Powerful hunting bow. How to choose a bow for hunting? Block or traditional? What are they different

The passion for archery in our country arose relatively recently and almost spontaneously, mainly after the appearance on the screens of the saga about the adventures of the hobbits. Judging by the amount of materials on the RuNet about bows and shooting from this ancient throwing weapon, the number of followers of Robin Hood and William Tell is growing exponentially.

The most burning question for neophytes is where to start, how and which bow to choose? There is no single answer to it, so we will try to tell you a little about everything: the types of bows, their advantages and disadvantages, the selection criteria - a process in which the last word will remain with you. So, let's find out what kind of bows are for shooting, which one to choose for hunting, and in general, what to choose, a bow or a crossbow?

The design of a weapon for throwing a feathered stick with a sharp end has been improved over the millennia, refuting the saying about the futility of the invention of the bicycle. Therefore, today we have three varieties of bows.

The basic rules for choosing bows are presented in this video:

Traditional

Those that our ancestors used until the moment a firearm fell into their hands. These are the bows of the Indians, Papuans, Eskimos, Chukchi and other indigenous peoples. These are replicas of military weapons of the peoples of Europe and Asia.

They are made using well-known and restored technologies, using natural materials - wood, leather, natural adhesives. There can be no talk of any mass production of such products, each bow will have its own characteristics, style of behavior, one might say - character. In order to master traditional bow requires daily training that lasts for years.

We will talk later in this article about which traditional bow to choose.

Classic

These are the bows used in sports and therefore called "Olympic". They are related to the traditional ones by the way of accumulating energy for a shot - by bending the elastic branches (shoulders) of the bow. Most of these bows have a recurve shape - a double curvature of the shoulder.

This design allows you to store twice as much energy with the same length of the elastic beam. Everything is very simple - one arc works in compression, the other in tension. Europe owes the appearance of recurve bows to the Huns - a nomadic people who came from the Steppe.

The sporting purpose of the classic bow predetermined the fact that they began to install elements on it that made it possible to significantly increase the accuracy of shooting and to exclude elements of chance from the training process as much as possible. These are sights, balancers, shelves for arrows from which they descend without hitting the handle, vibration dampers.

They are related to the traditional ones by the way of holding the arrow when the bowstring is pulled. Two of them are best known: English - the shank of an arrow between the index and middle fingers, as well as Native American - the index finger (the shank lies on it) is held by the bowstring with the middle and ring fingers.

The most essential element of the classic bow, despite its external insignificance, is the shelf on which the arrow is held. The ingenious design, the types of which are innumerable, allows the arrow to descend from the bowstring without hitting the hilt with plumage. This made it possible to abandon natural feathers, replace them with rigid stabilizers and significantly increase accuracy.

Sports rules prohibit the installation of devices on a classic bow, with which you can build a line of sight based on more than one point.

In addition, pulling the bowstring is always strength exercise, because as the flexion of the shoulders increases their resistance. Therefore, learning to shoot from such bows is almost as difficult as from traditional ones. But training can be systematized and achieve good results much faster.

Block

We owe their appearance in 1969 to Holles Allen, who lived in Missouri (USA). The design is based on a system of blocks (chain hoists), which increase the force applied to the running end as many times as there are these blocks.

The energy for throwing an arrow is accumulated not only in the shoulders, but also in the system of cables, one of the branches of which is the bowstring. A feature of these bows is the "wall" effect - the release of force when the maximum draw point is reached. It reaches 80 percent. If, for example, the MK-SV75 compound bow has a maximum pulling force of 27 kilograms, then at the moment of aiming, the shooter needs a force of 4 kilograms to hold the bowstring.

The power diagram when pulling the "blocker" is a mirror image of the same process in the classic bow. First, there is an overcoming (peak of effort) of the elasticity of the shoulder, which has potential energy. As the tension increases, it accumulates in the cables (turns into kinetic), and the force applied by the archer to the bowstring falls. Athletes recognized this phenomenon as a scam, so compound bows to Olympic Games not allowed. But it became possible to equip it with such elements that equated its effectiveness with firearms.

In addition to shelves for arrows, balancers and vibration dampers (optional), compound bows are equipped with complexes for building a line of sight. This is a sight with a ring frame and a pip-site - a ring in a bowstring through which the arrow can see the target.

But the most interesting detail was the release - a device thanks to which the shooter pulls the bowstring with his shoulder and elbow joint like a lever. Fingers are not involved in this process, the hand is relaxed. Choosing a compound bow is not an easy task.

The most popular block models are:

How to choose a bow for shooting for beginners, block for hunting, sports or other - you will learn all this below.

Choice problems

When choosing throwing weapons, they usually focus on compliance with historical truth (aesthetics), combat effectiveness, ease of possession, and price.

Truth and aesthetics

Many people are drawn to archery by the desire to be like the elf Legolas, other fantasy or historical characters. Although archaeologists have proven the fact that English archers suffered from monstrous scoliosis.

• Most faithfully repeat the contours and design traditional bows Samik products (ex. ). They have a handle made of glued solid wood, and removable shoulders are laminated with an external plastic coating. The only thing that can be installed on them without damage to the structure is a shelf that allows you to use arrows not only with natural plumage. The model (Sebastian Flute) is similar to them. Bows are also good.
• real olympic recurve bows produced by SF. The series starts with the Axiom model. They have an aluminum handle, on which you can install a sight, balancer, plunger, shako. This is a transitional option between tradition and classic: their shoulders are laminated - wood covered with plastic. There are options for classic bows, completely made of modern materials. For example, the Blue Knight Bow (), which has fiberglass shoulders and an aluminum handle.
• Compound bows- this is an industrial aesthetic, they are a machine for throwing arrows.

This video will tell you how to choose the right bow for a beginner shooter for hunting:

combat effectiveness

• Classic bows give all the energy to the arrow during the descent of the bowstring. Due to the short duration of the force impulse, the arrow flies at a speed of no more than 50 m / s and does not have a large penetrating power. However, this allows you to increase the rate of fire if you do not draw the bow in full force or do it with a jerk.
• At blocker the arrow accelerates relatively slowly, and the peak of force occurs at the moment it leaves the shelf. The arrow flight speed reaches 90 m / s, it is possible to use heavy arrows with high penetrating power. That is why such bows are most often positioned as hunting ones. Incomplete stretching of the bowstring is impossible, the rate of fire is low. But the accuracy and accuracy of hits is comparable to firearms.

Ease of ownership

First of all, this is the ability to customize the bow for yourself.

• Classic models are not in vain made collapsible. And due to the fact that for adjustment it is necessary to change the shoulders - for shorter or longer, rigid or elastic. When choosing such a bow, it is customary to focus on the growth of the shooter. Although the British proceeded from a different consideration: a longbow with the same tension force is less deformed, and therefore lasts longer.
• Blocky the bow is adjusted by changing the position of the blocks on the eccentrics. This does not require high qualifications from the owner, additional costs for the purchase of shoulders and bowstrings.

Wherein:

• By today's standard, a classic hunting bow cannot be longer than 60 inches (150 cm). Sports bows reach a length of 70 inches. The length of blockers does not exceed 90 cm; it is less problematic to wade through the forest wilds with it.
• In terms of weight, only the classics used in the barebow variant win over blockers - without a modern body kit, including sights.

Price

This is the most controversial criterion. If you evaluate the bow in combination with combat effectiveness and richness of equipment, then compound bows turn out to be cheaper.

• For example, Samik Polaris, which the manufacturer positions as a bow for beginners, is a good choice, costs more than 11 thousand rubles, and only a bowstring and a simple shelf are included in the package. The force of its tension is not more than 36 pounds (16.3 kg). A set of interchangeable shoulders costs at least five thousand.
• Compare it to the same tier Barnett Vortex compound bow, which costs 15k. Tension force from 19 to 45 pounds (9 to 21 kg), adjustment does not require any investment. The delivery set includes three arrows, a sight with three pins, a shelf, a shako.

