As we are approaching the hunting season, every single hunting enthusiast is literally on the edge of their seats, waiting for the season to start. No matter what hunting style you follow, you are part of a large group of people, advocating for regulated forms of hunting. That being said, there is no denying that some people are strongly against it, especially on the grounds of the brutality facing the animals to be hunted. This can be underlined by the fact that rapid execution is unlikely, and many animals suffer slow, painful deaths when hunters have injured but not killed them.
Still, thousands of people flood in wildlife areas designated for game hunting when the season begins. Despite a gun making your job much easier, a hunting bow remains the weapon of choice for both veterans and beginners. This is due to many reasons including bullets that might poison the animal if it’s just injured, while arrows won’t. The availability of many approaches towards buying the right bow for you can be overwhelming, that’s why you should determine your preferential measurements for the bow you’ll end up buying.
Draw length
Compound bows differ slightly from traditional recurves and longbows. Unlike conventional bows that can be pulled back nearly any length, compound bows are designed to pull back for a while and then stop. Your compound bow’s draw length is how far it will allow you to pull before you must let go, and is governed by each bow’s unique mechanical system. The bow’s structural configuration and the shooter’s physical size must align to ensure the hunter’s successful hunt. The recommended guideline is to first measure the hunter’s specs and then finding a bow accordingly.
Arm-span method
Professional hunters have used this effective measurement system for fifteen years now. It is marked by taking the span of both your arms stretched horizontally; you measure from the tip of your longest finger on your left arm to the right one and then divide that length by 2.5. While this might seem like a rather simple solution to finding the bow that perfectly suits you, but given that your draw length depends solely on your arms’ length, this is actually the best way to find your bow’s measurements.
Full draw
Compound bows are designed to be fired from the full-drawn stance only, which is when the bow is drawn backwards until it comes to a stop. For example, a compound bow built for a 32 in. draw length should always be drawn back to a maximum of 32 in. And only in that length are you able to shoot. The mechanical stop at full draw is quite strong on most compound bows, and won’t even budge no matter how hard you are pulling on it. Draw the bow gradually under pressure, just after the full draw length of your bow; you’ll sense the trigger keeping you from pulling any more.
Archery is not the most popular sport in a summer break that you hear about, but it definitely draws a crowd. Whether you’re in it for the local archery tournaments or to add that one animal to your wall of taxidermies, compound bows are the most popular and animal friendly archery tool there is. You just have to determine your bow’s dimensions and you’re good to go.
Featured image: Lloyd Pattison/Flickr
Comments