?'s on a backup bow out west

[mnbearbaiter]

Does anyone ever, or does anyone see the need to have a backup bow that gets left in the truck for emergencies! We will be backpacking in a great distance on a bivy style elk hunt this fall and was wondering if its a good idea! My hunting partner and i both have roughly the same draw and hunt with the same weight bows! Would it be good to work the extra bow into a regular shooting rotation in summer practice sessions to get familiar with it! Should anything happen it would be a long walk back to the trailhead to get the bow for the unlucky guy(6-10mi)! We both shoot modern fiberglass type longbows that are in good shape, we wont be taking our selfbows on this hunt as much as i love em i wanna eliminate as many issues outta the gate as i can! Possible horror stories related to this topic welcome  

[Whip]

I sure would take one if you can.  A long walk back to the truck is a heck of a lot better than a ruined hunt.  Stuff happens, and although so far it hasn't happened to me, sooner or later it will and I would want to be ready if it does.

[LKH]

We didn't go in far, but in Idaho one year I leaned my recurve up against the vehicle.  Then we moved the rig.  I looked over and could tell that my bow was toast.  Fortunately my father-in-law had brought a spare.  It was the first day of a 12 day hunt and 450 miles to home.

Remember, if you bring a spare, you won't need it.

[mnbearbaiter]

We both shoot longbows, I shoot a Bear Montana and he shoots a Martin Savannah! I have a Bear Grizzly recurve that i wouldnt have a problem bringin with for the backup! I just need to shoot both bows equally as i shoot instinctive and there is a noticeable difference in point of impact i know!

[ChuckC]

Be a bit careful how you store you spare.  If you park your rig in the sun it is gonna bake that bow and maybe hurt it beyond use.
ChuckC

[jeff vess]

Better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.

[bowslinger]

I would suggest a take-down longbow that you could pack in with you.  I assume you will have spare strings for both longbows and will carry a bow stringer for emergency string replacement.  I know you will be trying to go light, but the comfort of having a spare with you may be worth the extra weight.  Plus it gives you a chance to try another bow!  You could always sell it after the hunt to get at least most of your money back.  Consider it a small rental fee for some peace of mind.

If even you leave it in the truck, it will be easier to stow out of sight.

[mnbearbaiter]

Yes we both will have extra strings that are broke in for our longbows! I use the Dwight Schuh Mega Pack for most of my backpacking, canoe trips, its a tall pack! If i tethered the recurve to it it wouldnt be a burden as its only a 58"! We both have the quick detach BOA quivers and the same arrows we shoot out of our longbows should be fine for that recurve!

[Orion]

If you don't have a takedown, leave the back-up in the truck.  Just added weight an a hassle to carry as well.   In the unlikely event that you will need it, it's only a day to retrieve it.  I wouldn't worry about it shooting differently than your go-to bow.  Shouldn't take but a few arrows to get recalibrated.

So you folks are packing in 6-10 miles.  Have you thought about how you're going to get a critter out of there before it spoils? An elk is at least two, probably three trips for each guy.  Might stay just a little closer to the road or make advance arrangements with  someone to pack it out with horses.

[GMMAT]

I'm taking two bows and 4 strings to CO.

Hate to need it and not have it.

[cacciatore]

In 20 years i never had a back up bow,but this does nt mean that it is wise to have one.If you are backpacking so far,I would leave that bow on the truck,but well protected by the sun.

[mnbearbaiter]

There are a fair amount of mountain streams around in the area we plan on hunting(water temp is cold, under 50deg that time of year)! I also have large, heavy grade plactic bags that arent heavy or intrusive when folded! Our plan is that if we harvest an animal we immediately quarter/cover with game bags/and hang off ground with parachute cord overnight to cool! Then make a trip back to camp that night and get pack frames and plactic bags, and return to kill early morning to debone! We will leapfrog the meat out a mile or so at a time and place game bagged meat in a plastic bag and place in stream! The water should cool it well, i have a group of friends that do the same thing every year and they say it works well! Usually lose 2-3 hunting days getting meat out to refrigeration and then getting back in to hunting area! I must say that they only hunt over the counter areas in CO every year and their success rate is way higher than the 10%-15% figure you read about, more like 70%-80%, not bad for a couple Minnesota boys eh!!!

[wtpops]

I think i would rather have a long walk back to the truck than to sit in camp for the next 4 to 7 days watching my buddy walk out of camp to hunt.

Its good insurance and like good insurance its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

You could even make a day of it and hunt small game or just stump shoot on the way back in.

[knobby]

If you can borrow a T/D from someone, it won't take up much space in the vehicle. I wouldn't pack it in to the camp, but it would be miserable to travel all the way out there and have your only bow give it up on the first day. I did have to go to the back-up bow, once. I was sure glad we had one along.

[KentuckyWolf]

I take 3 strings already setup (nock, silencers, etc.) and something to check my brace ht. Furthermore, I take anything I would need to fix or setup my bow ...so extra rest, limb-bolts, etc. My hunting partner (uncle) uses a recurve of approx. the same draw wt. and length. So that is an option if need be. We also take one backup bow per two hunters which stays in the truck which is close to camp in most places...unless we're out west but a few miles hike is nothing.

My non-trad hunting buddies are S.O.L
That's progress and technology for ya!

[mnbearbaiter]

I have heard horror stories of guys shooting wheel bows that they nick their string to the point where they are scared to pull it back! They end up running to the nearest archery shop, getting a new string put on, losing hunting time and $, only to end up with a bow that no longer has the accuracy like it did before! I just laugh:) We Trad Hunters can just replace the string, set brace height, and maybe stump shoot a few arrows and were good to go!!!

[Ragnarok Forge]

I would be carefull about leaving anything in your truck.  Lot of methheads and regular thieves run mountain roads and break into vehicles on a regular basis.  I would take the extra bow and carry it into camp.  Two trad bows weigh less than one compound.

[Young Buck]

I would.  Last years Elk hunt and any non day hunt I brink my extra limbs.  Good thinkin.