Archery Questions and Answers

We get a lot of questions here at NZAP and most of them are about aspects of bowhunting and target archery that we feel visitors to this site will find interesting. Questions we get range from the very basic and unanswerable(What bow is right for me?)to the highly technical (How much do I have to move my sight pin to compensate for a 5-inch arrow drift to the left at 40 meters when I change my 100-grain field points to 125-grain Muzzys?). We try to answer them all and when we can't (such as with the second example)we will try to direct you to someone who can. When we get a question that we feel has general interest, we will post it here along with our answer. To protect your privacy, we will not post your surname, but we may post your home town or city along with the date we receive the question, unless, of course, you ask us not to. We reserve the right to edit your questions for brevity and clarity, but we will do everything we can to avoid changing your intent. If anyone thinks that we have answered any of these questions incorrectly or if you have a better answer, send it along and we will post it also. So if you have a question or comment on any aspect of archery, CLICK HERE to send it along. We will try to answer all questions within 24 hours by return email, although it may take a week or more for you to see it here. Questions will be answered as they come in, and the older ones will be moved to another page as we need space.

05/07/10

Steve needs to get a grip, preferably a wood one.

Q: I'm a beginner archer and looking for a first recurve. I have tried out a Winstar II riser but find the handle a bit uncomfortable as it rubs on my base thumb joint (I have rather knobbly hands!). But the riser I tried had a black plastic handle and I notice on your web site you say the Winstar comes with a wooden handle.

Is the wooden handle still available and is it any different from the plastic one?

At the very least I thought I could modify the wooden handle to better fit my hand with some careful re-shaping and sanding. Thanks Steve

A: We need to change our web site. The wood handles have apparently been discontinued on the WinStar II in favour of the plastic ones. For a while we were getting both but lately they have all come through with the plastic grips. The plastic one is a very nice grip, but doesn't look as flash as the wood one did. The wood and plastic grips appear to be identical in shape and the plastic one is of a hard type of plastic that should be as easy as wood to re-shape with the judicious application of sandpaper.

The problem you are having with your thumb knuckle is fairly common with archers having large hands. The most popular cure is with a heavy glove on the bow hand or with a thick padded plaster over the knuckle. You can sometimes also correct the problem by going to a more open-handed grip with a higher wrist position and a sling. Or, of course, you could try a bit of surgery on the grip.

Either way, it is critical that you solve the problem because anything that hurts when you shoot a bow can cause you to flinch as you subconciously try to avoid the pain, and flinching can seriously effect your scores.

01/07/10

Here is an illuminating question from Robert.

Q: I saw a cool video on You Tube with a hot blond showing how a new illuminated nock from G5 works. Do you guys sell these? (Nocks not blonds) And are they any better than the Illuminocks you sell? I want to try a tracer nock on my ST Epic arrows and now I'm not sure which one to get.
Cheers
Robert

A:Actually the G5 G-Force nocks undoubtedly are technologically superior to the Lumenocks in that they appear to use a much more sophisticated circuitry than do the Lumenocks. That being said, the Lumenocks work very well indeed and they sell for about half the price of the G5 G-Force, so it is important to keep that in mind.

We have the G5 G-Force nocks on order, but all of our normal suppliers are out of them at the moment so they are backordered. When we do get them, they will sell for around $40.00 (AU$32.00) each as opposed to the Lumenocks that we now sell for $19.95 (AU$15.95) each, so you can decide for yourself.

The "hot" blond by the way, is Maggie Armstrong, formerly Brands Manager at G5 and now working for Elite Outdoors as Director of Communications, so she is a lot more than a pretty face.

04/05/10

Two bow-press questions: Bill's Bows need some work and Hendrick needs advice.

Q:Can you advise if the Ratchet Loc bow press advertised on your website will enable a compound bow to be completely collapsed so that limbs can be removed / replaced?

I have a Mathews bow and a Martin bow that both need some work done.
Cheers
Bill

A:Yes it will. You first compress the limbs then remove the string and cables. Now you can gradually release the ratchet and the limbs are easily removed.

The Ratchet Loc is an incredably versitile bow press and very easy to use once you master the trick of letting off the ratchet one click at a time, which isn't difficult. We use one in the shop and hardly ever use our regular press any more.

31/05/10

Chris wants to try a new arrow

Q:I live in Australia and have ordered from you before and visited your shop in Nelson and have been impressed by you service so far so want to continue to use you.

I need to purchase some arrow shafts (I like putting things together myself). Currently I use Maxima Carbon Express 3-D select 150 size shafts cut to 740mm excluding nock and point ant 770 including nock and point (100gr). My knowledge of arrows is limited being a relative beginner. Looking on the net they have a stats of 6.3gr/in spine of .495 and a diameter of 0.284.

I am using a Matthews Conquest 3 bow rated 50-60lb but shooting somewhere around the 53pd mark I believe. I shoot fingers and don't use a release aid. Currently I just do field archery, not overly interested in hunting other than maybe knocking over one of the rabbits that keeping digging holes in our front lawn.

I have been happy with the performance of the Carbon Express arrows but you don't stock them so I am looking for a suitable alternative from your offerings. I haven't tried any other arrows so I assume these are suitable but I could be wrong. Do you have any suggestions?

