Trad Gang

How important is bow camo? Do the straight lines of the bow draw too much attention? Is something like this necessary, or effective? I was thinking I could probably make something like this from 3rivers if some bow camo is needed, but I wanted to hear from you guys first. Thanks!

http://www.3riversarchery.com/product.asp?i=5968X

I always have a little chuckle about bow camo - you want to disguise a piece of wood so that it isn't noticed amongst a forest/bushland full of pieces of wood. The vast majority of bowhunters are successful with their bows, whatever the timber, just as they are.

"you want to disguise a piece of wood so that it isn't noticed amongst a forest/bushland full of pieces of wood."

Well when you put it like that! Haha!  ;)

Gotta agree why do it.

for the turkeys i hunt it sure helps, they seem to walk around looking for something out of place in theyre world of wood. i had a jake at 10 ft. the other day and i coulda swore he looked me in the eye and thought to hiself (you again).  

If your bow has nice earth tones of gray, black, brown, etc, it may not be that critical.  The bow should blend in nicely to the natural surroundings.  

Brock, give us a little info about your bow and the type of hunting you want to do.  Does your bow have black glass or some other color glass on the limbs?  Is the bow a bright color like fresh osage orange is?  Will you be hunting turkeys off the ground or deer from a treestand?  

Here in Jersey you don't stand much of a chance against a big mature Eastern Gobbler without full camo, bow/gun included.  The old adage here is that if turkeys had a sense of smell they would be impossible to kill.  Like arrow30 said I they know damn well when something is out of place in their world.

My girlfriend's bow had white glass so I put fake snakeskins on the limbs.  They cost about the same as the lemkovers you posted and you can use Mother Nature's camo design to hide your bow.  I don't know if you've ever had any experience with Timber Rattlesnakes.  I worked on a research project tracking them and let me tell you if they don't move you won't see them.  AMAZING camouflage.

I got some AWU LimbSkins from Lancaster Archery on sale about a month ago.  I don't see them on the website, but give them a call to see if they have any more in stock.  Or pick up some Limbsations from Onestringer.com.  I've read great things about them.  They are removable decals that won't mar your bow finish.  Several different snake patterns and they look really natural, plus no snake has to has to give up his skin to give you some ultra cool camo.
Check it out:   http://onestringer.com/index.php?page=mods/Products/itemdetail&itemid=99

It is not the color of the limbs, it can be the straight lines that get noticed, but most likely it is the movement or the glare of the limbs that is noticed. I do like camo with a dull finish.

I use the camo Limbskins when I hunt not so much for the camo but the cloth gives NO reflection. Even the matte or textured finnishes can flash a great deal with direct light(sunrise/sunset). You can see this if you have ever tried to take a picture of your bow and not get the flash reflected in the limbs. If they made the limbskins in a med gray, tan, or od green I would use them too.

My 42# bow is naturally camoed. The limbs have a veneer of stained red elm so the darker wood grain on the limbs makes the limbs look "tiger striped".

It's the shine of the bow that concerns me.  Most natural objects are dull, and don't shine or reflect sunlight back.  

I've got a very light weight camo shirt for turkey hunting that I'm concerned with because it has more "shine" than I would like.  It's made of poly.  ...  One thing I will say about wool is that there is simply no shine.  So, I'm thinking my next bow camo will be made of wool.

I haven't gotten my Blacktail yet, and am anxious to see how "Matt" the Matt finish is.  Norm's gonna try getting it to me before my August Bear hunt. ... Here's hoping.  ...  Based on Night Wing's write up, bow camo is one worry I won't have...

have a all bamboo longbow ive used both the limb skins and camo paint also natural killed two deer and a turkey in the fall from a tree stand with no camo but if your on the ground fro spring turkey give yourself every advantage.

I'll be hunting from the ground, not many trees tall enough for a stand around here. Turkeys and deer. My new bow has (once its finished, anyway) a satin finish wiith walnut colored limbs.  The light reflection was my primary concern, as I will be in the sun a lot. Do the camo wraps or leaves affect the performance much?

I have 3d tape on my limbs for spring turkey hunting. Every little bit helps..

Early recurve years I added camo socks. Nothing since switching to lb's near 35 years ago. Have never had an animal startle or bolt because of the shine or flash from limb finish & I shoot 70" ntn. I do wear a thin black glove on my bowhand however to conceal my Irish white hand flag.

QuoteOriginally posted by Cherokee Scout:
It is not the color of the limbs, it can be the straight lines that get noticed, but most likely it is the movement or the glare of the limbs that is noticed. I do like camo with a dull finish.

Glare and light reflecting off a bow limb or riser is a hunt killer. Dull earth tones like brown, green, grey, with black or tan mixed in will work wonders for ya when hunting. I don't think it has anything to do with the straight lines or profile of a bow. Movement will send any game species packing except for maybe hogs? I've heard they have notorious bad eyesight, but make up for what they lack in that department with thier superior sense of smell.

Turkeys in particular will pick you out with all senses expcept smell. They can see vivid colors at least as well if not better than humans, and their ability to catch the slightest movement is second to only a coyote.......maybe?
They have an eye for detail that allows them to pick apart the underbrush and find the hunter even when you think your hid well.

I'd say that if your bow has a glossy finish then you should get some limb socks and cover them up and then try to minimize your movement when animals are close. There's a time to make your move and a time to remain motionless. Only experience can teach you when and when not to.

IVE GOT LIMB SKINS ON MY PMA,BW,THEY WORK WELL,AND THE BOW PERFORMS WELL ALSO, NO PROBLEMS WITH SPEED OR NOISE,I PICKED THEM UP AT A.B.S.COMPANY,,,.....LOOK FOR THEM ON THE CLASSIFIEDS,,,