2025 Cold Bow Challenge

[stan_wa]

User Name : StanWa

Bow Brand : Bowtech

Bow Model : revolt X80

Sight Brand : Spot hog, fast eddie XL, Tripple stack

BH Brand : evolution outdoors

MER : 80

Hit (X/3) : 1/3

Day1: just missed but about .5". I have not been shooting angles to check my 3rd axis i think its good. I would like to have gotten more range time to dial my set up in before Cold bow, but thats life.
Very realistic hunting shot. First shot honestly felt a tad nervous. I tried to do the opposite of calming my self down, rather I applied put some pressure to my self to simulate that excitement/nervs you get when you see an animal, and don't have time to Box breath or wait for the nerves to pass.


Day 2
Calm conditions before work got a hit

Day 3 missed right again

Just for fun once this was over shot three more in a row and they all hit. I don’t know what to think about that.

 

[Sea Wolf]

User Name : Sea Wolf
Bow Brand : PSE
Bow Model : EVL 34, 70 lbs
Sight Brand : Axcel Landslyde 3 pin
Arrow: RIP TKO, IW footer, 4" wrap, 3 IW vanes.
BH Brand : Sevr 1.75, 100 gr
MER : 52 yards
Hit (X/3) : 2/3
Here is the shot, target is in between the cotton wood trees at 52 yards, downhill.


Here is shot #1. Felt good, looked good, is good. Kill zone is the black center of the big green circle. Less the 5mph wind, right to left. Overcast, rain incoming this evening.


#2 a little more wind today. Shot didn't feel as solid as day 1. Just outside the black inner circle, so I'll call it a miss.

#3 slight cross wind and partly cloudy. Shot break felt ok but the arrow found is mark. Call it a hit.

 

[Johnson27]

User Name : Johnson27

Bow Brand : Hoyt

Bow Model : RX3 Ultra 62#

Sight Brand : MBG Dual Track Pro

BH Brand : Sevr 1.5 Hybrid

MER : 50

Hit (X/3) : 1/3

Victory XV 350, Easton HIT Alum insert, Easton 0.5 HIT Collar, 2" Blazers with Left Helical
First shot: 5/12/25 6am, no wind to speak of.


Shot #2
Another beautiful day, 65, sunny, slight left to right breeze for behind.


5/14/25 Didn't shoot today. Watched my granddaughter instead. Great trade off IMO.

5/15/25 Completed the 2025 CBC with some added pressure. I went to our local club and used the elevated stand and a chair to simulated sitting in a tree stand (the best I could). My 3rd shot was just outside the marker ring, so I'm 1/3. The first 2 arrows flew great, the last one corkscrewed. I was probably torqueing my bow hand while sitting down.

 

[TexasScout]

User Name : TexasScout

Bow Brand : Bowtech

Bow Model : Revolt X

Sight Brand : Spot Hogg Hogg Father with UV scope

BH Brand : QAD Exodus

MER : 50 yds - 3” Circle (10 ring)

Hit (X/3) : 2/3

Trying to keep it within the 10 ring on this RinoBlock target.

Day 1: 5/12/25 @ 7:15am - little to no wind, shot felt like it broke to the left. Still getting used to the Stan Thumb Clicker.



Day 2: 5/13/25 - Slight left to right wind. Eyes didn't feel good and I pulled the shot to the right when I should have let down. I attempted to video the arrow flight and will upload it if I can figure out how.

Day 3: 5/14/25 - Wind 5-10 in my face. Shot later in morning than before and sun was just above the target. One of the blades barley caught the 10 ring.

 

[feanor]

User Name : Feanor

Bow Brand : Mathews

Bow Model : V3x

Sight Brand : Sword sight jury pro

BH Brand : Ironwill 100S

MER : 50 yards

Hit (X/3) :0/3

Trying to hit the white circle. Threw in a yardage guess for more realism at 53 but was actually 50 on the dot I think. I’ll adjust tomorrow.
Day 1- 12:30 5mph wind at my back 65 degrees, shot broke clean, felt good.




Day 2
11:20 Slight breeze sunny, just missed the circle at 50 yards


Day 3 11:30 great day no wind. Missed the circle again. Need to get more practice in.

 

[kylem]

User Name :kylem

Bow Brand :Hoyt

Bow Model :Lazertec

Sight Brand :Spot Hogg

BH Brand :Sevr

MER :60 yards

Hit (X/3) : 3/3

I’m calling my vitals the replacement core to my target which is basically 9” across.

Day 1: A little wind right at my back. Shot felt good and it was a hit.

Day 2: No wind and just a slight drizzle. Hit dang near the same spot as yesterday.

