Using a Catfish, or torqueless bowstring loop has a lot of benefits and is very versatile.  Because of the nature of the loop it is virtually impossible to impart torque to the bowstring and bow through the release.  There are infinite angles to hold a release at and the loop shown here will ensure that none of them will cause any undo stress or twisting to the string.

This first video takes a look at one way to tie the loop.  The nails in this version are 2 1/2″ apart and the loop is intended to be used under the arrow.  If tying a loop that is to be used by straddling the nock, I use nails that are 2 3/4″ apart.  Depending on the thickness of the serving used, different numbers of loops will be needed to get the desired thickness.  My favorite serving has become Crown Serving by Brownell in .022″.  For this serving, I use 6 total wraps for a thickness of 12 total strands.

Here are the measurements I have been using for a loop that is done on 2 1/2″ nails.  The loops are just over 3/4″ on each end with a little under 1″ of wrapping down the center.This next video shows how to install the loop using two different methods.  The first is placing the loop under the nock and can be done without removing the bowstring.  Secondly I show how to install a loop that straddles the nock by removing the bowstring.

Here is a finished loop with a nock set tied above the nock, the string loop below the nock, and a bit more of serving under the loop to keep it from traveling down to bowstring.

There are other methods of tying the loops as well.  It is possible to tie a loop that straddles the nock without removing the bowstring by tying the loop onto the string directly; it’s also and option to serve the loop into place to keep it from rotating around the bowstring and aid in aligning the peep.

I personally prefer to have the loop loose on the string.  The advantage of this method is that it is the most torque-free and has the least chance of interfering with the string position at full draw and through the shot.  However, it will not aid in aligning the peep.  Rather I prefer to get the peep aligned perfectly by tweaking the string twists slightly and/or swapping string strands across the peep.   Of course this requires that you have a bow press handy and is not an option for everyone.

I am currently working on a more elegant way to tie the loop without using knots, but I need to do some thorough testing on shooting one until I will be satisfied that is it a safe and stout method.  Check back to see the (hopeful) improvement!

Why Use a Catfish or Torqueless Bowstring loop?

There several good reasons to use a this type of loop over a standard loop as well as a few disadvantages:

Pros:

• No knots to come undone
• Does not place any torque on the bowstring, no matter the release position
• Virtually indestructible
• Easily field replaceable in certain configurations

Cons:

• Takes time and practice to learn to tie properly
• Rotates about string freely, cannot use to pull peep into proper position

Other posts you may enjoy:

• Archery Tips 4 – Bowstring Twisting
• How to Tie a Nock Set Using Serving Thread
• How to Tie a Peep Sight in a Bowstring
• Archery Practice Loop: Tool of a Thousand Uses
• Archery Tips 6 – Grocery Bags and Bushings/Pin Nocks

How important is it to keep your bow level when shooting?  The answer is that it is very important if you care about the arrow hitting where the pin is.  These days most sights come with the option of a level that can prove to be a valuable tool; there are also a few tricks to help draw and keep a bow level.

Of course not all cant is bad, that is if you are shooting without a sight.  Many traditional shooters and even those shooting a compound without a sight find that a little or even a lot of cant is a more natural way to shoot when aiming instinctively.  When I shoot a recurve I tend to have my bow canted 35-40 degrees and it feels perfectly natural.

What causes a bow to be off of level?  There are several causes:  some people naturally hold at and angle (cant), shooting on a slope tends to cause the shooter to lean with the hill, medium to strong winds, bows that are not balanced properly, etc.  The key is to know when there is a chance of being off center (which is basically always, though the above listed situations magnify it) and how to prevent and correct lean.

I took the Destroyer 350 out into the field to find out just exactly how much of a cant produced noticeable results in the accuracy of my arrows.  I purposefully canted my bow varying degrees and shot from several distances to see where my arrows hit compared to the aiming spot.  At 20 yards with a cant of up to 3 degrees or so there wasn’t much difference in impact, but when the cant hit 5 degrees the arrows were noticeably off of center, though mostly in-line vertically.  Moving further back increased the amount of inaccuracy significantly, even when the bow was tilted less.

The following image shows the typical results of an approximately 3 degree cant at 40 yards:

Three and a half inches to the left and an overall lower grouping vertically is a fairly significant amount.  I shot groups similar to this very consistently several times before I was satisfied with the results.  In a 3D shoot where every line counts, this is certainly a large enough distance to affect a final score.  When hunting in the field this could also be the difference between a kill shot and a very long trailing job that may end up in a lost deer.

The best way to prevent lean/tilt/cant is to use a level and to use it on every single shot.  Even when it feels that you may be on level ground, there may be a slight slope and that is all it takes to mess with your center of gravity and cause the bow to be off of center.  When shooting on steep hillsides many shooters find that purposefully leaning into the hill while pulling the bow back will help the body and bow come to center much easier.  Another method is to hold the bow up, level it before drawing and attempt to keep it level through the draw.  I personally find that trying to level my bow at full draw is much more difficult than using one of the aforementioned techniques to get the bow to level at the draw.

Whatever the case or cause, having a bow that is off of level will cause some inaccuracy.  How much is determined by the severity of the cant and the distance to the target.  Take steps to prevent any lean and learn to keep that bow level!Other posts you may enjoy:

• Uphill and Downhill Shots, How to Adjust for Proper Arrow Impact
• 300 days to 300 – Day 14 update
• Arrow Flight Fact or Fiction: one pin to 40 yards
• FOBs (Fletching Only Better) and the Rest Rocket
• Archery and the Mental Game

For 2010 New Archery Products (NAP) introduced a new drop-away rest, the Apache.  The Apache is an inexpensive rest with a simple action that is mainly aimed at hunters who want a durable, dependable rest that won’t break the bank.  How did NAP pull this off and were they successful?  Could the many features be pulled off at a reasonable price?

Models, Availability and Price of the NAP Apache

At the time of this review the Apache is only available in a right hand version with black finish.  The rest is widely available and it appears most shops and online stores are offering the Apache.  The MSRP is $59.99, and it pretty much sells for this everywhere.  Bass Pro Shops stocks the Apache and it can be purchased here:
New Archery Products Apache Drop-Away Arrow Rest.