Conclusion

If you want to master archery as an art, shapes and lines amuse your aesthetic taste, then buy the classics, which, by the way, can also.

Compound bows are for those who value practicality first of all, who have no time to visit the training halls, and want to achieve good results quickly. But if you want to switch to classic bows, then they will have to learn again.

This video will tell you how to choose arrows for a bow:

Making onions is a process that requires precise adherence to technology. Only in this case, you can count on a good result. With a well-made bow, you can send arrows straight to the target, while it must be powerful enough to hit the game, which as a result will become the prey of the hunter.

Taking on its manufacture with their own hands is primarily for those who already have experience in hunting with such weapons, however, with the right approach to business, anyone can cope with the task. Consider how to make a bow for hunting with your own hands, using materials and tools that are available to everyone.

Varieties of bows

The main parts of such weapons are the bow and bowstring. By design, bows can be divided into two main groups:

• simple - for these models, the arc is made of one material - wood or PVC;
• composite, or composite - the arcs of such bows are made of several materials.

The form is distinguished:

• classic bows - the arc of such a hunting weapon has one bend, in a bent form it has a D-shaped appearance;
• recursive - their arc bends three times and has an M-shape.

Also, bows can be divided into simple and collapsible. The arcs of the former are made from a single piece of material, while the latter consist of several parts.

From natural materials for the manufacture of composite arches, wood can be used - for the middle part, horn - for the inside, as well as tendons that are attached to the outside. This three-piece design provides the weapon with good elasticity, flexibility and power.

Today, in the manufacture of industrial collapsible bows, high-strength modern materials are used that have optimal properties - fiberglass and carbon fiber, aluminum and magnesium alloys, and so on.

The device of such a weapon can be quite complicated, but making it yourself at home is a task that requires some experience, as well as a lot of time and effort.

With your own hands it is better to make a simple non-separable bow. With the right approach to business and the observance of technology, its accuracy and power will be enough for hunting.

Tools and materials

To make such a bow, you will need a minimum set of tools:

• hacksaw;
• plane;

To give the arc the desired bend, it is better to use a special slipway. It can also be made independently from a board and several bars.

To make a simple collapsible bow with your own hands you need:

• wood or PVC tube to make an arc;
• strong rope, rawhide ribbon, wire, thick fishing line for making a bowstring;
• thick rope or other suitable material for the handle.

While pulling the bow, his shoulders should bend, while the bowstring practically does not stretch.. The arrow is sent to the target precisely due to the force of the arc of the weapon, which straightens at the moment of the shot.

How to make a bow out of wood?

Consider how to make a hunting bow out of wood. The best material for this is yew - it was from it that the best examples of such weapons were made in the Middle Ages. However, it is difficult to get such a tree, so other species are usually used instead. It can be:

• hazel;
• juniper;
• Rowan;
• ash;
• larch;
• cedar.

A good bow rod should:

• not have cracks, it is also better to select rods without knots, but the presence of a small amount of them on the surface is not critical, the main thing is not to try to cut them when processing the rod;
• have a length of one meter to one and a half meters;
• be dry;
• be direct.

For the manufacture of a bow, you can also use several thin rods of the same length, while they must be securely fastened by pulling in several places with electrical tape or other suitable material. This option is suitable if you need to quickly make a bow in field conditions from what you can find at hand.

Wood harvesting

Harvest wood to make a hunting bow with your own hands, better in winter, at a temperature of -10 degrees or slightly lower. If you look for a suitable rod in the fall, you won’t have to wander through the snowdrifts in search. It is necessary to cut it off, while the length of the rod should be several tens of centimeters longer than the estimated length of the bow. This is necessary, since the ends of the rod may crack during drying.

Before making a bow, the wood needs to be dried for a long time, on average three months is enough. For this, a room with room temperature is suitable in which the bar must be hung.

At the same time, it is not necessary to remove the bark, and it is better to paint or varnish the ends, which will not allow moisture to evaporate, then the future arc will dry out evenly along the entire length. A rod that has a slight curvature can be straightened over the steam.

In field conditions, drying can be done quickly with the help of a fire, the main thing is to do it carefully, do not lower the wood too close to the fire and do not dry it out. Such an onion will be more fragile and less durable than dried at room temperature.

Making a bow from a wooden rod

When the rod is dried, it must be processed with a planer, while the shoulders should not become cylindrical, but flat. The arc of a simple collapsible bow does not consist of a single piece of wood or PVC, but of two separate arms that are attached to the top and bottom of the handle. The handle in this case is easiest to make from a wooden block or cylinder of suitable thickness. At the same time, in the central part they can be turned, making a comfortable grip under the arm.

If it is intended to make a simple bow with an arc from a single piece of wood, and not with two separate limbs, the rod in the middle should be left round in section.

It is important that the shoulders have the same length, width and thickness, only in this case the force on them will be distributed evenly, and the bow will hit accurately.

Then the workpiece must be given the desired shape - in the form of a simple arc or M-shaped. To do this, the wood is heated over steam and fixed for a while in a special slipway, which will fix the desired shape. Such a device can be made from a board by attaching several bars to it. It takes about a week to keep the bow in the slipway.

When the arc is ready, notches must be made at its end and the bowstring must be fixed. You also need to braid the handle. To get a reliable installation, the fixation points of the bowstring and the handle must be glued.

Making a bow from skis

Skis are a great material for making a bow bow, which often does not even need to be processed. Therefore, if there is a suitable pair available that is unusable, there is no need to harvest rods or look for other material. Can be used with both wood and plastic skis, the second option is preferable.

To make a bow, you need to saw off the two ends of the skis of a suitable length, which will be the shoulders, and fasten them to the handle. The handle itself can also be made from skis by fastening the cuts of the desired length in several layers and processing them so that a comfortable grip is obtained. After that, you only need to fasten the bowstring, and the bow is ready for use.

The optimal length of the finished product is about 1.3 m. If a bow made of skis exceeds a length of 1.4-1.5 m, its power will be insufficient, since such a long arc cannot give the arrow sufficient momentum. Also, the shoulders should be narrow - so, in order to make an arc from wide skis, they must be turned from both edges.

Making a composite bow, each shoulder of which must be made not from one material, but from several different ones - more than difficult process. However, such a weapon is made according to the same principles as a simple homemade bow for hunting. If you approach the matter correctly, a bow made with your own hands will hit powerfully and accurately, and at the same time it will be able to serve for quite a long time.

The hunting bow is one of the oldest human tools used by our ancestors. These devices reached their apogee of development in the Middle Ages - and the most powerful and accurate were not English ones (as it was for a long time presented in literature), but oriental bows: Arabic, Korean and Japanese. Sighting range their shot, given the simplicity of design in comparison with modern high-tech products, reached 200–220 meters, the maximum range of the arrow was 870–880 meters, and the tension force was up to 80 kg! Hunting bows are used to this day, but the cost of some models is quite high. Therefore, we suggest that you make such a tool with your own hands.

What is a hunting bow and its varieties

Initially, hunting bows were made exclusively of wood and had a simple arched shape. Somewhat later, simple models were replaced by composite ones, which first used bone endings, and then more complex structures from separately assembled parts: a central handle, a pair of shoulders and endings. Now block compound (or Olympic) options have been added to them. However, they are not used for hunting.

Collapsible bow design

In general, the current classification of hunting bows is the following division:

1. According to the material of manufacture:
   • traditional (made of wood);
   • composite (from several materials).
2. According to the structure of the main part:
   • classic (D-shaped in a bent form, that is, with one bend);
   • recursive (M-shaped, with several bends).
3. According to the number of components:
   • simple bows - from a single piece of material;
   • collapsible models - from several components.

