Gun bearer rip off for bow

[rclouse79]

One thing I like about having summers off is brainstorming ways to make my upcoming hunting season more enjoyable. I saw on here someone had used a gunbearer for their bow. It worked ok with my setup, but the end of my bow didn’t fit in the pocket very well and there wasn’t enough adjustment on the top strap. The pictures are from my bow bearer 1.0. I am sure there will be upgrades made throughout the summer. The latch is basically a button I made out of a tri glide and some paracord. I tied the boyscout knot around the attachment point on my shoulder strap so I can adjust the string length and angle the bow hangs. I just ran a bungee cord through the webbing on my hip belt for the lower attachment. I will probably wrap some mole skin around the bungee hook, although it is pretty quiet now. I would say I can deploy it in under ten seconds and it seems comfortable from my initial testing.

 

[jlaner0408]

I’ve thought about doing this with the QR sockets that you see on some gun stocks, but mounting them on my shoulder straps and carrying the bow across my chest. It would be easier hiking and a fast on/off solution when needed

 

[LuckHappens]

Love this idea - I've wished for a solution like this and been baffled why Kifaru doesn't offer one. Interested to hear how this treated you this season, and what mods you might make to a v2.0 (if one is in the works)?

 

[rclouse79]

It worked absolutely awesome and I loved it. I thought I was going to patent it and make a million dollars until I noticed my string was wearing from rubbing against the side of my pants. I went back to carrying my bow after that.

 

[LuckHappens]

It worked absolutely awesome and I loved it. I thought I was going to patent it and make a million dollars until I noticed my string was wearing from rubbing against the side of my pants. I went back to carrying my bow after that.

Ah that's a bummer - I could see how that could be an issue - pack rub.. Have the same situation with my rifle scope. Could use a bow sling to protect the string, but that just further complicates the dismount prep... Thanks for the follow up!

 

[Jimbob]

I use a gun bearer because a gun lends itself to quick deployment and use.

A bow on the other hand rarely needs to be quickly accessed without knowing ahead of time. It's easy to strap my bow to my pack when I'm hiking then take off my pack and get my bow ready when needed.

When I'm stalking the bow is in my hand. A belt bow hook is useful though when I need both hands free to glass or call.

 

[7-Pointers]

I swap out the bucket with a large plastic swiveling hook for carrying my bow, back to bucket for gun, both attach with the Kifaru webbing strap. Hook the riser from “inside” to avoid string wear. I do mine so the quiver is what rubs against my body. right handed bow carried on my left side.

 

[LuckHappens]

I use a gun bearer because a gun lends itself to quick deployment and use.

A bow on the other hand rarely needs to be quickly accessed without knowing ahead of time. It's easy to strap my bow to my pack when I'm hiking then take off my pack and get my bow ready when needed.

When I'm stalking the bow is in my hand. A belt bow hook is useful though when I need both hands free to glass or call.

Each hunt lends to its own style. I've certainly carried my bow on my pack. That said, there are times when I am also carrying my bow in hand while not stalking, especially during overlapping small game seasons. Probably a 70/30 carry vs pack strap for me.

I keep a small caribeaner on my bino harness which I clip in to the Dloop for times when I need 2 free hands (while stationary).

 

[bsnedeker]

I use a gun bearer because a gun lends itself to quick deployment and use.

A bow on the other hand rarely needs to be quickly accessed without knowing ahead of time. It's easy to strap my bow to my pack when I'm hiking then take off my pack and get my bow ready when needed.

When I'm stalking the bow is in my hand. A belt bow hook is useful though when I need both hands free to glass or call.

You must archery hunt very differently than me! I've had a bunch of encounters where I'm just walking through the woods and boom, there's an elk! Last thing I want to be doing at that time is making a bunch of movement by unstrapping my pack and dealing with getting the bow off. My bow is in my hand if we are in legal shooting light.

 

[jlaner0408]

You must archery hunt very differently than me! I've had a bunch of encounters where I'm just walking through the woods and boom, there's an elk! Last thing I want to be doing at that time is making a bunch of movement by unstrapping my pack and dealing with getting the bow off. My bow is in my hand if we are in legal shooting light.

Agreed- quiet elk in the timber tend to be up close and personal encounters.

 

[Blockcaver]

I've been carrying my bow in the Gunbearer for 15 or more years. About wore out the lower strapping on the Kifaru Ultralight pack I used for a lot of years....its reinforced with Gorilla Tape now to preserve it.

I can get the bow out of the GB into the hand in a second or two. Obviously have to load an arrow, but that is quick too. And you can still use hiking poles with the bow in the GB.

I think the bow is safer in the GB than strapped on the outside back of the pack. A fellow I know ruined his string/cables on a pack-in sheep hunt when he leaned back while sitting down. If I am hiking "many kilometers" in the willows or packing meat, I'll put the neoprene bow string/cable/cam cover on.

I ordered my most recent GB (2017) with a longer top tether strap so the bow can hang more forward and lower. The last time I called Kifaru to buy a GB for a bowhunting friend they had to send a long piece of strapping with the GB and he had to get it sewed on as they could not (would not) customize the strap.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I overcame this issue (with different bows) by experimentation. Sometimes a bow sits right with the cam in the pocket, sometimes the lower limb and occasionally I need to put a twist in the cradle. Once that part is figured out the top strap always works.

 

[5 shot group]

Montana bow sling