Hog Lives but Bow Dies???

[Terry Green]

Different kind of hunting story here....just looking for info before I contact the bowyer....

I was set up in a very likely place, and had a couple of hogs coming to me Saturday evening, one was all but sausage when the wind did an about face and they scaddattled out of there....

As it got down to the last 20 minutes of good shooting light, I thought I'd stalk my way back to my truck through the bedroom.  I'd made it about 2/3rds of the way back with about 5 minutes of shooting light left when I caught 4 hogs milling in the road and I started my stalk.  At one point they turned and came straight to me, but then one didn't think things were good in that direction so he turned the other three around and they trotted a bit and settled back down....after letting them 'cool it' for a minute, I hurried up to them as they were all facing away from me...

I got to within 15 yards of the closest one and the furthermost one gave me a perfect broadside shot about 17 yards away.  I bared down on him and had him dead to rights till my release....

CLANG-SMACK-TWANG!!!!!

I was so immersed in the shot I even followed through, and the hogs were so shocked they didn't even leave till the arrow, now it two pieces held together only by the vane of the feathere, hit the ground.

This has never happened to me before with all the arrows I shot for years and years.  The arrow was new, but I must have damaged it somehow in all the clutter of the past few weeks of shuffling stuff around in my car.  Anyhow, I ended up with a hairline crack in my riser.  Its a one piece bow and the crack is only on one side, the bow quiver side, and I can feel it...kinda like a little 'bur'. The riser is made up of 3 lams.....bacote, zircote, bacote in sort of a flare pattern, and the crack is in the middle lam the zircote.

Just wondering.....is it salvageable or is it just a wall hanger now?

[JamesKerr]

It probably is salvageable. I wouldn't shoot it anymore until I got it fixed though. NO bow is worth an injury.

[Alexander Traditional]

Hello Terry. I did the same thing,but it was my fault and the arrow stayed on the shelf and I ended up dry firing it and got just a thumbnail crack. The bowyer was kind enough to look at it and he sanded it down and refinished it,but he said it would probably come back and it did. I didn't want to spend $375 to have  a new riser built so I took a dremmel cutting wheel and cut down in the riser about 1/16 or until I thought the crack was gone and then mixed up a batch of epoxy and put it in there and when it dried sanded it down it doesn't look like new,but it works. The bowyer thought it was a good idea.

[lpcjon2]

The whole thing was like a dry fire I would guess, if that was the case I would wonder whether its got damage further inside the bow. If the arrow absorbed most the energy(depending on how far it went) and it cracked I think its deeper than it probably looks. Just wait Whip will be along shortly.

I can't answer your question but sorry it happened. It stinks when these "things" happen. I hope it is salvagable for you.

Bisch

[beachbowhunter]

Worst case they might be able to drill it and epoxy a peg in it to hold it together...

[owlbait]

Damage in the riser but not in the limbs? I had a dry fire from a nock coming loose this last summer and it caused one limb to twist slightly. If it cracked the riser I'd be inclined to send it back and ask the bowyer to inspect it. But, I'm a teacher, and not mechanically inclined. Good luck Terry.

[bill langer]

Terry your not the only one, bout 20yrs ago I hit anchor on a cottontail and let rip.
The riser of the recurve exploded in my hand.
No damage to the rabbit or myself.
It was a three piece takedown. I was able to salvage the limbs.

I do have another bow with a crack in the riser and still shoot it from time to time. But I did send it back to the bowyer after noticing the crack. You should probably do the same.
Bill

[Rob W.]

No matter how good the fix I would always be wondering about it in the back of my mind. Complete trust in equipment goes a long way in this game.

Sorry to hear it.

  :(  

Rob

[Stone Knife]

The guys on the trad history and collecting forum fix most any flaws.

[Gordon Jabben]

Terry, sorry about your bow.  Probably should get something new.  Even if you repair it, you will alway worry about it breaking at the worst time on that special hunting trip.
Gordon

[kbetts]

I had a carbon limb collapse on me once.  I was scared to death, but the first thing I did was pick up another bow to get it out of my mind.  I recently had a string slip off a static tip also. Not nearly as bad.  The bow is easier to fix than the psyche.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

If it was truly a "new" arrow, I would give the company a call. Worst thing they could do is laugh and say "yeah right".

Hope for the best with the bow and them were some lucky pigs....... This time!  

[medic77]

That is terrible luck right there.  I will have to inspect my arrows now a little bit mor carefully.  Hopefully it is salvageable

[JimB]

Naturally,contacting the bowyer would be a good thing.I would bet it is fixable.Loctite 420 and a couple clamps can do wonders.

[jwingman]

Terry,

  If the bow has a crack that you can see and feel as a result of this incident, then the tell tale sign is there for damage to the bow that most likely cannot be repaired. Sorry for your misshap but it happens, even with new arrows and new knocks. I have had it happen several times. I came out luckier than you with my bows though.
  You should discuss with your bowyer. Best of luck! - jwingman

[JDunlap]

Sorry to hear it. Last year I had a bran new 3 day old custom recurve. I accidentally dry fired it and blew one of the limb tips completely off. Fortunately it was td, so the bowyer made me a new set.  300 dollars later...
Hope you can salvage it.

[MAGICMAN]

B.s. on not salvageable! Get some fine watery superglue from woodcrafters and fill the crack. It will penetrate all the way down or dremel it out and glue down a piece of phenolic and sand to shape. You will be good to go. I had a split in my riser on the shelf and the Boyer did this. Good as new. I never had any trouble out of it! Jmo!!

[MAGICMAN]

If your gonna hang it on the wall send it to me & I'll shoot it!!! Lol!!!!!

[flippnsticks]

sorry that happend. hope it all works out for you