Rokslide 2026 Cold Bow Challenge

[nphunter]

True cold bow for me. Haven’t shot my compound bow but maybe 3 times since killing my bull last fall, haven’t shot the recurve since CBC’25.

Decided to keep my MER from last year with both.

User Name : NPHunter

Bow Brand : PSE

Bow Model : Mach 34

Sight Brand : CBE Trek Pro

BH Brand : Evolution Hyde 150gr

MER : 80

Hit (X/3) :0/2

Day 1, Compound, beautiful blue sky’s no wind. It was hard to draw back and hard to hold on taget, the shot felt forced but only 4” low of the 8” paper plate.

User Name : NPHunter

Bow Brand : TBOW/Uukah

Bow Model : Recurve

Sight Brand : none

BH Brand : Rocky 200gr

MER : 20

Hit (X/3) :0/2

Day 1, Recurve, I felt like the shot went well, hit 3” low of the plate, I’m OK with that for not shooting the bow since the challenge last year. Defiantly makes me want to shoot that recurve more. Note to self, don’t be lazy and shoot the recurve into the bag target, it’s a PITA to get the broadhead out.




Day 2, Nice evening after a long day in the woods. Both bows shot slightly left. There is a steady wind blowing from right to left but I don’t think it was enough to cause the misses.

 

[meta_gabbro]

Day 1 - Shot first thing in the morning after letting the dog out. High 40's very little breeze R>L, negligible impact. Sun coming in from high left, target and both shooting positions in shade. Both shots taken kneeling. Held dead on with compound, shot felt broke well and hit slightly high, but still a dead deer. Recurve was a little less clean, still getting used to shooting from a low position and could feel myself struggling, but hit was straight on so I can't complain.

Day 2 - Shot on my lunch break. Low 60's, 5mph breeze swirling, held at right edge of target zone with the compound. Shooting positions in full sun, targets shaded. Compound shot felt great, probably could have held dead on and it would have been dead center. Forgot my finger glove in the house for the recurve shot and didn't want to walk back for it, figured I'd just shoot off my fingers, how bad could it be? Turns out, real bad - string slipped mid expansion, hit a full foot high and right, cut the cord suspending the target and smacked the frame, bent one blade and broke another.

Compound - Shooting CE Maxima Red SDs, 350 spine, 3 fletched with Blazers, 44gr steel half-out, 515gr total weight. QAD Ultrarest MX, Apex stabs (8" front, 6" rear, 3oz each), Stan Solex. Chrono is 270fps or so IIRC. Vitals are traced from an "anatomical" shoot'n'see target, roughly 10" end to end and 8" tall to the bottom of the heart).

User Name : meta_gabbro

Bow Brand : Mathews

Bow Model : Lift X 33 (65lb, 30.5", factory strings)

Sight Brand : Axcel (Driver, 5 pin)

BH Brand : QAD (Exodus, 125gr, full blade)

MER : 65

Hit (X/3) : 2/2

Barebow- Currently spring turkey season in OR, been chasing them with the recurve. Shooting Victory VF 300 spine, 4 fletched with 4" feathers, roughly 450gr total weight. 16 strand D97 string from Lancaster, no string silencers on it yet. Haven't shot this by the chrono but I bet it's around 180fps. Vitals/CNS traced from a shotgun patterning target.

Yes, this broadhead is dull as shit, it may have gotten to know the gravel behind my target more closely than it would like (several times).

User Name : meta_gabbro

Bow Brand : Hoyt

Bow Model : Satori (19", Nika C1 limbs, 62AMO, 44# otf)

Sight Brand : N/A (Using vertical tip of broadhead)

BH Brand : Magnus (Bullhead, 125gr)

MER : 30

Hit (X/3) : 1/2

 

[Brado16]

User Name :Brado16

Bow Brand :Hoyt

Bow Model :RX9 Ultra LH

Sight Brand : Spot Hogg

BH Brand : Iron Will 100

MER :60 yards- Center Hex of Matrix Target

Hit (X/3) :2/3

68#, 30.0” DL, 513 grn TAW at 278 FPS.

1st time shooting a bow at a target since last fall. Holy Pin Wobble!!!!

Day 1: 40 degrees and slight wind from behind. Shot felt good.


Day 2. 10 MPH L to R crosswind, 40 degrees. Shot felt really good.