Structure and Operation of the Apache Rest

There are all sorts of different drop away rests from the simple to the complex, the expensive to the cheap.  The Apache falls into the simple style and is inexpensive though does not have a cheap feel.  All of the structural components are metal, including the full containment arms that prevent the arrow from falling off of the rest.  Noise is minimized through a generous pad around the containment arms and a black moleskin-like material that lines the launcher arm.

Like many drop-away rests, the Apache is actuated by a cord that is tied to the downward moving cable.  As the bow is drawn, the cord pulls the launcher arm into an upward position.  There is a flat section on the launcher arm assembly that hits a pin and prevents the rest from rising any further (see yellow arrows in the image.)  This ensures that the launcher arm stops in the same position every time.  As the arm rises, a coiled spring is tensioned within the rest body and at the release of the bow, the spring unwinds and pulls the launcher arm out of the path of the arrow.

Setup, Tuning and Shooting the Apache

Setup of the Apache was fairly simple.  There is one main bolt and a set screw to secure the rest to the bow, along with an optional, fitted plastic plate that goes between the rest and the bow if the rest needs to sit further from the riser.  I installed the plated not because I needed the rest moved to the right of the riser, but because it provided a nice way to mount the rest onto the bow without the metal part of the rest touching the camouflage of the bow, thus preventing any chipping the might occur to the finish.

Once installed, it was a simple matter to serve the cord to the cable and set the proper length.  The instructions that come with the rest are easy to understand and follow.  Setting the length of the cord was a matter of loosening the cord set screw, pulling the cord tight while the bow was at rest, drawing the bow back and allowing the cord to pull through the the rest, letting down and tightening the cord set screw.  I only had to try this once and it set the cord length perfectly and I have not touched it since.

Tuning the Apache uses the rest’s finest feature: tool-less adjustment!  Vertical and horizontal adjustment of the rest is accomplished by loosening the appropriate knob and sliding the rest.  There are laser cut marks to help with gauging the position of the rest and how much it is moved.  Once the knob is loosened, the rest slides freely along either the horizontal or vertical dovetail so it is important to note the starting position of the rest before moving it, otherwise the rest slides freely and it can be easy to over-adjust.  Perhaps in the future a micro-adjust version will be made available.

For this review the rest was installed on a Bowtech Destroyer 350.  This bow has been very easy to tune with every other rest I have put on it and the Apache was no exception.  A few arrows through paper and about a dozen shots with bare shafts had everything lined up and ready to go.  Because the arrow has to be brought straight in from the top into the narrow channel, it took me awhile to get used to loading the arrow.  Of course this is the very feature that fully contains the arrow, so there is a little give and take.  One pleasant surprise is that I was unable to detect any noise coming from the rest.  The way the launcher lines up with the body of the rest and the added padding resulted in virtually no noise from the rest.

This video shows an overview of the Apache rest along with a couple of shots with the rest:

Conclusion and Final Thoughts on the Apache

For the features that the Apache offers, it is a very capable rest at an excellent price point.  Setup and tuning are quick and easy mostly thanks to the tool-less adjustment.  The full containment is great for those that are looking to use this rest in hunting conditions where the arrow could get knocked off, though it does add significant weight to the rest as a whole.  Overall the Apache offers great bang-for-the-buck.

What I liked about the Apache

• Easy setup
• Solid mechanism with little to go wrong
• Tool-less adjustment!

What I didn’t like about the Apache

• Right hand only, sorry lefties!
• Heavier than average for a rest

Other posts you may enjoy:

• Review: Limb Driver Arrow Rest
• Review: NAP Quicktune Sizzor Rest
• FOBs (Fletching Only Better) and the Rest Rocket
• How to Measure a Bow’s Draw Length
• Archery Practice Loop: Tool of a Thousand Uses

When shooting with sunglasses (or any glasses) make sure that the lenses are not distorting your view of the sight and target.  An easy way to check this is to hold the sunglasses at arm’s length and look through them at a straight, vertical line in the distance.  Turn the glasses to simulate the angle you would be looking through at the sight and target.  Is the vertical line perfectly vertical or is wavy or disjointed?  If it’s not a perfect line, the lenses could be distorting your shooting image and can cause you to be off target.Other posts you may enjoy:

• Keep That Bow Level! What Happens if You are not Level (Canted)?
• Archery and the Mental Game
• Tuning Tip: Using Lighted Nocks to Check Arrow Flight
• 300 days to 300 – Day 84 update
• TAP (The Archery Program) Archery Software

Archery Report changed its email list to a much more robust, versatile and capable provider.  This means a better quality newsletter that will come weekly instead of daily and include more features.  The good news is that this should be a future-proof change, the bad news is that everyone on the old list will have to sign up again as it is not possible to transfer the list over.  If you are on the old list, please visit the link on the upper right of the ArcheryReport.com homepage and sign up again.

The really good news is that everyone that signs up gets a copy of “50 Tips and Tricks for Archers and Bowhunters.”  This is a collection of tidbits of knowledge that is sure to be useful to everyone.  All subscribers will also be notified of updates to the eBook as soon as they are available.  Sign up and keep up to date with Archery Report!Other posts you may enjoy:

• Old Archery Equipment, new uses!
• History of Archery: New Weekly/Bi-Weekly Archery Report Feature
• Athens Archery Exceed
• Mathews releases new target bow: Conquest Triumph
• Polls! Bows, Sites and Archery and more

Today we are featuring a couple of reviews from our friends over at Stick’em Archery.  They take a look at a series of treestand gear from Muddy Outdoors:

Muddy Outdoors Climbing Sticks and Treestand

Muddy Outdoors Safety Harness

Be sure to watch the video reviews they have posted on this and other gear as well.

