2023 Cold Bow Challenge

19hunt92 · Apr 30, 2023

Glad to be at this again, new to me bow this year. Hoyt defiant turbo 60# 29" draw.
Same arrows as years past Gold tip Hunter pros 400s with 125 gr slick tricks and 25 more grains added on the insert. Rest is a trophy taker limb driven drop away. Sight is a CBE 2 pin slider.
Release is the Carter wise guy.

Target this year is antelope, figuring my MER is 60 yds. Vital Zone will be the 10 ring (~5" diameter) for ease of identification.

Day 1: over cast cloudy and a slight right to left wind. Shot felt pretty good

Day 2: mid 60s, no wind. Shot broke and felt high but not bad

Day 3: same deal as Monday, little to no wind. Turkey gobbling in the background which definitely played into the shot sequence. Released low but kept it together

Day 4: warmed up a bit today, not a bad wind in the face. Adding to today's fun though is I was bent over in pain at 10 this morning. Find out I am getting my first round of kidney stones after a trip to the ER. 1 round of morphine and a oxycodone later, I swing this arrow in there. Maybe I'm finding out a new way to remove the nerves?

Day 5: Warmed up finally into the low 70's. Stiff wind from right to left. I am feeling a lot better today and wanted to finish this series off string. Steadied in and released with ease and was happy with the final results. Now lets keep this consistency going until September.

Tick · May 1, 2023

First year. Getting back into bowhunting after only rifle hunting last 10 years.
Mathews Switchback bow. 70lbs. 29 inch draw.
New Vapor Trail string and cable
Mathews Downforce rest
Trophy Ridge 5 pin sight
Fletch hunter release
Gold Tip hunter arrow. 340 spine. 100 grain practice point.

MER is 62 yards. Slight downhill. Aim at 4 inch center dot.

Day 1
Sunrise. 67 degrees. 10 mph SE tailwind. Shot felt pretty steady. 3 inches high from center.

Day 2
Sunrise. 70 degrees. 10 mph E crosswind right to left. 6.5 inches from center. Rushed. Let the breeze get into my head.

Day 3
Sunrise. 72 degrees. 6 mph E crosswind right to left. 1.25 inch from center. Read the Sitka article in Q&A post yesterday. Made me think about sight pic, level, and release during the shot. It helped.

Day 4
Afternoon. 88 degrees. 15 mph SE wind right to left. 7 inches from center. Shot felt good between wind gusts. My worst shot of the week.

Day 5
Sunrise. 75 degrees. Slight S tailwind. 3.5 inches from center. Shot felt steady and not rushed.

9.1 · May 1, 2023

I’m shooting recurve and compound at the larger green circle on a Rinehart 18-1 from an elevated platform as most of my bowhunting will be for whitetail from a saddle or treestand. Thanks for giving me an excuse to literally dust off and shoot my old recurve.

Recurve
MER is 20 yards shooting instinctive with three fingers under.

Montgomery Ward Western Field Bengal – 45#@28”
Beaver hair silencers
Bear Weather Rest
No-name one piece quiver
Alaska Bowhunting Supply limb covers
Mountain Man Gear 3-finger glove
Magnus Stinger Buzzcut – 150gn
Brass insert – 100gn
Gold Tip Trad Woodgrain blems – 5575 spine
3” feathers

Compound
MER is 43 yards. That's about as far as I can stretch my bow out since my last pin is set at 40 yards. If this goes well, maybe I'll add a new pin for next year.

2009 Elite GT500 – rev cams, 65lb, 29.25” draw length
Catfish Custom Bowstrings
Bowjax silencers
Vapor Trail Limb Driver Pro-V rest
CBE Sniper Pro sight
Easton Contour Hunter stabilizer
Easton Arsenal 1-piece quiver
Spott Hogg Whipper Snapper - open-jaw, 3-finger
Muzzy - 125gn
Easton Aftermath - 340 spine
Blazer vanes

Day 1:
Overcast w/ slight wind from 7 o’clock. Missed the target high and left w/ recurve. After the miss it felt great to hear my next arrow from the compound hit the block.