I also need to purchase some arrows for my son. He has some Easton Jazz arrows and his bow is probably shooting around 20lb now.
Cheers
Chris

A:The equivalent Easton shaft to the CX-Maxima 150 is the Lightspeed 500. It has the same diameter and at 6.5 gpi, about the same weight. The specifications aren't as strict as on the Carbon Express shaft but it is unlikely that a .002 inch or .05 mm difference in the straightness index is going to matter much. At AU$11.15 each for a dozen shafts, the Lightspeed is also less dear than the CX-Maxima.

With a 25in/635mm arrow (that's just a guess on my part), your son will need a size 1416 Jazz arrow. Jazz shafts are AU$5.50 each when you purchase a dozen or more.

01/04/10

Carol wants the real oil, not the same old advertising crap.

Q:I live in Sidney and have just moved from Colorado to spend some time with my Aussie fiancé who is a mad fool about bowhunting. We met when he was bowhunting for elk in the Rockies. I wanted to buy him some broadheads as a birthday present and was astonished at the difference in price between the Muzzy three-blades that come in a six pack and the Muzzy MX3 which comes in a pack of three. The three MX3s cost almost as much as the six of the others. How can that be as they look like the same broadhead with a slightly different shape?

Here is another one for you: the new Montec CS broadhead made from carbon steel costs more than the stainless steel one where most other makers, such as Magnus, price their stainless broadheads more than their steel ones (i.e., the Steel Snuffer is much less than the stainless Snuffer). How do you explain that?

I am a big fan of your Questions Pages because you don't just repeat the same old advertising crap like most of the others do.

Cheers Matey (I think that's Aussie talk for thanks. I'm still learning.)

Carol

A: Great question! The various broadhead manufacturers aren't that generous about sharing their costing procedures so I have to take an educated guess here. The new broadheads that have come on the market in the past few years, such as the Muzzy MX3, are designed for the new versions of compound bows with aggressive cams, parallel limbs, long risers, and all the other features that make arrows go fast. Where the original Muzzy three-blade has been around for ten years or more, it was designed when getting an arrow to travel up to 300 fps was an astonishing feat. Now 300 fps is rather ordinary and we are looking at bows shooting arrows at 350 fps or even more.

The current designs are constructed to get planing surfaces to a minimum and to get the tolerances of the planing surfaces that remain to the highest level of precision possible. This is because as a planing surface (which can be the surface of nearly anything flying through the air, but here refers to the surface of a broadhead blade) increases in speed, there is an exponential increase in the ability of any planing surface that isn't perfectly true (i.e., parallel to the slip stream) to steer the arrow off course. Thus, if you double the speed of an arrow, you quadruple the steering ability of any off-centre planing surface. This is why the short fletching vanes, such as the Blazers from Bohning, work so well on fast arrows shot from a current version of a fast compound bow and are useless on traditional bows or on older compounds.

Precision costs money so the new broadhead designs are a lot more expensive to make than the old ones.

As for the reason that the steel Montec CS is more expensive than the older stainless Montec, that has to do with the injection molding process used to make the one-piece Montecs. It is more difficult to mold carbon steel than it is stainless steel, so it costs more. Most other broadheads, such as the Magnus Snuffers, are assembled from several parts that are brazed or welded together. It costs more to weld stainless than carbon steel so the price difference between stainless and carbon steel is reversed. G5 Outdoors, who make the Montec broadheads, are a bit of a pioneer in injection molding, so as the technology improves and the costs come down, we can expect to see more one-piece molded broadheads.

I hope this clears it up a bit for you. The point really is that the prices are all based on costs and the competitive nature of the broadhead industry guarantees that the prices of the newer designs of broadheads, although high, are fair and reasonable.

Matey???

28/03/10

Sarah has an easy question with a tough answer

Q:This friend (Nathan) is shooting a 38lb Pearson shooting at 211fps. I don't know if you're familiar with this bow or not, but it's got wheels instead of cams. He was shooting Goldtip Carbon arrows sz 600 and 23.5in long. And here's the worst part...three blade punch-through broadheads that are only about the size of a field tip. VERY small blades on them. They were something kind of similar to the NAP Nitrons.

What I wanted to know (because you're the expert) is, will he be generating as much energy out of his bow as a bow on the same poundage that has cams instead of wheels?
Cheers
Sarah

A: First, here is a quick refresher lesson for you in physics. Excentric wheels on a bow have the axle placed off centre towards the outside edge of the wheel (that's why they call them excentric) so that the line from the point where the string leaves the wheel to the axle acts as a lever when the bow is drawn. As you know, the longer a lever is, the more energy it can transfer to the load for a given force applied. It might be easier to imagine a wheel on a compound bow as having spokes like a bicycle wheel, except that with the axle off centre, each spoke is a different length.

As you begin to draw a bow, the string departure point (SDP: the point where the string rotates off of the wheel) starts out quite close to the shortest spoke. As you continue to draw the bow and the wheel rotates, the spokes get longer and the SDP moves away from the axle. As the spokes get longer they becomes stronger and the bow becomes easier to pull. This is what gives you the drop off in draw weight. Now, when the bows is at full draw the SDP is on the longest spoke and the farthest away from the axle as it can get. When the bowstring is released, the force applied to the string (and ultimately to the arrow) is quite light and the arrow starts to move forward rather slowly (this is the direct opposite of what happens with a traditional bow ) and gains speed as the wheel rotates and the spokes between the axle and the SDP become shorter. This gradual acceleration of the arrow allows more of the energy of the limbs to be transferred to the arrow than with a traditional bow so that a compound bow with round wheels delivers about 30 to 40 percent more useable power than a recurve bow of the same draw weight.

