Weather Alterations

[LaBill67]

I recently read that hickory bows was very prone to absorbing moisture which would cause changes in the bow's tiller. Has anyone experienced that firsthand? If so, what did you do about it?

[Pat B]

Hickory is very hygroscopic meaning it absorbs and releases moisture to the atmosphere; actually all woods are but hickory more than others. This isn't something that happens over night or in a rain storm but happens over a period of high humidity. If you store you hickory bow in a climate controlled area(home A/C) or in a hot box you can manage it.

[Mad Max]

Hickory Is known to shoot fast in dry western regions.

[Pat B]

yeah if you can get it down to 6% m/c it can out shoot most other bow woods. At 6% most other bow woods would blow.

[LaBill67]

I ask because I have a hickory backed hickory bow I completed a month or so ago and had it tillered out nicely.  But I noticed the other day that the tiller on my hickory bow is no longer even. My upper limb is much stiffer now than the lower. Cant just turn it over because I have an arrow shelf cut into it. So I guess I'll store it inside and try to dry it out and see what happens.