Cold Temps and Bows
 

How does your bow shoot when the temps get below freezing? In particular, how will it shoot when it is out in 20F or colder for 2+ hours and then, finally, that deer shows up? My PSE shoots very erratically, usually high. I don't even like to go out when it is cold for that reason. Are there bows that shoot better in cold temps?

^^ That's a good observation...have not experience any of that though...

You have not hunted in cold, or you have hunted in cold with no problems? If the latter is true, what kind of bow do you shoot?

I had the same problem when I first started shooting the bow. I determined it was not the bow, but me that was causing the problem.

As the weather gets colder, your wearing more clothing, and probably changing your form when you draw the bow due to the cold temperatures. One thing you can do is to practice in the cold temperatures while wearing your hunting clothes, pay close attention to your form.

I noticed that I tend to drop my drawing arm elbow when it gets cold, causes the arrow to hit in a different spot than when I shoot during warm temperatures. I keep this in mind during the winter, be sure to remember to get that elbow up.

The only difference that I have seen that when you are sitting there for hours in 20 degree weather, your muscles become alot tighter than in the fall, also this temperature causes the limbs on the bow to become significantly more rigid. With both of these factors affecting, it is much harder for me to draw back my bow. But as stated above, the only thing affecting my accuracy is most likely the amount of clothing Im wearing which causes a lot more string slap for me if Im not careful. I read one of Jackie Bushman's books on hunting and he talked about a bow hunt early in his career in which it was very cold, maybe sub 20. He had a nice buck at 20 yards or so and when it came time, he said he could not physically draw his bow back because it was so cold. He said ever since then when he knows he is going to be hunting in extreme cold weather, he dials back his draw weight at least 5 pounds.

I have hunted down to -13 on a couple occasions. Never had a problem. However, when hunting in bitter cold, I never take my bow inside. I always leave it in the truck or on the porch or somewhere the temperaturs stays constant. Never a problem.

had a tought. How do you know it is the bow and not the arrows? They may not be flexing the same at time of release.

(Just wanted to drive you crazy thinking about it.)

:evil:

Hmm, I never thought about that. You could be on to something with that because the arrows would be more rigid in that cold weather, therefore less vibration.

+1, Agree. It's not always the equipment. Very few of us practice in heavy clothes and gloves on a regular basis.

I wear pretty much the same clothes in very cold as in 40F - I have a huge coat that is not too hot when warmer but warm enough when colder. I will admit that sometimes I get a bit cold sitting there for too long and this could affect things. But I had one instance when all seemed fine (I was not cold) and I watched the arrow just "take off" high, very high. I have searched around and I have read where hunters say the bow shoots 5-10 lb heavier, which would give you a high shot. Also, the arrow is stiffer so that could affect things. What I might do is try out the bow right after I take it out, let it sit two full hours, and then try again.

cold weather=more layers of clothes=less practice=more margin for error

I take my smokepole and leave the bow at home. If its that cold I certainly haven't practiced with extra clothing on and pretty my muscles won't be pulling back and holding my bow very smoothly.

It gets pretty cold here most year, temps well below 0 and the windchill can bring it down to 30 below pretty easy.I hunt through it most years, and if I still have a bow tag by that point Ill still be using my bow.

Ive also missed deer hunting in these brutal conditions.Generally though its not the bow itself but something else that causes it.Ive had arrow rests that were supposed to move sieze up and remain stationary.Ive had whisker bisquits that sounded like a brick wall when you tried to shoot through them.Ive had releases that stuck and gave you just a fraction of a second delay before releasing.And Ive probably had minor equipment failures I didnt notice or just chalked up to me sucking.

A bows like anything else, you take it out of your warm house or truck immediately into sub zero weather things frost up, they contract, they get stiffer.If it was a muzzleloader it would cause it not to go off at all.So if your drop away rest doesnt drop away, or your whiskers on your whisker bisquit get hard, or your release hangs up its gonna change things, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot depending on what doesnt work.

On a related note about hunting in the cold, how do yo guys keep your feet warm ? Usually when hunting in the cold, my feet are the first to go numb...hot hands warmer of the feet didn't work too good...

I shoot a good old Bear recurve and it hits the same. I do draw it once and a while to get the stiffness out of my arms and the "Creaks" out of the bow. I wax my string pretty heavy and when it is in the cold for a while it will make creaking noises when you draw. Drawing even half-draw once and a while takes it out.

The only thing I ever found to work on cold feet is socks that "wick" away sweat and pack boots.

I live in texas....just below freezing i never saw a difference til i put my jacket on. Gl

The old laminated limb bows weren't as affected by the cold as much as the new plastic limbs. They get stiffer in the cold and shoot higher. So take a couple sight in shots and either adjust your sights or lower the bow weight to put your pins back on. And clothes also affect the shot if you're hitting them. Using a more open stance gets your bow arm farther out of the way and you clear the heavy clothes better.

Drawing the bow back every 30 min will do the trick down to about 35F - keeps the limbs from stiffening up too much and prevents creaks. But for colder temps, this just doesn't seem to work for me.

lol how is this gonna help? are you de-icing the suker er wha?

Pulling it back prevents the "creak". In my bow, anyway. Otherwise, there will often be a creak after several hours of non-use which is a bad thing when a deer is 20 yds away. As far as warming it, any kind of movement warms it a little - enough to prevent cold induced stiffness to a point.

sounds like you have a crack in one of yer limbs.

No, I don't think so. It has been like this since new. It is about 9 yrs old now so I think a cracked limb would have gotten worse by now, and it hasn't. If the bow sits overnight, the first pull back will make a single creak. Then it is good for 4 - 6 hours in warm weather and perhaps 1 hr in cold weather.