Deer Setup for 2022/2023 Season

[Dave Pagel]

I have done most of my hunting with my Silvertips over the years using heavy aluminum shafts.  My Manitoba bear this spring was with a 54# @ 28 (draw is 29) one-piece recurve, 2018 and 175 grain VPA Terminator, 610 grains.  That being said, I have decided this year is longbows with wood arrows for deer. 

I have a Pronghorn, a Firefly, a Primal Tech and a Yellowstone all set up with cedars or Surewoods and 160 grain Terminatiors.  All will see some hunting time. 

Of course there is a St. Joe River recurve that will be tuned up by season.  I had one in the late 90s-early 200s that put a lot of meat on the table.  Who knows.

D.P.

[MnFn]

Still trying to decide between Black Widow PSA 58” 50#,  Liberty English 45# with 50/55 Surewood, or my Tall Tines  Stickflinger 49# with Surewood. 

I’d like to take a deer with the Liberty just because of two guys I respect : Allen Boice the bowyer and Snag the creator of the Wilderness Custom Arrow. That and I enjoy shooting that bow so much.  But it will come down to which I feel most competent with.

Addendum: That Liberty English is gaining ground.  It’s only 45# but it seems to have as good of cast as the other two.

[Dave Lay]

I have done most of my hunting with my Silvertips over the years using heavy aluminum shafts.  My Manitoba bear this spring was with a 54# @ 28 (draw is 29) one-piece recurve, 2018 and 175 grain VPA Terminator, 610 grains.  That being said, I have decided this year is longbows with wood arrows for deer. 

I have a Pronghorn, a Firefly, a Primal Tech and a Yellowstone all set up with cedars or Surewoods and 160 grain Terminatiors.  All will see some hunting time. 

Of course there is a St. Joe River recurve that will be tuned up by season.  I had one in the late 90s-early 200s that put a lot of meat on the table.  Who knows.

D.P.

. I’m the same, shooting 54 lb widow SAV recurve and 2018 with 200 gr VPA 3 blade, it’s a great combination and has been my go to for several years and I had posted earlier I’d probably start with it, but dang the longbow has a strong pull on me, I’ve got a 56 lb 64” widow PLX shooting the same 2018 200 gr vpa ,that I had great success with last year that I’m thinking I might go with instead

[Friend]

How enjoyable it is to pour over the vast array of deer hunting setups.

And how easy would it be to discern the most lethal setups if one only knew the realistic confidence level of the hunter.

Genuine and Sensible Confidence is King…

[Sam McMichael]

Friend, I agree. There is a long list of mighty fine bows mentioned here. I submit the setups of all these rigs are equally lethal. It comes down to the ability of the archery to deliver the shot. Don't you wish you could try out every combo?

[RIVERWOLF]

Likely my 50# Black Montana this year. My 50# Brown Montana"Rose" has walked the fields last two seasons and kept me fed .....Time to share the love;)

50# Montana longbow , 30" 2018's , SS Razorheads weighted to 175 gr  , Carried  in my Alpha quiver......

Best to everyone this season !  It can't get here quick enough for this ol Wolf ..........

[Tim Reese]

I agree Ralph!!!! 76 more days till our opener here!!! 

[RIVERWOLF]

About 70 more days this way Tim ....I'm "trying" to not calendar watch ;^)))
Need to get out and wet a line more often , few natural blinds need toching up.....Just miss the long sets watching as we are meant to watch the world ..... Part of the CIRCLE . 


This "dreamy" picture I took a few yrs back doesn't help much .....or does it

[Trenton G.]

My main setup for this year will be my Stillwater Aberdeen as it has been for the past few years. 60 inches, 57@29 so about 59-60 at my draw length. Shooting 31" GT trads with a 200 grain 3 blade VPA. Total arrow weight around 525 grains.

My two backup bows will be my 66" abbott longbow, 62@30 and my great northern ghost, 62 inches and 58@29. Both shoot the same arrow as the Aberdeen which makes things easy.

[JR Chambers]

1990 50 lb homemade bow with Easton axis arrows

[JR Chambers]

My main setup for this year will be my Stillwater Aberdeen as it has been for the past few years. 60 inches, 57@29 so about 59-60 at my draw length. Shooting 31" GT trads with a 200 grain 3 blade VPA. Total arrow weight around 525 grains.

My two backup bows will be my 66" abbott longbow, 62@30 and my great northern ghost, 62 inches and 58@29. Both shoot the same arrow as the Aberdeen which makes things easy.

[Bowguy67]

I agree Ralph!!!! 76 more days till our opener here!!!

I’m at 55 days. Ya got me to look!

[Gdpolk]

I recon old habits die hard.  I'll use this ole slab of firewood again this year and until I can't bowhunt anymore.  I have no desire to continue shopping for a bow.

[Bisch]

What kind of case I’d that Garrett??? I likey!!!!

Bisch

[A Lex]

Yes that is a great case/set-up Garrett's got there, I've drooled over that on many occasions.

I like it so much in fact, that I'm actually in the middle of replicating it to suit my set up at the moment.

I've heard it said "Imitation is the greatest compliment", so thank you for the inspiration Garrett, that is really a fantastic looking set-up

Best
Lex

[Gdpolk]

What kind of case I’d that Garrett??? I likey!!!!