Photo gallery: Modern hunting with industrial bows

Bow Mathews Compound bow VilingStore Compound bow Mathews CREED

Principle of operation

The principle of operation of classic bows (both traditional simple and recursive ones) is based on the creation of a pushing force that is imparted to the bowstring when the shoulders are straightened and provides the arrow with an initial speed that depends on the tension force. At the same time, the initial speed of the boom in a simple design also depends on these factors, while in block models, eccentrics located at the ends, synchronized with each other by a system of separate cables, are responsible for accuracy and speed.

A professional compound bow is made mainly from expensive and high-strength materials (carbon and fiberglass, magnesium and aluminum alloys, etc.) and contains a separate optical aiming system. In this regard, it is extremely difficult to make such a device on your own, and most importantly, very expensive. Therefore, further we will consider the assembly of hunting bows only of the classical type - both simple and complex recursive ones.

Photo gallery: Various designs of simple models

Materials and tools for manufacturing

To make a bow, you will need the following tools and materials:

• hacksaw;
• plane;
• strong rope (for bowstring);
• insulating tape;
• plastic tube (for PVC bows) or wood (for traditional options).

As for wood, yew is considered the best - it was from this tree that the famous English bows were made in the old days. In the absence of this rare breed, you can use larch, mountain ash, ash, hazel, willow, cedar, juniper or elm. In other words, the material must be homogeneous, flexible and beautiful.

Believe it or not, this is a homemade compound bow!

Manufacturing instructions

simple model

When making a simple PVC hunting bow, you will need a piece of SCH 40 pipe about 2.5 cm thick and a length equal to the distance between the middle of the thigh and the fingertips of the outstretched hand. After measuring 1.5 cm from both sides, make cuts. Insert and fasten the bowstring into them so that the maximum tension is approximately equal to the length of the bow.

The length of a simple bow is longer than a compound bow.

Attach to the string so that the maximum tension is approximately equal to the length of the bow

Unfortunately simple plastic bow it is difficult to call it a full-fledged hunting weapon - this will require a much more complex composite structure, in which 2 short pieces of a thin tube (to strengthen the shoulders) about 10 cm long will be inserted into the main pipe. For the handle, you will need 1 piece of a slightly larger diameter.

homemade bow PVC tube and wood. Bowstring - silk thread

When making a wooden structure, it will be necessary to cut (cut out) the main part of the bow about 5 cm wide in the central part and 1.5 cm in the side ones.

Photo gallery: Making onions in the forest from improvised means

Simple homemade bow design

Video: Homemade bow their PVC pipes

Composite

A real hunting bow should be composite, and in shape as close as possible to modern high-class sports products. As a base, it is better to use flexible and non-layered wood from the lower and dense layers of trees growing in dark areas of the forest. On the "horns" is good, for example, bird cherry, growing in open, dry, clearings far from the water.

The length of all three parts that form the kibit (base plus both horns) should not exceed 1.5 m - otherwise the bow can get more range, but much less accuracy.

Technology step by step manufacturing will be as follows:

1. The cleaned blanks are dried (not in the sun!), All 3 parts are planed and dried again. Then the base and horns are given their final look and dried already in the bright sun.
2. Kibiti elements are glued together with special store-bought glue or self-made fish glue (from digested bones or the swim bladder of large fish).
3. Ready kibit is dipped into melted animal fat (or cedar resin) for impregnation.
4. The joints are additionally pulled together with tendons or a dense flexible cord and impregnated again, after which the finished bow is processed to smoothness with a knife and, if desired, polished.

It is also possible to superficially glue the base with strips of birch bark, and the horns and ends with overlays made of natural horn (or metal). However, such strengthening and creation of layering is relevant only for weapons with a very high (more than 20 kg) pull force, which hardly makes sense when hunting birds and small animals with a bow - except in terms of decoration.

Photo gallery: DIY compound bows

Compound bows dried after gluing
Homemade compound bows

Video: How to make a compound bow at home

Accessories

Making all the components of the bow at home is even easier than the main structure.

bowstring

Can be spun from nylon cord, although real hunters prefer natural material. Which is usually blood-soaked and dried rawhide rolled into a tube 3-4 mm wide. Although it is inferior to modern, even inexpensive synthetic materials, in terms of performance. The skin should be replaced with tendons from the vertebral part of large animals - moose, cows, etc. Or a bunch of natural silk threads can be used.

The bowstring is put on simply - first with a loop on one horn, and then, bending the end of the bow resting on the ground, on the second. For a recurve bow, the distance between the string and the handle should be about 15 cm, and the string must be removed when storing the bow.

Video: How to make a bowstring

Arrows

The length of the arrows should be proportional to the length of the bow and maximum value string tension. In practice, this means that with the bow drawn, the arrowhead must protrude at least a few centimeters beyond the bow.

The diameter is approximately 6 mm, and the entire axis of the arrow must be perfectly flat. For small game and poultry, light wood is taken - spruce, pine, birch. For a larger animal - heavy and dense species (ash, hornbeam, oak). Arrows, like a torch, are pricked from logs, after which they are shaped into long and thin round cylinders.

In the end part, a cut is made under the bowstring, about 0.5 cm deep and slightly inferior to the bowstring in diameter. This is easy to check - an arrow mounted on a bowstring should not fall out of it, even if it is kept lowered vertically down. To do this, the feather is split in half, a segment 6-8 cm long is cut out from the middle, the tip of the feathers is trimmed, and at a distance of about 1.5 cm from the edge it is completely cleared (for tying the plumage blanks to the arrow axis). For one arrow, 3 blanks are taken, evenly spaced around the perimeter.

Plastic can also be used as a material for plumage.

In principle, instead of feathers, it is allowed to use plastic, thick paper and even hard leaves.

Arrowheads

At first, small birds can be hunted with arrows without tips. The main thing is that they are sharply sharpened and hardened over fire.

Any hard material that can be sharpened to the shape of a narrow rhombus or triangle can act as a tip. Previously, these were pieces of flint or bone, now you can use a tin shell from cans and even ordinary nails. Spoon arrowhead

Making good quality hunting bows on your own is quite a feasible task. Of course, they will be inferior to professional combat models, but they are quite suitable for hunting a bird or a small animal. Good luck!

Not all who wander are lost. Your bow is only a tool, you are a weapon

Andrey Shalygin: All the mistakes that archers make can be divided into two broad categories - mistakes that hunters make when choosing and preparing equipment and mistakes that they make when preparing to hunt themselves. Of course, you can also make a mistake when choosing the time, place and method of hunting, and also completely lack the skills and experience of hunting with a bow, but if you already find yourself in right place V right time, then it is the first two categories of errors that can prevent you from realizing your chance. Either the equipment that you have chosen incorrectly will let you down, or you can let yourself down.

Let's start with ourselves. Always start with yourself, because if you have ever read Musashi's Book of Five Rings, then you probably know that the author only from the very beginning of his Path of War, comprehending the Spirit of Bushido, made efforts to comprehend the secrets best weapon and his role in combat.

But gradually he came to the practice that with literally any piece of wood he could fight wars armed with the best swords, gradually comprehending the indisputable fact that the "weapon" itself is only a tool, and it is the Warrior himself who is the real Weapon.

Therefore, bearing in mind that "Not all those who wander are lost," remember also that your Bow is only a tool. You yourself are the weapon.

And this Weapon must be prepared for the Hunt in the most thorough manner. And the point here is not at all physical training, which is completely different for everyone (although it is also in it, but this is far from the most important thing, since hunting with a bow is for everyone, and an experienced "old man" of 10 young people is on the hunt). Another thing is not good when it comes to a shot, and your arms and legs are trembling, sweat covers your eyes, your head does not understand anything ... this is already bad.

And here physically healthy young people are ahead of the rest. Just like scratching their tongues on the forums, they are ready to go with nunchucks and axes not only for a wild boar, but for a bear, and the tips discuss which are better, but when it comes to business, it’s scary to look at them, let alone send them aside alone, that and you look, in a faint without any bear they will crash.

