How to balance a quiver

[johnw3474]

A little background, I have been bow hunting whitetails from a while. I like to hunt in the woods and rarely shoot more than 30 yards but confident with my set up to 40. I always hang my quiver in the tree when I get settled. I don't use any stabilizers.

I drew an archery elk tag this fall. I have never been on an elk hunt with my bow, so I have been practicing at longer distances with the goal of being ready for any shot at 50 yards or less. When practicing with my quiver attached I am noticing a my groups pulling right. I have done some research today and decided I should probably look at getting a stabilizer with a back bar or something like the bee stinger counter slide. Curious what others going out west with a bow for the first time did. I fell like my form is consistent and I can stack arrows pretty well with out the quiver. I am planning to take off what ever I add when the elk hunt is over for whitetail season simply because I know what I have works.
Bow is halon 6, 70# draw, 28" draw length. GT kinetic chaos arrows with QAD Exodus heads. Arrow weight is right at 500gr. Quiver is the Mathews Web HD 6 Arrow quiver.

Summary - Should I just practice more until I'm comfortable with weight of my quiver or get something to balance it out? If the suggestion is to get something to balance it out, what have people found success with when making a similar transition to shooting with their quiver.

 

[Wheels]

I use a back bar with an 8” stabilizer angled out to offset the attached quiver, can add weights if needed. Helps to level the bow for me.

 

[Dennis]

Stabilizers can help, but too much weight becomes a pain at least for me in the elk mountains. The Quivalizer from Option archery is one solution that does not add additional base weight. You can use it as a quiver, a front stabilizer or just remove it. They also make a back bar called a Cache Bar that you use to carry your bow kit or whatever that you are carrying anyway.

 

[Marble]

A little background, I have been bow hunting whitetails from a while. I like to hunt in the woods and rarely shoot more than 30 yards but confident with my set up to 40. I always hang my quiver in the tree when I get settled. I don't use any stabilizers.

I drew an archery elk tag this fall. I have never been on an elk hunt with my bow, so I have been practicing at longer distances with the goal of being ready for any shot at 50 yards or less. When practicing with my quiver attached I am noticing a my groups pulling right. I have done some research today and decided I should probably look at getting a stabilizer with a back bar or something like the bee stinger counter slide. Curious what others going out west with a bow for the first time did. I fell like my form is consistent and I can stack arrows pretty well with out the quiver. I am planning to take off what ever I add when the elk hunt is over for whitetail season simply because I know what I have works.
Bow is halon 6, 70# draw, 28" draw length. GT kinetic chaos arrows with QAD Exodus heads. Arrow weight is right at 500gr. Quiver is the Mathews Web HD 6 Arrow quiver.

Summary - Should I just practice more until I'm comfortable with weight of my quiver or get something to balance it out? If the suggestion is to get something to balance it out, what have people found success with when making a similar transition to shooting with their quiver.

The solution is a back bar. But if you are hunting elk, there is a high chance you will be shooting in a situation where you will need to make sure your bubble is dead center, even with the backbar. If you are shooting right, then I think you aren't checking your bubble. Even with the backbar, you will need to check and then maintain your bubble. I see lots of guys in 3D shoots center their bubble and then go through their shot process. After they have aimed for awhile their bubble will drift... you git to watch it all of the time.

You should also practice shooting sidehill to understand the dynamics of what happens in this situation. It creates an optical illusion that will make you draw your bow and shoot while thinking everything looks good.

You dont necessarily need a front and back bar. But for balance it may be the best option.

Just food for thought.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[bucksnbirds]

Order an 8" side bar and mount. Also get 5 1oz weights. Load quiver to whatever capacity it holds, remove one and nock it. Start with 2 oz on the side bar. Draw and relax, pay attention to which way your level goes, it'll probably bubble away from the rest. Add another weight until bubble sits perfect without trying.

 

[HandgunHTR]

I like having a stabilizer on my bow, if for nothing more than having something to grip when I throw the bow over my shoulder onto the top of my pack (sight on one side of my neck, stab on the other) for the long treks up and down the sides of the mountains.
My best friend has a paracord sling, but I am paranoid that it will get caught up on something when I am trying to shoot.

Also, as someone who has done my fair share of chasing elk around mountains, I would push my "comfort" level to 70 yards if I were you. My first hunt I did pretty much what you described. I ended up with a 5X5 at about 60 slightly quartering to, and another opportunity at a really nice 6X6 at 71 yards, fully broadside. After that trip, I focused on shooting to 90 so that I would be comfortable shooting at elk to 70 on a good opportunity and being able to "thread the needle" at 50 if the shot angle wasn't perfect.

 

[Steven.Elmore]

You could also try an offset front stabilizer. If you're only going to shoot out to 50 or 60 that should easily fix your issue. My wife uses one made by podium Archery. The other thing you might try is just adding a little weight to the bottom of your bow where a back bar would screw in. Depending on what school of aiming you use this will slow the float and stabilize the bow once you have your level checked in your aiming process.

 

[Mikido]

Keep practicing, you’ll get used to it.

 

[Elkhntr08]

Personally, I don’t like adding any weight to my bow that’s not absolutely necessary. I’ve been shooting a bow for close to 50 years, and shot my first deer over 40 years ago.
Practice with the quiver on and get used to paying attention to the bubble.
Extra weight will only fatigue your arm when you’re holding at full draw on that elk that won’t take that last step.

 

[TX_hunter]

Quivalizer.