Archery Report would like to take this chance to emphasize how important it is that all treestand hunters use a safety harness or vest whenever climbing and hunting from a stand.  There is never a good enough excuse to not use one and your loved ones will thank you for it!Other posts you may enjoy:

• Elk Forecast 2009
• Why I Shoot 3D Leagues
• Are you bowhunting any Buck or a Giant?
• Setting the First Pin to 40 Yards
• Archery as Part of Curriculum

I decided to do some experimenting with sight pin setup and what it would be like to set the first pin to 40 yards and a second pin at 60 yards.  While shooting 3D or other target shooting, when time is not as much of a factor, picking and concentrating on the correct pin is less of an issue than when hunting.  How many times in the heat of the moment has the wrong pin been used when hunting?  On big game I have nearly made this mistake (though thankfully it’s never happened) but last elk season I did make the mistake on a grouse.  Fortunately a grouse is small enough that it was a complete miss rather than what could have been a wounded and unrecoverable big game animal.

The idea behind using less pins, the first being sighted in at 40 yards, is to minimize the number of pins and thus confusion at the moment of the shot.  I have almost always had my pins sighted in at 20, 30, 40 etc. and did so out of habit and not really thinking about doing anything different.  There are always several discussions on various message boards lately about pin distances, the effect of arrow speed on pin placement and such.  The goal of this article is to investigate an alternative to traditional pin placement.

For this testing I used the setup that I will be hunting with this year:

• 2010 Bowtech Destroyer 350, 67#, 30″
• NAP Apache Rest
• TruGlo Extreme Sight
• Carbon Express Mayhem Arrow Shafts
• FOBs and Fusion Vanes

This setup results in an arrow speed of 309 fps.  To aid in making the graphs and charting with theoretical and actual data, I used TAP (The Archery Program) along with my exact specs.

To begin with I removed four of the seven pins from the sight to give me lots of space to work with as I didn’t want to have to worry about a pile of pins at the bottom of the sight ring.  The idea is to clean things up; I also don’t want all those extra pins stacked up right above my level.  Hunting in the Rocky Mountains necesitates having either an uncanny ability to hold the bow perfectly level on any ground condition or using a level; I choose the level.

Once everything was set up and looking ready to go, the bow was tuned (quick paper tune, then bare shaft tuning) and I headed off to the local range to shoot some long distances.  I placed a single line of tape across the black part of the backstop and stepped back to 40 yards and shot a few of ends until I was satisfied that the pin was hitting dead on.  Next I moved to 30 yards and used the now sighted in 40 pin and shot several times, taking measurements on each arrow to see how high they hit.  The average came out to be right around 5 inches.  The same was repeated for 20 yards with the average height above aim 3.5 inches.

At first I wasn’t quite sure this was right because my mind was wrapped around the traditional settings of pins and how the arrow arc behaved.  My initial instinct told me that the 30 yard impact site would be a bit further down; what I had not originally considered is that when the 40 yard pin (instead of a 20 or 30) is used at shorter distances, the apex of the arc has changed because the aiming point is lower than the impact point.  This is readily seen with this graph (the second graph is a zoomed in version of the first graph to better see what is happening at 40 yards and less):

When using a 20 yard pin at 20 yards, the apex is around 15 yards while using a 40 yard pin at 20 yards results in an apex between 24 and 25 yards.

One thing that is EXTREMELY important to understand is that because of the way an arrow arcs and because of the way that our line of sight is lined up with the intended impact site, shooting a 40 yard pin at 20 yards is nowhere near the same as shooting a 20 yard pin at 40 yards.  In the former case my arrow drop is around 5″; if I use my 20 pin at 40 yards the difference is drastically higher, resulting in an arrow being nearly a foot low.

To further my little experiment I sighted the second pin at 60 yards to get an idea of what the sight picture would look like.  I also sighted the third pin at 70 yards.

What does all of this mean when in the field hunting?  That is the real question that I wanted to answer.  First off it means fewer pins to worry about clouding the sight picture and having to pick the right pin.  Many people, especially treestand hunters, will never have a shot opportunity past 30 yards and this exercise is meaningless in those situations.  However, here in the west and the Rocky Mountains or out on the plains hunting speed goats, shots past 40 yards and even out 60+ yards are common.  With this particular setup I could put the first pin on the heart of a deer 20 yards away and double lung him (assuming proper shot execution of course!)  If the deer was really 30 yards away and I mis-judged by 10 yards, I’d hit slightly lower, possibly at the top of the heart and bottom of both lungs.  This is exactly why many top and pro shooters will say that if in doubt, aim long.  Aiming long results in a smaller error than aiming short.

I in no way advocate not practicing yardage judgement as much as possible.  Even though using a pin setup like this may help minimize errors in yardage and clean up the sight picture for some people, it is absolutely no excuse not to practice, and practice a lot, yardage judgement.  It is merely one method of using a sight that may be a good choice for some people.  Also, every person and every setup using this or a similar method will require the shooter to do their own footwork and to fully understand how their setup performs.  Just because my setup shoots 5″ high at 20 when using a 40 yard pin does not mean that everybody shooting a bow around 309 fps will do the same.  Variations in equipment, especially in arrow/fletching type and total arrow weight will cause variable results.

Is this system for you?  Perhaps.  It may be worth a try to see how it works for you and if it is something worth trying.  If you do decide to try it, practice a lot to become familiar with the performance.  Once you are confident in your setup, PRACTICE SOME MORE!

Good shooting to all and please post any results you may have if you try this out.

Note:  This is a companion article to the Arrow Flight Fact or Fiction: One Pin to 40 YardsOther posts you may enjoy:

• Archery and the Mental Game
• Keep That Bow Level! What Happens if You are not Level (Canted)?
• Arrow Flight Fact or Fiction: one pin to 40 yards
• TAP (The Archery Program) Archery Software
• 300 days to 300 – Day 84 update

Today’s video demonstrates how to tie a peep sight into a bowstring:

Other posts you may enjoy:

• How to Tie and Install a Catfish/Torqueless Bowstring Loop
• Timberline Archery out of business
• How to Tie a Nock Set Using Serving Thread
• TAP (The Archery Program) Archery Software
• Video: Intro To Archery With Shawn Hatem

This video demonstrates one way to tie a nock set using serving thread.  Using this method is quick and easy and allows you to customized the nock set to your liking while also eliminating the weight of a brass nock set.