 

[Alpineelk]

User Name :Alpineelk

Bow Brand :bowtech

Bow Model : solution ss

Sight Brand :axcel landslide

BH Brand :grim reaper hades

MER :70

Hit (X/3) :0/2

Calm sunny and warm. Mer 70. Shooting for the yellow circle on the 18n1 rhinhart. Hit slightly low and out. Miss for day one. Honestly not sure why I hit low. All my practice I've been struggling with side to side but not height must have been the extra pressure. Hades 3 blade. 70 lb. 27.5 draw. Taw 425gr

Day 2. Calm overcast. Miss. I'm already frustrated with my performance. I've got to get better

 

[BadEarth]

User Name : BadEarth
Bow Brand : G5 Quest
Bow Model : Drive
Sight Brand : Black Gold 8 Pin
BH Brand : Magnus 4 Blade Buzzcut
MER : 60 yards
Hit (X/3): 1/3

Haven’t shot my bow since September when I arrowed my 25’ buck. 4” center circle.

Day 1: 50 degrees no wind

Day 2: 55 degrees no wind

 

[ResearchinStuff]

User name: ResearchinStuff
Bow Brand: PSE
Model: carbon Mach 1
Sight: spot hogg Tommy hogg
Broadhead: qad exodus 100 gr full
MER: 70 on deer vitals, farthest I've done for a cbc
0/3

About an inch right on this first shot.

So excited to see if I made a better shot I dropped my bow arm


Completed the trifecta on day 3. Told y'all I forgot how to shoot on Thursday. Definitely can't be spinning fixed heads at animals at 70 this year.

 

[Jstumbaugh]

User Name : jstumbaugh

Bow Brand : Bowtech

Bow Model : Solution

Sight Brand : Spot Hogg

BH Brand : Iron Will

MER : 65 yards

Hit (X/3) : 3/3

Drizzling weather today. 65 yard MER at a 7” circle in the rhinehart. Solid hit to start with the compound.
Day 2- clean break and a good hit to start the morning off.
Day 3- clean break and same result. I focused on a smaller target and cut my MER by 5 yards this year. Maybe stretch it out a bit more for 2027.

User Name : jstumbaugh

Bow Brand : PSE

Bow Model : Nighthawk

Sight Brand : NA

BH Brand : Iron Will

MER : 20 yards

Hit (X/3) : 3/3

Haven’t been shooting the recurve much at all and made a solid shot today.
Day 2- I really need to try to kill something with the recurve. It’s more of a mental thing that I feel handicapped in the woods with it. Need to just do it and make the best of it hunting some of my tighter funnels.
Day 3- shot broke clean and hit good.

 

[Arrowjack0807]

User Name :Arrowjack0807

Bow Brand :Elite

Bow Model :Remedy

Sight Brand :Spot Hog

BH Brand :Shuttle-T

MER :20 Yards

Hit (X/3) :3/3

My second year bow hunting and I’m hoping to have my first archery kill this fall. On my last one I was roughly 3” low from the middle.

 

[cq0302]

User Name : @cq0302

Bow Brand : Hoyt

Bow Model : Rx-7 ultra 70#

Sight Brand : black gold ascent verdict w/ precision cut tape

BH Brand : iron will 100gr

MER :65yds

Hit (X/3) :2/3

Arrow setup is a victory rip tko elite 300 with 50gr brass insert, 25 gr iron will impact collar, 100gr iron will dual bevel, iron will vanes (can’t remember which, but they steer these phenomenal) . I almost switch to the 5.0 when they came out but I’ve never been this confident in an arrow setup. I had one arrow/broadhead combo that finally gave up on its 6th go when it broke. Sharpened the broadhead and back in action.

As for the range, I’m generally confident out to 75, but after a long winter of not shooting I backed that down a bit.


Shot 1:was a hit this morning. I’m considering a hit anything in the vital on my glendel, but I’m aiming lower left for heart double lung. There was no wind on this shot and it hit maybe an inch or so lower than I was aiming. Calling it a good shot though.

Shot two: weather was excellent, almost no wind. I’ll call this a hit as well, although a little higher than I’d like, it definitely would’ve been a lethal shot. based off yesterdays shot I aimed just slightly higher, not knowing if the shot was me or the bow that had me a little lower than I wanted, this arrow landed exactly where I was aiming so I can only think it was me yesterday that sent it a little lower than.

 

[Ten Bears]

User Name :Ten Bears

Bow Brand PSE

Bow Model :Mach 1 Carbon Stealth

Sight Brand :Spot Hogg Fast Eddie

BH Brand :Valkyrie 160 Short Jag

MER :40

Hit (X/3) :3/3 on elk

First time pulling the bow back since last September so this is the coldest of cold bow challenges for me. Went with a 40 yard MER downhill angle which is way shorter than I typically shoot. But with a 7 month layoff I didn’t want to go overboard.