PXL_20230501_163524172.MP_1682962414469.jpg

Day 2:
Calm drizzle. I really put some focus into the shot with the recurve and got lucky. I'm not sure if I got cocky and rushed my second shot or if I was just to distracted by the gobbling across the road.

Day 3:
Still gloomy.

Day 4:
Skipped yesterday for work. Foggy today. Attempted to shoot right a bit with both bows today since everything has been left, but that apparently doesn't work well for me when shooting instinctive.

Day 5:
Sunny with some wind gusts in my face.

Takeaway
I knew I was stretching my MER since I have not shot in quite a while and I've never shot a broadhead over 30 yards before this challenge. I was actually surprised at the grouping I ended up with shooting the compound. I definitely have some work to do if I want to stretch my range past my typical 25-yard max, but thanks to the CBC, I'm more interested in doing that.

justin davis · May 1, 2023

Excited to do this again for 2023! Haven’t been shooting as much as I normally do! Been busy with work and life.

Shooting a Hoyt Ventum 33 at 73 lbs.

440 grain 4mm arrow.

Shooting Ironwill solid 100 grain broadheads

My MER is 60 yards. Shooting in my backyard. Trying to hit the spray foam area of my beat up broadhead target target. That is the size of vitals.

Day 1. Sunny and warm spring out. Shot felt good and hit pretty close to what I’m wanting.

Day 2: cooler calm morning. Shot was good. Little low and right than I wanted but in the kill zone.

Day 3. Sunny and warm. Calm winds. Shot
Was pretty money. Touch higher than what I was visualizing but in the vitals.

Day 4. Sunny and warm. Calm. Impact was perfect. Finally

Day 5. Cloudy and sprinkling rain. Shot felt good and was great. Impact was perfect. Happy with last 2 days

WCOPP · May 1, 2023

MER 82.5 yards
kill zone circle of 10" tomorrow for any hoofed animal in the rockies.

Hoyt RX7 Ultra 70lbs
6 arrow 2 piece quiver
Shortstop stabilizer up front with 6" Pro out back
Ultrarest integrate rest
Dialed Arxos 3V sight

Gold Tip Airstrike 300 spine, 3 fletch TAC 2.25 drivers, 100 grain EZ pull FP. 430 grain Total weight 12% FOC

Day 1 1252PM Sunny and 62 with light left to right winds 2-3mph, held left edge of target.

Day 2 7:37PM Windy! 20-25 MPH from 10 o'clock. My arrows flight is not affected nearly as much as trying to hold was. Missed wide left by about two inches of my self imposed 10" kill zone. I also painted a 10" circle after pulling this arrow.

Day 3 734 AM Beautiful blue bird morning 50 degrees light right to left winds @ 2-3 MPH. I am ready to get this challenge over to resume some normal practice. Todays weather is going to be too perfect.

Day 4 720AM Sunny 5-7MPH right to left wind. I changed my shooting position to get out of the wind but I am still at 82.5 yards. Getting myself out of the wind made a big difference on my pin float.

Day 5 1257PM sunny and 67 degrees with a 10-12MPH left to right wind. Very happy with my shooting and am excited to get back to normal training and trying out some new helical fletched and wrapped arrows (See bottom arrow in quiver).

chukarhunter_nv · May 1, 2023

2023 CBC! Second year for me. New bow setup this year. This year my MER is 60 yards.

Mathews Phase 4 29 @75 lbs and 28.5” draw
-Trophy Ridge React Digital One Pin Sight
-Hamskea Epsilon Rest
-Joey’s Custom Strings
-Mathews One Piece Quiver
-TAP 13” front bar, 9” back bar with QD

Easton Axis 4mm Long Range Arrows
-TAC Driver vanes (4 with a right helical)
-G5 Montec Carbon 100 gr. Broadheads

B3 King Wrist Release

The white square is approx. 4”x4”

Day 1 - 75° with about a 15 mph south wind. Shot felt good.

