Recurve tab or glove?

[Swamp_bucks]

As I stated in another thread I just purchased my first recurve. I did buy a glove to see if i like that and to test out 3 under or split finger.  

My question to anyone who shoots traditional bows which one do you prefer and why?  Tabs are cheap so I have no problem buying one to test it out.  

I will note I will probably be aiming with the arrow to some extent.  I dont have the time to practice instinctive and will also most likely have a fixed crawl for hunting purposes if I go 100% aiming. 

[moog5050]

I started with a glove and shot fine with it.  But eventually convinced myself that a tab would be a cleaner release.   As much as I hated it initially I stuck it out and now would never consider a glove.  To each his own but you won’t see any gloves at the top championships.

[Swamp_bucks]

35 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

I started with a glove and shot fine with it.  But eventually convinced myself that a tab would be a cleaner release.   As much as I hated it initially I stuck it out and now would never consider a glove.  To each his own but you won’t see any gloves at the top championships.

Yea I saw that they all use the tab it does seem to be far superior for accuracy.  Guessing it didn't make any difference when it came to hunting scenarios?  

[Buckmaster7600]

I’m certainly not a trad shooter that should be giving advice but I prefer a glove for hunting. I tried a tab and shot better but struggled with it in the field. I shot better on the range but if I miss the mark on a critter there’s a reason and it won’t be because of the tab or glove.


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[Otto]

I started out with a glove, but switched to a tab and like that a lot more.  Just fits my hand better and release seem intuitive. 

I have not picked up on shooting instinctive yet.  I ended up going with gap shooting, mostly because it made sense when I started.  I’ve been told instinctive will come along eventually.  It is fine on a paper targets indoors, but it is harder on 3D targets outside. 

 I shoot with a few guys weekly in an unofficial indoor league, they have all shot for several years.  I am proud to say I am not in last place, and my average has gone up every week so far.   Practice is the answer to any issue you have. 

[Lucky118]

Calf hair tab for me.

[dbHunterNY]

I haven't found a tab that fits well. For now I use a Damascus deer skin glove that's thin with better feel. Any other glove might as well have been shoot with leather insulated work gloves. Could barely tell there was a string there let alone cleanly release. Lancaster or 3 rivers might have me shopping for a better tab.

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[SteveB]

On 2/27/2021 at 12:23 AM, dbHunterNY said:

I haven't found a tab that fits well. For now I use a Damascus deer skin glove that's thin with better feel. Any other glove might as well have been shoot with leather insulated work gloves. Could barely tell there was a string there let alone cleanly release. Lancaster or 3 rivers might have me shopping for a better tab.

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Ck these tabs. Instructions are there for measuring and then you trim back as needed. Last forever and Randy is a great guy to deal with, Custom tabs

[G-Man]

I think tabs always give better release than a glove , to much feel when I used glove ,with tab open fingers and it's gone.. made my.own from cowhide . 

[moog5050]

22 hours ago, SteveB said:

Ck these tabs. Instructions are there for measuring and then you trim back as needed. Last forever and Randy is a great guy to deal with, Custom tabs

exactly what I shoot.   He even made me a larger tab for my fat paws.  They last forever too.

[left field]

I will say this - if you go with a tab, get a few.

I dropped mine on the way to a stand last fall. Small brown cordovan tab in a forest filled with dead leaves. It was my only tab so I got on my hands and knees and retraced my path. Found it 40 minutes later. 

Ordered two more when I got back. 

[moog5050]

1 minute ago, left field said:

I will say this - if you go with a tab, get a few.

I dropped mine on the way to a stand last fall. Small brown cordovan tab in a forest filled with dead leaves. It was my only tab so I got on my hands and knees and retraced my path. Found it 40 minutes later. 

Ordered two more when I got back. 

Plus you need to break them all in so they shoot the same.  I usually rotate at least two for this reason and keep a second tab in my pack.