Day 1
Cloudy- little sprinkle of rain.
Shot was totally fine all things considered.





Day 2

Really nice out. No wind - sunny
Shot was fine. Bow needs some adjusting as both shots have went right roughly 4 inches. Don’t think that was my fault. I’ll adjust after I wrap up the CBC



Day 3
Really nice out. No wind. Sunny
Shot was fine. Noticed one of fletching is loose facing the point side. Could explain my arrow flying right. I’ll figure that out now that I am done.

 

[feanor]

User Name : Feanor
Bow Brand : Mathews
Bow Model : V3X 33
Sight Brand : Sword Sight
BH Brand : Magnus Stinger 100 gr.
MER : 75
Hit (X/3) : 2/3

60 degrees and sunny with 10 MPH left to right
Completely whiffed the target to the right. Just shows how important practice is. Torqued the shot no doubt.




Day 2 Hit - Calm and 40s with a much better shot. That’s what a good cup of coffee does for you.


Day 3 : Hit. Calm and 45 -sunny with sun in my eyes. Much better finish to a terrible start.

 

[Moosehunter]

In for the year. 80 yards set as MER is very much a maximum but wanted to push myself to that for the spirit of the challenge.
Thanks to @robby denning and all the sponsors here. Amazing opportunity and helps us be realistic with our expectations.
Enjoy the pressure as well.

User Name :Moosehunter
Bow Brand : Bowtech
Bow Model :Revolt x
Sight Brand :Black gold
BH Brand :Evolution Jekyll
MER :80 / 7" circle
Hit (X/3) :1/3

Day 1: Hit. Nerves had me a little but shot broke clean and we'll take it
Day 2: miss. Shot felt ok broke a little sooner than anticipated. Just barely caught the target low and right for a terrible shot. No good excuse

 

[Sponge]

User Name : Sponge

Bow Brand : Glenn Parker

Bow Model : Grey Wolf - 53@28 - 62" recurve

Sight Brand : Point on with OEM eyeball

BH Brand : Zwickey Delta

MER : 29 yards (point on distance with this setup)

Hit (X/3) : 0/2

This is real cold for me, haven't picked up a bow in more than 8 months.

Broadhead, Zwickey Delta. Arrows are 400 spine Big Jim dark timbers with 50 gr inserts. Total point weight is 175-ish. 4 inch parobolic feathers. Paper plate to represent whitetail deer vitals


Day 1 Shot. Sunny and windy, but in my protected backyard. Very wobbly with my hold and really having to focus on the shot process. Hit just a bit low of my of the plate, release felt ok. I need to hold slightly higher and/or make sure I'm fully expanded in my draw for the next shot, & focus on anchor.


Day 2. Cool, sunny, calm, after coffee. Miss high, but staying on the centerline. Also, looking over my plate, looks like I cut the edge with the day 1 shot, good to see but keeping the day 1 score as a miss.

 

[Elkhntr08]

User Name :Elkhntr08

Bow Brand :Hoyt

Bow Model :VTM34

Sight Brand :Spot Hogg

BH Brand : Sevr Ti 1.75 Hybrid

MER :60 6” kill zone

Hit (X/3) :1/3, 2/3

Days 1 & 2 were mirrored days. Damp, little or no wind and in the upper 50s.
Final shot tomorrow will be standing and after that, I’m going to shoot again from my knees and see how that goes. Wish me luck, mainly at getting back up!
Last morning was another perfect day. Upper 50s and no wind.
Last picture was 30 yards, on my knees with quiver on. Time to start practicing like I’m going to elk hunt.
Good luck everyone, Jim.

 

[mtbowhntr]

User Name :mtbowhntr

Bow Brand :Hoyt

Bow Model :Rx-5

Sight Brand :Spot Hogg boonie

BH Brand :Sevr Ti 2.0

MER :60 yards

Hit (X/3) :2/3

Day 1.Shooting for the plate. Shot felt as about as good as it can for not shooting in about 3 months. There was a pretty good breeze but I was shielded for the most part. Day 2. Hit. 75 degrees with no wind. Pin was moving around a bit but still felt good.

 

[ND1612]

Beautiful morning to start out here, probably the only day where I'll get to shoot without a ridiculous wind.

