Stan Onnex Clicker question

[cpalm9]

So I tested a Stan Onnex Clicker for a good bit. I’m currently using a Spot Hogg Wise Guy. Recently, I’ve found myself punching the trigger a lot… it’s affecting my head and, in turn, accuracy. To cap it off, I also inherited a tremor from my dad that I need to work with.

So I figured maybe a handheld would work. I tried out the Stan onnex clicker. Felt great and the person helping me at the shop said I was pulling through and not punching. The issue is I found myself never really getting to the click. I’d usually pull through it.

Now the thought is maybe because I’m focusing trying to get to the click, it becomes a surprise shot. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

 

[Cadamscrna]

Following. I’m in the same boat as well with this release.

 

[Zac]

I would go to a hinge before I would use that thing. You still have all the same things at your disposal if your brain tells you to smash it. You could also use a tension activated release.

 

[Wilderlife]

In Joel turner's words (somewhat paraphrased), you need to be doing it slow enough that you could stop at any point.

If you're not really noticing the click because you're going right through it, your shot initiation process is happening too fast or too violently.

It's not supposed to be a big pull to initiate the shot. It's supposed to be a gentle and consistent increase in pressure so the shot goes off by itself, almost like a surprise.

If I were you I'd do some blank baling work and do plenty of shots where you get to the click and then let down and reset the release.

Your job isn't to hit the target in the bullseye. Your job is to make a strong, consistent shot. Let the release go off by itself, as a result of your increase in pressure.

I've seen similar stuff with a friend of mine who went to a resistance release to try and stop himself punching. He set it up so light that he could take his thumb off the safety and then make it go off with a gentle yank, which is essentially a punch. He overcame this by setting the release far too heavy and having to pull through it consistently for a very long time, and than gradually backing it off in the months afterwards.

 

[butcherboy]

The onnex clicker isn’t designed to really be used by pulling through the shot. It’s designed to slowly put pressure on the thumb button by either adding pressure with your thumb or “squeezing” your pinky finger and thumb together to create the pressure and manipulate the thumb trigger. If you want a pull through shot then use a Stann hinge release.

 

[Wilderlife]

You can shoot it by just moving your thumb, or shoot it by pulling through the shot.
Every thumb button is the same in that you can go with 'single digit manipulation' - Joel Turner's words, which essentially means a slow squeeze with your thumb, OR, lock your thumb in one place and then pull against it with back tension, elbow direction, smaller fingers, or a combination of all three, to make it go off.

If you're going right through the click, the issue isn't the method you are using to get the release to fire. The issue is that you're choosing to fire too fast and you're not letting the click do for you what it needs to do.

 

[cpalm9]

You can shoot it by just moving your thumb, or shoot it by pulling through the shot.
Every thumb button is the same in that you can go with 'single digit manipulation' - Joel Turner's words, which essentially means a slow squeeze with your thumb, OR, lock your thumb in one place and then pull against it with back tension, elbow direction, smaller fingers, or a combination of all three, to make it go off.

If you're going right through the click, the issue isn't the method you are using to get the release to fire. The issue is that you're choosing to fire too fast and you're not letting the click do for you what it needs to do.

I ended up watching a bunch of videos on the release. And yes, I was doing it wrong (at least in the sense of what that release was meant for). In playing around with it, I did find the click a few times and it felt great when I did. Like you said, it would take some practice to get really consistent.

All things considered, I did like the release quite a bit more than my Spot Hogg Wise Guy. Time is against me though... I've got an archery antelope tag that starts in less 2 months.

 

[Wilderlife]

I'm not sure two months is too little time, mate. Just spend some time in close and remind yourself that your task is to make a strong shot, rather than hit the bullseye.

Maybe it's just me but I have no issue going between a bunch of releases, but I'm also a fairly new compound hunter for the most part and don't have years of habits to break. I've hunted fairly solid with compounds for roughly 18 months or so (after hunting a bit in 2018 with fairly crappy form) and I've gone between a handful of hinges and thumb buttons and been fine.

I hunted briefly with the Stan C but I've since gone back to my Scott Ascent hinges.

 

[roosiebull]

I ended up watching a bunch of videos on the release. And yes, I was doing it wrong (at least in the sense of what that release was meant for). In playing around with it, I did find the click a few times and it felt great when I did. Like you said, it would take some practice to get really consistent.

All things considered, I did like the release quite a bit more than my Spot Hogg Wise Guy. Time is against me though... I've got an archery antelope tag that starts in less 2 months.

