Prepper Compound Bow Spec

[Tartar Horde]

If you need to find somewhere in the NE to shoot NR, look at the NFAS(national Field Archery Society) they have a contact list for all clubs.
http://www.nfas.net/

[Steve]

You can buy practice targets made from the same material as builders bags, packed with dense foam rubber. They are good although the arrow can be difficult to extract if using a powerful bow.

On the subject of powerful bows, 25lb seems a little low to me considering that many compound bows have a let-off system that allows the actual holding weight at full draw to be much less than the peak draw weight. I have a Matthews Switchback with 60lb draw, 29", and it has 80% less at full draw so careful aiming is easy.

One other thing, look carefully at the arrow rest on any bow you consider. Full-on target rests ( like mine ) often have very little support for the arrow and the arrow can be knocked off extremely easily. If I intended to hunt I would look for something that supports the arrow much more firmly, even if it compromised accuracy to a degree. There is a support that has a circle large enough for the fletchings to pass through and what look like stiff brushes pointing inwards to support the arrow shaft - this would be a good hunting tool, allowing you to stalk with the arrow in place and also to draw the bow at unconventional angles.

[Talon]

(29 May 2013, 11:20)Steve Wrote: There is a support that has a circle large enough for the fletchings to pass through and what look like stiff brushes pointing inwards to support the arrow shaft - this would be a good hunting tool, allowing you to stalk with the arrow in place and also to draw the bow at unconventional angles.

It's called a whisker biscuit,i had one on my Hoyt Ultratec.A nice bit of kit (wish i'd kept the bow aswel as the whisker biscuit).

[NorthernRaider]

(29 May 2013, 11:20)Steve Wrote: On the subject of powerful bows, 25lb seems a little low to me

There is a support that has a circle large enough for the fletchings to pass through and what look like stiff brushes pointing inwards to support the arrow shaft

25 pound will take all small critters and up to small Roe deer I focused on the 25 pound mark cos its good for unpractised novice preppers, rarely using the bow preppers, child and teen preppers, small adults and ladies. You can get similar bows up to 40 pounds which people can work towards when thy are ultra comfy with the lower power bows and they have built up their skills. And of course price is an issue when many preppers on limited budgets but who need to stockpile or cach large numbers of arrows and they cost money. Especially as most of the affordable budget arows are only safe rated to to a max of 40 pound draw compounds.

As people get more experienced they can build their way up to whatever they want.

The other rest is called a Whisker Bisquit

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Guys yet again this article is developing into a fabulous well thought out thread with brilliant input from everyone, can I just remind folks that many posts are aimed at families and individuals on limited budgets and with no experience of many issues. So whilst in time those who develop the passion and skills ( and big bloody muscles ) can I ask folks to think apply aiming their info to cover as many types of people as possible ( to begin with at least )

and remember or consider that many preppers are
SKINT
NOVICES
PHYSICALLY SMALL
VERY YOUNG
VERY OLD
DISABLED
SLIGHTLY BUILT
and utterly new to stuff like practical prepping

[bigpaul]

25LB bow is alright for rabbits and squirrels but i'm not so sure about Roe Deer not even a small one, sure you'll hit it but you'll be following the blood trail all day!

[BeardyMan]

(29 May 2013, 12:03)bigpaul Wrote: 25LB bow is alright for rabbits and squirrels but i'm not so sure about Roe Deer not even a small one, sure you'll hit it but you'll be following the blood trail all day!

This is what the 175lb crossbow & broadheads are for

[NorthernRaider]

Agree if I was hunting Roe or Muntjuics I would use broadheads, I also remember reading on the US Bow Hunters forums that on occasion US hunters with mega powerful compounds and crossbows have had the misfortune to see their arrows / bolts pass straight through the deer.

[BeardyMan]

(29 May 2013, 12:23)NorthernRaider Wrote: on occasion US hunters with mega powerful compounds and crossbows have had the misfortune to see their arrows / bolts pass straight through the deer.

Bloody hell. Hopefully the force of the impact / damage from the broadhead dropped the deer.

Wouldn't want to be loosing arrows or bolts like that in a SHTF scenario.

[Digger]

(29 May 2013, 14:10)BeardyMan Wrote:

(29 May 2013, 12:23)NorthernRaider Wrote: on occasion US hunters with mega powerful compounds and crossbows have had the misfortune to see their arrows / bolts pass straight through the deer.

Bloody hell. Hopefully the force of the impact / damage from the broadhead dropped the deer.

Wouldn't want to be loosing arrows or bolts like that in a SHTF scenario.

From what I've seen, a broadhead will go clean though as well. It will not necessarily drop a deer immediately, unless it hits something very vital. Its purpose is to increase trauma and accelerate the bleed out process.

[NorthernRaider]

Power can never normally supercede accuracy, a 12 pound kiddies bow popping a tiny target arrow direct into the aorta of a roe deer will drop it, but a 100 pound compound firing a broadhead that misses the vital organs is just going to allow the deer to escapre and possible die a lingering death a few miles away.

Just the same as a 22 short through the eye will do the job when a 7.62 blasting through the scalp and getting deflected wont.

Skill does the job, we all have heard of old geezers in our communities who still bag bunnies with ancient BSA meteors or bag deer with a tatty 4.10 single barrel firing a home made slug and taking a deer