Day 2: 55° with about a 7 mph SW wind. Shot was about 1” high above the white square.

Day 3: 70° with about a 12 mph cross wind. Shot actually felt off but turned out just right.

Day 4: 40° and finally calm. Shot was about 1/2” high above the white square.

Day 5: 45° and a light drizzle. Shot felt great and hit inside the white square

WKR · May 1, 2023

Easton axis 5mm 300 spine with 125 grain striker v2 broadhead.

Target vitals is a 10 inch circle
Range is 50 yards

Day one: 4 inches low 3 inches left
Conditions: breezy and overcast
Shot felt....rusty

Its really hard not to keep on shooting

Day 2: a little high and left
Shot felt better than yesterday
Conditions: windy and sprinkling rain

Day 3: few inches left still but definitely a kill shot
Conditions: calm and sunny
Shot felt good, realized today I shot the first two days without a stabilizer like a dummy

Day 4: right in the middle but pretty high, I pulled up on the shot so it was me. Still would probably be a kill but its borderline
Conditions: raining and overcast, no wind.

Day 5: MONEY...soon as the shot broke i knew it was good and watched it sink into the middle. Feel really good about ending the challenge on the best shot of the week.

Conditions: overcast and breezy

renagde · May 1, 2023

2023 Cold Bow Challenge Recurve Style

Maxish effective range is 30 yards (more like hoping to stretch it that far by this fall) feeling pretty comfortable there so that’s where I’ll be shooting.

Black Widow PSA X Carbon 49lbs @ 27”
Gold Tip Traditional Classic 4 fletch Trad Vane 585 grains total arrow weight
Fairweather Archery Kangaroo Tab
100 grain field point

Day one wind was blowing pretty stiff from right to left. Compensated a little too far.

Day two calm wind, just shooting to the right.

Day three no wind. Still shooting right.

Day four no wind. Now shooting wide left.

Day five no wind. Another shot to the right.

joshdidthis · May 1, 2023

Here's my go at it. Can't say I'm super prepared lol. Little scared to shoot bhs now so just shooting field tips.
Shooting trusty elite e35, fast eddie triple stack, victory rip with magnus black hornets. Calling my mer 50 yds

Day 1 45° cold but sunny, a little breezy.
Shot felt decent, surprised it was this close to center.

Day 2 45° overcast and breezy
Shot felt good, was pretty steady but hit low and outside

Day 3 50° overcast and breezy, I'm ready for a sunny day lol
Shot felt good, result was even better

Day 4 60° and sunny, no breeze. Great day to shoot. I punched this one, surprised it wasn't a worse outcome

Day 5 nicest day to shoot yet, 65° and calm. I'm so glad it's over with so I can shoot more lol
This shot I held pretty good but punched it a little. Not great way to end but all 5 were in the plate

Also trying a recurve this year. Black hunter 40 lbs. Shooting cheap gold tips. Doing 20 yds for my mer
Day 1
Whiffed on this one, pulled it left

Day 2
Bit of an improvement from yesterday

Day 3 definitely need to practice some before hunting season

Day 4 was trying to find my anchor, didn't feel right and sailed over the target

Day 5 well I definitely need to practice more before hunting season. I knew that before but this confirmed it

Sent from my SM-G981U1 using Tapatalk

WyoBowhunter21 · May 1, 2023

2023 Cold Bow Challenge Compound

Max effective range is 60 yards.

Hoy Helix 71 lbs @ 28”
Easton axis match grade 5mm 474.6 grains total
125 grain fixed blade slick trick magnum

Arrow and broad head killed an elk last fall.

Day 1-5.1.2023
5:45 PM, 68F, 20 mph wind
I believe I pulled up after the shot. I haven’t shot a ton and I think I had a little bit of target panic. Shooting at the white circle with block shot
Out. My plate blew away.

Day 2
MER 60 yards, 70 F, 8 mph wind
I noticed this time that my peep isn’t turning. These strings are old so it may be time to get some new ones. This challenge is great for little things like that! Same spot, the block shot out section. I am heading out of town and forgot my darn plate.