Other posts you may enjoy:

• How to Tie and Install a Catfish/Torqueless Bowstring Loop
• How to Tie a Peep Sight in a Bowstring
• Tuning Tip: Using Lighted Nocks to Check Arrow Flight
• Archery Tips 5 – Estimating Draw Length
• Bowtech 2010 Destroyer-Teaser

By: Brian Stephens & Spook Spann

www.StickemArchery.com

When you go bowhunting this season are you hunting any buck or hunting a Mature Giant?  The way you approach your hunts will vary based on what your answer is.  There is not right or wrong answer to this question but there are some sure fire things that you need to consider if you are hunting a Monster buck.  Right now is the time to get those game cameras out, so you can see what is roaming in the woods.  This time of year bucks in your woods are using a fairly consistent travel pattern and bedding area.  As you know a game camera can help you identify an animal you hunted last year or to see if the bucks you passed up are still there and how much bone they have put on.  Lets talk about some of the strategies and tactics you will need to consider if you are going to hunt a particular animal.

Lets first start with some common factors that all deer revolve around and they are 1) Food , 2) Water, and 3) Cover. These factors will vary as the season evolves from Summer to Winter.  One of my favorite times of the year to hunt a mature animal is the Early Season.  After I consider the monster mosquitos and the blazing heat in the Southeast that time of year.  A mature buck will typically have a consistent travel pattern to food/water and bedding on a daily basis this time of year.  There has not been a lot of hunting pressure and water/food are forces driving his travel pattern.  If you can locate a food source, water, and bedding area you have part of the mission accomplished.  All right, next think about stand location that is near his food source and water.  Consider a tree that is near the food source or water source.  Pick a location for a tree / blind that will catch him traveling to it to minimize him at full alert once he gets there.  It makes it harder to draw your bow or take your shot if you are right on top of it unless you can find a tree that provides really good backdrop / cover.

The other critical factor is finding a location or locations that allow you to manage the WIND.  This time of year it is warm and you will sweat no matter what you do to manage your scent.  I will be the first to admit that I have found great locations in early season but gambled on the wind.  Guess what, I lost!  So what do I do?  I do not go hunting until the conditions are right.  I know that is hard when you may only have a few days to hunt and you cannot kill him in your house.  Well, if he busts you the chances of getting him again until the “rut” are slim.  Several resources that we use are scent elimination clothing, sprays, and other products to help manage my scent as much as possible (washing clothes, storage, field management).  The other resource that I use is Moon Phase / Game Forecast Charts to help me determine when they may moving during the time I would be in the stand.  We have Game Forecast Charts for you to use on StickemArchery.com.

It is October and you did not get him.  What next?  Still think about 1) Food, 2) Cover, 3) Water. Cover and Bedding are still a very important piece of the puzzle with Food being the dominant driving force for deer behavior.  Even with the best food plot or deer supplement these deer are going to prefer acorns to build up reserves for the “Rut”.  Position your stand/blind location in an area that offers you a shot as the deer is moving from the bedding area to the acorns in the evening or from feeding to bedding area in the morning.  Again, manage the wind.  Pick several stand locations to allow you to work around the wind and still be able to hunt.

It is early November.  Find the food source and you will find the does.  Then you will put yourself in the best situation of finding him.  Be prepared to hunt him all day and again factor in the wind!!!

As winter gets here find the food source again.  Ensure you work around the conditions such as Moon and Wind.  Having multiple food sources to hunt with stands located in these areas help you manage the wind.  We cannot work around the Moon.  Yes, there are times when a buck will walk out in the middle of the day in the winter to feed or chase a doe.  I use the Moon Phase / Game Forecast as a determination of what days to hunt if I am limited on schedule.  I will first choose those days according to the best moon phase.  Then work the wind around that.  This puts me in the best position to harvest that Monster I am hunting.

Here are some additional tactics to consider when hunting a particular animal….

What if I find a buck that I did not know was there, how do I set up on him?

You need to very careful how and when you set up on this deer.  Go in at night to set up and even better go in at night while it is raining.  Work around the idea that you CAN NOT let that deer know you are there and hunting him.  Be smart, be strategic and be patient to find the right time to get in and out.  The reward is huge but the planning is critical.  You may spend hours planning, preparing, and waiting for that ONE moment.

How do I travel in to get to my stands when I am hunting a Monster?

Think about your travel route in and out of your stand location.  Use creeks, vehicles, or the long way around.  Again, the point is doing everything you can to prevent that Monster from knowing you are there or hunting him.  Have someone come pick you up or wait until dark, dark, dark “thirty” so you can get out like a Special Forces sniper.  A deer that has reached a mature age of 4.5 years to 6.5 years is very smart.  They are keenly aware of their surroundings, so put every factor into your favor that you can.

When the conditions are right and you have picked the right location based on that time of hunting season.  You are putting yourself in the best possible position to harvest that Giant.  For additional articles, videos or expert content please visit Stick’em Archery, The A to Z of Archery.Other posts you may enjoy:

• Colorado Monster Elk Sheds
• 300 days to 300 – Day 56 update
• Reo Wilde Interview at Archery Report
• Elk Hunt 2009
• Elk Hunt 2010

A great way to install pin nock bushings or uni-bushings is to use grocery bags.  place the bag loosely over the end of the arrow shaft and push the bushing along with the bag into the shaft (layer the bag for a tighter fit.)  Carefully tear the bag away from the bushing; if material remains it can be removed by burning it with a butane lighter and/or running a razor or sharp knife along the edge of the bushing.Other posts you may enjoy:

• Archery Tips 2
• How to Make Perfect Arrows
• Review: Fletched Arrow Squaring Tool (FAST)
• Arrow FOC Basics and how to Calculate it
• Old Archery Equipment, new uses!

Places!  Roll tape!  Action!!!  What does video and improving your shooting have to do with each other?  Quite a bit actually.  By being able to see yourself and take a critical eye to you form, it’s much easier to see flaws that cannot be detected by oneself while shooting.

