Do You Have A Back-Up Bow?

[ElkNut1]

All the years I've elk hunted I've never owned a back-up bow? Are most hunters this way or do most have back-up bows?

ElkNut1

[jmez]

I currently have three bows. One isn't set up one is my hunting rig and the other I have set up to shoot a hinge release for practice. I have the bows but they aren't really back ups. I found years ago that when I get a new bow it is all I shoot. I usually move my accessories onto the new one rather than replace them. I then never take the time to buy new stuff, set them back up and shoot them.

I'll likely sell the one I don't shoot with the hinge, if I don't I'll take it along. I've never really felt the need to have one. I always have a spare string and cables that have been shot in with peep and D loop installed. Short of a catastrophic failure I can fix anything. If I had that kind of failure, break a limb etc, I would just run to the nearest town and buy a cheaper set up, could have it tuned and be back hunting in half a day.

[Swede]

I rarely sell an older bow when I purchase a new one. That should mean I have a couple of backups, but I have sons in law that want one, so I have no backup. I am just glad they have a longer draw length, so they can't use my arrows. I have noticed other things I had fit them, like binoculars.

[GobbleFarmer]

I do have another compound, but it needs new limbs, string and new cables as well as new modules to change the draw length. It's a Hoyt, made in '97 I think.
Oh wait, my main compound is practically a backup for the crossbow that I can use. So I guess you could say I have a backup.

[msd1228]

Always have a back up bow set up (I have 7, might as well have more than 1 ready to go!), and it has saved me, or someone I know, more than once.

First:

I was decoying antelope and crawling through a lot of nasty cactus patches, etc. Ended up taking a nice goat, but didn't notice that when I was packing up I sliced a bunch of strands on my strings on some bad cactus needles. Up bright and early the next morning to chase elk, and when I was putting the bow in the truck I noticed that only about half the strands were still in tact! (I still don't know how I didn't see it the day before - they were dangling like strands of dental floss). No big deal - just backed the limbs way off, grabbed the backup bow, and smoked a nice elk later on that day. Hard to say how long I would have been out of commission without the backup bow - not always easy to get a string in this town.

Second:

Fly in bear hunt - despite a great deal of questioning from the others (weight considerations), I brought 2 bows. My theory is if I get up there and have an equipment issue, I'm going to be 100% SOL. Anyways, one of the other guys in camp had an equipment failure and was out of the game. Lucky for him I had another bow with me and he went on to use it to take a great boar. Without the second bow, he would have had to either sit with a rifle or wait until one of us took a bear so that he could use our bows.

So, yeah, I don't consider it any sort of nuisance to have a second bow set up and ready to go. It's always dialed in using the exact same arrows I use on my primary bow, so in the event that its needed I just switch the quiver and away I go - don't even miss a beat.

[Huntrgathr]

No but I would like to. When I upgrade I will definitely keep my current bow as a backup. In the meantime I would just have to run back to town and do what Mez was saying - buy a bow and tune it before heading to the mtns. It can be done in a day... Typically I'm not doing fly-in hunts or hunts that are multiple states away...

[WYO_ELK]

I wish I had one last year when I discovered a cracked limb on day 2 of a 6 day hunt. Had to return to town and buy a brand new bow.

[8upbowhunter]

I didn't on my first 2 elk hunts with my compound but this year I will be hunting with my longbow and will have my recurve in camp as a backup. My son will be hunting with his compound and will also have his recurve as a backup.

[wewarev]

Until this year, no. But since I bought a new bow (Prime Alloy) this spring I will bring my old one (Pierson Z-34) as a backup. Haven't shot it much but it won't take long to get it up to speed.

[Stick]

I do carry a backup bow with me just in case. My old trusty Hoyt Ultratech. Feels like a dinosaur but I have killed lots of animals with it.

[Mukbowhunt]

I usually keep two on hand. When I want a third one has to hit the road!

[Njdiverdan]

I have 3 of the same 2005 bow tech constitutions. This was the only year bow tech had a 33" draw length and that's what I need. One is set up for hunting, one for 3d and one for spots. Since I live only 2 hours from where I hunt my back up is only a day away. I also have a Hoyt set up for spots as well as my old Oneida black eagle. If I were traveling to hunt I would not bring an additional bow but a set of limbs, and a string / cable.

[elkaholic]

Yes, an 05 switchback

[Lefty]

I do have my 42 year old Herters re-curve, which I bought when I was 13 years old.. Im not sure I would call it a back-up.

I might use the old recurve on my moose hunt if I get a bull in the willows. But it wont be going to elk camp. If my bow dies, disappears, breaks, stolen or some other mishap early enough in the season Ill buy a new bow, with budget emergency money

[TetonStorm]

I do but I don't take it to camp with me because the trailhead is 10 min away and camp is 7 mi in via 4wheeler. I shot it the other day and it dang near jumped out of my hand. The difference between it (2002 Martin phantom) and my newer bow (2013 bow tech experience) is crazy. I do like having it just in case though. Last year during opening day I was walking in from camp and tripped over a stick in the dark and went down hard with my bow in hand and it took a good lick on the riser from a rock. Although it was unharmed aside from a good ding it could've been a game wrecker. I would gladly use my old one when my current bow is getting fixed. If I went on a hunting trip away from my valley I'd definitely take my extra with me.

