Backquivers have been around for a very long time. There are alot of choices to pick from and my following instructions may not work with all. The Hill style backquiver is the choice of many and will hold alot of arrows if one wishes to carry lots. I for one like to only carry six to eight in the main section and any others may be placed above the deviding lace within at the top.After one has the chest strap properly adusted snugly across his or her chest, you can draw arrows easily from it. If you wear your quiver strap to loose, it will hang to low down one's back making it hard to retrieve your arrows when needed.When making your draw, you need to bring your bow hand back and find the bottom of the quiver, steadying the quiver and pushing upward slightly. At this same time you need to be reaching for a selected arrow with your drawing hand. These two described steps are done at the same time and only in doing so will you be able to enjoy the use of a backquiver.If one tries to reach for an arrow without placing his or her bow drawing hand at the bottom edge of the quiver, an archer will look like a dog trying to catch its tail,and most of the time will be seen turning around in one's tracks.The reason being, when the good Lord made us humans, he made our chest and arm sockets in a way that we can reach more easily backwards over our shoulders when we do our arms in unison. This too tells our mind where the arrows are and we can draw an arrow out of the quiver without having to ever look. This has come in handy for me when hunting wild boar, and needing to keep my eyes on the suject at hand. Otherwise if I were to take my eyes away and then look back forward,I would not know where to find my animal. Chances are he or she would be running half way up my leg, no time to side step or get off a shot, much less climb a tree.After retreiving an arrow you swing up and over and down onto the bowstring, nocking the arrow, redying to make the draw.A nock that has a small indicator on top allows one to volley the arrow and know mentally where the nock groove is located without looking to see. I prefer to nock my arrow on top of the nocking point, as it makes placement on the string much easier than nocking an arrow under the nocking point.My choice of arrow placement on top of the nocking point, keeps every movement flowing in unison.It would be helpful if one would do nothing else but practice drawing and nocking an arrow in order to be better prepared under hunting conditions.For hunting reasons the practice of getting faster at nocking an arrow can be just as important as practice of shooting. These two things go hand in hand when the pressue is on. Hope this info will help you that may be considering the use of a backquiver and those that have never had someone explain matters. Jerry Hill
Thanks Jerry cool tips
I think you should do a short video of some of your tips Jerry.
Jer
Thanks Jerry.
Thanks Jerry,
I was drawing an arrow out of my back quiver that way by necessity for years and I thought that it was wrong (or at least not 100% correct)
I thought that the quiver just didn't fit me properly, or that my chest was too big or something.
Boy, now I feel normal!
Thanks Jerry- isn't this the way John Schulz demonstrated in his video years ago? Really is a skill/art unto itself!
Jerry, Guess your right. Tell you what, I sure like that horse your on. If you have an extra I'd love to join you on a hunt for cats. I'd rather hunt than show off in front of a camera. So if a camera is to come along, which I don't mind,someone else will have to shoot the camera as you can't shoot your bow and shoot a camera at the same time and I would be planning on flinging some arrows.Jerry Hill..........
Dan, Yes, John Schultz did a fine job at showing what I have tried to explain.Jerry Hill......
No problem on the horse and I will video - no cats - no cats here we can hunt, but I am sure we could do something.
All non canadians have to be guided by an approved guiding service....that sucks.
I can guide non-resident canadians for certain animals, but it's limited.
Maybe I could trailer them south of the border though...hmmmm...that's a thought.
Jer
I am coming from kitchener Ont to Milton Florida and I hope to see Terry Green on the way and alabama is close so maybe we could get together on my trip - this will be around the 25-26 of May
Jer
Jerry, Hold tight just a little longer. My son's wife's cat is expecting. And when those kitty's get here I will UPS you some, so you won't be without.HA! HA! All jokes aside maybe our hunting trails will cross sometime.Jerry Hill....
Cats - no thanks bud...we have had our fill of pets - my horse is the only thing I want now...tee hee
Hunting - yipper maybe...Like I say I am coming in a couple of months to hunt and fish so maybe we can meet up and share a beer or something. I will be on my bike, but I am bringing my bows/flyrods and a BIG SMILE
Jer
Thanks Jerry for the explanation of the back quiver. I thought I might have to yoga to find that arrow back there. jeff
Thanks Jerry for the tips of drawing and the nocking. Looks like I will practice more on nocking going forward.
imo - while nothing says 'trad archery/bowhunting' better than a sweet lookin' backquiver, functionally they just don't work as well as other quiver designs.
for me, the best functional off-bow quiver is still a good side slung quiver, like the safari tuff arrowmaster or duiker.
ymmv.
Jerry, Although a lot of your "tips" are obvious to many that have been at this for a while...they will help some of the newcomers to our sport.