Now, when the shape of the wheel is distorted to an oval or cam shape, it allows the distance between the axle and the SDP to become longer than it could be with a round wheel so that the difference between the shortest spoke and the longest spoke is much greater, which allows even more of the energy stored in the limbs to be transferred to the arrow.

So, the answer to your question is: no, round wheels do not generate as much arrow speed or energy as do cams.

As for those broadheads, you are absolutely right. Punch-through broadheads need a lot of energy to work properly. Personally, I don't think that they should be used in compound bows drawing less that 60 pounds, and never in traditional bows. Your friend would do a lot better with a sharp (very sharp) two blade head such as the Magnus in either 100 or 125 grain.

15/03/10

Johnson lights the way . . . from Texas?

Q: Hey NZAP. I have a great idea for you. I want you to make me a bowfishing arrow for night fishing. The point will be an Innerloc Pro Point on a Cajun Yellow Jacket shaft. Now here is the tricky part. I want you to put one of those Muzzy Adapters on it for a super nock only instead of a super nock I want a lighted one.

I have a spot (sorry I can't say exactly where it is) where huge carp come right to the surface at night and I think this arrow will do the job. I'm only a little worried about the light being waterproof. What do you think? Also I live in Texas. Is that a problem with shipping?
Regards
Johnson

A: We have had the question of Lumenoks being waterproof before and, yes, they should work fine in fresh water if you retrieve quickly and dry them thoroughly after each shot. Don't use them in salt water, of course, or the results would be disastrous.

As far as shipping to Texas goes, it isn't a problem for us but it would be a bit expensive for you as the postage would cost as much as the arrow. I am sure that there is an archery shop in Texas that would be happy to make up one of these for you. If you can't find one or if you don't mind the expense, we would be happy to make this arrow for you. Either way, let us know how it works.

11/03/10

Brad inserts a weighty question

Q: This is probably a dumb question but I have Googled everything I can think of and can't find the answer. I want to build some very heavy arrows using the Beman ICS Bowhunter shafts and the 100 grain Muzzy brass inserts with 150 grain Magnus Snuffer broadheads. Right now I am using the standard aluminium insert. My question is this: in order to increase my point weight by a full 100 grains do I need to add more weight to compensate for the old insert that is being replaced? If so, how much do I add and what is the best way to do it?
Cheers for your answer
Brad

A: That isn't a dumb question at all as most arrow builders forget to include the weight of the insert in the total arrow-point weight. The inserts for the ICS Bowhunter shafts weigh 21 grains each so your net gain in going to the 100-grain insert would be 79 grains. Your best bet for achieving a total point weight of 250 grains including the insert is to use the 170-grain Snuffers. We don't have these heavier points on the internet yet but they will be on there soon as we are getting an increase in requests for heavier broadheads. In the meantime, give us a ring and we can sort some out for you.

16/02/10

John really likes his new Solo longbow, but . . . .

Q:Got my new long bow today, (a Manchester Solo)It is much nicer looking bow than I imagined it would be.

Just two things: the bow is marked at 50lb at 28" but I have measured it's true draw weight and it is 56lb. Just thought you might like to know that if you get somebody that's a bit draw weight sensitive. You also sent one arrow out of the 6 Cajun Wood Arrows I ordered that is marked as a 55-60 lb spine, while the other 5 are correct spine of 50-55. That's no biggie though,I'll find a use for it.

Thanks,
John

A:I'm glad to hear that your new bow meets expectations.

As for the one arrow that doesn't match the others, give it a go and see how it shoots. We buy these shafts pre finished and pre-spined with the spine group printed on the shaft. Just to be safe, we check all of the shafts again on our own spine tester. The supplier does makes a mistake now and then and sometimes Laurie finds a shaft in the wrong group. I suspect that your 55-60 arrow is actually a 50-55 one. We usually re-mark these shafts with the correct spine, but go ahead and shoot it with the others and if it doesn't stay in the group, we will be happy to send you a replacement.

As far as the draw weight is concerned, it isn't at all unusual for the actual draw weight to be a bit over or under the posted draw weight. Even the top-end compound bows are usually a off the advertised weight. Back in the good-old days (that's the 50s for me − way before your time) the major bow makers would rate bows to the closest pound so you had 53 pound bows and 47 pound bows and so on. Now most bow makers rate to the closest 5 pounds (except high-end target bows, which are rated in two-pound increments) so a bow marked 50 pounds might be anywhere between 47.5 to 52.5. Compound bow makers often round down so that every bow with a draw weight between 50 and 54 pounds is a 50-pound bow and so on. In your case, a six-pound error on the high side is a bit much, so if the added weight becomes a problem let us know and we will get you a new one from the manufacturer.

01/02/10

Roger has black marks on his arrows.

