When it comes to shooting your bow accurately, consistency and a repeatable motion are the name of the game to create pinpoint accuracy. There are a ton of add-ons that can be put on a bow to help hunters with their consistency and a nose or kisser button are just another option. But are they a must-have for bow hunters?
Kisser and nose buttons can create additional anchor points between the bow string and the shooter’s face that aids the shooter in aligning their shot and producing a consistent shot every time. These simple add-ons are not a must, but many find them extremely useful for consistent shooting.
Kisser and nose buttons are definitely a preference from shooter to shooter, but there is so much to consider when it comes to using one of these add-ons. Let’s take a look at these devices designed to help with shooting consistency.
What is a Nose Button?
A nose button is simply a small piece of molded hard rubber that is attached to the bow string and is aligned to the tip of the nose when installed on the bow string.
Currently, the only company that makes these nose buttons is Bowmar Archery. They created and are waiting on patent approval for the nose button.
This is simply a small attachment on the string that when the bow is at full draw, allows the shooter to quickly line up their sights and find a consistent anchor point by touching the nose button to the tip of their nose.
The nose button is designed with small spikes on it to allow for quick and easy alignment by feeling the small spikes on the button touch the tip of the nose.
These are extremely easy to install and adjust by any bow owner. The guys at Bowmar are very good at showing and explaining how to install a nose button. Their installation video also greatly explains more about the product itself and anyone can do it in the comfort of their own home with no special tools needed.
What is a Kisser Button?
Much like the nose button, a kisser button is a small plastic piece that attaches to the bow string and is aligned between the lips of the shooter’s mouth. This is another system add-on that can help shooters align their sight picture quicker and more accurately.
There are a lot of different companies that make kisser buttons with a few different styles for shooters to choose from.
The kisser button has been around for over 20 years now and has become a pretty popular add-on that many bow users equip their bow with to help them with more accurate shot placement. Many swear by them while others dislike them. It all comes down to preference.
Kisser buttons are easy to install, usually a plastic disk that slides over the bow string and then is tied to the bow string to keep it in place once it is aligned correctly for the shooter.
This installation process takes no specialized tools and can be performed by any archer. And the price point for this add-on is very low, sometimes below $5 or ranging as high as $20-$25. Get one on Amazon for less than $10 here.
Purpose of a Kisser or Nose Button
The purpose of the kisser or nose button is simply to give the shooter more consistency in their shooting process to help with more accurate shot placement.
Every good archer has a process that they follow to align their shot before releasing an arrow. The kisser or nose button is an added step that helps with the process of alignment.
Most archers who do not use a kisser or nose button are trying to find a comfortable anchor point when they draw their bow to a hold. This allows them to find a good alignment and proper sight picture.
The kisser and nose buttons were introduced to give archers a consistent and stable anchor point that they can reference during their shooting process.
This may seem like a very simple system to help, but is a very important aspect of making good shots in the archery world.
A consistent anchor point and good sight picture are the key to making the best shots possible. So why wouldn’t there be a product to help establish a better anchor point?
Pros of Kisser and Nose Buttons
There are a few pros that the use of a kisser and nose button can bring to the table for archers that make a lot of sense for veterans and newbies alike. Let’s take a look at the pros that they can bring to archers.
Consistency
This is the number one thing that kisser and nose buttons bring to the table when it comes to archery. Consistent form is the name of the game and that stems from the archer having consistent processes to find a consistent anchor point to make consistent shots. If consistency can be obtained, good shots can be made more frequently.
By adding a normalized and consistent anchor point to your process and form, archers can use the kisser or nose buttons to feel their consistency in their anchor points. There are two areas of consistency that tend to have the biggest impact on accurate shot placement in archery: the draw and the head position.
Consistency in your draw can really affect not only the flight path of the arrow but also other things like sight picture clarity and also a good shot alignment. For those who use compound bows, the length of draw is not as big of an issue due to the let-off of the bow, but it can still help with the up and down consistency of the draw.
For more traditional archers who use recurve bows, a button could be a huge advantage in helping with consistency in your draw.
When it comes to head position consistency, this is an aspect that gets very little attention but can play a huge impact on making good shots. If you have shot bows frequently, you may find yourself searching for a good sight picture in which you are constantly moving your head around to find the best alignment possible. Buttons tend to help eliminate this process which can greatly throw off the accuracy of shots.
The more anchor points that an archer can use during their setup will help with consistency. The kisser and nose buttons allow for a quick and easy anchor point that can be added to an archer’s draw process to create consistency. So if you already use your nose as an anchor point on your string, a kisser button can create a second anchor point and allow for more consistency.
Confidence
Ever been in a tree stand or been shooting with friends and felt nervous about having to make a shot, hard or easy? Confidence is a real thing that can affect even the best shooters and every part of the shooting process should help build confidence in the archer that they will make a quality shot on their intended target. Kisser and nose buttons can help create confidence in your shot.