2 months is a long time, don’t worry about it. It seems like you are making yourself think time is running out and not taking your time

Slow down, focus on one shot at a time, and when your season starts, accept whatever level of shooting you are at the time, there is nothing more you can do

It does seem by your replies that you think you should be doing better than you are or improving faster… it doesn’t work that way… you are as good as you are at any given time and there are things that can help get you over a plateau, but there is no secret sauce

I like the onnex click, I will almost certainly hunt with it this year, but it’s no magic bullet and it’s as easy to shoot poorly as any release

Getting in a hurry is always a recipe for hardship in archery, slow down, know that there are no magic accessories, and accept your current skill level, thinking you should be shooting better than you are is not good, and will make you worse, both hunting and practicing

 

[Zac]

There isn’t a release that’s gonna cure your target panic. However you can put a bandaid on it with a tension activated release. I always found that if I shot a Silverback all summer it was very easy to transition to an index when season rolled around. I would not recommend hunting with the tension activated ones, unless you have nerves of steel.

 

[sodaksooner]

Use a shot trainer too, just a long pc of string in a loop that approximates your draw length. Just practice with that too and work on rolling to the click, then executing the shot. I will admit I blow through the click sometimes as well.

 

[3forks]

This isn’t directed specifically at the OP, but no release is going to help you get “better” - and while watching YouTube videos is helpful - it’s not going to take the place of having a coach evaluate your shot process and correct the issues you have.

Most guys I see shoot thumb releases are punchers and maybe just holding against the backwall, but definitely not pushing with their bow hand and pulling against the backwall.

While I’m sure Joel Turner wants to see a lot of Onnex Clickers sold, I’m guessing he would advise spending money on coaching before trying to solve an issue someone is having through buying a new release.

There are a lot of variables that affect executing a correct shot process, and not starting with a solid foundation results in someone quickly reaching a plateau in their ability to be accurate. A small flaw in your shot may not make you that inaccurate at 20/30 yards, but will really show up at further distances.

A person with proper fundamentals should be able to execute their shot process and get any kind of release they’re shooting to break cleanly. There may be a release that someone with the proper shot process prefers or gravitates to, but there’s no release that is going solve poor form and execution.

 

[roosiebull]

Use a shot trainer too, just a long pc of string in a loop that approximates your draw length. Just practice with that too and work on rolling to the click, then executing the shot. I will admit I blow through the click sometimes as well.

This is good advice, I made one with 550 cord and a little piece of D loop, that will at least help get a feel for the release and the speed you can execute your shot process… though you still have to be present when switching back to your bow, because there are a lot more moving parts when shooting and your mind still wants to revert back to the old ways when having to be at full draw and aim

More than the choice of release, I think the struggle is still accepting your pin float and not trying to time the shot

Choice of release may make it easier to slow down the shot and accept pin float, but with enough practice, you can punch any trigger, some just make it easier to see when you mess up

The onnex click does nothing useful if you don’t have enough discipline to slow the shot down, if you aren’t feeling the click every shot, the click doesn’t serve a purpose, it’s just a way to help separate the aim and release if you can stay disciplined

 

[Marshfly]

Good job bailing on the wise guy. Terrible release unless you just love to punch. That's what I started with also and man, what a mistake.

I bought a clicker a couple of months ago. My advice is this. Spend the next couple of weeks blank baling. Get super close to the target. Remove your sight if you have to. Focus ONLY on making a perfect release. Nothing else. Do that for as long as it takes. Those 2 weeks will do more for your shooting prior to archery antelope than ANYTHING else you can do.

Then, once you move back to actually using the pins, start close. Get to the click then focus only on the target. Let your eyes blur the pin and just trust the float. Trust your subconscious to put the arrow where it needs to be. Watch your groups shrink.

 

[cpalm9]

This is good advice, I made one with 550 cord and a little piece of D loop, that will at least help get a feel for the release and the speed you can execute your shot process… though you still have to be present when switching back to your bow, because there are a lot more moving parts when shooting and your mind still wants to revert back to the old ways when having to be at full draw and aim

More than the choice of release, I think the struggle is still accepting your pin float and not trying to time the shot

Choice of release may make it easier to slow down the shot and accept pin float, but with enough practice, you can punch any trigger, some just make it easier to see when you mess up

The onnex click does nothing useful if you don’t have enough discipline to slow the shot down, if you aren’t feeling the click every shot, the click doesn’t serve a purpose, it’s just a way to help separate the aim and release if you can stay disciplined

I'm attributing the "blowing through the click" to nerves and shop person watching me lol

 

[Zac]

I'm attributing the "blowing through the click" to nerves and shop person watching me lol

Highly doubtful, if you have TP then you'll be blowing through that click no matter what.