Paul Schafer/ Elevated Rest

[postman]

Been reading everything I can get my hands on about him, he shot with an elevated rest and vanes because of the wet weather areas he often hunted. Well it seems that everytime I go on a hunting trip to another state it rains half the time I am there, long story short I have always shot off the shelf so I put a bear stick on rest and fletched some arrows with vanes and holy cow, the man was right, I doubt if I will ever shoot off shelf again, don't really notice a difference in accuracy, but now I can hunt in wet weather.

[RedShaft]

Your not kidding. I also like it and have done that. But I still used feathers. I think most don't go that way because they kinda consider it not "traditional" so to say.

[Burly]

Use what works for you and don't worry what others think or say. From what I have read and heard, Paul was an awesome shot.  I wouldn't even think or question if what his choice of equipment was traditional .I wish I have got to meet him.

[postman]

Still going to use feathers, but will carry a couple arrows with vanes just in case.

[postman]

No doubt the greatest bow hunter of this era. Had a bow made by him along time ago, wish I still had it.

[deerhunter_w]

I recently went on a hog hunt in Georgia, and it rained most of the time. My feathers where matted down and cost me a hog. I just recently striped down my tall tines and sent it back to be refinished, and have been debating on using a rest. Does it effect your tuned arrows. Or did you have to start back from scratch?

Jeff

[postman]

Same thing happened to me in S.C. at Wild Things, I was using a feather rest and feathers and it poured and cost me the biggest hog I have ever seen in the woods, been thinking about the stick on rest ever since, all I did was put it on and raised my nock, shot like it was meant to be on there. With vanes I had to rotate the nock till it shot good. No problem.

[LongbowArchitect]

I use an elevated Bear Weather rest on all of my bows now. I trim off the bottom third of the rest to get it closer to my bow shelf yet it is still elevated enough that I get PERFECT arrow flight. Just had to raise my nock point a little to tune them. I shoot feathers for most of the year because I like the traditional look to them but switch to my dedicated hunting arrows with plastic vanes for elk hunting. They shoot exactly the same point of impact as my feather fletched arrows and work incredibly well in the rain and snow we get in Colorado in September.

[deerhunter_w]

I bought a black stick in rest the other day. I'm planning on giving it a try when my recurve makes it back home. I guess you place it in the center of the riser as close to the shelf as possible. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
Jeff

[postman]

Attach it just like you would your side plate as if you were shooting of shelf. I put mine right above web of hand between index finger and thumb.

[maxwell]

Years ago I bought a bow from Paul and I asked him how to set up the bow when I received it, he told me he shoots off a rubber rest and even duct taped it on when necessary. It is one of only a few times I actually listened to someone instead of learning the hard way.  I have been using rubber rests on all my recurves since that conversation and have never been disappointed.

[FAV 52]

maxwell can you explain what rubber rest your talking about .   please

[Warden609]

I believe he is referring to a Bear Weather Rest. It is a black rubber stick on style rest. All three of my silvertips have one. Great rest!!

[GregD]

Bill, are you shooting plastic vanes? Are all of you guys that are shooting vanes shooting them 4 fletched or just a standard 3 fletch vane arrangement?

[kat]

I used this on a black widow. I really couldn't tell the difference between shooting feathers or plastic vanes from this set up.

[LongbowArchitect]

My hunting arrows are set up with four 3" long plastic vanes, 90 degrees x 90 degrees, 200g Cutthroat single bevel 2 blade broadhead, 600g total arrow weight. I rotate my nock slightly to get the orientation of feathers or vanes that I want.

I too have found absolutely no difference between shooting feathers or plastic vanes off my elevated Bear Weather rest. I'm getting PERFECT arrow flight with both feathers and vanes.

[elkken]

Plastic vanes are also much quieter, have you ever brushed a feather while on stand and get that loud scratching sound ?? !! Vanes do not do that. I have used the bear rest for years and it really is a good dependable rest. I still shoot some bows off the shelf but when tuning starts driving me crazy I go to the bear rest and problem solved most times.

[deerhunter_w]

Has anyone tried using one on a longbow?

Jeff

[LongbowArchitect]

I use Bear Weather rests on my recurves and longbows. Amazing how much better arrow flight I get with the elevated rests and the ability to use plastic vanes for wet weather hunting.

[Steve O]

Yeah, they work on longbows.

 


And you don't have to worry about cutting them up to get them close to the shelf either. I set mine up purposely high so there is no chance for any contact in any way with the shelf. Gives me lots of confidence hundreds of miles from the closest cabin to dry things out.