Compound bow hunting - real hunting for real men

The pulse quickens, adrenaline hits the head, all the lessons and trainings fly out of the head at once, the image in the eyes becomes cloudy, they no longer see anything around ... What are the signs and hunting instinct, the focus disappears on the subject. And he looked into the sight - that's it, he lost his orientation in space, he no longer knows where the north is, where the south is, where the target is, where the neighbor is, where he himself is delirious. Therefore, you should remember some top tips for not getting lost in space.

Tip 1. Keep your eyes on the Target and don't lose sight of it for a second while you're doing a full stretch. Take your eyes a little to the side, you may never see her again. Well, if the second time is not right in front of you and it will not be a bear. Everything else you should be able to do by touch and quickly, without hitting branches, equipment, tristand, tower with a bow, without jumping up with noise and crackling.

When drawing the bow, keep your index finger pressed against the string so as not to convulsively lower the release. Do not move your finger off the string until you have finished aiming. Otherwise, the "grab-grab" reflex will derail you all the hunt.

If you have a habit of pressing the arrow against the shelf with the finger of your left hand until stretched after insertion, then when drawing the bow, do not forget to release the arrow with the fingers of your left hand. Otherwise, more than once or twice, you will have to jerk the bow and again hook the bow with the bowstring, until it reaches you in a frenzy that the arrow does not follow the bowstring simply because you firmly pressed it with your left hand into the shelf with your left hand and do not release it into a stretch .

A stable stretch should be felt by the position of the body and the emphasis of something in a sensitive area. Almost reached - the sight is gone. The left hand can still be taught to go straight and open the fingers at the end, but with the grouping of the body it is more difficult.

Straighten your chest, and take your right hand into a sensitive position. Someone has a bowstring to the nose, thumb right hand laid behind the neck, a bead on the string in the corner of the lip ... any tactile contact that replaces the bowhunter sports clicker.

Before shooting, take a look at the bubble level of the scope and level the bow. And only then the exact aiming and transfer of the finger.

The pins of the sight should be bright, large, multi-colored, maximum 5, so as not to get confused, it is better on the side offsets, if you shoot at variable distances and do not fly into the game.

Tip 2. The body position when shooting should be close to the letter T. Therefore, even if you shoot from a tower or tristand, as well as at feathered flights, you should not bend your body around the sternum. You need to either lean forward or back, bending at the waist. Nothing should disturb your standard stretch, in which you are able to control the correct aiming, while maintaining the physics of shooting.

Therefore, depending on the shooting position, take care to figure out uphill and downhill aiming in advance, as you will do it, bending at the waist, or kneeling and bending your leg.

Tip 3. When taking a position, determine in advance both your mistakes in place and the best shooting sectors and distances, - where you will immediately shoot, and where else to wait. Measure the distances to all landmarks in advance, and if possible, mark the distances on the ground with conditional landmarks (without leaving odor marks on the ground) so that when a target is detected, you do not once again grab the rangefinder.

Do not shoot through branches, as well as close to trees. After lowering the string, hold your left hand even before the count of 3, just as when shooting, as if you are leaning with your whole body on the corner of the building.

You need to roughly imagine what mistakes you can make in shooting. For example, the most typical mistake of right-handers is to drop the left hand immediately after the shot, which is why the arrows go down and to the left. Therefore, knowing about such a frequent mistake, it is better to choose a shooting position when the arrow passes to the left of the tree than to the right.

Tip 4. Hunting clothing makes adjustments to your daily training. Shooting in a jacket on a hunt is not like shooting in a T-shirt at a shooting range. Straps, buckles, camouflage, a mask, gloves, insurance, anything, down to humidity and rain, can change the very physics of stretching. Yes, you just sat in a bent state - you can just forget to straighten up. Someone takes off his jacket before the shot, someone shows off to such an extent that he buys overalls with a narrowed left sleeve and a special cut, someone pinches the left sleeve from the back with clerical clips.

Actually, it's all gimmicks. Just straighten up and feel your body like you are at a shooting range. And do not forget to remove flashlights, gadgets, phones, cameras, and other nonsense, including food and water, from your knees in advance if you are sitting.

Tip 5 Haste is only needed... Of course, you know when it is needed, and that it is not needed on the Hunt.. We don’t have the task of laughing, so we hurry slowly. Assess if the beast can see you before making your evolutions with the bow and body. Assess the distance, assess the reach, assess the affected areas, feel the stretch, move it back and forth, feel the control tactile contact with the bowstring and release, calm the breath, exhale, glance at the level, open the fingers of the left hand, smoothly move the index finger to the trigger , fix the body at the aiming point for two to three seconds, smoothly bend the trigger guard with a thin piece of skin on the fold between the first and second phalanges of the index finger.

However, you should not delay this matter. Very often the archer still has time to make a second shot while the animal realizes what happened if it was a miss.

In the classics, there is a rule that shooting from a traditional bow assumes that the bowstring is released immediately as soon as the bowstring is stretched to full draw. And even on many demo videos it is noticeable that many demonstrators, having well mastered this not very smart truth, despite the quality of aiming, strive to show their quality equipment, without fail shooting an arrow with the end of the draw.

Stupidity is everything. This rule is good when you draw the bow to its limits so that aiming is not affected by the jitter from overexertion while holding the bow at full draw. If you can do it, you can safely aim. Masters who take long aim with good result I have seen. Fast-shooting snipers - did not meet. I didn't even hear about the fact that they hunted something.

With blockers, this rule is generally contraindicated to apply. Cameron Haynes, when aiming specifically at full draw, makes at least 3-4 passes-swing down with the right wrist with release, shaking the line of sight up and down, aiming it at the target each time and knocking down the sight until he is sure that the line of sight fits smoothly to the target and set on the aiming point, each time softer and more accurate. And shoots deer calmly at 150 meters.

I'm not Haynes, I don't lift 200 kg in the morning and I don't run 10 km. Therefore, I just take a couple of breaths, on the third I inhale deeply, and exhale one third long, hold my breath and begin to bring the aiming line to zero. Feeling the behavior of my hands (and they are still not stone, they have some kind of movement that can be predicted in a couple of seconds), I try on how my sight dances, and predict when it will go through the zero mark of my target. And when he almost approaches her, then I gently pull the trigger. For everything about everything, it takes me 3 breaths, stretching, and about 3-4 seconds to aim at full draw.

Descent. The arrow went off. Despite the urge, we continue to stand still, count 1, 2, and preferably 3, and smoothly lower the left hand (in the head it will be calculated much faster than in a second, but during this time the arrow will already have time to leave the shelf and separate from the bowstring and throwing your hand will not lift her tail up).

We follow what the beast is doing and where it has rushed. Now, regardless of where he rushed, we immediately put in the next arrow and hook the knock. Do not forget to release the arrow with your left hand and put the bow vertically so that the arrow does not fall out of the shelf and climb into the fleecy part of the hunting shelf if you manage to use it (it would be better if you didn’t).

If he rushed at you - we stretch the bow again, if from you, then we look where he ran. If it disappeared from our eyes, we remember well which branches and what exactly are staggering last in order to look for a trace there. Just in case, after the beast has disappeared, carefully look around. Not even an hour behind may be his relative or a hunter of a different kind.

In fact, everything that I have said above refers to psychology, and not to archery, but it drastically affects archery. Therefore, even if reading this material makes you shudder, then, probably, it is advisable not to hunt an animal, but to start with pigeons or something.

Impossible? Complete nonsense. This is for drunkards in boots with smoothbore, and even more so with rifled weapons impossible. And the archer is quite possible. Video attached.

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In good hands, the stick shoots. However, it is better to buy something better

If you are a "specialist" in archery, and if, moreover, you have already managed to work out in the archery section, or, much worse, have managed to communicate with "specialists" and "athletes", and besides that, practically irrevocably, after reading a lot of forums held at the basement sections ... then everything is really bad, my friends.