Q: I have a compound bow that I am shooting without a release aid and I am shooting Camo Hunter arrows with 4 inch plastic fletches. My problem is that I get black marks on one side of the bottom fletch. I think this is from the arrow hitting the arrow rest (it is one of those inexpensive plastic ones with the plastic finger for the arrow to rest on and it screws into the handle). My arrows wobble from side to side when I shoot and my groups are not that great. Would changing my arrow rest help my shooting at all? Which one would you recommend? I rather like the looks of the Whisker Biscuit because it is such a straight forward design. Or would new arrows be a better idea?
Cheers
Roger

A: The fishtailing arrow can be caused by a number of things, but the black marks are a sure sign of serious fletch contact. You won't get good results with any arrow until you correct this problem.

You need to loose that cheap rest as soon as possible. You could also switch to feather fetching, which won't go all wobbly from contact with the plastic finger you mentioned, but switching arrow rests would make more sense. The Whisker Biscuit would be a very good choice for a new rest as it is very forgiving when used with fingers. It would probably also be more economical in the long run than refletching with feathers as feathers can be quite dear.

Once you get the new rest installed, you need to retune your bow then take a close look at your arrows to make sure they are the correct spine.

17/01/10

Louis Wants to go fishing with his hunting bow

Q:Howdy,
Just wondering?? Can you take a normal hunting compound bow, and put a bow fishing reel on it? Do I need anything special to connect the two or is it not that simple? Also if this is possible can you reccomend a reasonable fishing reel and some tips.

Any feed back is appreciated.

Louis

P.S Shot my first turkey the other day, stoked!!!

A: Most compound hunting bows can be used for bowfishing by simply mounting a bowfishing reel and changing the arrow rest. Some hunting rests can be used for bowfishing but the heavy fishing arrows rip them up very quickly. A Good bowfishing rest, such as the Cajun Roller Rest, or the AMS Wave is inexpensive and will just about last forever. Most bowfishers also remove the sight when converting a hunting bow to fishing as most of the shots are close enough to take by just sighting on the arrow.

The most popular reel for compound bows is the AMS Retriever reel, but any of the others will also work fine. If you are on a budget the basic starter kit will work on a compound bow. But if you really get into it and end up doing a lot of bowfishing, you will want to upgrade fairly soon. The Retriever is worth the money if you can afford it.

The selection of a point depends on what sort of bowfishing you plan to do. Any of the smaller points, from the Wee Stinger to the Warhead will do fine for carp or smaller saltwater species, such as kahawai and small sting rays. Larger stingrays and small sharks need a larger and heavier point, such as the Sting-A-Ree or the new Innerloc Pro Point. The best choice for large sharks and sting rays is the Grapple 3 Blade also by Innerloc.

Well done on the turkey!

07/01/10

William wants a Kingfisher without the fisher.

Q:Hi There
I am interested in the Kingfisher bow, but was wondering if it was sold with out the fishing kit. Also can it be made in to a package, including arrows, arrow rest, and bow quiver? If so how much would this cost?

Thanks very much

William.

A:We do sell the Kingfisher without the fishing set. The price is $299.95 (AU$239.95) and you can get the same kit that we offer with the DeerMaster Recurve for an additional $100 or 399.95 all up. This gives you a Martin 4-Arrow Quiver, 4 Camo Hunter arrows, a Wyandotte traditional arm guard, A Bearpaw shooting glove, and a few other items, just about everything you need to get started.

If you want more arrows, they are $9.95 if purchased with the kit. This is quite a nice-shooting bow for the money so we will be adding it to the web site sometime in the near future. As with all the NZAP starter kits, we are flexible with the individual kit components and will be happy to mix and match items as you wish.

21/12/09

Ron needs help with arrow spine and rest placement

Q: Hi Jim,
I have purchased a couple of Bear Weather Rests from you and whilst it may seem a silly question, I was wanting to know if the placement of the rest is important for accuracy and arrow clearance? E.g. Centre, towards the front or rear of the plunger hole etc?

The rests are for my Urban Takedown Longbow 38lb (yes it is custom made and unusual)

I presently have a centre rest on it that works well but I do have some mild fletch contact that I have not been able to tune out.

My bow also has an almost flat shelf, so I am assuming I should raise it somewhere above the shelf.

I am also playing with arrow spine which is getting expensive, (advice from fellow club members and all different) Can you suggest an good all round field arrow for me? I have a 27" draw length and a 38lb longbow plus a 40lb Recurve.

Thanks for the previous help you and your staff have given me, much appreciated.
Ron

A: The placement of a stick-on arrow rest on a longbow is indeed important for accuracy and clearance. Where you put the rest depends on the type of grip your bow has. As you say the bow has a shelf we can assume that the grip is not a traditional straight grip but is shaped with a locator saddle for the web of the thumb and forefinger of your bow hand.

If so, the rest should be attached so that the finger of the rest (the bit that supports the arrow) is directly above the thumb and forefinger web when the bow is drawn. Since your bow has a threaded bushing for a pressure button (most longbows don't have this feature, but as you say,yours is unusual) it should be directly above the locator saddle and will serve as a guide. If there is a conflict here, always place the rest above the web saddle regardless of where the bushing is located. The rest should be above the shelf just enough to give complete fletch clearance.

Personally, I have always favoured aluminium arrows in traditional bows, but we have many customers getting good results out of carbon arrows, so either would suit. Your best choice for an aluminium shaft would be a Size-1913 Easton Camo Hunter cut to 28 inches and with a 100-grain point.