Bisch

Pelican Storm IM3100

I actually had Bob build me this take town 2-piece bow specifically so that I could build this travel kit.  It allows me to pile luggage all over it in the car without worry, boat into places with waterproof and floating security, and check it +/- a handgun under the arrows for flying and it gives me something that when I am packing for a hunt it is impossible for me to miss needed gear.  The bow is built to the exact same specs as my beloved one piece so the two bows can share some perfectly tuned arrows but this one is easier to travel with.  Oh and this bow wears the antler as limb tips from the most mature buck that I've ever taken with a bow, and it was shot with my one piece bow from 7 paces off the ground.

I chose this particular case because it was the smallest option available that would fit everything I needed with my full length arrows still in the quiver hood.  With one grab and go option I can instantly spot for missing items and load up everything needed for any hunt:

• bow
• quiver with 4 arrows
• 12 spare arrows with different heads for other species on multi-species hunts
• two spare strings
• bow square
• binoculars
• knife
• game calls under arm guard
• two shooting gloves under arm guard
• arm guard
• .44 Mag if needed as a backup/sidearm if going into a place with some dangerous game

[Phillip Fields]

Black Widow PLX, 44lbs at my draw length of 28". Gold Tip Velocity, 500 spine, length 30.5", 3x4" feathers, reflective wrap, 205 grain Simmons Safari Broadhead. Arrow weight 448 gr (gpp 10.2), foc 20.2%.

[Michael Guran]

Yes that is a great case/set-up Garrett's got there, I've drooled over that on many occasions.

I like it so much in fact, that I'm actually in the middle of replicating it to suit my set up at the moment.

I've heard it said "Imitation is the greatest compliment", so thank you for the inspiration Garrett, that is really a fantastic looking set-up

Best
Lex

Yes that is a great case/set-up Garrett's got there, I've drooled over that on many occasions.

I like it so much in fact, that I'm actually in the middle of replicating it to suit my set up at the moment.

I've heard it said "Imitation is the greatest compliment", so thank you for the inspiration Garrett, that is really a fantastic looking set-up

Best
Lex

What kind of case I’d that Garrett??? I likey!!!!

Bisch

Pelican Storm IM3100

I actually had Bob build me this take town 2-piece bow specifically so that I could build this travel kit.  It allows me to pile luggage all over it in the car without worry, boat into places with waterproof and floating security, and check it +/- a handgun under the arrows for flying and it gives me something that when I am packing for a hunt it is impossible for me to miss needed gear.  The bow is built to the exact same specs as my beloved one piece so the two bows can share some perfectly tuned arrows but this one is easier to travel with.  Oh and this bow wears the antler as limb tips from the most mature buck that I've ever taken with a bow, and it was shot with my one piece bow from 7 paces off the ground.

I chose this particular case because it was the smallest option available that would fit everything I needed with my full length arrows still in the quiver hood.  With one grab and go option I can instantly spot for missing items and load up everything needed for any hunt:

• bow
• quiver with 4 arrows
• 12 spare arrows with different heads for other species on multi-species hunts
• two spare strings
• bow square
• binoculars
• knife
• game calls under arm guard
• two shooting gloves under arm guard
• arm guard
• .44 Mag if needed as a backup/sidearm if going into a place with some dangerous game

That looks great Garrett!  I have the same case and really like it.  Do you have any tips for tracing/cutting the foam?  I used a box cutter and it didn’t turn out nearly as nice as what yours looks like.

[Gdpolk]

That looks great Garrett!  I have the same case and really like it.  Do you have any tips for tracing/cutting the foam?  I used a box cutter and it didn’t turn out nearly as nice as what yours looks like.

I rolled out some butcher paper that I freeze my meat in and cut it to the interior dimensions desired.  From there I laid out everything so it fit well and carefully traced it so my lines were vertical or maybe slightly undersized.  I used scissors to cut out the shapes on the paper piercing the paper from the center of the cutout and then cutting out to the line.  I tacked the paper onto the foam with my wife's sewing pins and used a silver sharpie marker to trace the inside of the cutouts like a stencil onto the foam.  Then I cut out the foam with my jigsaw and a smooth blade but you can also use a filet knife or the likes too.  When I got ready to put the foam back in I flipped it upside down so that the leftover silver sharpie didn't show.  Items like my bow that had tapers got the plugs cut to lift them up to the surface level.  Deep items like the limb mounts on my quiver got cut into the middle layer of foam the same way but with a less precise tracing and fitment.  As for the arrow rack, I just used the cutouts from the arrow quiver section to stuff into the lid and replace that corrugated junk.  I used a carpenters level as a straight edge and a razor blade clicked out to about half the depth to get partial thickness cuts in a straight line. 

I had planned to order another solid piece of foam for the lid to make the arrow holders from but the quiver cutouts work so I'll just stick with them until they wear out.  They aren't cut squared but it really doesn't matter.  I just need it to work properly and for now it does.

[smokin joe]

I will be using my Centaur Triple Carbon Elite Takedown. It is 45# and 60 inches.

I have two arrow shaft configurations. Both are 29.5 inches; glory nocks; 100 gr brass GIGO inserts; 6 inch wrap and 3 four-inch feathers.
 
The variables are:
broadheads -- 135 gr Deltas, or 125 gr Snuffers, or 125 gr Woodsmans
shafts -- 29.5" 500-spine Warrior or Traditional Only

All of the variables shoot exactly the same.