bow tests thus far

[RUTNBULL1]

Funkster, good question even know it was directed to Hoyt. Taking the stabilizer off the bow will have some noticable differences ( I.E.- handshock/vibration), but if you practice during the year and prior to the hunting season with it off, I don't think you are going to notice the stabilizer off your bow, when you are under the pressure and shot at the game you are pursuing. People ask me how much do you practice, where, and what conditions? I tell them to practice in all weather year around with your bow set up exactly the way your going to hunt with it in the field and wearing the clothes that you will be hunting with and wear you daypack etc. as well. Even if you come home and shoot five arrows a night, and that is all you have time for, do-it. I need to get back into that same mode myself, it seems life in general consumes more of our time the older we get. But we owe the respect and  accuracy of are sooting to the game we are trying to harvest.  

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

Hoyt,thanks! I currently shoot with a stabilizer and I am thinking of not using one next season to shave weight, can you give me some pro's and con's if that would be a good idea or not. I have always used some type of stabilizer, I think that is how my dad setup my first bow and I just always went with one.

I always have and always will use one, I like the bow to be weighted forward, also most hunting stabilizers dont weigh enough to really make a difference one way or the other as far as weight IMO.. I would use one, as already stated, they take vibration and shock out of the bow and also quiet them down. does not matter how light your bow is if the animal hears it and is a skidish one.. they balance the bow better and in theory should help you shoot better, also extremely important when it comes time.. My best advice for any hunter would be take up target shooting, and not with your hunting bow, learn proper form and shot execution with a back tension release.. it will open your eyes and you will see your shooting ability increase over time ten fold.. you dont need to shoot your hunting bow year round to be ready to hunt.... I shoot spots 9+ months out of the year.. also shooting in big shoots or shoot off style shoots will help calm your nerves when it comes hunting time, being in a shoot off with someone for lots of money is way more nerve racking then having a big bull or buck in bow range.. IMO.. shooting a target bow properly will also make the transistion to your hunting bow super easy, after all its not as much the bow that makes a shooter good but his ability with it.... and that goes for  any bow.... this year I will be shooting my new am35 for 3d and hunting so I will be shooting my hunting bow much more before season then I usually do.. most of the time I set it up around august, shoot a few 3ds and get ready to hunt... thats more then enough for me because I shoot year round.. thats the best thing you can do, also as good as it sounds, I think getting all dressed up in your hunting gear to shoot is a little overkill and not needed..... if you are compfortable with your bow and know it then a little extra clothing wont make a difference when the season comes......

[colockumelk]

Good on you.. I also love my am35 with the black/camo combo.. I shot the reezen 6.5 today after we put the new dampner on it, good god it is the biggest POS I have ever shot.. the thing had so much hand shock it almost fell out of my hand.. I was blown away......

That's how I felt when I shot the PSE X-Force.  It was overall a miserable experience.  I even talked to a guy who claimed to have test fired many bows and said the X-Force was the smoothest bow he'd ever shot.  He loved it.  Apparantely he'd never fired a bowtech, Hoyt, Matthews, Martin, Diamond, Reflex, Fred Bear, Alpine, Parker or Browning before.  

[MLBowhunting]

what do you think about the ridgeline 34

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

Good on you.. I also love my am35 with the black/camo combo.. I shot the reezen 6.5 today after we put the new dampner on it, good god it is the biggest POS I have ever shot.. the thing had so much hand shock it almost fell out of my hand.. I was blown away......

That's how I felt when I shot the PSE X-Force.  It was overall a miserable experience.  I even talked to a guy who claimed to have test fired many bows and said the X-Force was the smoothest bow he'd ever shot.  He loved it.  Apparantely he'd never fired a bowtech, Hoyt, Matthews, Martin, Diamond, Reflex, Fred Bear, Alpine, Parker or Browning before.  