Day 3
58 degrees. Fairly calm for once.
I pulled to the right.

Day 4
72F is a wind-37 mph, I should have taken a picture of my kestrel. I pulled my shot. I am really bummed about this one.

Day 5
To day this was a good day…it was not. I went out twice to see if I could shoot on a piece of state land near my house. First time, I stopped by a friends place and his weather station said 50 mph. I went home and went out again. Dropped to 40 mph. I tried to shoot and sadly I missed. I aimed off target about a foot and missed the target by probably that. Lesson learned for shooting in this wind. This taught me a lot about how naive I have been with the wind. I haven’t shot at an animal in crazy wind (40 mph) but we do see that often. For elk it isn’t that bad but deer and antelope I realize that if I am going to be in open country, my MER is going down drastically.

Hoff · May 1, 2023

Day 1

MER is 40 yards. My aiming point is the center black dot of the inner circle of my target.

I am shooting a Hoyt RX 1 with RIP TKO arrows and field points. I will try to get more details on the arrow, I can’t recall all the details right now.
Light wind and I know my bow sight is a little to the right but I think I will shoot this challenge and then make the sight adjustment.

Shot felt mostly good other than I did t feel like my sight settled very good. I had to release when I felt like I floated over my aiming point.

Day 2

Weather: sunny and warm, wind was minimal but blowing left to right.

Shot: felt really good today, pin settled better than yesterday, release felt 90% good, I could have focused more on pulling through the shot but otherwise felt good.

Hit: I was pretty happy. Like I mentioned in my original post, I know I need a sight adjustment because I’m hitting a few inches to the right but I was really quite happy with this shot today.

I’m loving this challenge because I know it’s one shot we get in the field with no warmup and one shot that counts. But it sure is hard to only send one arrow per day.

Day 3

Weather: 71 degrees and a wind 8-10 mph mostly right in my face bust gusty. I was thinking I was doomed for this shot because of the wind.

Shot Sequence: Totally surprised myself, didn’t really overthink it, I just drew back, anchored and prepared to be bucking the wind. Fought with trying to see my level bubble for a moment because the sun was at my back in a way that made a terrible glare and I could barely spot my bubble. Settled the pin and let ‘er rip.

Impact: totally was thinking I’d be happy as long as I was in the inner circle but it was very consistent with previous days point of impact. Pleased as punch, and probably lucky.

Day 4

Weather: 56 degrees, partly cloudy, wind is negligible.

Shot Sequence: all was well except I let the arrow fly too soon. The pin was left of the bullseye and I was thinking it would correct for my sight being a little to the right and I’d get one dead center. That was a bad idea. Pulled the shot too far left.

Impact: Left. Oh well.

Day 5

Weather: 50 degrees, cloudy, wind is negligible.

Release: Everything felt good, thought it was going to be a good shot.

Impact: Not as good as I had hoped, about two and a half inches higher than I anticipated. Within the kill zone of deer and elk though.

I appreciate Rokslide and and the sponsors for this challenge. It was a good time. Now I can take more than one shot a day!

MarkOrtiz · May 1, 2023

Just getting back into archery after a few years off. Excited to put in for archery in the Nevada draw this year. I’m still shooting my beginner bow, a Diamond Infinite Edge at about 60 lbs and 27” draw length. I only had a 3 pin sight and ever shot at 20, 30, 40 before. I just installed a 5 pin so for now my MER is going to be 50 yards.
Aim point will be the center of the lung zone on this 3D deer body. I’m using 400 grain Cabela’s shafts and I don’t own any broadheads yet, so 100 grain field tips will be used.
My first shot today was with an 8-9 mph wind. I don’t know what happened, but I was a little low. I wish I had more shots to figure out what I did wrong. I guess I’ll try again tomorrow.

Day 2 a rain storm just came through and cleared out. It was dead still. I watched a video on drawing back with your elbow up high and decided to try that. It just felt better and I felt that I could hold steadier. Shot was better, maybe just a little high still?