Shooting the Victory RIP TKO Elite, 4 fletch Max Stealth with a reflective wrap, Iron Will 25gr HIT and Iron Will 25gr Ti collar. TAW 440gr, running right around 285 ft/s. After shooting with a Silverback for the last few weeks am back to my Nock2It release. Exact setup that I shot my buck with last season.

User Name : ND1612

Bow Brand : Mathews

Bow Model : LiftX 29.5 - 28.25"/70#/80%

Sight Brand : Spot Hogg Boonie 2p

BH Brand : Iron Will S100

MER : 50yd, 4.5" black circle

Hit (X/3) : (2/3)

Day 1 - Hit, just barely. Sliced the edge of the black

Day 2 - Hit - Another beautiful blue sky day, light breeze coming straight at me out of the East. I did some stretching with a resistance band to try to loosen up my shoulders a bit. I've noticed that helps me feel a lot more stable with my shots, especially the first ones.

This shot felt good when it broke, LR was decent, just a bit low, but in the black at least. I'll have to bump my sight up by a yd for the next one. Traveling all week for work, so shot #3 will be a ways out now.

 

[TheCougar]

User Name : TheCougar

Bow Brand : Mathews

Bow Model : VXR

Sight Brand : MBG 5 pin slider

BH Brand : Exodus 125gr swept

MER : 70 yards

Hit (X/3) : 3/3

Target is the outlined vital insert in my 3d deer. 70 yards is pushing it for me, to be sure.





Shot #1: Hit. calm, 75 degrees. Mid-day. Felt like a clean release. Not too much pin float. I’m really focusing on shooting my wise-guy release like a tension. Setting my finger on the hair trigger, then just pulling back with my shoulders and letting my finger get pulled into the trigger and setting it off. If I punch it at this range, it will be immediately apparent.



Day 2: HIT. calm, cloudy this morning. Slightly punched the trigger. Not much, but it was there.




Day 3: HIT. Woohoo. In the ring. Calm again. Felt good, but I didn’t know the outcome until I walked up on it. I thought it might have been a little left, but it’s hard to tell when shooting 3D at that range. I just see the pin floating over the vital area and hope when the shot breaks that it’s not too bad.

 

[bjc]

User Name :Bjc

Bow Brand arton

Bow Model :tritech 35

Sight Brand :axcel driver

BH Brand :evolution outdoors Hyde

MER :60

Hit (X/3) :2/3 Day 1:Sunny and pretty windy first time doing this challenge. Shot felt great Day 2 I shot early in morning. Shot felt a little punchy but I was surprised it was still in my black 4 inch inside circle. No wind

 

[Mish-pop]

User Name: Mish-pop
Bow Brand: Elite
Bow Model: Energy 35
Sight Brand: Spot Hogg
BH Brand: Sevr Ti 1.5 Hybrid
MER: 55
Hit (X/3): 1/3

9 inch vital circle outside the 4 inch inner circle.

Same MER as last year. Been practicing to 60 and 70 yds but still not as consistent as I would like so 55 it is again. 63 degrees with a crosswind of 15 mph right to left. That much wind i would almost always try and get closer. I was shooting off my deck with wind blocked but arrow drifted to the left when it caught wind and cut the line. Calling it a hit but I will need to aim into the wind a little next time.

 

[BigWoods]

User Name : BigWoods

Bow Brand : Mathews

Bow Model : Traverse

Sight Brand : MBG

BH Brand : Sevr

MER : 53yds

Hit (X/3) : 1/3

8th Year Shooting the Challenge! I've changed up my setup a bit this year; going towards mechanicals since I feel like I end up chasing my tail every fall with little tuning & form issues which then hinders my confidence in the field. I'm still striving to maintain form and a tuned bow, but want to eliminate variables that could lead to a pour hit on a deer. I've also gone from a Spot Hogg Whipper Snapper (thumb release) to Stans Solex wrist release. I lost my old release in the field last fall and wanted to try something new; simplicity again wins out. My best groups are maybe a little larger, but the errors are smaller when things go wonky.

My target species is whitetail, represented by the 8" circle on my target. This is what the woods I hunt look like. Threading the needle through trees builds character.


Day One: 55deg, overcast with light winds. Drew and let down once as my foot position was feeling strange. Second draw and anchor felt good. Release was decent. Hit about 2" left of center. Not bad.


Day 2: Missed Low. Had a gusty wind from my right and was feeling rushed trying to get my shot off before the next gust. Gotta trust the float!


Day 3: well that didn't go great. Cool with gusty winds again. Drew and let down once. Got in my head. Drew again and tried to just let the pin float, but somehow dropped it low.