Limb legs for elk?

[Whodat7]

are limb legs useful for elk hunting?
Seems like it would be nice to have both hands free but easily grab bow, in the final moments when trying to close the deal on an elk.

 

[CMF]

I'd say no, unless you were hunting a blind over water or wallow or something like that.
They don't stand up well on uneven ground and likely tip over.
Could see them coming dislodged and lost going through brush.
Just another thing and more weight...
My bow pretty much stays in my hand unless it's dark.
What do you need free hands for?

 

[coya]

I used them for a few days last year sitting a wallow in a brush blind. That's probably the only situation I'd pack them on an elk hunt

 

[insanelupus]

Uneven, mountain/sloped terrain, plus extra weight (though negligible) , likely not.

For elk I'm usually covering miles and on the move. If my bow is on the ground, I'm napping, answering nature's call, or otherwise indisposed, but the bow nearby.

Wallows/ stands/ ambush maybe.

 

[Whodat7]

I'd say no, unless you were hunting a blind over water or wallow or something like that.
They don't stand up well on uneven ground and likely tip over.
Could see them coming dislodged and lost going through brush.
Just another thing and more weight...
My bow pretty much stays in my hand unless it's dark.
What do you need free hands for?

Makes sense. Thank you all for your thoughts. A flatlander trying to envision scenarios and prepare as best I can.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

I don’t carry them at all for archery elk but agree on the blind or sit scenario.

Most of them time they would just be “extra”
things to snag on vegetation.

 

[sodaksooner]

Mine stay home. just more weight and stuff in the way.

 

[Timberline001]

Possibly the dumbest invention to ever enter the hunting industry and catch on. I see no purpose for them at all. Just lay your bow down on the ground and then it can’t get knocked over.

 

[gretch6364]

I ordered a set with my Hoyt AX-3. They fold forward and allow some weight off the stabilizer...but I may hate them.

I am constantly needing to set my bow down to glass, bugle, etc. I am gonna give them a try. Never tried them before.

 

[Eastonsgrandpa]

I have a couple Arc 34’s that have them. They are nice for when I’m done shooting, but I hate shooting with them on. Don’t even know why but it gives the bow an awkward feel. I mainly use them to keep the bow safe in the gear room when I put them away for the night.

They definitely will never see mountain time.

 

[Maverick1]

are limb legs useful for elk hunting?
Seems like it would be nice to have both hands free but easily grab bow, in the final moments when trying to close the deal on an elk.

No, they would not be useful. Only place I could see them be used is if sitting inside of a pop up blind on flat ground, but I've only done what once in 20 years - on a desert hunt over a water hole. And that was atypical.

If sitting over a water hole, on a steep mountain side, I bring a small hook that screws into an aspen tree. Keeps arrow nocked, and makes things quieter when an animal comes in. I use the same screw in hook at night and hang my bow up in a tree near camp to keep critters away from chewing on it, and me from stepping on it. Happened once!

 

[htlt_surfboards]

I’m obviously the odd man out here since it’s a unanimous no, but I can’t stand not having limb legs on my bow.

Want to check onX, take a leak, adjust my pack, glass for a min while hiking, eat a snack, make some calls and listen, get my water bottle out and take a drink, sitting near a bedded animal waiting for 2 hours, been carrying the bow for hours and just want to put it down for a min, want to put gloves or beanie on and off. The list goes on…

I feel like i use the limb legs 100 times a day instead of bending all the way down to lay my bow in a good spot. One might say ohh it’s not that hard to bend down, but I don’t know, why don’t you do an extra 100 squats a day? Previously without limb legs when putting my bow down i would be worried nothing is touching the string, nothing is touching the rest cable, nothing is hitting the cams. No sharp rocks that could nick and cause limb splinters.

Now it’s not a perfect system. I am the first to admit when i first started using them i had a pretty big failure that i set my bow on the limb legs near a creek to refill water when it was very windy out. The bow blew over and broke 3 of 5 arrows (Easton 5.0 whole different story) on a backpack hunt. My remedy is that if im not near the bow i do put it all the way down. Also when i do use the limb legs when im standing there with it, i now put just the toe of my boot on the one leg so that it can’t tip over.

The other complaint i see often is the catching on brush thing. Personally I’ve got a 15” and 8” stabilizers, quiver full of arrows. If I’ve been able to make it through brush with that stuff on the, 6” legs sticking off aren’t making a difference. Also noted i have a Mathew’s and the limb legs come off and on in 2 seconds flat so if some scenario does happen that I don’t want them (strapping bow to pack) they aren’t hard to remove.