As one Chinese sage used to say, in a cup of tea full to the brim, you can not add even a single drop of tea. And if there is slop in this cup instead of tea, then it is absolutely impossible to add tea there, because no matter how much you pour, there will still be slop there.

Therefore, in order to get something, you first need to pour out what you scooped up in the puddles. However, this does not exclude the fact that in return they will pour you a teapot from a teapot. Also an option. However, everyone chooses a Teacher for himself, and here it is up to you to decide who you are going to become like.

The main misconceptions when choosing a compound bow and its body kit, or a general list of global misconceptions of bow sellers in their ability to do this

Misconception #1-2: BOW SELECTION - LONG-SHORT, with LONG-SHORT limbs. Shortbows shoot less accurately and not as far as longbows. longbows shoot more accurately and farther short. Actually this is not true. There is some truth in this statement, but not at all distances. Moreover, this also applies to the weight of the bow, so I would formulate it as a set of features with certain reservations: Short and light bows, with a weight of less than about 3.5 kg, shoot somewhat less accurately than longer and heavier bows, however, from a certain weight, which depends on the physical capabilities of the shooter, heavy and longbows by no means can be used equally effectively for their intended purpose. The picture below shows a long bow and long arrows for hunting large ungulates at distances of 60 meters and more.

By definition, a longbow, that is, having a large axel-to-axel, will shoot farther only on the simple basis that the accelerating section of the arrow is larger, and the arrow itself is longer. If the first has little effect on the range and only affects if the weight of the projectile matches its length, then the second is true simply because the gliding ability of a long arrow is higher. With the right combination of these factors, that is, if your arrows are thin enough, hard enough, light enough, with good plumage and a tip that is harmonious with the weight and size of the arrow, the indicator of accuracy and range of a long bow can always turn out to be higher than that of a short bow with exactly the same the same arrow parameters.

However, the choice of arrows is not the subject of this material, as well as the tips, so for simple hunting I would recommend fairly thin, and maybe a little longer than you will be recommended in the store, carbon arrows with a hardness of 300-350 and with a tip of 120 grains. As for animal hunting, then the arrows should be thicker, metal or braided combinations, fairly stiff, with a tip of about 150 grains, but also somewhat longer than usually recommended. Of course, that your sight will have to be adjusted for each choice of arrows in a new way.

As for short bows and the accuracy parameter, practical tests are indispensable here. Yes, a longer and heavier bow is easier to aim, easier to keep from trembling, and it is more gentle on finger and palm tremors, which are very noticeable on short and lighter bows. But from a certain size, a long and heavy bow, especially for women, is physically difficult to keep stretched, let alone aim millimeters.

Therefore, let's take specific bows and make sighting series: The following bows were selected for testing: Bowtech Insanity CPX (32 inches ATA), Insanity CPXL (35). Prime Defy (31), Impact (35). Hoyt Spyder 30 (30), Spyder 34 (34) (which is why the Hoyts in model range so they are marked 30-34 - this is the distance axel-to-axel). The test results are as follows (the first are the average values ​​of the deviations of the series of arrows for short bows, the second for long bows):

30 yards: Short: 2.83; Long: 2.79 - 40 yards: Short: 4.19; Long: 4.33 - 60 yards: Short: 5.74; Long: 5.10

The result is somewhat paradoxical.- for short and long distances, long bows shoot better, and at magical 40 yards - worse than short bows. We will meet this magical result at 40 yards a few more times, since the 40-meter race does not only give itself away here.

Therefore, the first conclusion is that long bows are definitely better than short bows for long distances, they continue to shoot and more precisely for long distances. On short distances it is better to choose short and light bows, and this will give you a plus in maneuverability and lightness, without losing almost anything in accuracy.
The second conclusion is to beware of ultra-light and ultra-short bows and this threshold is probably in the region of 30 inches and 3.5 kg. However, it all depends on the shooter.
The third conclusion clearly states that at a distance of 50 meters or more, the bow should be large and long. And better with even longer arrows.

In addition to length, there are similar misconceptions about its width - like, the wider the bow, the more accurate it is ... (that's why I combined the shoulder factor into one item, collecting three different parameters into two descriptions of misconceptions, since the shoulders also appear in the first and third)

Misconception #3-4: Brace High, SHOULDER LENGTH or BOW WIDTH. Some believe that the greater the distance from the shelf to the bowstring in the initial position, the better (that is, the longer and more bent the shoulders, that is, the wider the bow itself), because, allegedly, in this case, there is less distance left during the passage of the arrow through the bow, which falls on the contact of the bow of the arrow with the bowstring. Which theoretically should affect accuracy, because after the shot, contact with the bowstring is negative, since all the beats of the bow and bowstring are transmitted through the bowstring to the arrow. In fact, this is absolute stupidity and everything is quite the opposite.

In fact, if those who think so would look at the slow-motion footage of the beats of a compound bow and bowstring after a shot, they would understand that such fluctuations occur there, against which a lot becomes insignificant. Yes, if you throw your hand with a bow at that moment, then the whole oscillatory process will go to the side, pulling the arrow along with it, but how much it all depends on the width of the bow, that is, on Bras-Hai, this question remained open for some time. The logical answer to skeptics is the simple fact that the reaction of the shooter's muscles is very insignificant compared to modern compound bow speeds.

However, practice is the criterion of truth, so let's move on to the test results. For tests, Bear Motive 6 (6-inch BH), Motive 7 (7) were taken (that is why they are called MOTIVE-6, -7, if anyone has not yet understood, bears consider this parameter an important sign of a bow); McPherson Monster MR5 (5), MR7 (7); Hoyt Spyder Turbo (6), Spyder 34 (6 and 3⁄4). In total, the test results state that the deviations of the control series of arrows from the center of the targets in terms of accuracy were:

30 yards : Short Brace Height: 2.83; Long Brace Height: 3.08 - 40 yards: Short Brace Height: 4.16; Long Brace Height: 4.40 - 60 Yards: Short Brace Height: 6.31; Long Brace Height: 6.30.

That is, in fact, at all distances, bows with a short Bras High turned out to be more accurate than bows with a long distance, with the exception of 60 meters, where the results can be considered equal. At the same time, it should be said that on Turbo's Hoyt bows, the accuracy indicator turned out to be noticeably higher than other Hoyts with a very small difference in VN. Bear 6th proved to be more accurate than 7th, thus clearly justifying the opinion of the bears themselves that their model numbering makes a lot of sense and the top Baer model marked with six is ​​not only more powerful, but also logically narrower than seven (by the way, Bears proved to be more accurate than the Hoyts and especially on long distances, which once again confirmed the first section of our review of misconceptions). Matthews turned out to be the most inaccurate bows of this trio, which has already been confirmed many times by many experts in other reviews, but their difference in accuracy between bows with different values ​​of BH turned out to be not so significant, and in many ways even showed a slight reverse trend.

In general, we can say that Bras High has no critical significance for the concept of bow accuracy. However, contrary to popular belief, the greater the width of the bow and the bras-high, the less accurate the bow will be for most bows, or it may not matter much for others.

Logically, let's move on to the next popular parameter and opinion - about stretching or drawing a bow (stretching is a property of an arrow and is calculated between the extreme points of the hands, draw is a similar characteristic of a bow and is determined along the course of the bowstring).

Misconception #5 . STRETCHING. Stretching (extension) of the bow does not affect the accuracy of shooting, but it is precisely determined when measured with a ruler from the chest to the end of the arms extended forward, folded together, covering the ruler. Oh, how much nonsense they can write sports coaches children's archery sections, tightly driving it into the fragile children's heads. Of course, this is complete nonsense.

The total illiteracy of bow sellers lies in the fact that they completely incorrectly collect bows for the vast majority of customers. In 80% of cases, the draw is taken to be greater than it actually is. And this leads to ... do not believe it ... 50% deterioration in shooting accuracy. Why? Yes, because they were engaged in archery sections and read books of elderly trainers.

