New to trad archery/trad hunting and was hoping for some advice or tips on transporting your trad bows for hunting or 3D shoots. So far I have a Grizzly and a Bodnik Kiowa both shorter bows but my next bow I will choose because how it shoots not how easily it travels. I have a full sized truck I was planning on getting a tonneau cover for and planning on getting a good case and put them in the bed for longer trips. What I worry about is heat while it's in the truck bed. What do you guys do? Other than use up the back seat, which is what I do for local trips.
back seat and an Eye on the Temps,and look for a parking space in the shade and open the wing windows
If you have a cover over the truck bed, the bows will be fine. Don't put them in there, or the back seat, strung if it's a hot day. Unstring them first and make sure they're in the shade and you won''t have any problems. Cloth cases also help keep the sun off of them. Extra protection.
Driving to a shoot or to hunt. Inside my truck unstrung in a cloth cover. AC is on hot days and controlling the temperature. Same as in the bed, unstrung cloth cover. Air is circulating while driving. Doubt anyone would leave a bow in a parked hot truck.
Deno
I was hoping to not be limited by a short bow or a take-down or trading in my truck for an SUV. What do the guys with longer bows and trucks do? I also have a Bear Montana and it does not fit in the cab of my truck. What do you do in that situation?
Kevin
I would lay it in the truck bed before I'd be buying another vehicle to fit my bows. I have a Ram Quad Cab so room is not an issue. If I have passengers the bows are fine in the bed til I get where I'm going. I made a false floor in my old truck bed out of plywood on 2x4s and covered with a truck bed mat to keep my flyrods and bows out of the eyes of snoopers while I stopped for breakfast. Worked great.
Deno
Thanks Deno. My Kiowa is my new turkey bow although it shoots well enough it might be another deer bow. I've been thinking about a take-down but don't want to limit myself to just that. If I find a great 60-62" recurve I would hate to pass just because of transportation issues. I mean, transportability is an issue, to keep us from going to compounds...
Kevin
Where there's a will, there's a way.
Good Luck finding that great recurve. That'll fit in your truck for sure.
Deno
You are overthinking it. I shoot 66-68 inch bows and either just put my bow in the passenger seat, tip down on the floor, feathers up in the quiver, or lay it across the back seat at an angle in my Tundra pickup. Used to do the same when I had a Tacoma. Just put it in at the right angle carefully - don't expect to just sling it in there and slam the door. Do not leave bow in hot weather in the cab, especially strung up, or in direct sunlight in there or you may get to see the glue lines in your limbs much more closely than you want to!
R
"You are overthinking it."
Yes I agree, I tend to do that. And for local trips this isn't an issue and I already have that figured out. I travel to Ohio once in the fall and we are going there in the spring this year. This will be the first year trying traditional in Ohio and my wife is coming so it adds to the logistical problem. For Spring we both have short 52" bows that fit into 1 longer gun case. For Deer I would like to not be limited to takedowns or a compound for my next deer bow. There has to be some others that have faced similar issues and have a solution.
It's pretty simple. Unstrung it, keep in a soft case or bowsock to protect the finish and keep direct sun from overheating it. You can even use a PVC tube if you want. Then put in truck bed or any position that works inside the vehicle. Trucks have beds, cars often have fold down seats for skis and such, and hatchbacks, hybrids have space inside if you try. Takedowns are convenient, but one piece bows are still portable. I'd be more worried about the bow blowing out the back of a truck if its unsecured than heat damage.
Or buy a 2-piece bow :)
Thanks Bunyan, this is what I was looking for.
Bladepeek, that is an option or rather I have been eyeing up a few recurve takedown bows such as a Bodnik Mohawk, Predator Hunter, etc. But I would hate to limit myself to a takedown is all in case I found something I really love that isn't a takedown.
I have never seen a bow you can't fit in a vehicle, even a Kia will take a Longbow!
I'm assuming, don't own either
I just retired from managing airports in a ski town. They drag skis around in square, adjustable length ski carriers. Not heavy but offer youru bows protection in travel. Agree with heat protection--- like false floor idea
http://www.3riversarchery.com/blog/best-recurve-bow-cases/
Keeping out of direct sun and watching the temperature are the biggest things for extended storage in a car. My above link is an article we posted (I wrote) about recurve bow cases, but applies to longbows too. Hope it is of some help.
If anyone likes it, I would sure appreciate you sharing it.
I lean my 66 inch longbow in the front seat without a problem. One tip down on the floor mat and the handle leaning on the divider between the seats. No issues.
I used to fit a 9.5' surfboard, a carbon fiber road bike, business clothes and casual clothes inside my Prius for an annual business conference in San Diego. Temps outside here were in the 100s and in the mid 80s in San Diego. For sunshine, I just put a dark towel or blanket over the top where it was exposed and I always leave the windows slightly cracked when parked in the summer. Never had a problem.
Bows are far simpler (especially take-down bows). If it's warm, wrap it in an old comforter and keep it out of the sun, preferably down low on the floorboard.
Of course, I was raised to not worry about nicks and dings on gear. Like with pickups, they're marks of character and use, not flaws to be avoided. So if you're the type who babies his gear or worries about a scratch on your car's paint job, don't ever listen to my advice on this kind of thing. If you spent $1500 on a bow, then make sure you spend a little more on a good, well-insulated case for it.
For a weekend shoot I keep the extra bows unstrung in a sock on the floor of the back seat and try to park in the shade. Crack the windows in very hot weather. Sometimes I move them to the tent during the camping trip.
Thanks everyone. What do you think about one of the nicer hard cases from 3Rivers in the bed of the truck and a tonneau cover? My truck is black too, yeah I wasn't into trad archery when I bought it. We could also take my wife's tiguan for travel if we had to, we don't really need to take the truck I suppose but some of the roads we travel in Ohio are a little rough, not offroad but will beat up a small car. I know heat is a killer but I also know the USPS LLV's are not air conditioned and they don't worry about keeping the bow you shipped with them in the shade.
I always use my truck on jaunts. Feel much better than in my wife's Mini Cooper. Plenty of room in the Mini but tired of looking at rear bumpers on a long drive.
Deno
Just a thought on PVC tubes. I feel in the past I have had a couple bows come apart after leaving them in a PVC tube in the bed of my truck. If left in the sun, the tube becomes like an oven.
Gordon, that was a concern of mine. I have a Montana and I bought a Flambeau fishing pole holder to transport it in the back of my truck. Too afraid to even use it except in early mornings. In the bed of my black truck, with a black bedliner in a black plastic tube. This really makes me lean towards a take-down for my next bow.
When I drive my old truck they go in the bed, It has a Bestop cover. If it goes in the cab or in my Subaru I just lean it against the front seat with one end in the floor. I usually transport it unstrung in a cloth cover. For short trips to the hunting spot it might be uncovered and strung if I've been shooting it. But never for long trips to a shoot.