 

[johnw3474]

Thanks for the replies. I'm pretty partial to the idea of keep shooting it as is without the extra weight. BUT I could also see my self falling victim to some marketing and doing a stabilizer and back bar. No one has mentioned the Beestinger counterslide. Curious if that is because it doesn't work well in y'alls experience or just something not many people have tired. Seems like a good mix of balancing the weight without stuff hanging everywhere.

 

[KBC]

I have a 12” front bar that is a great length for carrying my bow with the bar up the back of my forearm when hiking. I have a back bar I can’t remember the length but it’s really nice to rest on my leg when I’m just standing there.
I made both of them for cheap. I had some aluminum rod I drilled and tapped and glued into some carbon fibre tube off Amazon. I don’t get why stabilizers are so much money.
Set the back bar up so it offsets your quiver and your bow pretty much sits level at full draw.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Best thing to do is to leave your quiver off your bow. Definitely, don’t add any stabilizers to it. I always kept mine on the side of my pack. If you must leave it on your bow, just keep practicing and you’ll be fine.

 

[CMF]

Keep practicing, you’ll get used to it.

Agree.
And you probably won't take it off whitetail hunting once you get used to it. I do both and I've never had my quiver off. The new Mathews with the integrated rest and fixed quiver is so tight to the bow, you don't need a bar to balance it out.

 

[Marshfly]

You could also try an offset front stabilizer. If you're only going to shoot out to 50 or 60 that should easily fix your issue. My wife uses one made by podium Archery. The other thing you might try is just adding a little weight to the bottom of your bow where a back bar would screw in. Depending on what school of aiming you use this will slow the float and stabilize the bow once you have your level checked in your aiming process.

I just bought a new bow and went this route instead of the normal front and back bar. LOVE it. Only I used the Mathews static sidebar mount instead of the podium one. Been playing around with a 10 degree down QR mount on it to fine tune the left/right of that front weight.

Static Sidebar Mount

The custom Mathews sidebar mount is a simple yet rugged design that allows you to balance your bow for individual needs.

mathewsinc.com

 

[Bump79]

I just bought a new bow and went this route instead of the normal front and back bar. LOVE it. Only I used the Mathews static sidebar mount instead of the podium one. Been playing around with a 10 degree down QR mount on it to fine tune the left/right of that front weight.

Static Sidebar Mount

The custom Mathews sidebar mount is a simple yet rugged design that allows you to balance your bow for individual needs.

mathewsinc.com

I've done something similar in the past as well. What I do now is a mount a Beestinger Counterslide on my lower stabilizer mount. I freaking love it for hunting. It's compact, adjustable and you can get it just right.

 

[johnw3474]

Wanted to give y'all an update since I appreciate all the feedback. I tried a 15" counterslide. It helped settle the pin a lot. Great groups, field tips touching at 40 yards with quiver on the bow, but I've uncovered another issue. I'm either torquing the bow bad or something has come out of tune. Broadheads were way right, like 6-7 in at 20 yards with quiver and counterslide. The last time I had shot broadheads (w/o quiver or counterslide) I cut fletchings at 35.... I haven't had a chance to go back shoot the broadheads without the counterslide, so to be continued I guess.

 

[ElkArcher918]

Stabilizers can help, but too much weight becomes a pain at least for me in the elk mountains. The Quivalizer from Option archery is one solution that does not add additional base weight. You can use it as a quiver, a front stabilizer or just remove it. They also make a back bar called a Cache Bar that you use to carry your bow kit or whatever that you are carrying anyway.

I've been thinking of trying the Quivalizer for elk, mule deer, and antelope here in the West. I believe Nate Simmons from the Western Hunter show uses it with good results. I'm getting a little long on the tooth and gotta cut some weight off my bow setup.

 

[AlwaysChasinTailNHorns]

I use a back bar with an 8” stabilizer angled out to offset the attached quiver, can add weights if needed. Helps to level the bow for me.

I second this. I run AAE Mountain series stabs on my bow I have a ten degree downset on my front bar and I run the AAE gripper on my back bar. Front bar is 12 inches back bar is 10 inches. I don’t run much weight in the front because I don’t like my bow tipping forward after the shot is released I like to have it holding steady after the shot and I run a bit more weight on my back bar which is offset to about 48 degrees off to the left of my bow which balances out my full quiver. Also I have this setup to where when I have the bow held up to a target in my hand (not drawn) and I’m holding it loosely in my left hand as I would in a normal shot process (don’t white knuckle your grip!) the bubble on my sight level is dang near perfectly in the center this helps me when I draw and I’m on target I barely have any canting of the bow that I need to adjust for to ensure I’m level it’s just another tip when setting it up and will seriously help with your accuracy. Tons of benefits to the back bar I’m rock steady, serves as another dampener, and adds a nice touch of minimal weight to the very light bow I’m shooting which I tend to like. Good luck on your hunt and let us know what you land on!

 

[johnw3474]

I spent a lot of time shooting this weekend. Improved some things with my grip and everything is flying great again. I have never shot the quivalizer or a stabilizer and back bar, so I can't speak to that, but I do notice improved pin stability and level bubble settles quickly the with 15" bee stinger coutnerslide. I have my counter slide set up with three weight on the back, two on the front and just over half of the conterslide is behind the bracket with a little less than half in front of the bow. I like that it isn't a lot of era weight and I do not have a lot of things hanging off my bow. I would recommend trying it to anyone that needs some help with balancing their bow.