Any experienced comments on wood arrows in extreme cold hunting conditions( 10-20 F)? Changes in spine and flight?
I've never noticed a difference in the arrows, but I sure get a lot stiffer in the extreme cold. :biglaugh:
Me and my bow get stiffer.
I haven't noticed a difference with the wood arrows.
Never noticed a diference in 50 years of shooting wood. Selfbows stiffen a little in cold weather. In really cold weather, any change in arrow flight probably has more to do with the shooter than the arrow or bow.
No difference in spine per se, but I have noticed they recover from paradox a bit quicker when it is cold out. Also, my bow seems to have a little more zip to it than in the 95 degree heat of a Missouri summer.
Never noticed a spine difference, but flight can definitely be affected if you're all bundled up...
Nope, no difference in spine. They might appear to be stiffer but that comes from most drawing shorter during cold weather-if your joints are cold/muscles are cold one usually does not draw as far as when everything is warm/hot outside-shorter draw equals stiffer spine.
It does not usually get cold enough here to make this much of a consideration, but I have noticed that when I am cold and heavily bundled up, I do not draw the bow the same as in warmer conditions. This, in my opinion, affects my shot more than a cold induced physical effect on the bow or the arrow.
Above zero, I have not noticed anything. Once when I was out at minus 20, something was very different. I know I got the draw, but the bow felt harsher and the arrow jumped out of the bow different. When it is very cold ice sticks to metal arrows, but they are not affected by cold. I do have a fear of using all yew/no glass bows in very cold temps, I had one blowup once.
I have quite a bit of experience shooting wood (Cedar, Laminated birch, and Douglas Fir) in extreme cold (-50F) over the past 14 years and have not noticed any spine problems, but my bow is definitely slower at these temperatures
QuoteOriginally posted by 30coupe:
I've never noticed a difference in the arrows, but I sure get a lot stiffer in the extreme cold. :biglaugh:
Ditto. The arrow handles the cold better than I do and the added clothes and stiff muscles make much more difference. It was 8°F two weeks ago and I was suffering much more than my bow or arrows.