Check your stuff.

[Billy Goat]

Between checking your shafts, especially after any contact, check your nocks for damage.

Keep an eye on things on your string, yes speed nocks/buttons sometimes move and tear up your cams/can derail.

I put finger nail polish on most of the fasteners on my bow so it's quickly apparent if something has loosened up.

A friend sent me a pic of his wrist strap. The leather tore at the stitching, launching the release head into his hand. Keep an eye on those straps, same as your d-loop.




Few days ago for no apparent reason a guys arrow got busted on a 3d target. Must have been it hit a pulled out point or insert, but easy to overlook, can be a disaster if missed. He has actually had a shaft break at the shot, luckily it hit his watch instead of going through his arm.




Just keep a check on your gear, a lot of the incidents that happen can be prevented if damage is noticed before.

 

[Zdub02]

Great reminder. I recently launched an arrow without a head on it 'cause I got in a rush swapping from broadhead back to field point and missed the field point part of the step. Thankfully the arrow hit foam and no damage was done but I felt really dumb in that moment.

 

[Billy Goat]

Great reminder. I recently launched an arrow without a head on it 'cause I got in a rush swapping from broadhead back to field point and missed the field point part of the step. Thankfully the arrow hit foam and no damage was done but I felt really dumb in that moment.

Sometimes points loosen up in a hip quiver and come off. Something to keep an eye on.

 

[sodaksooner]

Good reminder. Had a wrist strap do that to me last summer right before my hunt. Thankfully I noticed before I drew back after already shooting a few times. I now keep an extra in my tacklebox (and went to a thumb button full time too!)

 

[bober90]

Great reminder and something that doesn't seem to be mentioned enough. Have a friend who fired a damaged arrow that splintered into his hand. He still has bits of carbon stuck in there.

I now keep an extra in my tacklebox (and went to a thumb button full time too!)

Valid point. One less thing to think about with a handheld release.

 

[sodaksooner]

Great reminder and something that doesn't seem to be mentioned enough. Have a friend who fired a damaged arrow that splintered into his hand. He still has bits of carbon stuck in there.



Valid point. One less thing to think about with a handheld release.

Just have to worry more about actually losing it

 

[JBrew]

Few days ago for no apparent reason a guys arrow got busted on a 3d target. Must have been it hit a pulled out point or insert, but easy to overlook, can be a disaster if missed. He has actually had a shaft break at the shot, luckily it hit his watch instead of going through his arm.

View attachment 592009


Just keep a check on your gear, a lot of the incidents that happen can be prevented if damage is noticed before.

A buddy of mine had a shaft break and splinter through his wrist and hand, a few years ago. It's a crazy picture. Luckily, no loss of function.

 

[nphunter]

D-Loops are a huge one, I don't know how many times I've seen them frayed or nicked so that the white fibers are showing on people's bows and they just keep shooting them. My hunting partner goes through a ton of D-loops for some reason, can't find a nick and shoots a hook-style wrist strap but it eats D-loops. He went up to the range a week ago and noticed it was looking bad, decided to just go ahead and shoot anyway and punched himself in the face.

 

[sndmn11]

D-Loops are a huge one, I don't know how many times I've seen them frayed or nicked so that the white fibers are showing on people's bows and they just keep shooting them. My hunting partner goes through a ton of D-loops for some reason, can't find a nick and shoots a hook-style wrist strap but it eats D-loops. He went up to the range a week ago and noticed it was looking bad, decided to just go ahead and shoot anyway and punched himself in the face.

I replaced one at our club for a guy shooting a Scott hook release and he said he cuts through every 3-4 weeks. I couldn't find any burrs and he wasn't twisting the release weirdly or anything.

 

[TX_Diver]

When do you guys culls shaft? Scratches that you can feel with your fingernail? Or only cracks? I’ve been putting tape on anything questionable as I pull them from the targets but wonder if I’m not being over conservative on some that appear to just be surface scratches… if I can feel it with my nail it gets tape and put in the bucket for now though

 

[sndmn11]

When do you guys culls shaft? Scratches that you can feel with your fingernail? Or only cracks? I’ve been putting tape on anything questionable as I pull them from the targets but wonder if I’m not being over conservative on some that appear to just be surface scratches… if I can feel it with my nail it gets tape and put in the bucket for now though

I flex them. I only mark shafts with bent inserts via nock color.

 

[Shamones917]

First post ! Great reminders. Thank you! Would have never thought to check the stitching. Definitely check the arrows and bend test them often or after hard target hit. Had a friends that looked perfect, but snapped under bend test. Can’t imagine what would have happened if shot it.

 

[87TT]

I lost a bull once because the rubber on the string stop had a tear and grabbed the string causing the arrow to fly High right. Hurt more than a punch in the face.

 

[JohnnyB]

If you are chatting with friends at the range, double check to make sure you have knocked an arrow before firing…. at least that is what I have heard.

 

[Point Man]

Now I will be checking the strap on my Scott S2 all the time.

 

[5MilesBack]

I put on a new d-loop last week. For some odd reason it was looking frayed all over it even on the knots, and it was only a few months old. I barely had 50 shots with it. I normally only have to replace the d-loop when I replace the string.

I also did some major changes to my setup last week. After shooting some 3D, I realized that the Mathews "1/2 inch longer draw length" was a real thing. So I switched out mods for 1/2" shorter and am trying the 85% mods since this bow really wanted to jump on me. That was probably also because of the too long of draw length, but it already feels better. For hunting I prefer a bit more valley. I also switched back to my 7-pin sight from my 5-pin. Just too many longer targets at the range for 5 pins.

 

[sodaksooner]

I change d loops fairly often. I bought a 100 foot roll of BCY24 this year. Also works good for dropper cord.

 

[Beendare]

Good advice…and good example of those collars not being a big advantage.…I’ve seen the same. If you hit something like a rock at an angle, you are screwed no matter what.

Fwiw, besides archery stuff, I always inflate my sleep pad before a hunt

 

[TX_Diver]

Good advice…and good example of those collars not being a big advantage.…I’ve seen the same. If you hit something like a rock at an angle, you are screwed no matter what.

Fwiw, besides archery stuff, I always inflate my sleep pad before a hunt

Great point. Last year I got to camp and found out my pillow would not hold air. Not a super great few nights sleep

 

[Fatcamp]

Switched to FMJ and started putting Loctite on my practice heads.

Gonna take a close look at my releases tonight.