I currently shoot a 9" Kyber or a 8" Stealth stabilizer on my hunting bow and do not feel anything under 11" hinders manuverability one bit. I think what your seeing is that archers are enjoying shooting 3D with thier hunting bows in preperation for the bow season and are looking for the best shooting setup without affecting huntability. I think most experienced archers would agree that a longer stabilizer usually does not affect accuracy in a negative way, so why not shoot the best shooting setup while hunting if your comfortable with it. I also shoot a CBE Microlight II sight with a single pin Shrewd housing and am sure we will get a lot of disagreement on that. Like many of you Ive been bowhunting for 25 years and know what works for me, maybe not the best choice for everyone but its what I like !!

For starters I can't beleive you are arguing about stabilizers and getting all pissy when someone corrects you. A guy asks why you need longer stabs and offsets while target shooting and you tell him that you don't, it's all BS. Then when someone says you are wrong you get upset. If you knew why did you ask in the first place? And further more, why do you care? What is it to you if someone shoots a 3 foot stab for target, or a 1 foot one for hunting? If you don't want to that is fine, doesn't mean I or someone else can't if we want to. I don't use a peep or fancy sights on my bow, I know others that don't even use sights. Doesn't mean others are wrong because they do. Why do you use a stabilizer at all if they are BS? You could just as easily kill deer without one, and your bow would weigh less and be easier to carry in the woods.

I personally use an 11 inch stabilizer (actually two screwed together) that weighs about a pound. It is on a 30 inch ATA bow and I do not have any trouble getting it thru the woods and moving around in a tree stand.

And stabilizers do serve a function. The newer ones not so much to stabilize the bow, but to reduce vibration and recoil. I personally think if you are using one under 8 inches to stabilize the bow you might as well take it off because probably isn't long enough to do anything but add weight and get in the way.

A longer stabilizer helps the bow resist side to side movement helping keep your pin more steady on the target. It takes longer to settle down sometimes, but once it does it takes more force to move it again. (They also make nice rests while your looking at the target or waiting to shoot.) V-bars or counter weights do just what the name implies. They counter act the forward weight of the long stabilizer to help balance the bow better. They also add mass and can be adjusted to help with natural cant. A heavier bow also holds more steady on the target, it's not fun to carry, but it shoots better.

Paul

GREAT POST Paul! That was very clear and logical!

Great post indeed!!! butprobably still not clear enough for some..[&:]

I wasn't aware that a hunting bow couldn't also be a target rig

Well from reading the posts it sounds like more are confused than any thing. And some are enraged about long stabilizers. Its all about comfort.
realistically it would be tough to shoot a long stablizer for hunting. I currently use a 10" vibracheck carbon fiber w/ a doinker A-bomb for weight. I like my bow to just sit balanced in my hand. But thats my preferance. Not every one is going to feel the same about subjects. its human nature to argue!!!!

Many people use hunting style bows when target shooting. They are cheaper, easier to find and have better resale than the same bow in target colors. The archery industry is driven by hunters, not target shooters so the target stuff is a bit harder to find and costs more usually. At least in the U.S. anyway.

I do believe there are some target venues that will not let you use camo bows and have a dress code for the shoots. In my area I would say 90 percent of the bows you see are camo be it indoor spots, 3-D, field archery, or hunting.

And with the price of bows now a days most only buy one bow and use it for target and hunting. If you do both the type of bow you choose will be pretty simple. You can target shoot just as well with a camo bow, but a neon blue bow with chrome cams my not be the best equipment to hunt with.

Paul

Good point !! Most hunting bow set ups are good for novice or hunter classes. since the regs. limit speed, and stabilzer length 12" and under.As far as dress code: I'm not about other sanctions but, ASA requires a shirt w/ a collar. And no cut off shorts. But only being a rule at a Pro/Am National shoot. State qualifiers dont count . Wear what you brung in those. And a camo bow doesnt matter in classes. not for sure about Pro Class tho. But Novice, Hunter and open classes allow camo bows.
Helps because you can set your hunting rig and shoot what ever. With out having to buy 2 bows. Its what I used to do bfore I got my shooter deals. Cause I was a broke fella.

Paul L Mohrif I forget to tell you............eat a half ton bag of $hi#!
If you don't like my posts and they don't pertain to you........get lost!

Muzzy take it easy it was your stupidity to begin with by saying a hunting bow cant also be used as a target rig