Day 3 slight drizzle, but no wind.

Wow, it’s Day 4 already. Weather was fine, a slight drizzle, but not much wind. I sure wish I could shoot more. I have to get my tag application in for Nevada this week and I settled on a few areas to try for archery. I’ll need to keep practicing.

Day 5 done. Now I can get to more practice. 12-15 mph wind. I could feel it even pushing me around. I’m not too confident at the 50 yard mark. Definitely lots of practice before I can feel confident hunting an animal.

silasbowhunter · May 1, 2023

MER is going to be 50 yards as I have backed off my limbs 10lbs to work on my form and back tension.
Setup is a RX1 Ultra at 31” draw length, 60ish pounds, (will hunt around 73lbs)
Trophy taker smackdown rest
MBG Ascent Verdict 5 pin sight
5 arrow Quivalizer.
Arrows are 505gr Bloodsport Evidence, 4 fletch of the 1.75” bohning x vanes.
I’ll just be shooting field points!

MER 50 yards. Vitals are the center 6” circle as my target species will just be deer and antelope.

DAY 1.
60° and a 17mph blowing from me to the target. Was about 1.75” low!

DAY 2.
70° and a 15mph wind from left to right. Shot felt great, but a little low. Tomorrow I’ll adjust my sight down a hair!

DAY 3. 80° and pretty good wind coming from behind me. Adjusted my sight down a bit to correct the drop in draw weight, well I used my 60 instead of my 50pin… way low.

DAY 4. 81° and almost no wind. Figured out my drop based on the last shots and scored a bit.

DAY 5. 75° and no wind. Dead center lol

Ended up 2/5 which I’ll consider a win, considering my first shots I had no idea where to even aim lol.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bowhunter50 · May 2, 2023

Choosing 75 yards since I killed an elk at that distance last year. Using a 10” paper plate for vitals

Bow: Mathew’s V3X 33
Sight: 3 pin black gold slider. Pins at 27 / 40 / 50 with 50 as the floater
Rest: Hamskea Epsilon
Stabilizer: 8” spider archery with extra weight on the end (don’t remember how much) and a Mathew’s offset bracket
Quiver: 5 arrow tightspot
Arrow: RIP TKO 300 spine with 75 grain HIT brass insert, 100 grain 1.5 Sevr and 3 AAE vanes. Total arrow weight is about 465 and if I remember right, FOC is at ~15%. Getting about 275 fps out of this set up at 70 lbs / 28” draw
Release: Carter like mike shot with second knuckle hooked around and trying to pull my hand through the wrist strap
Grip: trying the bee real grip this year
Strings: just put a gas ghost string on after shooting factory strings last year

Hey guys sorry for the delay on my posts. I’ve been shooting just haven’t uploaded the photos each time.

Day I hit to the right there was a really stiff wind from left to right that I didn’t compensate for. Honestly if I was hunting in that kind of wind I probably wouldn’t shoot at 75. It was hard to hold on target

NB7 · May 2, 2023

2023 Cold Bow Challenge
(Compound bow w/broadheads)
55 M.E.R.
*started yesterday but couldn't get the time to load pics until today. I am using a paper plate to show hits from previous days as they happen to keep it honest.

My set-up, nothing super fancy here...
Prime Nexus 2 @ 70lbs
Hamskea Drop away rest
Easton arrows with Lumenocks. Arrows weigh in at 490-something, can't remember exactly.
2 in the quiver while shooting
3Rivers Archery Woodsman broadheads. Using one of the few I keep just for practice.
*Edit to add - 125 grains
My old trusty Tru-Fire Hurricane release. Oldy but reliable and I'm comfortable with it.

Day 1 05-01-23. 65F, overcast and breezy, about 15 mph.
Pulled a little left and a touch low, still in a 5 & 1/2" ring

Day 2 05-02-23. 55F, overcast w/light drizzle, about 3-4mph wind
Happy with this shot

Day 3 05-03-23. 50F+/-. Raining good and hard. Actually waited until it was coming down good just for the experience. Only a slight breeze. Hit almost on top of my day 1 shot.