If you can feel another anchor point and feel that it helps you make better shots during practice, that confidence will translate to shots being made in the field or during competitions with your friends on the range.
If you are new to archery or have been having trouble staying consistent, a nice way to get a quick and easy confidence boost in your shot might come by installing and using a kisser or nose button on your bow string.
Cons of Kisser and Nose Buttons
There will seem like there are a lot more cons to kisser and nose buttons, especially kisser buttons, but they all come down to the comfort level of the user in all cases, which we will discuss with each con of these shooting aids.
Unnecessary
Some people think that buttons are all together just an unnecessary piece of equipment to put on their bow. And that is perfectly fine for many people who don’t use this add-on. That is their preference.
An archer can be extremely accurate without the use of a kisser or nose button. And those that are, put a lot of time and practice into using their own natural anchor points to find consistency in their process. It all depends on the archer and their attention to detail during their shot process.
Level of Precision Is Not Perfect
Some archers feel that there is not enough precise consistency in any shot to use a kisser or nose button because when something isn’t right, the feel is not perfect. And this could be as little as a change in facial expression that could throw off the use of a kisser button. Due to these types of factors, some archers prefer to not use a kisser button due to the lack of precision from shot to shot with it.
Too Much Going On
Some archers feel that having an additional anchor point makes them overthink and focus too much on the anchor points themselves instead of the shot in front of them. Some like the simplified feel of having minimal anchor points and want to keep their draw and shot process as simple as possible.
This can be seen as a burden to some. For others, the kisser or nose button is the simplified anchor point that helps them stay consistent.
Real-World Application
Some bow hunters feel that a kisser or nose button doesn’t work in all conditions. They work fine when they are used in the backyard or on the range during practice, but not always when you are in the thick of things in nature.
Access to your mouth might not always be possible when you are in the field. When trying to conceal yourself on a hunt, hunters use neck and head covers that also cover the mouth and nose. This can cause issues if you are used to practicing with a nose or kisser button.
The perfect stance and setup may not be available to the archer in the field and they feel that practicing this way with a kisser or nose button does not allow for adjustments and changes on the run. This might be true, but archers should be practicing in the same type of conditions and setups that they might encounter in the field. Consistency is the name of the game.
Smaller Issues
Some minor issues that archers have reported, especially about kisser buttons, is that they can damage the lips of the shooter. While this is not out of the realm of possibility, it can be avoided. Finding the right kisser button is key. It is recommended that you find a smaller-sized kisser made out of a softer material rather than hard plastic.
Others have also said that it can have a negative effect on arrow speed and arrow flight due to the kisser button being in the mouth of the archer. The speed could be affected by more weight on the string and also drag from the mouth, but these should be minimal and not noticeable to the naked eye. The kisser button should not be in the mouth so far as to create drag or to throw off the flight path of the arrow itself.
Styles of Buttons
While there is only really one style of nose buttons, there are a variety of kisser buttons that are available. The difference in styles is predicated on how the kisser button is installed on the string.
The two that take no special equipment to be installed on the bow string are anchor clips and glue-on kisser buttons. The installation process is in the name. Anchor clips use metal bands to securely fix the button to the string. This is the most popular type of kisser button.
Glu-on kisser buttons fit around the string and then a form of super glue is used to fix it to the string. A strong glue is needed but these have a tendency to fall off at the most inopportune time. This leads a lot of archers to avoid this style of kisser button.
Finally, there are kisser buttons called fit overs. This requires the string to be removed from the bow and the kisser button is threaded onto the string. This might be the most secure way of putting a kisser button on, but it is also the hardest and will require a bow press.
Worth Trying
Kisser and nose buttons may not be every archer’s cup of tea, but they are worth a shot at trying them if you are new or have a hard time staying consistent when making shots. If you are already very comfortable with your process and happy with the consistency of your shots, then a kisser or nose button probably isn’t needed.
With the relatively low cost and easy installation process of kisser and nose buttons, this is an easy add-on to give a try with. At the most, you are out about $20 and some time to give it a try. But if it gives you a little more consistency and better shot placement, it was well worth the investment.
There is very little downside to giving the kisser and nose button a fighting chance to help your shot. If 13-time World Champ Levi Morgan is willing to use a Bowmar Nose Button, shouldn’t you at least give a kisser or nose button a try yourself?
Go through some trial and error to see what style and type might work. If you reference the pro and con lists above, many of the cons are in regards to kisser buttons, but those cons are very much user preferences and can be worked around.
Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and use an add-on like a kisser or nose button to help with your shooting process. You could find that it helps tremendously and that the need of a fixed anchor point really improves your shot. Worst case scenario, it doesn’t feel comfortable and it’s not for you. Remove it and you are right back where you started.
Don’t just take our word for it, get out there and try one for yourself. It might just help you!