Apparatus and methods are provided for holding an archery bow in a ready, near shooting position. A harness is worn around a hunter's chest. A sling also attaches to the hunter for holding a lower cam/pulley or lower limb of a compound archery bow. A bow string holder is carried by the harness. The bow string holder attaches to a string portion of the compound archery bow and allows the archery bow to hang therefrom to maintain tension on the bow string holder. The tension prevents the bow string holder from releasing the string until the tension is released upon the hunter's lifting of the archery bow from the sling for shooting an arrow.