If you want a carbon shaft I would suggest the Easton Redline in 690 size also cut to 28 inches and a 100-grain point. Either of these should work well in both of your 38 pound longbow and your 40 pound recurve, but I would start with the Camo Hunter, again strictly because of personal preference.

07/12/09
Daniel has serious fletch contact.

Q:Hi guys
I just have a quick question in regards to the arrows I ordered, with the fletching, is the cock meant to be in-line with the nock? well not so much in line as such but is it supposed to sit vertically down when the arrow is nocked At the moment none of fletching passes un obstructed through the arrowrest. I'm only relatively new to archery, so can only compare to the arrows I already have.
Appreciate the advice

Daniel

A:Unfortunately our records don't indicate what kind of arrow rest you have on your bow. But on the plus side, the last set of arrows we sent you (Beman ICS Bowhunters) have adjustable nocks that can accommodate just about any arrow rest.

For a prong-type rest, such as the NAP QT800, the cock fletch should be down so it flies between the forks. For the majority of drop-away arrow rests, such as the QAD Ultra Rest, the cock fletch should be up. For Whisker Biscuits and for other capture-type rests, such as the NAP QT360, the cock fletch should also be up. For any type of arrow rest, you should adjust your nocks so that there is the absolute minimum of fletch contact with the arrow rest, preferably none at all.

One old trick for checking for fletch contact is to spray your rest with a powder-type of foot deodorant so that a white film of powder is built up. When the arrow is shot, any contact the fletching makes with the rest shows up as a track in the powder. (in the old days we used to use artificial snow that was intended for spraying on windows at Christmas, but the stuff they sell today is too thick and doesn't work well.)

A lot of new shooters don't realize that the nocks on carbon arrows are adjustable. There is a tool that we use for this but it is just as easy to snap the arrow on the string and twist the shaft until you get the nock into the position you want it in. The nocks on the Bowhunter arrows are a tight fit and it sometimes takes a bit of pressure to move them, but it can be done.

07/11/09 Peter needs a spotting scope

Q: I currently shoot target archery using a recurve bow, and am looking for a spotting scope so I can see my arrows in the target. I have looked through your sight on the internet and I am unable to see any.

Do you sell this type of scope? If so what type,size etc. and what price including sending it to Australia?

Regards,
Peter

A:We don't keep these in stock so don't have spotting scopes on our web site, but we do order them in as we need them. This one is the most popular:

It is an Alpen 15-30X50, and features a waterproof and nitrogen-filled housing, powerful zoom eye pieces, durable construction, a padded field carrying case and tripod. Plus you cat a very good lifetime warranty from Alpen. Other specs are: magnification 15-30x, objective lens diameter 50mm, porro prism, field of view 136-99, exit pupil 3.3-1.7mm, eye relief 20-17, weight 23 oz. Includes case and tripod.

The price for the Alpen 15 is AU$269.00 including shipping and it would take about three weeks to get it to you. We also sell a more basic version for AU$95.00. It doesn't have the same optics and there is no tripod or case, but it works OK.

13/10/09

Doug wants the BEST and nothing but. You got it Doug.

Q:I would like to know if you can tell me which is the BEST Serrated Edge Broadhead sharpener to use. I like the way the Tungsten-Carbide looks but want to know from you, the professionals, what to use.

I just starting using the Magnus Stinger Buzzcut broadheads and liked the way it penetrated the 8 pointer I got yesterday. But I would like to know how to sharpen it to razor sharpness again for more uses.

Thanks,
Doug

A: You can actually do a reasonably good job on serrated broadheads with a half-round jewelers file, available from most hardware stores. If you want a truly professional edge, the best bet is the Lansky Sharpening Kit. We don't have any of these in stock at the moment but expect them in about two weeks.

Regardless of which tool you chose, you need to sharpen each serration individually. Most broadheads and knives with serrated edges are factory ground at an angle of about 20 to 25 degrees. You need to clamp the broadhead or blade in a vice or in the Lansky holder then stroke the file or hone over the serration maintaining the factory angel.

Check your progress frequently with a fingertip and once you can feel a tiny raised burr on the back of the blade it is time to move on to the next serration. When you have done each serration, turn the blade over and file or hone off the burr by sliding the sharpening tool very lightly over the back of the blade. Do this by holding the tool flat against the blade and use only enough pressure to remove the bevel without cutting into the blade itself. It takes longer to sharpen a serrated blade than a straight one but after you master the knack, you will have better edges on your broadheads and knives than the ones that came from the factory.

Hey thanks! This will make a good Quick Tip. And well done on your 8 pointer.

10/10/09

Arun wants to use his dad's old wall Sharpener. No worries Arun,

Q:hi there
my dad has an old wall mounted knife sharpener, and i was wondering if there is any reason not to sharpen my broadheads in the wall sharpener until feathered, before stropping them on a leather strop? i use tusker javelins btw.
thanks,
Arun.

A: The only way to be sure is to give it a go and see how it works. Those old-style sharpeners usually had steel disks to do the work and the discs would become dull after a lot of use. They can also chatter, which leaves a serrated edge on the blade. The new sharpeners mostly use carbide blades and last a bit longer. So give it a try and if it works, great. If it doesn't, try something else.