Day 3: Wind at my back and got another hit! Every year I keep telling myself I’ll get a new bow, but between being cheap and my old bow just shooting well I’m having a hard time upgrading!

 

[9.1]

Compound

User Name : 9.1

Bow Brand : Athens

Bow Model : Ridge 34

Sight Brand : Black Gold

BH Brand : Deepower

MER :50 yards, large yellow circle on 18-in-1

Hit (X/3) :2/3

Shot 1: miss


Shot 2: Cut the line so I'll call it a hit. Clearly I'm not practiced enough to be slinging broadheads this far at game.


Shot/day 3: Hit. Barely.


Trad

User Name : 9.1

Bow Brand : Montgomery Ward

Bow Model : Recurve

Sight Brand : N/A

BH Brand : Magnus

MER :20 yards, large yellow circle on 18-in-1

Hit (X/3) : 3/3

Shot 1: hit


Shot 2: Hit. Still liking that left side.


Shot/day 3: Hit

 

[RileyRaz18]

Compound

User Name : Rileyraz18

Bow Brand : Hoyt

Bow Model : RX8 Ultra 70lb

Sight Brand : Spot Hogg Boonie

BH Brand : Muzzy

MER : 50

Hit (X/3) : 3/3

Day 1:
Good hit.
Beauty of a morning in northern Wisconsin. 49 degrees and turkeys gobbling in the background. Slight 5mph wind from the east and the early sun just over my target. 5.9" kill zone, 5/13/25, 6:15am CST.


Day 2:
Hit.
Another really nice morning. Little to no wind, birds chirping and the morning dew soaking my shoes. Bugs are starting to come out... Day 2 shot came out a little high but a good hit. I've shot 3D all winter so im really pleased to see myself making these two shots. Rain forecasted for tomorrow..
6:10am 5/14/25


Day 3:
Hit but it was danggg close. Shot didn't feel great and punched the trigger a little bit Could maybe push it a little more and step it back to 55 next time. Trying out the new HLRs and a little bit different setup for this year. Gotta keep shooting though. This was fun!!
8pm 5/21/25

 

[CB4]

Day 1: 5/13/25 at 7:15am cst. Calm morning with no wind, split the line of my kill zone, which is the insert of the target.



Day 2: 5/14/25 at 6:50am CST. Another beautiful calm morning here in Iowa. No wind and roughly 65 degrees. Shot felt shaky from upper body workouts the last two days but arrow found its mark. Doing a lot better this year compared to the last two. (Also the grass got mowed so could see the whole tagret)


Day 3: 5/15/25 at 7:00am CST - Slight right to left breeze this morning and didnt account for it plus the shot broke slightly left. First and only miss. Since I was officially done I followed it up with two more broadhead shots that both hit within 2 inches of each other in the middle of the insert. Overall I would say 60 is my true MER.

User Name : CB4

Bow Brand : Mathews

Bow Model : V3 31

Sight Brand : HHA X3

BH Brand : Iron Will SB125

MER : 60 yards

Hit (X/3) : 2/3

 

[Furtrader11]

User Name : Furtrader11

Bow Brand : Mathews

Bow Model : Lift 33

Sight Brand : Axcel

BH Brand : IW SB Deep six 125 Gr

MER : 60 yards

Hit (X/3) : 2/3

First time participating in the Cold Bow challenge. I’ve been shooting all winter and spring in the outdoors of Northern MI. I figured this would be a good opportunity to test out my proficiency with the single shot platform. Pending app for my first archery mule deer hunt in Colorado this year. Pumped for that.

Day 1: Light west wind, 5 mph, partly cloudy, mid sixties, an overall pleasant morning. I worked through my shot process and pulled through my shot and it felt good as it broke. Hit my spot on the low edge, blades cut the into the bull so, I’ll call it a hit.

Day 2: Calm morning, light rain, birds chirping, mid sixties. I hit in the zone again today but low again. I’m not going to complain, but it feels like I am having trouble settling my shoulders. Something to work on this season.

Day 3: Wrapping up the challenge with a dud. Nice morning, calm and 60. Shot process broke down, held too long and let a rip. Should have let down. Oh well. Cold bow for sure. Look forward to 3/3 next year!

And a plus here in the last day…

Found a bunch of morels while pulling my arrow! Going to go well with some venison chops this evening.

 

[BRTreedogs]

User Name : BRTreedogs

Bow Brand : Hoyt of course

Bow Model : RX1 Ultra Killing machine

Sight Brand : Spot Hogg Hogg It

BH Brand : Grim Reaper Micro hades 100gr

MER : 60 Yard 6” of circle.