A perfect example happened recently with my son.  As he has been growing and increasing his draw weight, his form has been changing as well.  Somewhere along the line he developed the habit of what I call “hipping.”  This is when the hips are thrust towards the target as the bow is pulled back.  For several shooting sessions I tried to talk him through correcting the issue, even going so far as to stand behind him and hold his hips in place.  Nothing seemed to work and he subconsciously kept falling back into this flawed form.  Then along came the camera…

I have been using the video camera as a tool for myself for quite a while and have seen a lot of benefits while picking apart my form.  Because it has been successful for me, I decided to give it a try with him.  My hope was that by him being able see exactly what he was doing, and not hear me tell him what was happening, he’d better be able to understand the issue.

The first  part of the video shows the before and the second part, with me doing nothing other than showing him the video and pointing out the unwanted hip movement, shows the improvement:

What was amazing to me is that I had spent all sorts of effort trying to correct the problem verbally and with my instruction to no avail.  After watching the video of himself a couple of times, he turned around and immediately corrected 95% of the problem!   All it took was him being able to see himself and he was much better able to understand what was going on and to correct the problem himself.

Now that the main issue has been rectified, we can move on to other improvements such as the draw length and relaxing the bow hand a bit more.  But one step at a time…

Other posts you may enjoy:

• Archery Practice Loop: Tool of a Thousand Uses
• 300 days to 300 – Day 7 update
• 300 days to 300 – Day 21 update
• Strother Archery Infinity in Action (Video)
• Tuning Tip: Using Lighted Nocks to Check Arrow Flight

The last few weeks have seen lots of rain, more rain, camping, work and setting up my Bowtech Destroyer 350 for the upcoming elk season.  Therefore while there has been a lot of shooting, very little has been done with my target setup.  I had been asked to list the equipment I’ve been using and so here it is:

Bow:

• Hoyt Ultra Elite XT3000
• Spiral Cams
• 30″ Draw
• 50-60 lbs., set to 53 lbs.

Rest: Trophy Take Spring Steel

Stabilizer:

• Archery Kinetics AKS (no longer made)
• 32″ main bar
• 12″ left side bar
• no right side bar

Sight and Scope:

• DS Advantage (as seen here: DS Advantage) Hand crafted in limited quantities.  This is an absolutely amazing sight and worth every single penny.  It’s also nice to have some a bit unique.
• CR Apex Scope
• 4X lens
• Circle aperture, sized to just fit outside the 10 ring

Arrows:

• Gold Tip 30x
• 32″ length
• 150 grain points + 20 grain weight
• Pin Nocks
• 3 fletch, AAE Max Plastifletch, all black
• 3 degree helical

Releases:

• Carter Insatiable 2 with lots of character (it’s taken a couple of tumbles down the mountain with me while elk hunting)
• Carter “The Hammer”

Other posts you may enjoy:

• Archery and the Mental Game
• 300 days to 300 – Day 84 update
• 300 days to 300 – Day 35 update
• Archery History: The Mongol Bow
• Smooth Stability Stabilizer Review

One question that often gets asked is how to properly make arrows.  As soon as I got into archery I knew pretty quick that I wanted to make my own arrows.  The first dozen I ever bought came pre-fletched but after that I have only used self-fletched arrows.  For several years I worked in a pro shop and can’t even count how many arrows I fletched and how much I learned about what to do, and also what not to do!

Outlined here is my current method for preparing and fletching arrows.  Some may regard this method as way overboard and requiring too many steps, but I am a stickler when it comes to fletching and it’s worth the extra effort to get things done right.  When arrows are done right, they will fly truer, group tighter and last longer.

1. Get all tools necessary.  Lay  everything out and make sure that you have absolutely everything necessary.  If you don’t have it at hand, get it before starting.
2. Determine arrow length by either measuring your current arrows or getting some help and measure the desired length using a bow.  Always make measurements from the nock throat to tip of the shaft.
3. Cut arrows to length using a quality saw or have them cut by someone who has a good saw.
4. Square BOTH ends of the shaft using either an off the shelf arrow squaring tool, lathe or other solution.  I use a silver permanent marker to cover the end of the shaft so that I can tell when enough material has been removed to get the shaft perfectly squared.
5. Clean the tip area of the shaft by removing any burrs left from cutting/squaring.
6. Using a q-tip or similar and high purity alcohol (90% or better) clean out the inside of the shaft where the point or insert will be glued.  After using the alcohol, clean it again with a q-tip and water.
7. Use a small, round, medium grit file to lightly rough up the area where the glue with bond to the inside of the shaft.  Do not sand or remove material!  All that is needed is a slight roughness on the surface to get better bonding.
8. Glue in the inserts or points with your adhesive of choice.  For arrows I know that will not have the inserts removed, I use a good, slow cure epoxy.  Hot-melt glue with a low melting temperature can also be used if care is taken not to overhead carbon shafts.
9. If installing inserts, square the inserts.  This time use a dark colored permanent marker to cover the front of the insert before squaring.
10. Clean fletching area by using hot water, a Scotch-Brite pad and powdered cleanser (Ajax or Comet or similar.)  This will remove any manufacturing residue or build up that has occurred on the shafts without leaving anything behind.  Rinse thoroughly and let air dry.
11. If your fletching jig is adjustable, make sure that the vanes are seating properly before applying any glue.  Put a bare vane into the clamp and check for perfect alignment with the arrow shaft.
12. Fletch the arrows with your choice of vanes or feathers.  There are many quality glues that can be used; I prefer Loctite 380 Black Max for my fletching.
13. Clean up any excess glue around the vanes by using a adhesive solvent and q-tips.  They need to look pretty!
14. Optional: put a dab of glue on the tip and back of the fletching to give it a little more adhesive when they get roughed up by passing through targets or getting hit by other arrows.
15. Number all of the arrows.  This is important to do to keep track of any arrow that is not performing up to par.
16. Shoot and have fun!

Will these steps always lead to perfect arrows?  No, but if followed correctly the arrows should turn out good and last for a long time.

Other posts you may enjoy:

• Archery Tips 2
• Review: Fletched Arrow Squaring Tool (FAST)
• Review: QuikFletch QuikSpin Vanes by NAP
• How to Measure a Bow’s Draw Length
• DIY: Lifetime Archery Target

There are many methods that can be used to tune a bow and arrows such as paper, walk-back and bare-shaft tuning.  All of these methods have their place and can be used effectively when performed by knowledgeable hands.

