Nocking an Arrow - The Proper Way to Handle and Control an Arrow

A cascade of panic floods over the bowhunter's being from head to toe as he realizes the arrow just sailed harmlessly over bucks back!  Cursing under his breath as the buck continues to plod along unaware of the hunter's presence due to the near silent low hum of the elegant longbow.  He instinctively, without conscious thought, has another arrow on the string without ever moving his gaze from the quarry.  The second arrow fluidly zips into the buck's chest, and relief fills the gracious hunter as the buck bounds away.

To get to the point of nocking without conscious thought, or without looking, requires a certain way to handle your arrow.  I routinely see folks at traditional shoots or posting video online that depict nocking in a way that will never enable them to perform the task without looking.  I can only assume these methods might feel natural, or make sense on the target line, but they are detrimental in the woods.

Perhaps this method is popular because of the prevalence of the bow quiver, and the practice of removing an arrow from the hood in this manner?  I'm not sure...

The ONLY way to get the arrow guided on the string in this way is to look at it!  Having 5 inches of arrow shaft ahead of the small groove you want your string in is difficult.

The most efficient way, with the most control, is to handle the arrow by the nock.  The great instructor John Schulz spends a great deal of time on this topic in his video "Hitting 'em Like Howard Hill".  In fact, he contends Howard only allowed them to grasp the arrow mid shaft when moving through heavy brush or difficult terrain.

Learning in this way has great benefits.  The greatest of these in my opinion is the technique readily allows you to nock an arrow by feel, rather than sight.

Pinching the nock between your thumb and base of the index finger allows pretty good positive control of the arrow.  It also allows the overhanging length of index finger and thumb to act as a guide to funnel the string onto the nock.

 Getting something between your fingers is a natural and instinctive act, ingrained by eons of evolution from our ancient ancestors when they discovered the value of the opposable thumb.  Once you have the nock on the string, it can be slid into position.  Many archers today use a double nock set, and this can also work against you.  Larger nock sets may help you by feel, but double nocks sets in general will not be as efficient when things make you panic.

Howard Hill taught Schulz to nock above the nocking point with the bow string angled out to the side, only one motion down onto the string was needed.  Bob Swinehart had a slight variation where he nocked from inside the brace area of the bow string more into the string.  Either way the handling by the nock is what allowed both men to get second arrows quickly and without looking into dangerous game.

One other thing I would like to mention, is that some modern nocks also work against quick nocking and control.    Skinny snap-on carbon style nocks are more difficult by design to get onto a string.  Large indicators on some glue-on nocks limit how much comfortable pressure you can use with the pinch grip.  That large indexers just gets in the way.  I file my indexers down.  I heard a report of an individual who took lessons from John Schulz recently, and one of the first things he told the student to do was to file off the indexers on his arrow nocks.  I really prefer the flared ears of the mercury speed nocks, and I feel this nock is still the best for hunters and quick string nock acquisition.

Which of the two nocks below would be quicker to get onto the string without looking?