use one on my longbow but may try attaching one. A totally relaxed grip is much more forgiving for myself.

Thanks for all the info. Some good ideas..and info on here. My bows aren't higher end but I don't want them in the dirt either. Thanks Guys.

"A $1000 bow and a relaxed grip... Yeah, I use a sling."

CHEATER!!! :)

"Just wondering who uses them and are they legal for 3-d shoots."

To answer the original question, quite a few people use them. I prefer a simple finger sling, but a lot of folks still use bow slings. As far as competitive shooting rules go, I can't think of one single legitimate why they wouldn't be allowed.

I have used one for over 60 years now, I think that goes back before compounds and before there was a reference to traditional.

Trillium, where'd you find a bow for only a 1000 bucks? LOL!!!

Bowmania

Some "traditional" 3Ds require broadheads and wooden arrows.

Check out Kanati...they have a pretty slick one. I use it on my Whippenstick.

Rookie question. I understand the benefits of a bow/wrist sling. What confuses me is the instruction that I have been getting as an instinctive archery student. I have been told to hold the bow in place after a shot so your brain will remember and correct.

If a sling allows you to hold with a much looser grip, won't the bow move immediately?

Looking for help.

Thanks

You hold your bow arm in place on target after the shot. A sling, or loose grip, will let the bow rock in your hand after the shot.

Dropped a bow from 20 feet up in a tree strand 40 years ago. Been using slings ever since. Kilt the deer btw.

The bow moves forward as the arrow leaves the bow. It has cleared the bow, so the bow rocking forward is a natural action. The reason you hold your form through the shot (not necessarily grip the bow) is to make sure you are not dropping the arm during the shot process. It's a method of insuring the clearing of the arrow with no human intrusion. The sling doesn't affect that except for allowing the hand to be totally loose. The bow arm still remains in position through the shot, and I like to keep it there until the arrow strikes the target. It sure doesn't mean it's okay to drop your arm.

Bowmania:

Dude! You KNOW that I need to always shoot a bow that looks as fabulous as I do... ;-)

When you feel the bow jump forward in the hand you know your using the sling right.

I have one on almost every bow I own.

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