Survival Bow

[beehlebf]

Im Tired of looking for that perfect "survival gun" i had a new idea the bow and arrow. Just wanted some feedback. not knowing much about archery i wanted to get a decent trail bow something i could do a little of everything with from hunting game, deer sized to small game as well as fish and targets. i also wondered about the takedown martin and pse kingfisher bow as a good fit to this nitch any knowledge wouuld be appreciated

[Tripwire]

Keep it simple

Look up long bow, primitive bow, and traditional bow.

Id not own a PSE to depend my life on.

The lower end Martins are imported (you know from where) and get low marks.

A Martin Savannah or Viper would be my choice if I wanted a traditional bow.

We have primitive low bows. Just a stick and a string, all made by a guy I know.

Very simple, I even made a bootie for the lower end so I can use it as a walking stick.

http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/ab211/stallhorn/bow.jpg

[your_comforting_company]

I have a Martin Jaguar Takedown bow. I have shot a few compound bows a couple times. I'm not much of an archer, still learning the ropes, but I like shooting the MJTD. I can keep 3 arrows in a tea saucer at 15 paces without sights. Instinctive shooting is fun!
It might get low marks everywhere else, but it's a cheap and versatile intro bow, and I like it.

[Coote]

I think it is a good idea to experiment with a bow and arrows with the idea of using them for hunting.

If I were going to buy a bow, I'd happily settle for a solid fiberglass bow because I've found them to be really tough. They may not be a top performer, but they aren't affected by moisture and they can take quite a bit of abuse.

Arrows are an important consideration. In my relatively limited archery experience, I haven't paid much heed to getting perfectly 'spined' arrows (i.e. the correct degree of stiffness for the bow being used). Experimentation should show what will work for you. Arrows shouldn't be too stiff.... or too bendy, but once you've shot a few arrows you will begin to see what works.

While I can draw a 27 or 28" arrow using a textbook archery pose, I've chosen to keep my bow arm bent a bit... and only draw the arrow maybe 23 inches. I think this gives me more versatility for hunting conditions... and it means I don't need to carry around such long arrows. An added advantage is that the string doesn't slap my arm so I don't need to wear a protector. However a shorter draw theoretically delivers less power to the arrow.

I don't own any factory made bows or arrows now. I've made my own from local trees. It has been satisfying to take game with my own gear.

I haven't used my bow and arrows for quite some time now. I have found snares to be much more productive. And when I can find time to go hunting, I generally choose to take a rifle so as to be more sure of success.

I think that Y.C.C. is quite an accomplished archer being able to land three out of three arrows in a target the size of a tea saucer at 15 paces. That is certainly good enough to be able to ethically shoot at deer at that range.

The draw weight of an all-purpose bow for hunting rabbits and maybe the occasional small deer does not need to be over 45 pounds in draw weight. However there may be laws governing draw weights in the area where you live.

Best wishes from New Zealand.... Coote.

[canid]

However a shorter draw theoretically delivers less power to the arrow.

not theoretically; a 23" draw from a given bow tillered to 28" will deliver much less force than a full one. for example, a lower weight [say 45lb] bow which may be suitable for hunting deer at 30-40 yards from full draw may be dramatically inadequate for that range at a short draw.

it should also be considered that at a given spine, the arrow will shoot differently at partial draw, and enough so that you should be sure to practice shooting at any draw length you are likely to hunt from.

as with any weapon, you need to know your bow and your arrows, and how they perform under all the conditions in which they are likely to be used.

[Coote]

Yes... Canid is right. Not only is more force required to pull a bow to a longer draw, I believe that the time that the arrow is being pushed by the string is also a factor. So a person shooting a good quality 45 pound bow at 28 inches is likely to send an arrow further than a person shooting a good quality 45 pound bow at 23 inches.

I should add that when I made my bows I generally designed them for my short draw. When you are considering a draw weight you also have to know at what length of draw the weight is measured. Chances are if you buy a 45 pound bow off the shelf, it will be 45 pounds at around 28 inches.

It doesn't matter how powerful your bow is if the arrow doesn't hit the critical spot. An arrow shot from a 30 pound bow into the deer's chest cavity is more likely to get meat than an arrow from a sixty pound bow hitting the deer's rear leg. This is an exaggerated example, but hopefully you will see what I mean.

Some of my most successful arrows were made from dried bracken fern shoots. These can buckle and twist wildly while drying, but if you can straighten them out they make serviceable arrows.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h71/kiwicoote/rabbitarrow2.jpg

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

there is the bobobscott bow design that you may want see. i have two vids on survival bow making techniques, watch them on my youtube channel . they are called "survival bow making techniques" and "Atlatl effective hunting tools" the bobobscott bow has the strength of a compound bow and is made from four tapered branches. simple easy no need to carry one with you because you can build one in 20 minutes. www.youtube.com/trapperjacksurvival

[your_comforting_company]

Erunk has some great vids. His bowmaking vids would be the info I hope to remember if I needed to make a bow to keep my sorry butt alive. Check those out bee. You may want to try those before purchasing a bow.
Thanks for the reminder Erunk!