A good trick for using any wall-mounted sharpener is to attach the broadhead to a short section of arrow shaft to serve as a handle while sharpening. This gives more control of the blade and helps protect your fingers.

05/10/09

Here comes that pistol crossbow question again!

Q: Hi
I came across your web site while looking for information on hunting with crossbows. I am planning to buy one of the hand-held ones in 80 pound for hunting rabbits and possums. The guy in the hunting and fishing store said that they would work fine for small-game hunting and that I could shoot possums out to about 50 meters with one. He also said that they could be set up for bow fishing, but they didn't have the stuff for this. Then I was reading on the internet that the pistol crossbows aren't any good for hunting because they aren't powerful enough. Who is right here? I'm a bit confused. Wouldn't 80 pounds be enough for hunting anything? Cheers
Robert

A: No,no,no,no,no pistol crossbows can not be used for hunting. Not for possums, not for rabbits, not for even mice! Well, OK, maybe mice if you are a very good shot and get very close. I would bet just about anything that the guy in the store who was trying to sell you one, had never shot one of the ridiculous things. The ones that we have seen in the shop that say 80 pounds on them are actually closer to 40 pounds, and even at 80 pounds, they wouldn't have as much power as a kid's slug gun, and much less than a paint-ball gun. As for shooting possums at 50 meters, I doubt if they will even shoot an arrow that far.

The reason for this is simple physics. A short traditionl bow is very inefficient, which is why the medieval English long bows were over 2 meters long (for some fairly complicated reasons, this is not entirely true of short compound bows). The most important factors in arrow energy (measured in kinetic energy) are arrow speed and weight. The silly little arrows that come with the pistol crossbows weigh less than 150 grains and the tiny bows that shoot them don't have the bow-tip speed or the power stroke (the distance the string travels when the bow is shot) to generate any more than about 125 FPS, no matter what the poundage. Even a 500-pound crossbow (if such a thing were possible) built on the dimensions of a pistol crossbow, wouldn't have enough power to use for hunting.

Crossbow hunting for small game is great fun and can be very productive with the correct bow and a little practice, but save your money and get a real crossbow instead of one of these silly toys. And don't pay any attention to the ads on the internet auctions where most of the things are sold. Anything you read about hunting or bowfishing with one is absolute rubbish.

28/09/09

Beman ICS BowHunters better than ST Axis? I don't think so, Chuck.

Q:Hi There
A mate and me went into the fishing and hunting store and bought some arrows. They were marked Beman Bowhunter 340 and cost us $22.00 each. I was looking on your web site at the ST Axis 340 which is way cheaper. When I asked the guy at the store, he said it was because the ones they sell (the Beman Bowhunter) were a lot better arrows. Is this true or is he having us on? I am new to bowhunting and want to get quality stuff but the guy in the store didn't seem to know too much about archery.
Chuck

A: The ICS BowHunter series of carbon shafts from Beman makes an excellent low-priced hunting arrow. However, it is the bottom of the Beman line and is no way comparable to the ST Axis series from Easton (Easton is the parent company of Beman so there is no real conflict here). The straightness index, just to cite an example, for the Beman BowHunter 340 is ± .006 and for the ST Axis 340 it is ± .003. That is a huge difference (the lower the number, the straighter the arrow).

We actually get this same question quite often so we will be ordering in a supply of the ICS BowHunters, just to have them in stock for anyone who wants them. The NZAP retail price for a dozen or more complete ready-to-shoot arrows will be $9.95 each in NZ and AU$7.95 each in Australia, the same price as our popular Easton Excel. The NZAP price for the ST Axis, just for comparison, is $16.00 (AU$12.80) each for a dozen or more.

For the record, I wouldn't be too hard on the lad at your local store. He probably doesn't know much about archery and just figured if the price is higher, it must be a better arrow. Good retail space in New Zealand is very expensive so the markup on a low-volume item like arrows has to high enough to justify a place on the shelf. NZAP is located in an industrial park with low rent for a lot of space. Plus we are able to operate with five staff, where a retail store might have twice that or more. We also sell a lot of arrows. Our volume of arrows sold is much higher (we probably sell more arrows a day than the average sporting goods store sells in a month) so our costs are lower.

Another problem with buying arrows in sporting-goods stores is that they usually only have one size in stock, and it is often a very heavy one, like your 340s. This is probably for safety as a heavy arrow is a safe option for all bows where one that is too light can be dangerous. They are also too long for most shooters. With staff who don't know how to match an arrow to a bow, it is always safer to have the arrow too heavy and too long, even if they do shoot like fence posts.

11/09/09

Dave needs some group therepy.

Q: I have been practicing shooting using field points and shoot good groups. I have the exact weight of of field points and broadheads. (125 grain) After getting my sights in where I thought was perfect I deceided to try shooting a few broadheads before going out hunting. To my surprise the arrows were shooting 8" lower at 20 yards. I tried over and over again. Also they do not enter the target straight on, but seem to go in at an angle. The field points go straight. Can you give me advice? When I talked to my local sporting goods store they said it should only be a couple of inches difference and a little fine tuning would be needed. They also suggested changing my rest instead of the sights.