For many years I’ve also tried to use a visual check by watching the arrow while in flight.  This is usually best accomplished by using the most visible nock and fletching combinations.  For me this usually means white fletchings and either transparent green or opaque white nocks.  It also helps to have the sun at your back when shooting.  While the visual check is nice, it’s highly dependent on getting a good view of the arrow flight which happens in a split second.

Last year I came across a new idea to capture the arrow flight when I was working on the Lighted Nock Review. By using a camera and a long exposure time, an arrow with a lighted nock can be captured during the entire flight.  My best results have been when using a 0.8 second exposure time and shooting just before full dark.

This exposure shows the flight of Carbon Express Mayhem arrows through a Bowtech Destroyer 350:

The image was taken as I was setting up the bow with the arrows for the first time.  Before it got too dark I was able to do a quick paper tune and start bare shaft tuning; the mosquitoes were getting really nasty and I was only able to get the horizontal part of the tuning done (eliminating fish tailing.)  I took the opportunity to take a few pictures of the slight porpoising still left to be tuned to perfection.

This next image shows what a perfectly tuned flight should look like:

The flight is even and perfectly straight (except for the arc of the arrow’s flight.)

By using lighted nocks and long exposure times, it’s easy to see any tiny perturbations in arrow flight.  The camera can be placed at various angles and locations to capture the different aspects of arrow flight.  I have put the camera to the side and looking down range (as the above pictures show), at my feet looking up, over my shoulder and even down range looking towards the arrow (using a remote to activate the camera of course!)

Not only is this method fun and can produce some neat images, it can also be a great tool to catch those pesky, minute imperfections in arrow flight.Other posts you may enjoy:

• Arrow FOC Basics and how to Calculate it
• Ripshot, F.A.S.T and warm(er) weather
• Arrowdynamics: does your choice of point affect arrow flight?
• Review: Fletched Arrow Squaring Tool (FAST)
• How to Tie and Install a Catfish/Torqueless Bowstring Loop

2010 is full of some great bows that push the limits of performance and introduce new technologies to the market.  One such bow is the Bowtech Destroyer 350 which was sent to Archery Report for review.  When the Destroyer arrived, my first impression was that the bow is great looking and seems to exude a feeling of performance with its aggressive appearance and styling.  Are looks everything or does this bow perform as advertised?

Bowtech Destroyer 350 Manufacturer vs. Measured Specifications

The measured specs came in very close to those stated on the Bowtech webpage.  The above measurements were taken at 72 lbs.  Turning the limb bolts 5 1/2 turns brought the draw weight down to 60 lbs even.  At this weight the brace height edged out to 6 3/32″  and the ATA 32 11/32″.  Many bows will change up to and sometimes more than 1/4″ under such changes; the design of the Destroyer does a great job at holding the specs very close no matter the poundage.

Each Bowtech is delivered with a birth certificate and this one has the following:

72 lbs., 29″ and a 350 grain arrow resulted in 342 fps.  With an IBO speed spec at 350 fps for a 30″ draw, this particular bow looks ready to impress.

Bowtech Destroyer 350 First Impressions

As I first stated, the bow looks great in person.  This bow came in RealTree Hardwoods camouflage with the InVelvet finish that looks and feels very nice.  The Destroyer’s cams are some of the biggest made; in pictures I thought they looked a bit odd, but in person they give the bow an impressive and aggressive look.

One thing that did bother me about the looks are the limb graphics.  By taking an impressive riser and cam design, adding nice looking camo but then putting a huge logo that is somewhat cheesy takes the looks down a notch.  Overall I give the bow a big thumbs up on looks, minus the ugly limb graphics.

Drawing the bow back for the first time shocked me a bit as I expected a stiff draw force curve (with speed comes the necessity of hitting the peak draw weight early in the draw) but wasn’t quite ready for the dump into the valley.  The Destroyer has an effective 80% let-off and combined with the stiff draw this is to be expected.  I don’t think the draw is unreasonable and after several times of drawing back I quickly became accustomed to it.  Normally I prefer bows with 65% or even a little less let-off so I will be interested to see how shooting this bow over the long run will be.

Pictures of the Destroyer 350

Without further ado, I present you with several pictures of the Destroyer 350.  Click for full size and view.

First Shots with the Destroyer

I set the bow up with a NAP Sizzor rest, Smooth Stability stabilizer, TruPeep and a Copper John Dead Nuts Extreme sight.  After installing a d-loop, setting the draw length to my liking and eyeballing the setup, I headed out to shoot with a few GT 22 Series arrows to give the Destroyer a test run.

I take everything I read about different equipment with a grain of salt because the internet tends to be saturated with those that either love or hate the equipment they post about.  Some things I have read praise the Destroyer as the best thing since sliced bread while others say the draw is too harsh and harp about a few incidences of cable derailment that have happened.  With all these stories safely stored out of my mind, I began my shooting with a blank slate.

OK, I lied, I did have visions of the greatness of this bow and the many praises that have been heaped on it no matter how hard I tried to block them out.  My first shot with the bow shocked me with it’s lack of anything really.  Lack of noise, lack of vibration, lack of bow movement other than gently rolling forward from the weight of the stabilizer.  I really despise sounding like a commercial or company shill, but twenty shots later I was still being impressed with this bow.  Rain be damned, I continued to shoot until the cold and wind forced me back inside.

There are two minor grievances I have; as with anything nothing is perfect for everyone.  The bow does have a short ATA and the string angle is a bit sharp for my liking, but with the massive cams pushing the string up at full draw, it’s not as bad as I thought it would be.  For me to become consistent with this bow I’ll have to adjust my head/hand/string position to better fit the bow.   Time will tell.  Secondly is the issue of the let-off.  I’m one of those people that like a little extra weight at full draw and the 80% let-off is tough for me to get used to.