[left field]

3 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

Plus you need to break them all in so they shoot the same.  I usually rotate at least two for this reason and keep a second tab in my pack.

Good advice.

I bought Bateman: 

http://www.ewbateman.com/FingerTabs.htm

[airedale]

Started out learning to shoot a bow with a glove over 50 years ago and am still using gloves. I tried a tab several times and while for target shooting I may group ever so slightly better I prefer the security of a quality glove for hunting so I stick with what I am comfortable and confident with.

Al

Edited March 8, 2021 by airedale

[Sir-diealot]

I do not recall what they are called but I had to get those things put on the string that are round and you just release like you were on the string because I could not find a glove or tab big enough to fit my hands. I wanted to go with a nice quality glove but the 2XL's wouldn't go over my fingertips and I had a problem with them fitting my wrists.

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[Nomad]

Never had a traditional bow, but my first  compound I shot fingers for a good 15 years . I just used a tab, never tried a glove ,idk never gave these things much thought .

[Foggy Mountain]

I’ll be the opposite here. I feel I have more control with a glove. Never liked tabs and have no release issues. I do use a bodnik speed glove now but as a kid I used regular elk leather, deer skin Damascus, etc. Never had a single issue. Idk if it’s really a giant advantage/disadvantage either way. Least for me it’s not. 
Now the split finger, three under thing. Bows are often tillered accordingly. 
One way to basically get the same results, a nock at your anchor would be to split finger shoot with a middle finger method. It’ll lessen your gap too which is where I’d start as opposed to crawl. 
No harm imo in crawling or gapping. Don’t let this instinctive thing worry you just yet. 
In time even with gapping you’ll probably start what I call gapstinctive anyhow. It’s basically how you shoot a shotgun. You start out with simple mechanics and soon enough you actually recognize a good sight picture but don’t rely on it to shoot if that makes sense. 

[Sir-diealot]

9 hours ago, Foggy Mountain said:

I’ll be the opposite here. I feel I have more control with a glove. Never liked tabs and have no release issues. I do use a bodnik speed glove now but as a kid I used regular elk leather, deer skin Damascus, etc. Never had a single issue. Idk if it’s really a giant advantage/disadvantage either way. Least for me it’s not. 
Now the split finger, three under thing. Bows are often tillered accordingly. 
One way to basically get the same results, a nock at your anchor would be to split finger shoot with a middle finger method. It’ll lessen your gap too which is where I’d start as opposed to crawl. 
No harm imo in crawling or gapping. Don’t let this instinctive thing worry you just yet. 
In time even with gapping you’ll probably start what I call gapstinctive anyhow. It’s basically how you shoot a shotgun. You start out with simple mechanics and soon enough you actually recognize a good sight picture but don’t rely on it to shoot if that makes sense. 

We could all switch to the Mongolian method.

[Lawdwaz]

For many years I shot traditional and only used a glove.  

[stubborn1VT]

I learned with a deerhide glove and was never comfortable with a tab.  To each his own.

[genesee_mohican]

I shot glove on compounds for 15 + years before the release came along. I just recently made the deep dive into recurves and started shooting with a thin damascus glove. I had never used a tab but wanted to try it, so I bought a Fred E from 3 Rivers.  I find it easy to use and it gives me a smoother release. Will I switch back to a glove? It's hard to say, but this traditional archery stuff is a lot of fun.

[Swamp_bucks]

I'll take it for my first day with my new toy.  Lost one arrow while figuring out an anchor point.  I tried just pulling back and shooting and did ok.  Then I switched to aiming and found a solid anchor point and I didnt have baseball groups but they stayed inside a paper plate.  The picture is of my best group at 20yards.  long way to go but it's a start.  I do want to try a tab.  I dont like how thick the glove is.  However its brand new and really stiff.

[Sir-diealot]

Nice start, I have to get mine out soon but right now is not a good time, my landlady of 30 years has cancer and is in her final days of life, kids and all are in from out of state and just not a good time to set up.