 

[Maverick1]

I’m obviously the odd man out here since it’s a unanimous no, but I can’t stand not having limb legs on my bow.

Want to check onX, take a leak, adjust my pack, glass for a min while hiking, eat a snack, make some calls and listen, get my water bottle out and take a drink, sitting near a bedded animal waiting for 2 hours, been carrying the bow for hours and just want to put it down for a min, want to put gloves or beanie on and off. The list goes on…

I feel like i use the limb legs 100 times a day instead of bending all the way down to lay my bow in a good spot. One might say ohh it’s not that hard to bend down, but I don’t know, why don’t you do an extra 100 squats a day? Previously without limb legs when putting my bow down i would be worried nothing is touching the string, nothing is touching the rest cable, nothing is hitting the cams. No sharp rocks that could nick and cause limb splinters.

Now it’s not a perfect system. I am the first to admit when i first started using them i had a pretty big failure that i set my bow on the limb legs near a creek to refill water when it was very windy out. The bow blew over and broke 3 of 5 arrows (Easton 5.0 whole different story) on a backpack hunt. My remedy is that if im not near the bow i do put it all the way down. Also when i do use the limb legs when im standing there with it, i now put just the toe of my boot on the one leg so that it can’t tip over.

The other complaint i see often is the catching on brush thing. Personally I’ve got a 15” and 8” stabilizers, quiver full of arrows. If I’ve been able to make it through brush with that stuff on the, 6” legs sticking off aren’t making a difference. Also noted i have a Mathew’s and the limb legs come off and on in 2 seconds flat so if some scenario does happen that I don’t want them (strapping bow to pack) they aren’t hard to remove.

Thanks for sharing, good to hear you have a system that is working for you.

Question out curiousity - do you happen to know how much your total bow setup weighs?

I have been going the opposite direction - carbon bow, 4 arrow quiver, removed all stabilizers, no wrist sling, bare bones sight, no 'extra' attachments of any kind, etc - simply because carrying the bow around all day in the hand just adds weight.

I imagine the Mathews bow, 5 arrows, two stabilizers, limb legs, etc. - all that could weigh a bit.

 

[socalhntr]

Thanks for sharing, good to hear you have a system that is working for you.

Question out curiousity - do you happen to know how much your total bow setup weighs?

I have been going the opposite direction - carbon bow, 4 arrow quiver, removed all stabilizers, no wrist sling, bare bones sight, no 'extra' attachments of any kind, etc - simply because carrying the bow around all day in the hand just adds weight.

I imagine the Mathews bow, 5 arrows, two stabilizers, limb legs, etc. - all that could weigh a bit.

I have a mathews Lift 33 with 15 inch front and 12 in the back with limb legs my total bow weight is 7.5 and worth its weight imo. Also having weight at the bottom also allows me to hold steadier.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Keep your bow in your hands.

 

[Colobwhntr]

I love having the limb legs for any type of hunting except maybe tree stand which I don’t do anyway. So handy to stop and just set my bow down and not worry about it to glass or call or whatever. I won’t go without them.

 

[htlt_surfboards]

Thanks for sharing, good to hear you have a system that is working for you.

Question out curiousity - do you happen to know how much your total bow setup weighs?

I have been going the opposite direction - carbon bow, 4 arrow quiver, removed all stabilizers, no wrist sling, bare bones sight, no 'extra' attachments of any kind, etc - simply because carrying the bow around all day in the hand just adds weight.

I imagine the Mathews bow, 5 arrows, two stabilizers, limb legs, etc. - all that could weigh a bit.

So I didn’t before you asked that but out of curiosity i just weighed everything.
My full bow setup i take on a backpack hunt weighs 8 lb 2oz
Bow with just rest and sight - 5 lb 10oz
Stabs - 11.5oz, 9.4oz = 1 lb 5oz
Limb legs - 5.1oz
Quiver with 5 arrows - 1 lb

 

[Dexter Grayson]

My limb legs do not come off my bow! I do not like laying my bow flat on the ground. Used them several times a day on my last elk hunt. Was not steep though and I could see terrain being an issue but I will have to learn that one the hard way.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Calling without a bow in your hands is going to cost you an opportunity sooner or later, for me it happened with the first one I ever called in. My bow rests very well on the stabilizer and top limb pocket with the string resting against anything vertical, like my leg, for those times I need both hands

 

[Ross]

Unless you’re sitting all day, I would not recommend them being on your bow. Just added weight and brush collector.