Hit (X/3) : 0/3

Day 1 perfect conditions. Felt pretty good for not getting home after working 10 hrs then drive 12 to get home at 3am

Day 2 Calm 37
Shot felt left but not that left.
Day 3 Calm 36

 

[Split toe]

User Name :Split toe

Bow Brand :Mathews

Bow Model :Vertix

Sight Brand :Spott Hogg

BH Brand :Iron Will Singles

MER :40 yds

Hit (X/3) : 1/3

Day 1: 5/13/25 88 degrees @ 1600 with 7mph.Day 2: Much nicer outside. 1400. 74 degrees. 40yards with a 8mph crosswind.

 

[chadcharb]

User Name : chadcharb

Bow Brand : PSE

Bow Model : MACH33

Sight Brand : Spot Hogg

BH Brand : SEVR

MER : 60

Hit (X/3) : 2/3

I'm shooting the new stan solex clicker for a release.

I'm calling the 10 ring my kill zone

Day 1: 57, overcast, off and on drizzle. Hit today. Broke a clean shot and overall I'm OK with that placement. I'd rather be on the right edge of the zone.

Day 2: 55, light wind, overcast. Shot broke great, with a good hit. Very happy with today's shot.

Day 3: 51 overcast, no wind. Shot didn't feel great and broke low. A miss per my marks but I wouldn't hate that shot placement on an animal.

 

[Felton]

User Name : Felton

Bow Brand : Hoyt

Bow Model : Helix Turbo

Sight Brand : Spot Hog

BH Brand : Magnus

MER : 55 yards

Hit (X/3) : all three shot hit but two were on the out edge. 3/3

My arrows are carbon express mx hunters. They weight right at 500 grs and are flying at 282 fps.





Day 1
82 degrees 70% humidity slight left to right breeze. I squeezed trigger on my release just as my pin was coming up onto target and it shows as i barely made contact with my kill zone.


Day 2
75 degrees 80% humidity 10 mph wind from right to left. I very purposefully waited to get my sight up into the target area before sending the arrow. Success!!!



Day 3
In the waning hours of the day I let my last and final arrow loose. It disappeared into the diminishing light. The shot felt good maybe a little low. I was wrong. It was right. You can see where I just did clip the kill zone. 84 degrees 64% humidity. No wind and buggy!

 

[24valve]

User Name : 24valve

Bow Brand : Mathews

Bow Model : V3X

Sight Brand : Black Gold

BH Brand : Grizzlystik

MER : 50 yards

Hit (X/3) : 2/3

First time doing the Cold Bow Challenge and it will be very cold shots for me as it will be the first time I've shot since last summer. 8" vitals is the outside edge of the green ring on my target.

Day 1: 70°, W wind 5-8 mph. Clean miss of the target.



Day 2: 60°, calm, intermittent light sprinkle. Just barely cut the line of the 8" vitals.



Day 3: 50°, 3-5 mph wind, overcast



Great challenge and thanks to Robby for putting this together to get us all out shooting early in the season. I know I'm well past the first 100 prize entries, but it was worth doing regardless!

 

[MarkOrtiz]

Geez, just heard on the podcast that this was running for the year and already over 100 entries. I guess I'm too slow.

 

[robby denning]

Thread is locked. Drawing will be in the next day or so...

 

[robby denning]

OK guys update, Sam ran the winners list overnight, it was in my inbox today at 12:01 AM.

Google will not let me open the damn document.

I have a feeling Sam is out for the weekend because he’s not answering my text and this was the only time I had to work on this this morning anyway.

I’m sorry guys.

I’ve had a Google account for 10+ years And half the time they will not let me access these documents. That’s why our writers guidelines “Word docs preferred”

I hope to have these up Monday

 

[robby denning]

Update 6/2/25: Winners' List

• @KevinInID drew for the Black Ovis Arrow ID package
• @NEPkaspot be punching big holes with the @G5_Prime Broadhead Package: Megameats & T2s
• @bergie takes the @mtntough Subscript & Merch
• @Mag_7s will be burning the forest with the Pyro Putty Firestart package
• @Okie-hunter grabs the Phoneskope Digiscoping Package
• @HighUintas is the proud owner of the @skregear Torrid Hoody
• @BunnyThumper will be navigating for free with the @onX Hunt Elite Subscription
• @Wyatt.Carter wins the Iron Will Precision Machined Custom Arrows
• @ResearchinStuff takes the Total Vise 40% off Ultimate Bow Vise
• @CMF drew for the Ultimate Bow Vise
• @Randle takes the grand prize: Swarovski STC Spotter!!

Congrats! If you made the list, PM @robby denning with these:
1) Prize won
2) Email address

All trades must be handled between members. If you do the trade before you contact me, Sponsor will ship directly. If not, members handle the shipping. You have until 6/12/25 to claim your prize.