[CT MastersCF]

I can appreciate your frustration. Many of the things you described I've experienced.

I have a Cavalier magnetic clicker on a compound. It mounds on the sight bar and adjusts forward and back with an Allen screw. Some of the adjustment issue in my case involves my physical "geometry". If I set the clicker so that at release my elbow, wrist. nock, and arrow tip are aligned, then my anchor point is just enough "aft" on my jawbone that my chin interferes with the string. I've had to compromise slightly, moving the anchor point forward about 3/8" so that there is no chin interference. I'm ALMOST aligned but not quite. It has forced me to pay more attention to keeping my bow shoulder down (so my shoulder doesn't creep up and the bow doesn't "back up" when drawn), keep my forearm relaxed, and to use my back muscles (as I should be doing anyway).

I too have had neck pinching issues on the bow arm side if I let my bow shoulder creep up or rotate forward. Also the upper trapezius muscle tends to cramp on that side if I get tired (or lazy) and don't keep the shoulder down.

As far as the valley is concerned, I have a 31" draw and recently acquired a Hoyt Provantage with an ATA of 49.5". It does have a fairly wide valley depending on how you measure it. I was pulling into the wall with the original round wheels (2.125" dia.), so we put larger wheels (2.25" dia.) on it and changed the string length. It moved the valley back an inch or so, and I'm almost in the middle at release ... about 1/4" beyond, just starting up the wall.

I'm shooting CarbonExcels 500's with 80 grain points and DuraFletch vanes (slightly stiff at indoor weight of 46-48#, but ok when I crank it up to 54# outdoors).

On the lighter side, when I starting shooting with a clicker 3 years ago, I used to joke that it should come with 3 psychiatric consults. Now, I don't think I'd want to shoot without it, on tagets anyway. It allows me to concentrate on aiming, and not be conscious of the release. If I have to decide when to release, inevitably it is when the sight is centered, but by the time the arrow leaves the bow, it has moved a bit.

At Andover last month at the NAA nationals, I shot on a target with a gentleman who shot CF without a clicker. He shot 576 and 562. I asked him about that and he draws to a pretty solid wall ... a very short valley. He's been pretty consitent over the last few years and I've been chasing his scores. He's in the 50+ masters class and I'm into the 60+ now, but he is still an inspiration ... makes me work harder.

Anything else I can tell you or have questions about? Glad to help.

Ray

 

[Harperman]

Thanks for the post, Ray!...very informative, and I appreciate it...I gotta go check out Lancaster Archery and see what they have in stock for clickers...Thanks again!.....Jim

 

[Unclegus]

I shoot either the Cavalier extended clicker or the clickity click depending on my set up and which way the wind is blowing. A clicker is the way I control my target panic. It doesn't solve it, just controls it and has for just over thirty years...... I do know a couple of guys who shoot cams and clickers, but these guys are really strong which I'm not, and they use a fairly soft after market cam. I don't shoot the Barnsdale against the stops. Just off of them so I don't pull against the stops. That's where valley come sin to play. When I used to shoot the Provantages, I shot just in front of the center of the valley. Definitely shot better that way. I've shot the Barnsdale in front of the center of the valley, and it shot well, but being old and decrepit, I need all the break over I can get......

 

[Harperman]

Thanks for the reply, Uncle Gus....I got Your P.M., as well...Take Care....Jim

 

[fuelracerpat]

If you're shooting with sights every thing above sounds right to me, if however you shoot barebow, the clicker has to come from under the shaft and things are a little less clear.

 

[RoentgenX]

helping to sort to clicker debacle

This is a great topic, thanks for starting it.
I personally shoot a C &G clicker or a Bieter clicker on my set ups. I have put together a fare number of clicker set ups over the years and they all have their subtle differences. I personally do not see how people could shoot a clicker with a hard wall to pull against; and still produce a nice shoot. I personally like to shoot round wheels with a long valley, on set-ups where the valley was not long enough (PSE LD 2200 with synergy 3 wheels) I preferred to ****** the advancement of the eccentrics so that the top wheel was ahead of the bottom. Some cable guard/cable slide combinations cause the buss cable to stick and this can be felt while trying to pull through the shoot. It is absolutely imperative to get it as smooth as possible; my preference is a chromed cable slide with a Teflon cable slide.
I prefer the two different clickers that I use because of the sound or signal that they give me. My Bieter is crisp and quick, and my C & G produces a “softer” sound that is a bit slower. the Bieter is mounted on my bow at the front of the riser just like a recurve (I drilled a hole and treaded it) and my C& G is mounted per manufactures instructions. The C& G clicker has the disadvantage of a lot of moving parts and requires some extra attention and maintenance.
My approach or ideology towards the clicker is that it is an audible trigger mechanism, draw check and shot sequence timing indicator all in one. The degree of importance that I place on any one of these characteristics depends on what I am trying to accomplish at the time in my shot sequence, or in the bigger picture what I am trying to improve in my shooting overall.
Shooting a clicker is complicated and requires allot of patience, it is not a “cure all” that is for sure.

Thanks for reading and I hope this was insightful to my personal approach to the topic of clicker quagmires.
RoentgenX