Please Help,
Dave

A:It is sometimes difficult to get broadheads and field points to fly exactly the same, but 8 inches low at 20 yards is a bit much. First, retune your bow to make sure it is within the manufacturer’s spec. Pay particularly close attention to the brace height and axle-to-axle length and don’t hesitate to replace the string and cable it they are drastically out of spec. Paper test your arrows to make sure the arrow is leaving the bow properly. If not, adjust the draw weight up or down to get the correct match between draw weight and arrow spine. Now double check the weights of your broadheads and field points. Don’t go by the manufacturer’s advertised weight but check them on a grain scale. Once your bow is perfect, sight it in using your broadheads. When your broadhead group is spot on, shoot a few groups with your field points. Now make small adjustments to bring the field-point group toward your broadhead group. Check your progress by shooting alternate groups with your field points and your broadheads. You should gradually bring the two groups together. When the groups stop converging or start to spread again, you have reached the maximum potential for that combination of arrow and broadhead. If you still aren’t happy, you will have to try another arrow and broadhead combination.

The reason this works is that the arrows with field points are much more responsive to small tuning adjustments than are broadheads with their greater surface area. The broadhead group will tend to stay centred while the field-point group responds to your adjustments-or that’s what we hope will happen.

Perfect groups with broadheads and field points doesn’t happen very often, regardless of the claims of most broadhead manufacturers, so you may have to settle for close enough. But keep at it. The pursuit of perfection is a large part of the fun of precision archery.

09/09/09

Raj is looking for a reproduction crossbow

Q: Hi There

I am looking to purchase a fireable medieval crossbow and as I couldn't find anything on your site I was wondering if there is any chance you may import them or something. I am not really looking for the usual cheaper replicas with a low draw weight but something more powerful.

Look forward to your reply

Thanks
Raj

A: The only replica crossbow that I am aware of in the South Pacific is the Crecy medieval crossbow from Ausbow Industries in Australia. At around 120 pounds draw weight, it is a serious weapon.

We would be happy to order one of these for you but you would get a much better price by going directly to them.

01/09/09
Keith is concerned about his QuickSpin Vanes.

Q:Hi
I recently sent a set of St Axis arrows (size 400) to you to be refletched with 4 inch QuickSpin ST vanes. I am using a Whisker Biscuit arrow rest on my Mathews Switchback and that worked really well with the elite Plastifletch vanes I was using. I have read that the QuickSpin vanes can improve accuracy so I wanted to give them a try. Unfortunately, after only six or eight shots, the QuickSpins start to get wrinkly along the outer edge. I tried fixing this with steam and hot water (as suggested in one of your Quick Tips) but it only lasted for one shot. Is this a problem with the arrow rest or am I doing something wrong?

Cheers
Keith

A: I doubt that you are doing anything wrong as we have had several complaints of this same nature. The QuickSpin vanes are very effective in getting lots of spin on the arrow and this can improve accuracy, sometimes quite dramatically. However, QuickSpins are expensive, damage easily, and don't tolerate even a slight flaw. The wrinkling on the edge you mention is fatal to any accuracy advantage. It appears that the contact with the Whisker Biscuit is enough to critically damage the QuickSpins and destroy their accuracy.

If you want to stay with the QuickSpins, I would recommend that you change your rest to either a NAP QT360, which works a lot like the Whisker Biscuit but won't damage the vanes, or a drop away, such as the QAD Ultra Rest (currently our most popular drop away). However, since you were having such good luck with the Elite Plastifletch vanes, you might want to return to them. If this is the case, send your arrows back and we will refletch them for you at no charge.

18/08/09
The anonymous bowhunter needs an arrow for his Reflex Caribou

Q: Hi there

I am taking up bowhunting and am just getting set up. I've got a Reflex Caribou '06 setup for finger shooting, at 70 pounds with a 29-inch draw. I'm having a problem with sorting out the arrows and broadheads I'm going to need for hunting, though. According to Beman charts, I need to be shooting a 30-inch 340 ICS bowhunter - which is 9.3 gpi, and with 4-inch right helical fletching, it says I'm going to need 150 grain broadheads to get a decent f.o.c. (depend on which vanes and heads combination it works out between 13-14%). But I'm worried this will be too heavy - or will it simply make for better penetration and knock down? Thanks.

A: I haven't checked your math as it seems to be spot on. The Beman 30-inch 340 ICS Bowhunter arrow you are considering should be an excellent hunting arrow for your Reflex Caribou, especially if most of your hunting is in the bush where ranges seldom exceed 40 meters. Even with the heavier broadhead, your total arrow weight is below 500 grains and the added weight on the front end will have a dramatic effect on arrow flight and penetration. The only item I would question is the 340 shaft size. With the heavier point, I am fairly confident that you will get better accuracy with a 300 shaft size. It would definitely be worth trying both sizes before committing to a full dozen arrows.

The only situation where you might find this arrow a bit heavy is if you are expecting very long shots. Many of our best hunters are getting good results hunting the tops with shots as long as 75 meters. Shots at this range require very good bowhunting skills along with a rangefinder, perfectly adjusted sights, and a lighter arrow for flatter trajectory. In this case, you might want to try a 125 grain point with 2-inch Blazer vanes. If you wanted to go even lighter, a 100 grain point with Gateway Rayzr feathers should give good performance while maintaining your FOC well over 10%.