Tuning

Every bow has it’s own personality and attitude when it comes to tuning.  Some are a joy to work with and some are like spoiled children that do things behind your back when they think you aren’t looking.  Being that the Destroyer is a high performance, short brace height bow I expected it to be a bit temperamental.  I performed a quick paper tune on the bow using Carbon Express Mayhem arrows.  By eyeballing the centershot and doing a quick measure on the nock point height with a square, I was able to get the Destroyer tuned in less than half a dozen shots with no issues.

Next it was off to the target with some bare shafts.  Bare shaft tuning for me is where the rubber hits the road.  Starting at ten yards the bare shafts were hitting nearly identical to the FOB tipped arrows.  At twenty yards the bare shafts got a little squirrelly and were up and to the right.  A couple of taps and tweaks to the rest had the bare shafts hitting dead on.

Overall tuning the Destroyer was fairly simple with no real surprises.  For a high performance bow it is well behaved and easy to set up.

Destroyer String Stop, Cable Guard, Grip and Strings

String Stop:  All Destroyers come with a custom string stop (as most bows do these days) that has a substantial, soft rubber bumper at the end of a woven carbon rod.   The bumper is made of a fairly soft rubber and seems to do the job as good as any other quality stopper I have used.  After a couple of thousands shots there is a small mark where the string hits the bumper and not other visible wear.

Cable Guard:  Much of the noise this year about the Destroyer is due to it’s FLX Guard.  The FLX serves as a roller cable guard that is built on a composite base that flexes with the cables.  As the bow is drawn, the FLX Guard moves inward with the pressure of the cables and springs back on the shot.  In theory it helps relieve pressure on the cables at full draw and improves the tunability of the bow.  At first I was a bit apprehensive of yet another moving, breakable part on the bow.  It’s hard to say just how much the FLX helps the bow, but I had a very easy time tuning the bow and the FLX Guard has given me no issues.

Grip:  I’m a bit of a stickler when it comes to my bow handles and grips.  Seeing the plastic grip of the Destroyer was a bit of a disappointment as I tend to prefer a good wood grip or sideplates.  As a engineer I understand the great properties plastics can have and do most of my designing with various plastics.  However, when it comes to touch and feel, a quality piece of wood is tough to beat.  Shooting with the handle has had no adverse effects and it performs well.  The throat is fairly narrow and fits my hand and as far as actual shooting is concerned, I have no complaints about the grip.

Strings:  Factory strings that come on bows are generally considered inferior to custom built strings though many say the Bowtech strings are some of the better on the market.  I have had some absolutely terrible stock strings come on bows and I usually replace them rather quickly.  The strings that came with the Destroyer have definitely been above par when compared to other factory strings.  After about five hundred shots I had to add on twist to one of the cables to correct a slight cam timing issue.  At the same time I added a half twist to the string because the peep had turned slightly.  Otherwise the strings have performed well and there are no visible wear issues with any of the serving after over two thousand shots.

Other Notes

One thing I really have to hand to Bowtech is their use of large hex bolts for the limbs.  I really despise the standard sized bolts that have been used for years that tend to scar and strip when the bolt has been set for awhile and applaud Bowtech for using the larger size.  It means using a different hex set than the standard archery ones sold in most stores and shops, but it’s worth the stronger bolt that is much less apt to strip or scar.

Adjusting the draw length and draw stop is not hard to do, but will require a bow press.  Pressing the Destroyer requires a very stout press as the limbs must be pressed a significant amount before the FLX Guard will relax enough to allow manipulation of the strings, cables and cams.  If you are not familiar with pressing different bows or question how to press the Destroyer, don’t risk it; go to a qualified pro shop that is familiar with the Destroyer to make sure it is done right without harming the bow.

Performance of the Destroyer

To judge the performance of the Destroyer I shot it with Gold Tip Ultralight 22 at 334 grains, draw weight of 67 lbs and draw length adjusted to measure 30″ exactly.  There was a draw loop, tied nock points and a TruPeep installed on the string.  This resulted in a speed of 345 fps which is right within the Destroyer 350 specifications.

The following chart shows the momentum and kinetic energy performance of the Destroyer (set at 72 lbs. and 30″) when shooting a variety of arrow weights from 466 to 1429 grains (see the kinetic energy and momentum article for more details):

With the kinetic energy ranging from 92.4 to 95.2 and the momentum from 0.62 to 1.1, the Destroyer packs plenty of punch for any large game.  The Destroyer is a fairly efficient bow and the KE continues to climb steadily even with an arrow weight of 1429 grains.

After having put over two thousand shots through the Destroyer, I am happy to say that the bow is a great shooter is very accurate.  It took a little adjustment to get used to the short ATA, but after a few dozen shots I was stacking shafts just as well with my target/3D bow.  With a quality stabilizer the balance of the bow is great and holds steady.

Bowtech Destroyer in Action

Here’s a short video of the Destroyer in action.  Notice how the sound of the bow shooting is only about as loud as setting the trigger on the release.

Final Thoughts on the Destroyer 350

I will admit that up until this point I had not found a Bowtech bow that I was overly thrilled with.  There has never been much wrong with them, they simply didn’t fit me quite like I would prefer and so I stuck with other brands for my personal shooting.  The Destroyer has definitely made a paradigm shift in my thinking of Bowtech bows.

The Destroyer is definitely not a bow for beginners, but if you are an experienced shooter looking for a bow with great performance and aggressive styling, the Destroyer is worth a hard look.

What I Like About the Destroyer 350

• Performance: one of the fastest on the market while still being accurate
• Smooth, quiet shot; little vibration and minimal noise even with light arrows
• Easy to tune, great to work with
• Aggressive styling that screams performance and “look at me!”
• Solid back wall and crisp feel

What I Don’t Like About the Destroyer

• Horrid limb graphics, these could be much better!
• Plastic grip cheapens the look of the bow, though it performs well
• Short ATA, I’d like to see a version with about two more inches

Other posts you may enjoy:

• Bowtech Destroyer 350 Review Part I: the Preview
• Bowtech 2010: Destroyer, Overdrive, FLX Guard and HardCore Limbs
• Mathews Z7 Review and Spotlight
• 300 days to 300 – Day 35 update
• Bowtech FLX Guard: New Video

Patsy Bear Archery Products (I love that name!) has a nifty little gadget called the Might Magnetic Release Aid Holder.  Have you ever had trouble (not me!) keeping track of your non-wrist strap release?  Do you set it down and forget where it was or randomly stick it in different pockets of your cargo pants?  Does it end up on your dresser, on top of the refrigerator, in your archery tackle box, quiver or some other strange place?  OK, I admit it, I spend a lot of time tracking down my releases because I continually put them in strange places or take them out of my pockets full intending to remember where I put them down.

