Archery Anchor Points for Beginners

Anchor points are a vital part of accurately shooting a bow.

Without them in your shooting process, you're left to guessing if you're drawing and holding your bow the same way every time.

But what are anchor points and how do you use them to improve your shot consistency?

What is An Archery Anchor Point?

An archery anchor point is a spot on an archer's body or face that they consistently hold the bowstring at full draw.

An anchor point is an essential key to success as an archer.

Without it, all consistency is gone, and with it, accuracy, speed, and ability to be on target.

Many archers find anchor points along their jaw, under their ear, the corner of their lip, etc.

Finding the anchor point that works for your draw length and hand position is essential.

For example when I draw my recurve bow I take my pointer finger knuckle to the corner of my mouth so that the string rests just so slightly near my lip.

This position always keeps me peep in sight and gives me a consistent release point.

My wife on the other hand uses a mechanical trigger release and she always pulls her anchor point to where the trigger is slightly behind her mouth and her knuckles rest under her ear.

Everyone has their own anchor point and it is important to find a consistent spot early on when shooting your bow.

Related: Best Beginner Bows

Where Should My Anchor Point Be?

Everyone has their own anchor point and what feels the best for their archery form.

The top spots that people use are; lip cradle, jawbone, nose, and some even use their ear.

When working on which anchor point works for you, make sure you stand tall and pull to full draw every time to ensure consistency.

If you plan on using a part of your mouth or nose make sure your jaw is slightly shut and not clenched; this can cause facial movements that are inconsistent and will throw off your anchor point.

The way you stand and position your body has a huge effect on your anchor point (and overall shot) so do your best to be both consistent with your anchor point as well as your body positioning.

Also keep in mind that your anchor points might vary from bow to bow.

In my case, I use different anchor points when I'm shooting my recurve bow than I do when I shoot my compound bow.

What Is The Best Archery Anchor Point?

Best is very subjective to your shot.

Make sure to position your body consistently and then your fingers should touch the same point each time you draw.

All over the internet there are opinions on the best anchor point.

I can say I have used different anchors throughout the different bows and gear I have gotten to use.

However I can say that I have also used multiple anchor points.

One point for where my fingers touch me and another for where the bowstring touches me.

Many high level archers believe having multiple anchor points will help increase your consistency.

​Overall finding the anchor point that makes you the most accurate and comfortable is the best anchor point!

How Many Anchor Points Should I Have?

Most archers are taught to have two or three anchor points to help with consistency.

However I have spoken to many archers who try to keep more than that.

I find more than 3 is too many to keep track of and takes focus away from some other important attributes of the shot.

Most people who shoot archery lean towards two which allows them a spot for their knuckle and the string.

​Some increase this by using other devices like a kisser button to increase their number of anchor points.

What is a kisser button?

This is a small attachment to the bowstring that when the bow is fully drawn it sits in the archers corner of their mouth or against their nose.

These attachments are customizable and so when you get it on your string you can draw the bow and adjust the height of the kisser button to make sure it lies where you want it.

​The purpose of the kisser button is to provide you with another anchor point to increase your consistency on your draw and therefore your shot overall.

Related: What is Draw Weight?

Are anchor points different for compound and recurve bows?

Anchor points can change from bow to bow slightly.

However the anchor point when using a compound or recurve will mainly differ if your release aid is different.

If you are using a mechanical trigger, a finger tab, or just your fingers will adjust what materials you have to use as an anchor point as well as hand position.

If you pick up multiple compound bows that are the same draw length and weight your anchor point should not really make a noticeable change.

However the shift to recurve will change just based on the mechanics of the bow as well as hand position on full draw.