What is generally fraught with an incorrect definition of stretching? At the very least, that when it is reduced relative to the speeds set on the bow, the speeds developed by the bow will be reduced by approximately by 10% minimum. reset, that is year-off will be reduced, that is, you will have to keep more weight on the aiming hand, respectively, and the accuracy of such aiming will drop. But a long stretch is even worse!

To begin with, stretching should never be determined with a ruler in the manner described in all sports manuals. Just because the anatomical features of each person are different, and the relative length of the hands and bones and the mobility of the joints are also all different, so stretching can only be measured on the bow itself during the draw itself.

And here comes the total overshadowing of empty heads by the simple fact that, it turns out, you need to choose the length of the bowstring not only according to your anthropometric data, but, as it turned out, taking into account which release you use and what shooting technique you have - if the release is a sports pistol and a handle type, then you hold it in a cam, and with a turn, on a short hitch reach, that is, you would seem to have a complete draw compared to a hunter, who, of course, would prefer a carpal release with Velcro, and with a long leash, so that with an outstretched index finger touch the string.

But at the same time, one of you will put his fist on his cheek, and the second will lead her behind the neck from behind, resting his thumb behind the neck, someone will certainly need to press the bowstring into the nose exactly in the middle of its tip ... What you just don’t see at archery competitions - here perishing who in that much. This is the name of the school. And there is also a difference in how you rest the handle of the bow with your left hand - tensing the muscles of the palm or not, bringing the shoulders forward in the joints, or not ... pushing and tensing the shoulder girdle, or contracting internally so that the cartilages do not play with the muscles by stretching ... There are dozens of tricks, as well as manners of shooting, and stances ... And it turns out that ...

Difference in draw for the same person using different releases and different technique- will be at least 10-15 centimeters, or even all 20. Is it conceivable to make a mistake in the amount of stretch by 10-20 cm? Yes, it's all down the drain from and to. Although the hands of one person are basically the same.

When tilting the bow down and up, everything goes awry, which is why you need to shoot in a slope and uphill by bending in the lower back, and not in the shoulder girdle, leaving the letter T in the bow and shoulder girdle.

Therefore, you take a specific bow, stretch it in your own manner, with your release, and only then can a person from the side, by correcting your stance (knocking your neck and both hands into place, twisting your left knuckle and eliminating a bunch of other mistakes), make an appropriate measurement. And so you need to repeat several times. And each time the results will be different. It is enough to understand that even in the evening and in the morning a person is actually of different height due to fluctuations in the thickness of the cartilage tissue. The same goes for the joints. shoulder girdle and hands, as well thoracic, muscle tone and more.

It is impossible to change a long wrist release for a sports pistol release or a short one and shoot the same way with the same settings of the same bow.

It is also impossible to use a sports clicker on hunting bows to determine the consistency of the draw., since the clicker lamella can fall under the ledge of the tip or insert at full extension and jam the arrow in the shelf, which will easily lead to a break in the arrow at the start if it is damaged (in turn, the rear fragment can pierce your left supporting arm).

At the same time, if when shooting you take an erroneous stance or put on something that will prevent you from taking it, you, of course, will shoot worse. How much worse?

For a practical experiment, three bows were taken with an optimally selected stretch, and then it was increased for each bow by only one single inch. The results of successive series in terms of the deviation of the arrows from the center of the targets:

30 yards: 2.77; 3.53 - 40 meters: 4.04, 5.95 - 60 meters: 5.39, 9.77

A catastrophe - one single inch of the length of the bowstring increased beyond the norm leads to a deterioration in accuracy at minimum distances of 30%, and at maximum distances up to 100%.

Therefore, if you measured the stretch with a ruler according to the book, and you bought a carpal release, you can say goodbye with accuracy. However, on modern bows there are mobile platforms with which you can adjust the stretch within a certain range without using a bow press. In any case, it is always worth going to a service center for maintenance and reconfiguration by professionals.

By the way, the following characteristic misconception is connected with this. About the shoulder bolts of compound bows - twisted and went.

Misconception #6. SHOULDER BOLTS. I twist what I want, including shoulder bolts, adjust the sight - everything will be fine. Nothing will be okay. Indicative is the ability of a recent letter, so I will explain the essence of the issue using its example.

"Good afternoon Andrey. Again and again I return to your articles on hunting. Recently, I became the proud owner of the compound bow Bear Legion 2013. The lower block is installed on the bow - E3-CAM. And I am tormented by doubts that the timing is set incorrectly. Could you Can you tell me how to correctly set the timing of this block?Is there a tuning guide?When you change the number of turns of the cable or bowstring on the Legion, the lower block (zero position) changes its position relative to the cables/string.Therefore, it deviates from the factory ones (laid down by the developers of the lower block ) acceleration characteristic of the arrow".

As for block settings and timing, Interloper, primarily due to the understanding of these problems by their General Director, recently released a special manual in Russian, namely a translated brochure - the first and only document in Russian that tells about all the nuances of setting BEAR blocks bows. This was done in the form (in the form) of Instructions and a passport of a single sample for all bear bows. Not all models in the figures are reflected there, but the general understanding of this process is shown correctly there, and this should be enough to understand what affects what and what has nothing to do with the issue. Your humble servant on that brochure, although depicted from the back :) but I still recommend reading this brochure. Applies to all Baer bows sold by Interloper.

Changing the number of turns of the main leg set screw will have little effect on anything other than the poundage of the bow, but will slightly increase the draw. Counterclockwise, no more than 4 turns can be made, in order to avoid complete disengagement of the arms in relation to the factory settings. The plant sets the average values, which can be significantly changed. Stretching is regulated by a rotating module attached to the block. But the stretch does not affect the poundage if it is full and according to the settings on the block. On synchronized blocks, the main thing is to rearrange these modules in pairs on both blocks, for which they have numbering of holes. Number of modules from 5 to 10 changes the stretch on the Legion from 25.5 to 30.5 in half-inch increments.

Synchronization of blocks in bieccentric systems(namely, this should be of concern mainly to the owner of a bieccentric bow) and their so-called timing in monoeccentric systems(that is, the correspondence of the angles of rotation of the blocks to the stretch of the bowstring from the zero position to the full stretch) - they are simply checked simply by eye, even without devices. The zero position is initially clear even without marking - by the position of the blocks, as well as the maximum draw corresponds to the extreme turn of the block. Just compare them with the pictures of the bows on the manufacturer's website.

If someone stretches the bow, and someone takes a picture of it, then from the outside everything will be clear without instruments - are the blocks turned the same way if there are two of them and is there one correctly at the end of the draw if it is one ... From here it becomes clear that it's just that even an incomplete draw, that is, an incorrectly installed stretch or an incorrectly selected release, which is most often, does not allow the blocks to work at full capacity (if you need it). Conditionally - the bowstring should become tangent to the point of the last contact with it of the last deaf dark sector-cutout in the block. A full draw to achieve maximum poundage will tell you the position of the main rocker of the cables on the block - when it turns to its most extreme state. If the start and end points coincide with the beginning of the stretch and the full stretch, then you have everything you need.

But if the beginning always coincides in a correctly assembled bow, then the end always depends on a correctly set stretch and nothing else. Problems with the initial zero position when the shoulders are loosened with mounting bolts are not problems of improper tuning of the bow, because initially its poundage is set to a strictly defined value and the blocks are set to zero in accordance with this value. If you have loosened the shoulder bolts, it means that you have artificially reduced the weight of the bow and it seems to be already in the half-shot (undershot), or rather, in the phase of artificially cutting off the active draw section. If now, with the loosening of the bolts, set the blocks to zero, then the poundage of your entire bow will decrease relative to the passport. Also with the maximum acceleration of bows - if you screw the bolts all the way, then the blocks will turn out to be half-cocked. If we now set them to zero, then the onion poundage will increase.