Rob, Thanks for your input. Backquivers aren't for everyone. But for those archers that wish to be more readied while in the field bowhunting, the backquiver when properly used, just can't be beat. Within a short time of serious practice as in shooting of the bow, an archer can practice to the point of drawing the arrow from the quiver,nocking the arrow,drawing the bow, coming to anchor and release, in a matter of one second and a half. This may sound impossible, but believe me I have done it, and several of my friends that have practiced along side me have done the same. I've never seen an archer that uses a bow quiver or side quiver to be able to achieve this feat. But whatever the case may be use what you like best, this is just my experiences that I wanted to share.I like that picture of you and the hog.Stay in touch, I want to hear about your hunting.Jerry Hill.........
i agree jerry - a properly designed and used back quiver is the fastest on a reload. in that it's got all the other quiver types beat, imo.
however and imho, the rest of a back quiver's functionality is just dismal compared to other quiver types, including a bow quiver.
the best overall use of a backquiver was presented in an iam article by scott toll ...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/p55.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/p56.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/p57.jpg)
here's a buck I killed when I was young (18 yrs ago) on the second shot, missed the first, and the back quiver made a quick second shot possible from the ground...
(http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww260/overspined/1992Michigan.jpg)
Thanks Jerry. I'm new to a backquiver. My mother-in-law made me a very basic but beautiful leather backquiver for Christmas this year and I haven't gotten the hang of it.
I thought that only a poorly designed backquiver would require use of your bowhand as well as your drawhand to draw the arrow.
I gave up on mine and labeled it an art piece after the first time I tried to use it. I think I'm going to take it back out rabbit hunting with me this weekend for a second try now.
Another classic DUH moment on my part. lol
Jerry,
Thanks for this and all your posts. I appreciate your knowledge and experience.
Rob,
I used the Scott Toll article you cited above as my model for my own back quiver. His design works very well. As streamlined and no nonsense a quiver as you can get. Pull it under your arm in heavy brush and it's a side quiver!
Maybe it's just my monkey arms, but with a decently designed quiver I have no need to bump up the quiver with my bow hand.
Backquivers have their place and I enjoy using them, but in most of the dense thickets I hunt there are better options for me.
Keep 'em coming Jerry! :)
I think a backquiver is great from a treestand and for bunny hunting.
My buddy has one of those ABH solo stalker quivers on his longbow and he hunts with a backquiver. That way he has one knocked, one on the bow, and the rest on the backquiver.
Rob, Thats a great picture of Scott Toll, He's got real good archery shooting form. It would be good to look at his picture real close as I feel that he's really got it down pat. If I were instructing him, I would like to see his drawing elbow a little bit lower. But, if he like's it that way then its fine, as I'm sure that it doesn't effect his shooting. Great looking bow he's shooting as well. Look at that arch in the limbs, its tillered perfectly, got to be a great shooting bow. Jerry Hill.................
Overspined, A real nice buck. You got a right to be all smiles, and to think that you killed him with your second shot and was only able to do so because you were using a backquiver. What a true testimonial in surport of a backquiver. Hope mostly that the next time you shoot at another fine deer, your arrow finds its mark the first time around. Thank you for sharing this with us all. Jerry Hill..........................
LimbLover, Thanks for your reply.Enjoyed hearing your story about the homemade backquiver. It was meant to be used, so use and enjoy it, and you will be carrying lady luck on your back at all times, I promise, this is a grat gift to have from someone that cared enough about you to make something for you in surport of what you like to do. I like things that have special meaning, so don't leave her at home anymore.Jerry Hill.......
Guru, Thank you for your surport and input. The topics I write, are things that I learned long ago from H.Hill. He taught me these things and told me that alot of it he had always kept it to himself in order to stay on top. I have been guilty of doing the same, but now that I am older most of my interest is in trying to help advise my fellow archers. I could easily be selfish and take this knowledge to my grave, but what good would it serve? None. It is rewarding to me, to hear from fellow archers like yourself that say they appreciate my sharing of information. I know that there are alot of excellant archers that are perfectly satisfied with their choices and etc. and you couldn't change their minds for no reason. But, in my book that is o.k. and I truely respect their feelings, because as long as one is enjoying what and how they choose to play the game of archery, I'm on their side all the way to the haybale. Archery is meant to be a fun sport. Politics can ruin the best of any sport.Jerry Hill...................
Thanks for the Tips Jerry, The first thing that I noticed in that picture of Scott Toll was the bend in the bow limbs.The quiver didn't do it for me, but that bow did. Your words to limblover are great. If I could ask a question. I shoot an arrow that is 31.5"-32" long. What length back quiver should I use? Thank you Sir.
