Shooting yoir bow while on a backpack hunt

[7mm-08]

I've never shot in the back country. As others have said, if you ain't dialed when you arrive, its because of your lack of preparation. I often go a week or two without shooting one arrow and the next time I shoot, its like I shot every day for the previous month.

 

[Swamp Fox]

On my backpack hunts, I take the "Backpacker" by Grizz Targets and Archery. It doubles as a flat cook surface and a glassing pad. It weighs 2.5 lbs and is made from high density foam. It is designed with strings built in so you can hang it to shoot it. The design is built so you hang it some where and when the arrow hits it, the high density foam and the swinging action absorbs the energy. I'm shooting 72 lbs, 30" draw, 453 grain arrow at 286 FPS and the arrow will only go half way though with a broadhead on

Here is the link if anyone is interested.

Broadhead Targets

Targets that you can shoot Broadheads and Field Points at from Large Range Targets to Small Back Packers.

www.grizztargetsarchery.ca

How many broadheads before it is destroyed?


Better with field points?

Pricing?

 

[KyleSS]

That is an interesting idea... Although I don't know if I would want to carry the extra 2.5lbs deep into the backcountry even though it can have other purposes.

Just like every hunt, you need to weigh the pros and cons of each piece of gear. Know my bow is on at the start and during the hunt is paramount for me.

I've taken it on multiple mountain goat and bighorn sheep hunts

 

[KyleSS]

How many broadheads before it is destroyed?


Better with field points?

Pricing?

Not sure how many shots till its destroyed. I have probably 200 shots into it and its still going strong.
Since you hang it, its more the swinging action on the branch that soaks up the energy along with the foam.

It stops broadheads and field points with about the same penetration.

 

[Cameron.25]

I bring a stump shooting head and shoot a few every day or so when hanging at camp

 

[tdoublev]

This year we found another guys arrow stuck in a healthy tree base around camp. I did not want to lose my arrow as the previous guy had, so I found an old rotten stump to shoot into hoping it will pull out easier. My arrow blasted through the rot and then found more solid wood underneath. Ending up breaking off my half-out while trying to dig it out. Then my brother simply unscrewed the arrow shaft from the field point from the other guys arrow in the healthy tree and saved it. Felt really dumb after that. If you can’t find any other solution, I’d recommend shooting the field point into a very healthy tree and try to leave the field point behind - ideally it won’t go in very far with healthy wood but you also risk cracking the shaft. The arrow we saved wasn’t fancy carbon and it was still intact. Might work similarly with an old broadhead if you have one to lose

 

[Tilzbow]

On my backpack hunts, I take the "Backpacker" by Grizz Targets and Archery. It doubles as a flat cook surface and a glassing pad. It weighs 2.5 lbs and is made from high density foam. It is designed with strings built in so you can hang it to shoot it. The design is built so you hang it some where and when the arrow hits it, the high density foam and the swinging action absorbs the energy. I'm shooting 72 lbs, 30" draw, 453 grain arrow at 286 FPS and the arrow will only go half way though with a broadhead on

Here is the link if anyone is interested.

Broadhead Targets

Targets that you can shoot Broadheads and Field Points at from Large Range Targets to Small Back Packers.

www.grizztargetsarchery.ca

I made several (four) similar 12” x 12” targets from a single 24” x 24” x 2” sheet of the highest density ethafoam I could find. I bought two sheets in 2010 before a Dall Sheep hunt and still have one uncut sheet in the garage. They‘ve worked well on several hunts using them the way you described. They can also be propped up on the ground when there are no trees around but penetration increases significantly if they aren’t allowed to swing. It’s a good option when hunting areas with lots of rocks and little soft dirt.

I don’t necessarily disagree that practice isn’t really needed with compounds during a hunt if you’re prepared (trad bows are differen). As Mike Tyson said, “ Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” The target saved my butt on a Stone Sheep hunt after I took a nasty slip and fall and banged my bow hard on the rocks on day 14. A few shots later and a couple adjustments and everything was dialed back in and I harvested on day 15.

 

[Laramie]

My shooting routine from 2 weeks before season, all the way through archery season, is to shoot one arrow a day. Of course if I find a problem, I'll shoot more to correct the problem but the idea is to completely focus on that single shot. That said, I absolutely shoot every day during a hunt, even if it is with the use of a light back at camp after dark. The system has worked very well for me for 30+ years of bow hunting. 99% of my practice shots away from the truck are into a soft dirt bank.