Therefore, by turning the screws of the shoulders, we simply change the physics of the bow, and if, for each change in the dimensions of the axel-to-axle, we also begin to turn the blocks, then we will do something like changing the gearbox and gas pedal when changing the wheels of the car to tires of a different diameter ... If you need a permanently weakened Legion, then the blocks can be set to zero by adjusting the bowstring and cables, just like a reinforced one. But, in general, this is all people do either by buying bows of the right force, or simply tightening the bolts sometimes, or stretching the bow to a certain position.

After all, what do you do when you loosen the screws - you conditionally either lengthen the bowstring for a given shoulder width more than the face value, or reduce the shoulder size less than the face value (which is equivalent for the angle of rotation of the blocks), so what needs to be done logically after that to set zero in the blocks - either shorten the length of the bowstring, or lengthen the shoulders. If the second is not possible, then the first is the only way to return zero. There is an appropriate adjustment for this, where it is, and where it is not, there is no such possibility.

A as for the consequences of increasing the length of the bowstring relative to your stretch- we considered these consequences in the previous paragraph of delusions - for every inch, depending on the range, you will lose from 30 to 100% accuracy.

We examined the geometry of the bows (we will not touch the blocks for now - this is a long and very secret matter, and few people will understand what I will try to explain to you in the language of sopromat). So let's move on to accessories. The first point of contact between the arrow and the bow is a shelf.

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Misconception #7: SHELF. The hunting shelf (meaning the bristly "eye with eyelashes" type) bought by the vast majority of novice hunters and recommended by the vast majority of completely empty "masters" is intended for hunting and a hunting bow must be equipped with a special "hunting shelf". It is not really intended for anything good, and it is definitely not intended for hunting at all. Although, for a photo shoot will do. Unpleasant situation when you stretch the bow, and the arrow slowly floats away from the shelf ... in the fleecy shelf, this problem is solved, but it is easily solved with closing falling and opening shelves - in the same Revolution, - close it before stretching and then when you see the beast you will not have to hold the arrow with the finger of the left hand or grab it with a death grip, pressing it to the handle.

This is it, this is not a hunting shelf - this is one misunderstanding

In fact, it has three main drawbacks that completely make it useless to buy an expensive and accurate bow, a good scope and lengthy training in shooting accuracy.

The first is that the fleecy shelf does not have a clearly defined precise alignment of the arrow along the aiming line. The bristles are subject to curvature, temperature fluctuations, crushing, abrasion, and uneven bristle protrusion of individual hairs. And it does not withstand any sliding along it, immediately bending under the starting arrow, which, as we know, begins to bend very, very significantly in the process of departure. The bristles simply sag under the boom at the start. And the original hole in it does not allow us to talk about some kind of starting position.

From this point of view, a falling shelf is always better. However, you need to take shelves with grips from above, so that in the process of evolution with a bow before shooting and stretching, the arrow does not come off.

The second - the fleecy shelf significantly slows down the arrow at the exit, while passing the plumage through itself and knocks it off the aiming line. Due to the uneven density of the bristles, the delay of each feather is different, so even the arrow with the new plumage is passed unevenly by the new shelf, creating a deviation. And in case of jamming of the plumage, it completely knocks the arrow off course, knocking out the back of the arrow, slowing down in the direction of the curved feather. In addition, it reduces the energy of the arrow departure.

The feathering delay with its different type (it is better to choose arrows with short feathers) and the state of the shelf is at least 10% of the arrow speed, and as a rule, all 15%.

Practical shots When comparing two popular models of bristle-type hunting shelves - Whisker Biscuit (WB) Trophy Taker Smackdown with the equally famous falling shelf with a top stop - Quality Archery Design UltraRestHD showed the following results, respectively, in the deviation from the center of the targets:

30 yards: 2.68, 2.55 - 40 yards: 3.67, 3.15 - 60 yards: 5.29, 5.19 - Accuracy when setting this bristle web is worse than that of a specific falling one, and the speed drop on the bristle is 3-6 feet per second for different bows and arrows in relation to measurements with a falling one.

Thirdly, a fleecy shelf is completely unsuitable for preparing for a shot with an enclosed arrow in the thicket, in the grass, from cover. Just because if you even slightly touch something around you with the arrowhead, it will sink the entire arrow through the pile of the shelf to the sight ring, and make the shot completely impossible and, moreover, dangerous for you. With such a bias, the bow can also be disabled as with a blank shot and immediately be left without a weapon.

Correcting such an arrow in the process of stretching to the center of the shelf with the finger of the left hand, or trying to do this with a stretched bow, is worse when shooting. Here it smacks of injuries and the disruption of the whole hunt, for sure, worse, it will fly off not there, but into a neighbor.

Yes, they are cheap and easy. But they completely reduce accuracy, reduce speed, and are fraught with prerequisites for hunting and injury. And most importantly - are you so cool that you can shoot a compound bow sideways? And why do you need this shelf at all?

You can buy something completely simple falling, jumping, turning, or anything, if only immediately with the start of the descent - it bursts to the sides, and before the shot it held the arrow in the exact position. There are hundreds of such shelves, from falling ones, such as diverging ones in the photo, or to turning Revolutions (just don’t forget to stick the felt lining).

So, what do we have closest to the shelf - the handle? Let's talk about her.

Misconception #8. HANDLE. An expensive good hunting bow should have a cool anatomical handle, and preferably made of wood with an engraved logo, like, for example, HOYT MATHEWS, or modern with rubber-latex, well, at worst, like BEAR ARCHERY - at least a rubber overhead for a reliable grip of the hand with the bow.

In practical tests, it turned out that all this is complete nonsense. Everything is the opposite. As it turned out during the control firing - In general, it is better not to have any handle on the bow. For control shooting were chosen Bear Motive-6, Mathews Creed, Hoyt Charger - respectively, a rubber invoice and two wooden elite handles. The results of shooting with an average deviation from the center of the target, first with handles, then without handles at all.

30 yards: 3.05; 2.43 - 40 yards: 3.88; 3.62 - 60 yards: 6.01; 4.98

30% increase in accuracy when shooting with no grips at all - would you like to get it? Didn't the desire to buy a bow just because of the beautiful handle disappear? The greater the distance, the more interference the handle introduces.

Yes, it is strange to shoot while holding on to a thin bare piece of iron, but as it turned out, it is precisely such a grip that allows the bow to less effectively repeat all sorts of manipulations with the micromuscles of the hunter's hand that appear during its movements. In general, you should unclench your left hand even when stretching, leaving one thumb in work, and preferably without its help. Why do you need a handle when shooting, if you only need an emphasis?

The body needs to be directed, and not twisted with the handles in the stretch. The less the bow will listen to your left hand, the purpose of which is only to designate a fixed point in front, the more accurate your shot will be. The lack of cushioning makes your hand stiffer, which is exactly what you want when shooting. Therefore, the handle from the bow - down, the result will be 30% better. By the way, at HOYT under the handle, the logo on the frame is milled, so nothing will be aesthetically affected.

What do we have next to the shelf and the handle - a sight? Let's talk about him.

Misconception #9. AIM. The best scopes are those that have a lot of fine adjustments and pin adjustments, luminous and narrow lamellas that do not block the field of view, compact, portable. It's also complete nonsense. Favorite speculation smeared - the sight failed.

First, the sight should move as far forward as possible. , as it increases the base of aim. Therefore, the longer the scope support, the better. It doesn't have to be compact. but the farther the sight removal, the less opportunities you have to disperse all its pins over the entire range of distances. Here you need to choose - either we shoot inaccurately but over the entire range of distances, or accurately, but in a narrow range of ranges.

Second- since the sight should be as far away from the arrow as the pip-site in the extension is from it, and therefore your neck, - the presence of a large vertical travel for the sight is mandatory, respectively, this also increases the size. Half of the sights sin with its disadvantage. It may turn out that with a certain scope you will not be able to set it at the desired distances in any official way.

