Bow and cold weather

[MUSKY18]

So with this really cold weather hitting us right now, and being my first "real" year of bow hunting hard, I was wondering if there is anything special I should be doing with my bow? How does the cold weather affect the bow and strings and should I be doing something to ensure that they will work when/if I ever get to let an arrow fly?

[gardn184]

all i can think of is make sure you pull it back every now and again when you're in the stand. Otherwise you'll stiffen up so tight it'll feel like you're drawing back a 100lb bow. Otherwise just make sure your parts are lubed up and there isn't any moisture in key places, I.E. Drop away rest

[Wanderer]

Take some practice shots with your bulky warm clothes on. Your sleeve might suddenly become an issue or the extra thick collar or gaitor on your neck might cause some anchoring interference.

Many people reduce their draw weight a touch for cold weather. I keep mine lower all season so I don't have to adjust. Nothing ticks you off more than not being able to draw on a deer you froze for 3 hours of waiting on because you can't pull your stupid bow back.

[jigginjim]

That happen once, I was shooting 65lb, not any more. I set the bow at 53 lb I know I can pull that.

[Whopper Stopper]

If your bow has any rattles or squeaks in it the cold weather will bring them out tenfold!

WS

[Wensel]

I always hear, "try shootin with all your clothes" this is great, mittens will effect your shots

The other night I was out without mittens, just my Cent Lock gloves, not normally a problem

However.. the deer I missed took 40 minutes to get to me

My hands were frozen pretty bad

SO.....Try to practice with frozen fingers....

That's why any late season deer is a trophy in my eyes!

[Archerysniper]

Wear light gloves and a pair of loose fitting choppers with hand warmers you can get the choppers off and still have some protection from the cold. The coldest thing you will ever feel is the bow handel on bare skin this time of year

[ac777]

I wear my big Ice Armour mitts, and when Im ready to shoot, I take the right one off and the release is already on and leave the other one on for shooting. As far as the bow, I do nothing special to it, just leave it out in the truck overnight, and make sure it dont get iced up.

[bmc]

To avoid the heavy clothes issue when it comes time to shoot, get a Heater Body Suit. From the guys I've talked to, they are worth their weight in gold to the late season, cold weather deer hunter.

It's a good idea to pull your bow back every now and then when you're in the stand. One year my dad was fighting the cold in Iowa and drew on a buck and there was a loud squeak as he drew. Needless to say, no deer. LOL

Brian

[Scoot]

I love bowhunting this time of year! A few things that really help me-- merino wool socks (this one is huge!), huge/warm boots, thicker glove on left hand and light glove on right hand (release hand), face mask, insulated wool bibs and jacket, lots of layers, disposable hand warmers.

[DooWap]

I like to wear a thick warm glove on my left hand to hold the bow, and then wear a very light glove on my right hand. I keep the right hand in a muff though until I need to shoot. Also I wear an arm guard over my left sleeve to keep the bulky clothes out of the way.

[Ishnala]

Just a tip, Whatever you wear make sure that it is'nt fleece.I hit a nice fat doe tonight right at dark and by the the time I pulled her out I was covered with burrs. It was still alot of fun.

[Archerysniper]

I allways wear fleece in the cold most other materials get stiff and noisy when it's this cold. Congrats on the deer late season deer are allways fun to hunt and a great challenge.

[paceman]

I use the disposable hand and foot warmers whenever is gets below 20 degrees. Those things are awesome. Even with medium wieght gloves I can sit for many hours and not get cold....