 

Thats funny, I have heard people say that as well, i think it comes down to how much/often they shoot and what bow they have had/shot.. Id say Im a great person to compare bows because of how long and how much and at what level I have been shooting at.. someone who shoots 300 arrows a year and has not bought a new bow in 5 years might think the x force shoots really nice

[BaseballStud20]

Hey hoyt what is a back tension release?

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

They are lots of types but it is a release that you can not really make go off, you simply anchor and aim, while aiming you contact your back muscles and it makes the release shoot....

[funkster]

Hoyt, I shoot a fuse 6 inch 7oz stabilizer. I know it takes a lot of hand shock out but do you think that is enough weight to really get that weight forward feel? I am trying to shave weight because after long days of hunting elk the way we do and my shoulder injury finally catching up with me the extra weight really has an impact.

I hear you on "back tension" shooting, I was thinking on making the switch this year. I am trying to shoot more this year and learning how to shoot back tension will give me a excuse to shoot. It's hard to find time now to shoot, I take my son to agility training 3 times a week throw running a business in and that takes up most of my time. I was thinking of setting up a target in the garage just to get some trigger time.

[BaseballStud20]

So its basically a different kind of release you can buy?

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

yes its the type of shooting 99% of the best archers in the world shot, it teaches you how to aim and not force or make the bow go off but rather just let it happen, it cures target panic and once you have mastered one it will make you a way better shooter

[Antlershed]

My best advice for any hunter would be take up target shooting, and not with your hunting bow.......(cut out for quoting purposes)......its not as much the bow that makes a shooter good but his ability with it.... and that goes for  any bow....

For the sake of conversation, why not shoot your hunting bow year-round Paul instead of shooting 2 different bows? I understand in your case, you are shooting comps so you have more than one bow, but it seems to me like you need to know how each bow shoots in your hands, so why not practice with the one that you are going to be using out in the field? I guess I see it like if somebody was practicing with one rifle all year and then when they get ready to go hunting, they grab a different one they haven't been shooting much. Maybe I'm reading into it wrong, but would love to hear your opinion...

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

good question, hope I can answer this for you and not sound like a know it all im not trying to be....... for the average bowhunter that shoots 2-500 shots before season, sticking to your set up is best. the reason I suggest target shooting is it will give you the form and confidence in the field to shoot any bow well.. A bow is a bow, aside from minor differences in style.... once you know how to properly execute shots, know how to hold the bow corretly etc.. you can then transfer that to any bow, hunting, target etc... shooting a target bow indoors or out  makes you a better shooter once you understand how the shot should feel etc.. shooting targets with a back tension style release will teach you that.... then once you can shoot really well on paper you can do the same with your hunting bow.. it all comes down to proper practice and shot execution... for a example, I shoot my 60lb Hoyt indoors and for field and safari.. so I shoot my target bow about 9 months plus a year.. but I can pick up my hunting bow at anytime and shoot it extremely well... because of how much i shoot my target bow and because my form is very very good, because of target shooting.. I can also pick up other peoples hunting bows at the shop and 99% of the time shoot them better then they can.. and again that is because my form is better and so is my shot execution.. again from target shooting.... it helps in every aspect.. IMO a big shoot is harder on the nerves then any hunting situation.... and it will make you a 10x better shooter and you can then transfer that right over to your hunting set up.....

[Antlershed]

Yeah, I guess I can understand how once you have proper form and everything else, you should be able to pick up just about any bow and shoot well. I'm just too broke to own two bows... 

[coonhound]

[IMO a big shoot is harder on the nerves then any hunting situation.... and it will make you a 10x better shooter and you can then transfer that right over to your hunting set up.....
[/quote]

I agree that everything you're telling us is accurate for most of us...kind of a funny situation, at least for us looking in, a very accomplished target shooter out of the shop I frequent is one of the most uncomposed hunters you'll ever see.  This guy will take 1st at a good portion of the 3D shoots but might miss 5 or 6 critters in one season. LOL

Coon

[Hoytstaffshooter83]

yes that is very odd no doubt, I have not been quite as unlucky thankfully, but man did i miss a ton when I first started