Equipment: What Bow Is Right For You

Equipment
What bow is right for you?
By Ben Smith

In most Western states, you will probably know soon if you have drawn a coveted limited-entry tag. Whether that is for elk, deer, antelope, or any other limitedentry hunt, you’re sure to feel the anticipation and excitement of having the chance to chase that animal of your dreams. For those of you that do draw a limited tag, preparation begins soon, if not right now. There is a long list of equipment to get ready for the big hunt. Let’s talk about a piece of equipment that will spend as much time in your hands as a good pair of binoculars - your weapon. In this case, we’ll talk about archery, and how you can get your bow ready for that memorable hunt.

Having your bow properly set up and tuned is critical in getting the most out of it. An efficient set up includes choosing the bow, arrows, sight and accessories. To modern bowhunters, you will soon discover that many options lay before you. How do you sort through them all? How do you know what is the right equipment for you? Let’s look into these things and then I will give you a little bit more technical information to make you a more prepared hunter and archer.

What bow to choose? This question is constantly debated by many people. “I think Hoyt is the best because it is so quiet.” Or, “I think that Mathews is better because it is so fast.” There are a lot of great bow manufacturers out there like Hoyt, Mathews, PSE, and Martin - just to name a few. No matter what bow you choose, the ultimate judge of what is the “best” bow comes down to you. Go out and try every bow that you can. Every archery shop that I know of will let you look at a bow. Some will even let you shoot it. If you find one of the rare shops where you can test shoot the bow, take advantage of it. The more time you spend with a bow, the more you get a feel for that bow’s particular characteristics. If your local shop does not allow this, look around for one that does, or find a friend that has the same bow that you’re looking at. Your friend’s bow may have the wrong draw length, but you will still get an idea for how the bow feels. Ultimately, you will find a bow that matches your style and your hunting situation. If the whole process seems a bit confusing, ask your pro-shop, they can get you pointed in the right direction.

How do you sort through all the different arrow types? There are a lot to choose from: Easton, Gold Tip, and Carbon Express are all great arrows. All of these manufacturers make an arrow to fit your every need. When purchasing a hunting arrow, look for something that will give you good penetration and can also take a beating. Most states have laws declaring the minimum arrow weight for hunting. Check your local laws to make sure that your final arrow selection meets those laws. Beyond that, talk to your pro-shop to help you find the best arrow for you.

What sight should I use? This is a lot like choosing your bow. Look around. Look at as many different sights as you can. Determine what your hunting situation is like and try to choose a sight that best matches your situation. There are many great sights, with a lot of different features. If you are looking for a high-tech, hard core, hunting sight, take a look at Spott Hogg. Their sights are tough as nails and offer some awesome features. If you still want an incredible sight but don’t want to break the bank, take a look at Cobra or Copper John Sights. Both of these companies make tough sights, with great features at an affordable price.

Now comes the fun part, you get to accessorize your bow. This is where you choose your arrow rest, quiver, stabilizer, and wrist sling. Don’t overlook these areas, because they can make a big difference - especially when you’re out in the woods. Again, keep in mind your hunting situation and choose accordingly. If you are hunting in a stand, weight isn’t as big of a factor as when you are hunting in the backcountry. Keep your hunting style in mind as you choose to outfit your bow. It can save you some unwanted shoulder aches when packing your bow in the field.

Now that you have your bow, arrows, sights and accessories chosen, lets get your bow tuned up. A bow is like a machine that will function to its highest efficiency when put together properly. For example, a gasoline truck wouldn’t run very efficiently if you put diesel fuel in it. But, if you used the proper gasoline, it would run efficiently and for thousands of miles. The same is true with a bow. When a bow is set up properly, it will last much longer and operate much more efficiently than it would otherwise. Do some quick measurements to make sure that your bow is running on the right “gasoline.”

To help you get started, let’s cover some basic vocabulary. The following is a list of words that will help you determine if your bow is properly adjusted to begin with.

Axle to Axle: The measurement from the center of the top limb’s axle to the center of the bottom limb’s axle.

Tiller: The measurement from the back of the limb pocket to the string. This should be at a 90-degree angle to the string.

Brace Height: The measurement from the back of the grip to the string. This measurement should also be at a 90- degree angle to the string.

Most of the above measurements should be set from the factory, but it never hurts to check. Axle to axle should be whatever it specifies in your owners manual or on the manufacturers website. Tiller should be the same on the top and the bottom. This helps you to detect if your limbs are at the same setting in your riser. Brace height is also another area in which you can detect any differences in the way your limbs are tied to the riser. Any variance in these measurements tells you that your bow is out of specification and thus not working at its maximum efficiency. These adjustments are best done by a trained technician with the proper tools. Once your bow is set up properly, it can be tuned using your arrows, rest and release. You can tinker around with this if you like, and your shop may even be willing to teach you a few tricks about how to tune. Once your bow is tuned, pull out a measuring tape and do some quick measurements. These measurements include the ones above, but you might also measure a few things to make set-up quick and easy in case a disaster happens. Other things can be measured, such as: the distance from your peep to the top of your nocking point, the distance between the inside of your riser and your arrow rest, the distance your arrow rest is extended away from the riser, and whether or not your nocking point is at 90-degrees or slightly higher like some manufacturers recommend. Watch your string, if it starts to get dry or fray just a little, put some string wax on it. Keeping your string waxed will increase the life of your string dramatically. Also watch your top and bottom cams, if the serving wrapped around the strings or cables starts to separate keep a careful eye on it. You can still shoot it safely, but if it starts to get down to bare string or cable, it is time for a replacement. Keep in mind that a little maintenance will prevent any catastrophes while hunting.

With all of this information it is easy to become overwhelmed. Pace yourself and remember to have fun. After all, fun is what you are after. Choosing your bow and all of its accessories is a fun undertaking. Tuning your bow can keep you busy for a very long time. When that moment of truth comes and you have that shot at the trophy of a lifetime, your new best friend will be set up and tuned and so will you. Good luck.

Tags: Ben SMith, HI31

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