In the last year and a half, I've become not only
addicted to trad archery but obsessed. As a result I've acquired a diverse collection of both recurves and longbows. I truly enjoy shooting each and every one. As a result, I plan on rotating the "bow of the day" on a regular basis. Can't see any reason not to or else I would have decided on a favorite and shed the rest. I will of course practice with the "next" one before replacing the other as they don't all shoot the same. Just wondering if any of you who have a plural collection do the same or do you make a pre-season choice and stick with it?
I go with the flow, I'll be using a bear recurve or HH longbow. I'll probably shoot the recurve more tho.
Only have one week to hunt this year as i make my move to idaho . stopping in Minnesota the first week of October to chase some corn fed bucks.
i will normally pick the bow with the least kills or one with something special about it, and start the season and stay with it until it kills, (not harvests)then make a decision to swap up or not.. some bows just have that something to them as does my PSA widow, every shot at game with it has resulted in a kill, with that said im gonna start out with my longbow this year and see how it goes... with a 5 month bow season here, there is time for that
I change it up all the time but as the season goes on here in Wisconsin, I usually drop down in weight as it is harder to draw a heavier bow when one is "stiff" and cold.
Kris
I like to shoot most of the bows I own from January thru August... Then I'll stick with just one throughout the hunting season... :archer2: ...
I pick a bow off the rack that best fits the stand I'm hunting that particular day, shorter bow for tighter quarters, longer bow for still hunting, etc. Like Kris, I also drop downing weight as the season progresses. It's not unusual for me to hunt with a different bow in the afternoon than I used in the morning. My bows are pretty close in weight and shoot close to the same gpp, so there's not much variation in arrow flight, particularly inside of 20 yards. Have fun.
I do. But mine is drastic. Well drastic for you guys.
Traditional to modern and sometimes to extreme modern.
But I have went between long and recurve. No problem
Practice with one bow, hunt with the same bow. There is a lot to be said for familiarity.
I have over fifty bows and will pull one off the rack that I haven't ever shot or haven't for awhile and go cast a few arrows with it. Some of them are real good shooters and others are just o.k. but are part of the collection because of what they are. But, the collecting is for fun and the hunting is for food so I try not to mix it up.
QuoteOriginally posted by mcgroundstalker:
I like to shoot most of the bows I own from January thru August... Then I'll stick with just one throughout the hunting season... :archer2: ...
About what I do; it takes me a bit get back into the groove with a particular bow.
I change too, primarily if I get tired of looking at one hanging on a peg. I will also change if travel is involved and I want to take a bow with a more durable finish.
The arrow/broadhead combination dictates most of what I do all season. I don't like to switch arrows so that limits me somewhat regarding which bows to hunt.
For instance, my arrow of choice this deer season will be the Easton FMJ Deep Six Injexion with 155 grain single bevel helix. This combo shoots well from my Blacktail Sitka, Trad Tech Titan II, and Strickland Stick. It is too stiff for a couple other favorite bows.
I will be using my new JD Berry ambidextrous no shelf Pluto when I am still hunting and not sure where I am going to park it for the day, I am staying on the ground. As the season progresses and patterns adjust to crops, rut and other hunters, I may use either a left or right hand bow that matches the situation when I have a particular spot in mind. Being ambidextrous and a can split image aim helps, but I still try to get a few shots in before I make any changes, but oddly I can shoot one quiver full with the new bow left and then the next one right with no loss of first arrow accuracy out to 20 to 24 yards. The one benefit is that all of my bows will shoot the same arrows.
Mostly grab the longbow but have a double bull in a special place and the shorter static recurve is best out of it for this year.
2 years ago in three consecutive sits killed 3 hogs with 3 different bows, friday pm, saturday am and saturday pm. Lots of pork to deal with.
All my keeper bows shoot to the same place and speed. Takes a while to fiddle with shafts, point weight and tune but that is what off season is for.
QuoteOriginally posted by mcgroundstalker:
I like to shoot most of the bows I own from January thru August... Then I'll stick with just one throughout the hunting season... :archer2: ...
X2. I switch to my hunting bow of choice, a month before the season starts, and stick with it throughout the season.
Speaking strictly for myself; I want the shot to be as automatic as possible, and that means familiarity.
I change hourly. Too many bows. Or not enough days in the season.
I have a couple that I will be using during the season. Another that is on order will be used if it arrives in time.
I own a few bows, but only practice and hunt with one. I do occasionally take one of the others out for a hunt once in a while, and I wont keep a bow that I have not hunted with. But even so, I have one bow I love so much, that it is "the one" 99.9% of the time.
Bisch
I'm hunting something all year long. I change all the time. Shoot one bow in the morning then another in the after noon sometimes. Have seven that shoot about the same ,had them for a long time so I know what they do. I do practice with them all the time.
I'm not good enough to change it up after a certain point in the practice season. I shoot my others in the off season from time to time just to get a different feel.
I use my Red Stag recurve for bunny busting (40#@28"), and one of my longbows for deer and hogs. Whichever longbow I pick will be what I use that season.
I shoot all my bows during the year but come uniting season I set all but one aside and hunt one bow. I may pull out my old bear Kodiak Hunter for some doe culling but thats about it.
I shoot 2 but they are the same model so does that count as 1?
I typically pick one around September but I usually will have already been shooting it along with another one or two. I can actually shoot them roughly the same because the bows are very similar.
If you want it to, it can be Bucky. Am I going to see you at Mike's this season? I have a "couple" of new bows to show you. Been busy getting poor since winter bow.
Couple?! Mike said your buying up the classifieds! LOL I was there a few weeks ago as he reworked my grip. Yes we will meet before Winter bow.
I always have 2 or 3 long bows all tuned up and shooting well. I had one season where my bow 2pc TD broke at the riser 2 days before opener. Like having a back up. All close in weight and shooting the same arrows.
I shoot quite a few, but make sure I am shooting each one well before taking it into the field. I know each bow and its needs, a shot or two is all it usually takes to adapt.
I make a preseason choice a few times and then seldom even stick with the one I choose...I even switch between hunting right handed and left handed...and I actually have a couple of dual shelf bows
DDave
I've changed bows during the season. ...month. ...week...and even killed animals same day with two different bows.
they are all tools and I just take the one I need at the time.
Just another reason to love Trad Bowhunting. ..... :campfire:
I'll mostly use my longbow, but I bring the recurve once in a while. I'd like to fill a tag with each one.
I tend to pick one and stick with it, though I am not against switching. It does not take long to tune into the new bow.
Have upwards of 200 bows mostly Bears but hunt with the same one all season.
200! Wow! My collection of eleven sounds puny by comparison. Good luck with the one you choose. Which one is by the way?