Chuck
p.s. nice buck Matt(young pup)
i love back quivers but they dont like me.every time i try one i wind up spinning around in circles trying to grab an arrow,cant shoot what i cant reach.wish i could though,love em.everything about them says trad hunter to me. :banghead: :(
I have lost track of how many times I took a fast shot at an animal, especially rabbits, and missed for one reason or another. Then grit my teeth, try not to cuss out loud, and jerk out the next arrow and made the kill. It happened with deer three years in a row. There is simply nothing that works like a back quiver for the stalking hunter. As for the one pictured hanging on the fellows side, I would wrestle with that one on every shot.
Jerry,
I agree with Guru that these tips are also tips that a newcomer will also benefit from...I myself have been reading your tips and it also helps some of us seasoned tradhunters as well...Keep up the good work Jerry and Thanks!<")))><
I always wanted to use a backquiver for many years. Didn't have one and thought I couldn't afford a good one (about the price of some bows)then I got lucky and found one, then traded one of my selfbows for a better one. Now I feel like ye olde archer of history. Learning to draw from it took some doing and hunting in brush a problem til I learned to let it swing back so the feathers were not tangleing in limbs. In quivers like every else theres always the temptation to invent an easier way rather than practice the old way until it becomes easier.
Barley, Thanks for your comments. Using the Backquiver in thick brush country, you can try what I have always done. When starting into the thick of things, slide you quiver down your back allowing the chest strap to rotate around. Once your quiver is under your bow arm clamp down the quiver with your bow arm, so as to not allow the arrows to work their way out. At the same time surport your bow on top of the quiver which will aid in the clamping, with the front portion of your bow out in front of you that can be used to move small limbs and vines out of your way as you travel through. This I have done over the years when traveling fast after the dogs in chase of a wild hogs.I have ran through thick places this way and then when I reach a place that I can straighten up, I reverse everything and ready myself for a shot.Jerry Hill...........
Jerry
Great tips, very straight and logical.
Rob I love those pics of Scott, they just bleed "traditional". I would love to get full size versions if possible.
Jerry
Great tips, very straight and logical.
Rob I love those pics of Scott, they just bleed "traditional". I would love to get full size versions if possible.
I put it into practice this afternoon. Great tips Jerry, keep them coming.
P.S. Pushing up with your bow hand seems basic enough but it helped me a lot.
Ginkster, I'm glad that you are making my suggestions work for you. Sometimes what you have invested in may be just what you need, if only someone would help explain experiences that they have learned. We can all learn something from each other. I love making discoveries within this sport. It keeps my interest alive.Jerry Hill
Jerry I brought the quiver back out today bunny hunting and had a blast with it!
I've decided I'm going to practice with it while target shooting to start getting used to it. It really adds something to shooting and I enjoy it!
thanks Jerry for sharing, cleared some thing up for me using the backquiver. I am a broad chested short guy and have used cheap quivers and purchased a Howard Hill quiver from Craig. From reading your advice have the strap to low and chasing my tail, thanks.
I have a beautiful back quiver from Art Vincent called the Rover and that was my intention when I got it. I wasn't sure about the proper "etiquette" when drawing the arrow and this is huge for me. Thank you. I saw a short video clip of Ron LaClair and he was using his bow hand to "bump up" the quiver a bit, but I thought that can't be "right", they don't do it like that in the movies! Where do you grasp the arrow? I find myself grabbing the fletching.Should it be below the fletch? grabbing the nock doesn't seem solid enough. I also have one of Art's side quivers, the Adcock 6 arrow, which I planned to use for hunting, but will practice this "new" technique as I seem to like a lot of arrows on board. I don't see the wool "gob" at the bottom of the quiver for wiping off your errant arrows. Art shows one on his website and I have a book that shows their construction. My next project.
Thanks again, keep the info coming.
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
i agree jerry - a properly designed and used back quiver is the fastest on a reload. in that it's got all the other quiver types beat, imo.
however and imho, the rest of a back quiver's functionality is just dismal compared to other quiver types, including a bow quiver.
the best overall use of a backquiver was presented in an iam article by scott toll ...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/p55.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/p56.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/p57.jpg)
Rob,
Thank you for posting these great pictures, hope you don't mind that I have saved them off to my computer for future reference. I have a side quiver that yes does, IMO, have more functional advantages than the back quiver; however, after seeing these pictures and Jerry's instructional tips there is a compelling pull to go back to using a back quiver. Sometimes newer and more functional just may not be what makes me feel at home in the woods. Something about a back quiver and possibles bag seems right.
Great post Jerry, thank you.
Thanks for the tips. :campfire:
Going through brush is much easier if you slide the quiver under the bow arm and snug down with your elbow as Jerry says....like this
(http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/yy241/davidmitchell_6466/Empty/Hill%20Tembo/Back%20quiver%20use/Backquiveruseage004.jpg)