[bowhunter04]

I won't have a backup. I'll be hunting with my Dad and our draw lengths are the same. We've shot each other's bows and could use them in a pinch.

[JJ Overkill]

I have 2 backup bows, a 2015 premonition and I still have my 80# omen from '12 I haven't need one yet but id rather have and not need than need and not have.

[elkstalker]

Not yet Someday I'm sure I will, but haven't accumulated any bows yet, I'm using my first one. I know I always have two rifles when I hunt during rifle season.

[Trophyhill]

I do have a backup bow. I learned this lesson the hard way on my first elk hunt. A friend was supposed to come to my camp on the 2nd weekend of my hunt, which he did only, he couldn't find my camp. Easy enough to find. I was camped on the only road in which is a well marked forest road. My truck was parked there and I hunted out of camp. What's the issue? So I had run out of coffee and on Sunday morning I get in my truck and drive to the nearest town and bought coffee. No big deal I'll have a late start and be hunting by 8 am. Or so I thought. So I'm driving back to camp and theres a roadblock on the forest road. The sheriff tells me "you must be David, theres not many Black Ford pickups driving around up here". I said yes why? Whats going on? To which he replies, your buddy called search and rescue and thought you got eat up by a mt lion but obviously you're ok but you better go back to town and meet them because your friends are coming up to look for you. So I run back to town and wait for 2 hours and said screw this im going hunting. So I get back to camp and my friends were at my camp. eating my deer steaks. I wasn't to happy. Anyway after a few laughs they were fixin to head out, I'm talking to a buddy and I hear the sound nobody wants to hear. My other buddy drew my bow and derailed it breaking both limbs. I drove back to Albuquerque and luckily the Archery Shoppe where I bought my bow had limbs. I lost 3 days out of my hunt. Now I have a backup bow qnd if something happens I won't be 5 hours from the nearest shop. Lesson learned lol.

[Deafirishman]

I wish I could afford a back-up bow but it is a good idea to have one just in case if your first one is inoperable or breaks while you hunting. To drive 1200 miles and not have a back-up bow is a little scary. That's the boat I am in but thankful nothing has happened to my bow but you just never know.

[Mike_Parson]

All the years I've elk hunted I've never owned a back-up bow? Are most hunters this way or do most have back-up bows?

ElkNut1

I don't have one but I do hope to after this Christmas. I was just talking to my wife last night about getting a new bow as mine is getting up in years and I do want a back up bow.

[Old school]

I hunt with my longbow and bring a recurve along as a backup.

[husky390]

Yup, and I do the same during rifle season. The hardest part this year is to decide which bow to take, my 13 Elite Answer or Full Throttle.

[Wyo67]

Yeah... Have a backup at the house, but I'd have to re-sight it in. Took my Spot Hogg off the old bow and put it on the new one.

[bald9eagle]

Good advice for a newbie. Something you take for granted around my parts when you can hunt within sight of your truck or less than 15 minutes from home.

[Ghost]

I dont go anywhere without another bow. Had the limbs let loose years ago on a hunt, I was out of commission for a day, granted it was only a day, but hunting time is way to precious to have that happen again. I practice with 2 bows through out the year and have them set up exactly the same, both of them come up and shoot the same.

[WapitiTalk1]

I don't have a back up bow. You see, Alpine bows (made in Idaho) are so tough that they never fail or break. I've used mine to saw down trees, chop firewood, as a jackhandle, as a bar for bench pressing, as a sledge hammer to break up concrete, you get the picture. Heck, when my daughter still lived at home, her and her girlfriends used to put my Alpine across a log and play see-saw, four of them at a time. Oftentimes after getting one arrow into a big game animal, it is recommended to launch a second if you have the opportunity; I don't. I just chase down the critter with the Alpine and whack him with it. No, I don't think I need a backup bow owning an Alpine.

I'm pretty sure the guy in this video owns an Alpine bow

http://imgur.com/gallery/VRZ5fIw

[dapper]

A number of years ago on a bear hunt, my sons bow started to squeak when he drew it back. We ran all over to get it taken care of. Since then we always have a backup bow on hunting trips far from home. We never used one until last year. On the third day of my elk hunt, I drew back my main bow and the lower limb folded. I finished the hunt with my twenty five year old back up bow and killed a nice bull with it.

Dan

[DirtyErn]

Yes I do. Have my original bow when I started bow hunting, Mathews MQ1. Then moved up to the Mathews DXT. Saw no reason to get rid of it, doesn't eat much.

[zpd307]

nope

[one_elk]

No back up bow here either...

[_rj_]

I do by default. I can't give my Bear Agenda 6 away. So I decided to keep it. It's a good bow.

[nshunter]

I always take my # 1 stickbow (1966 bear grizzly 1 piece) and in my suitcase, a browning firedrake takedown.... I have never needed the backup but i'd much rather have it and never need it than to not have it and need it. I travel (airplane) from the east coast of Canada to Alberta for 2 weeks of elk hunting every year and having something go wrong with my bow either in the field or on the flight would be horrible. 23 more sleeps!!!

Keep em sharp

[pointysticks]

no.

i hope if anything happens it is not beyond me fixing it. i can barely stand tuning one bow...two, my head would explode.

[TheBuzz]

No, just a well shot in extra set of cable's and String. But an extra release, I do keep with me.