Day 4 05-04-23. Weather was 42F, calm and still, Did it a little different and went with an early morning shot before work. Figured that's even a little "colder" since I haven't been up and moving all day. Pulled a little let again, this time completely outside my 5 & 1/2" ring. One more day to go, gotta get it back in the solid black 3"circle.

Day 5 05-05-23. Final shot see below. 72F, clear and calm. Weather was perfect...too perfect. I decided to make it a little more interesting, so on this final shot, I did 10 burpees and immediately sent an arrow. Well, it was humble pie time!! Put this one outside of my hit/miss circle of 5 & 1/2", even though I still clipped the 10" ring at the edge of the plate. To me, that would likely be good on an elk but could very well be not good enough on a deer.
I considered my hit/miss sort of MOA, with 5 & 1/2" circle at 55 yards. With this in mind I shot 60%. I probably would have done better without creating conditions for that last one, but then again my learning take-away here is I will probably practice more with my heart rate a little up. Glad I participated in this, thanks to @robby denning and staff for putting this on.

tommynealy · May 2, 2023

Bowtech Revolt XL
31.5” draw 74lbs
Ultraview Hinge 2 release
408gr arrow with field point
Windy and rain
60 yards
Shooting for the 12 ring

Day 2

Calm and sunny. I think my bow is shooting to the left a little.

Day 3

Getting breezy. Quick shot after mowing the grass

Day 4

Nice calm day. Finally found the 12 ring

Day 5

Nice calm night. No excuses. Pulled it left again

cjdewese · May 2, 2023

3rd year doing this. This year was the toughest to get started with some life stuff happening at the moment. Took last weekend to get things settled in and shot some to feel comfortable with where I stand.

Shooting a Diamond Edge SB-1 at 28.5 inches and 60 lbs.
Shooting Gold Tip Hunter XT's in 300 spine and a 125 grain field point. Wanted to shoot broadheads but just didn't have time this year.

Target this year.

My MER is 50 this year and shooting at the vitals of the 3-D target I have setup.

Day 1: Breezy but able to shoot between gusts. Just a bit high, didn't like the release on this one. Need to slow down some and remember to keep breathing.

Day 2: Felt great today when I woke up. Results were good, IN dead center

Day 3: Felt OK today, was drizzling a bit and a little windy. In but high and back some.

Day 4: Last 2 shots were a bit high, decided to hold a little low, didn't work... Dropped this one.

Day 5: Found out today how much your mental game can impact your shooting ability. Terrible mental health day, shot shows.

Running Total - 2-5 not great, but a good gage as to how much I need to work this off season.

UP NORTH · May 2, 2023

Trying to sneak in last minute.

50 yards MER
Athens Vista 35 65#s
Easton Axis Arrows and Sevr Broadhead

Vitals will be the black center circle, I think 8-9”.

Day 1, Very windy 20mph with gusts to 40, somehow caught a second break in the wind and hit the vitals.

Day 2, perfect morning, shot is a few inches low. Only shooting one arrow is tough!

Day 3, wind was calm 45 degrees, shot was low and right. Missed the vitals again.

Day 4- Calm again but another miss

Last Day- Pretty calm and a nice morning. Shot barely hit vitals.

bikinitoboots · May 2, 2023

Hoyt Vicxen, 40lb draw weight
Black eagle 500 spine 85 grain field tips
True Fire Panic X Release
Fast Eddie Spot Hog
Whisker Bisquit

Elk - center black circle 42 yards
Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Formidilosus · May 2, 2023

Korean Hwarang composite (Asiatic “horse bow”), 72lbs at 32” thumb draw, GT Kinetic Pierce full length arrows with 150gr tips.

Elk, 16 yards, target is the 14” block. All were 60’ish degrees, less than 2mph wind, and sunny unless noted.

Day 1-