Thirdly, the number of settings leads to a huge, sorry, hemorrhoids when aiming, and a lot of opportunities to knock down these settings. And since you are not Cameron Haynes and do not shoot deer at 160 yards, then you do not need settings for such distances and all sorts of mountain sights for shooting downhill and uphill. It is best if the sight itself is made for a bow and has an integral logarithmic drive for adjusting the pins. Thin pins on the motley underlying surface are not visible at all, as in the twilight.

Everything that is said below is about an arrow of one combat weight with a combat tip (400 grains in the standard). So don't be surprised if shooting sporting arrows while hunting you get into trouble by screwing 150-200 grain points with a bunch of protruding blades.

Today, the most optimal for hunting is the new, it is described in the link. Relatively inexpensive and lightweight, very convenient and quick to set up, since all 5 pins move programmatically mechanically simultaneously in a logarithmoid. That is, a sight with self-adjusting pins at one point of sight. We shot the first pin at 20, and any of the rest as much as needed. Everyone else divided the space on their own. Keep in mind that the manufacturer meant yards.

In fact, hunting really needs 3 pins- medium at 25-30 meters (depending on the weight of the bow 55-65 pounds) and two from it in a spread of plus or minus 10 meters (I shoot the average at 40-45 meters, depending on what I use this bow for).

Closer than 15-20 meters everything goes in a straight line, since the arrow still does not lose in descent, and further than 40 meters it’s really not worth shooting, unless you have a 70-pound blocker and you shoot no less than a boar with tips no worse than Spitfire.

A 5-pin sight is needed in fact no less than for those who shoot exclusively from a blocker and exclusively in the range from 20 to 60 meters, then they shoot it at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 meters on the corresponding pins.

If you have more experience and a better than average bow, then I tried an 8-pin oval for mountain hunting, but I didn’t like it, so I just shift the setting of the 5-pin to 25, 35, 45, 55, 65, leaving a gap to the ring from the bottom side in such a way that the edge of the aiming circle is set to 80 meters (I consider this distance for myself the maximum allowable kill on a large animal for myself and my settings for my animal bow in our forests with the existing average visibility range).

Horizontal and vertical set of pins - it already depends on your preferences and hunting tactics and what kind of game. Pins interfere with the review, and which type of review is more important for you, choose the one. Operative visibility is better provided by vertical pins, but the nearest small animal and bird are closed by them.

The luminous dots of the pins should be large enough, not small, otherwise you won’t see them at all in the contrasting forest, just like in the dusk. Of course, the ideal scope is a single pin scope. But are you going to twist it every time you see a target? And how will you generally shoot at a running or flying target? This is not a shooting range, this is hunting, you need to have an idea about aiming at the entire range of available distances.

Practical shooting of a 5-pin scope versus a single-pin scope showed the following results:

30 yards: 2.82, 2.77 - 40 yards: 3.86, 3.53 - 60 yards: 5.61, 4.96 - The accuracy of shooting with a single-pin sight is somewhat improved, since the person is not distracted by the rest of the pins.

This difference becomes even greater when there are more pins, and the adjustments are removed from the only pin of the competing sight - transferring them to the sliders of the mounting pads. The fewer adjustments, the better the result for a single-pin sight.

At short distances, this difference is insignificant, but at long distances it becomes significant.. Moreover, if the pin is visible well, then it is better to have a thin pin - 40 yards: 3.48, 3.06 - 60 yards: 5.62, 4.50 (data for 5 thick pins first, single thin pin second).

Yes, and do not forget that in standard sights the light guides are cut off incorrectly from the side of the sights, which creates a bright spot of light on the side of the sight at night, which can detect you at night, so paint over this place with black varnish or a drop of var, and choose not the brightest backlight level.

And do not make a cult out of sight. It all depends on the amount of money and your bow. The fact is that Smartpin React gives a universal setting for the logarithmoid, and, say, a much cheaper Micro-5 allows you to tune to your preferences outside the box, which can be useful. In addition, Micro-5 still has best review, which is typical for vertical pins. And one more thing - the long arm of the Micro-5, like any long arm of any scope, makes it possible to aim much more accurately. The farther out the sight, the more accurate the shot. But then it will be more difficult to accelerate the pins over distances - the range of ranges is reduced, and five pins become redundant.

Choosing a bow for hunting

Hunting with a bow is a fascinating and interesting activity. Unfortunately, bow hunting is prohibited on the territory of the Russian Federation, although there are some progress. Recently, the State Duma sent for consideration a draft law allowing hunting with a bow. But even now there are private reserves where, under the supervision of rangers, you can hunt. You can also go to Belarus or Bulgaria. And in many foreign countries this is a common type of hunting.

Criterias of choice

How to choose a bow for hunting? First you need to know that an animal or bird will not let a person closer than 30–50 meters. And further than 50 meters it is very difficult to make an accurate shot. Decreased accuracy and lethal force of the arrow, which increases the chance of "wounded".

So a bow for hunting must have two main qualities:

• power (especially for a large animal);
• accuracy (the influence of a person on the accuracy of a shot should be reduced to a minimum).

These criteria are fully consistent with modern compound bows. But many experienced hunters prefer a classic or traditional bow for hunting. That allows them to merge more with nature and feel one on one with the beast.

Since in most cases, in order to get close to the beast, it is necessary to travel long distances. Sometimes in the wilds and thickets. Then a bow for hunting should have several more qualities, in addition to those presented above:

• dimensions (the smaller the bow, the less it clings to branches, grass. The closer we can get to the beast;
• weight (sometimes the distance that needs to be covered, where animals allowed for hunting live, can be more than a dozen kilometers, among hills and mountains. Therefore, each meter traveled increases the weight of the bow;
• convenience when shooting (a bow for hunting should be easily held in when aiming, the hunter should not think that the bow is hooked somewhere, that the arrow may fall off the shelf, that the sight has not gone astray.

And again, the modern compound bow has all these qualities. But all the advantages can be repelled by one minus - the price. Although many famous hunters with a compound bow subsequently switched to a classic bow. What are their pros and cons?

Criteria (pros and cons)		Classic or traditional
Power	Power up to 80 lbs, with a 8x drop at the end of the tension. Easy to aim without stress	A powerful classic bow is very difficult to keep in aim for a long time, only for experienced shooters
Accuracy	Due to the design, it is more accurate at long distances, due to the diopter design of the sight, it is more accurate by 20–25>#/p###	Accurate at distances up to 30 meters with constant training. For longer distances, only for experienced shooters
	Much more compact, the length of the longest models is a maximum of 100cm	The minimum length is 1.4 meters, due to the nature of the structure of the materials
	Heavier, weight in full body kit up to 4.5-5kg. But due to balancing, when aiming, you don’t feel	Very light weight in full body kit up to 1 kg.
Ease of shooting	Compactness, tension relief when fired, a special shelf holding the arrow at any inclination, a diopter sight with aiming points on different distances. Trigger mechanism, stabilization and vibration dampening system.	Convenient when shooting while standing, and a slight slope.

If you are an adherent of classical hunting, like to stay close to nature, enjoy simplicity, historicity, then try a recurve classic or traditional bow.

In this case, pay attention to the hunting bows of the well-known company Bear Archery. One of the few companies that currently produces traditional bows for hunting. Made of precious wood, glued in layers, and with the addition of composite materials. These bows are like a work of art. Beautiful, powerful and deadly.

A traditional bow, 140 cm long, with a draw force of up to 27 kg, an excellent example for hunting. It will become not only an excellent choice for hunting, but also a pride that is not ashamed to boast.

What to choose for those who opted for a compound bow? For beginners, and who wants to try it is better to look at inexpensive models:

There are many manufacturers, but pay attention to three of them. Those companies founded by hunters for hunters:,. We bring to your attention the comparative characteristics of the most popular models:

Name

Tension force

starting speed

Stretch length

Length between axles

66 – 78.8 cm

Good luck with your shots!