Ray of Patsy Bear Archery Products has obviously had some of the same issues as I have and came up with a nifty little gadget to keep track errant releases, the Mighty Magnetic Release Aid Holder.  The principle is simple, put a fairly strong magnet onto a rubber base that can either slide over a standard cable guard or be positioned into one of the many holes in a bow’s riser.  Once in place, the archer simply sticks their release onto the magnet when not shooting and it’s always there, ready for the next shot.

Installation is a snap on a bow with a 3/8″ cable guard.  Just slip on the rubber boot and it’s ready to go.  I did notice after the first couple of shots that the boot was too far forward and my cable slide would hit it at full draw.  To fix this I pulled the boot out about 1/4″ where it didn’t hit the slide and it hasn’t moved from that position after around two hundred shots.  The rubber boot is flexible and stout enough to stay in place even when not pushed all the way onto the cable guard.

The only trouble I had with the holder is that it too me awhile to break my habit of shoving my release into any random pocket as I finish shooting.  Once I was used to using the holder, it was simple, easy and effective.  The magnet is strong enough to securely hold any of my Carter releases and should work similarly for any release that uses steel for the trigger, hook, hinge or other parts (which is most releases.)  It even survived the shake test where I violently shook my bow in an attempt to get the release to fall off.  Nothing short of whipping the bow around as fast as I could and stopping suddenly could get the release to come off.

If you like gadgets and have trouble keeping track of your release, this is a great little tool.  I’ll be using it on my spots bow and hopefully not loosing track of my release again!

Mighty Magnetic Release Aid Holders can be found at Patsy Bear Archery Products for $25.Other posts you may enjoy:

• Bowtech 2010: Destroyer, Overdrive, FLX Guard and HardCore Limbs
• Bowtech Destroyer with FLX Guard
• Bowtech FLX Guard: New Video
• RIPshot Release Strap System Review
• Bear Archery Reveals 2010 Bow Lineup

And easy way to estimate your draw length is to use the wingspan method.  To measure wingspan, stand with your back against a wall and have someone make a mark at the tip of each of your middle fingers; now measure the distance between the marks.  Take this measurement, subtract 15″ then divide by two.  This method will be very close for most people’s draw length.  Of course as with any estimation method, it is not perfect and adjustments may need to be made to get a perfect draw length.

Here is a quick chart with the calculations already made:

Other posts you may enjoy:

• How to Measure a Bow’s Draw Length
• Archery Practice Loop: Tool of a Thousand Uses
• The fastest IBO rated bow possible?
• Arrow FOC Basics and how to Calculate it
• Improve Your Shooting Through Video

As you may have noticed the amount of posts on Archery Report has dwindled somewhat.  This is certainly not because of a lack of material to write about but rather a lack of time for the writing.  I am in the middle of changing over the software that controls the design of the website as well as working on several improvements to the design itself.  As the site continues to grow and progress, all the little flaws of the original design are starting to rear their ugly heads.  It is time to make the change to a more flexible and robust design methodology.  Look to the coming weeks to start seeing the improvements and changes.

The next several days will see me away from the computer as I head off to the wilderness (literally!) with a group of Boy Scouts to enjoy some camping, hiking, fishing and maybe even a little archery thrown in.  As much as I hate losing the time that would be spent working on new articles and updating several others, it is almost impossible to beat time spent in God’s wonderful outdoors and all the wonders to be found there.

Once I have returned and finished with the first round of website changes, the number of articles should increase back to normal.  The opener of elk season is a mere two months away and my physical preparation, equipment setup and hunt planning will kick into high gear.  There is also a book of archery tips in the works; more information will be available on it in the near future.Other posts you may enjoy:

• 300 days to 300 – Day 84 update
• Reo Wilde Interview at Archery Report
• 300 days to 300 – Day 28 update
• Coming soon: ArcheryReview.net and Carpal Tunnel
• Announcement from Elite Archery

There is often confusion when it comes to shooting uphill and downhill shots on how to adjust for the incline.  Do you hold high on uphill shots or low on downhill shots?  Vice versa?  Or no change at all?  The answer may surprise some people.

The key to understanding an arrow’s trajectory on uphill and downhill shots is realizing that gravity only acts perpendicular to the earth’s surface.  Thus an arrow is only acted on by gravity for the distance that it travels parallel to the earth, or rather only the horizontal distance.  This results in having to aim low for both downhill and uphill shots!

Because the actual distance to the target will always be greater than (or equal to) the horizontal distance to the target, an adjustment must be made when shooting at extreme angles so that the yardage used on the bow sight matches the horizontal distance.  By remembering our geometry lessons, we can quickly calculate the amount of yardage that must be “cut” for either an uphill or downhill shot.

A right triangle is formed by the shooter’s height above the target, the actual distance to the target and the horizontal distance to the target.  The Pythagorean theorem states that the sum of the squares of the sides of a right triangle is equal to the square of the hypotenuse.  By knowing the height the shooter is above the target and the actual distance to the target, the horizontal or the aiming distance can be calculated.

Rather than trying to do the calculations in your head or by hand, the following chart can be used to find the exact yardages:

(download a .pdf of the chart here)

You may notice that there is not a lot of difference in most cases; only when the height above the target is extreme or approaching that of the horizontal distance does cutting yardage become an issue.  However, the difference is there and can affect the impact site of an arrow, especially when shooting at the 12 ring on a 3D target or the vitals of a animal.Other posts you may enjoy:

• Arrow FOC Basics and how to Calculate it
• Arrow Flight Fact or Fiction: one pin to 40 yards
• Archery and the Mental Game
• Archery, Arrow Flight and Altitude
• Setting the First Pin to 40 Yards