29/07/09
Boyd has a new Bowtec and is looking for a bowhunting arrow.

Q: Hi there my name is Boyd,

I am new to the Archery sport and wish to purchase some arrows. I have purchased a Bowtech 101st compound bow set at 60lb and at 30' draw. Would the Blackhawk arrow be suitable to this or could you recommend a more practical option? I wish to have 6 range arrows and 6 hunting arrows. I would like to attach the Magnus Snuffer 3 blade broadheads.

Your reply would be greatly appreciated
Boyd

A: The BowTec 101st Airborne is an excellent hunting bow. It is not what I would call a starter bow, but with a generous axle-to-axle of 36 1/2 inches and a 7-inch brace height it should serve you well. 60 pounds is a good draw weight but double check the draw length to make sure it is just right for you. A poorly fit draw length can make a new bow very frustrating to shoot accurately. You can check our Draw-Length Calculator if you haven't already.

This is a high-tech bow capable of actual arrow speeds of over 300 fps. To achieve anywhere near that potential, you will ultimately want a high-tech arrow. For bowhunting, the Easton FMJ or the St Axis would both be excellent. However to get started, the Black Hawk Vapor arrows (which are definitely low-tech but very reasonably priced) would be a wise choice. The reason is that you will most likely loose and/or break more than a few arrows while learning. Once you are comfortable with your shooting style (and stop loosing arrows) you can switch to a higher grade of shaft. The Magnus Snuffer is an excellent broadhead suitable for any shaft you choose. We usually advise new bowhunters to use the same arrows for hunting and practice and simply change the points.

28/07/09
Alasdair is moving to Nelson to go bowhunting. Good choice Alasdair!

Q: G'day
I've recently moved over from Tasmania where bowhunting is illegal but is something that has always interested me. I'm a keen fisherman and small game hunter and I would like some advice on how to get started in archery/bowhunting in the Nelson area. I've owned a 60 pound bow as a kid but that is it sop very little experience if any, just interest. Would you be able to steer me in the right direction as to how to get started, have a go and learn a few things before deciding on what sort of bow I need ?

Any help would be great

Regards

Alasdair

A: First off, welcome to Nelson--The Bowhunting Capital of the World. (That might be a slight exaggeration, but at least we don't have any restrictions on our bowhunting--not yet anyway)

Your first decision will be to go with a compound bow or a traditional bow. For most beginning bowhunters keen to get into the bush, a compound bow is easier to learn than either a longbow or a recurve. We can often get new bowhunters going with an up-to-date compound bow with only one or two lessons. A traditional bow takes longer to learn to shoot properly and is less effective than a compound, but a lot of our longbow and recurve shooters find traditional bowhunting is more challenging and therefore more enjoyable than hunting with a compound.

The most important element in any type of bowhunting is hunting skill, so your small-game experience will come in handy. We usually start new bowhunters out on goats, which are all over the place around Nelson, as they are an excellent way to learn shot placement and stalking skills, plus you are helping rid the environment of a significant and very destructive pest. From goats you can move on to pigs (also abundant around Nelson) and deer.

Since you live in Nelson, you should stop in to the shop and have a go with the different bows we keep as demonstrators. Ask for me (Ben) and we will have you stacking up trophies in no time.

20/07/09
Peter's peeper is too small!

Q:Hi
I am having a problem with my new Mission UX2. I bought it for hunting in the South Island and I got a TruGlo Extreme sight and a regular peep sight with a small hole in it. The peep is called a Tru Peep and it doesn't have a rubber thing on it to keep it straight. My problem is that when I shoot I can just barely see through the peep hole so the pin is barely visible. When the sun is bright I can't use the peep at all because the hole closes right up. Is it ok to drill the peep hole bigger? and if it is how big should I make it? I suppose the best way is to keep drilling it bigger until it works right.

Cheers in advance for your answer.

Peter

A: This is an interesting question, Peter, because the answer has changed a bit in the past few years as most bowhunters have switched from sights with square pin guards to round ones. In the past, we always advised bowhunters to use the smallest peep that they could see clearly through in bright sunlight. We also advised bowhunters to centre the appropriate pin in a multi-pin sight in the middle of the peep. As you found out, bright sunlight tends to close the peep down to the extent that a peep with a small orifice can become unusable if the light was too bright.

With the increasing popularity of round pin guards, we now advise customers to select a peep size that will allow them to view the entire pin guard through the peep and to centre the guard rather than the individual pin. This new technique allows more consistency on the release from shot to shot and results in better scores and tighter groups for the vast majority of shooters, something compound target shooters using scopes have known for years. The larger peep also allows a much improved sight picture with a better view of the target.

While is possible to drill out the orifice of your peep, you would be better off changing the peep to one more appropriate to the type of shooting you are doing. The Tru Peep is a precision sight that works very well for target shooting (although heaps of bow hunters use them ). Personally I feel that a better choice for hunting would be the new Loc-A-Peep Hunter, the Red Hawk Low-Light Peep, or the Radical Peep. These are all peeps that use a locator rubber, but you can leave it off if you like and just keep it handy for emergencies(such as when your peep suddenly stops lining up on a hunt). As for size of the orifice, select the smallest one that lets you view the entire pin guard in bright sunlight. It is usually to have one that is slightly too big than one that is too small.