Simplifying Bow Setup

[eddiewiggles]

Just some post-season thoughts I’m having as I count down the days until September. Also, I’m intentionally posting this in the whitetail section versus the archery, because I feel i can better reach the audience that id like to hear more thoughts and comments from.

I shoot a Mathews V3 31, 68lbs 29in DL. Front and rear bars, MBG 3 pin slider. I absolutely love my bow and shoot about as often as I can in the yard. This was the first year I really got into bow hunting and killed my first two deer with a bow (both does). I love tinkering and playing with gear. Sights, rests, releases, you name it. I don’t think I have an over complicated setup by any means, but have any of you ever “simplified” your bow set up for whitetail only hunting? The farthest I’ll shoot at a deer is 30 yards, maybe 35 if everything is perfect. With that in mind, I’ve often thought about going to a shorter ATA bow, simple 1/2 pin sight, ease up on the stabilizers, hell, maybe even back to an index release. There was times when I wished my bow was a little lighter, a little shorter, etc, although I can’t say that I ever missed a shot opportunity because of my gear. Maybe I’m just wanting someone to tell me I need another bow. A dedicated 3D bow and a simple hunting bow, idk. If anyone has had similar thoughts or done this themselves, let me know. Thanks


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[MightyWhitey]

Most of my hunting is for whitetails, but I use this setup for everything. It’s a CT9 with a drop away rest. I clip the index release right on to the string under the arrow and shoot it. I’ve been shooting like this a little over 20yrs. It’s a lot of fun. I don’t expect your wanting to go this simple but there’s a lot of room in between here and where you’re at now.

 

[Billy Goat]

You need another bow.

 

[Kularrow]

I like a shorter heavier bow for a tree stand hunt. I’ll take the extra advantages that stabilizers add all day especially if I only have to carry it to and from the truck to the stand and back.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I don’t use stabilizers. I use a single pin. That gets me 0-40 yards and still hold on the deer with my 60 lbs mods without ever dialing my sight. I love the simplicity of my setups.

 

[Lowg08]

I have about as simple set up as possible. Prime nexus 4, 30.5” DL 60#. No bars. I went away from them when I got the prime. Doesn’t need any. Hamskea fall away, HHA optimizer lite. Now here is the punch line. I have been working on the perfect blend of speed and weight. So far I’ve got 418gr arrow. Hold my pin dead on from 0-30. Let it fly. I’m tinkering with weight now. I can put 4 arrows 15,20,25 and 30 in a 3 inch circle. I’m willing to let my arrows have a bit more gap so going to start adding a little weight here and there. My tap goes all the way out to 80 so I can stretch it out if I want to. I leave mine locked on 25 yards.

 

[awbowhunter]

Shorter ATA....look at a Mathews Triax 28"
Amazing how forgiving it is to be so short. If you won't shoot out past 35 yards you could do a 20 and 30 yard pins and clear up site window. Ditch the stabilizers for stand hunting.

 

[mediocre_hunter]

Short ATA is handy for maneuvering in a stand...but I would rather have the forgiveness of a longer ATA bow. Especially given some of the bizarre angles you can get yourself into trying to get a shot on a deer that's not cooperating.

 

[signing off]

Going simple is a good thing.
And can play out in different ways too.
My 3 pin sight is set for simple today but could be tweaked in a different way down the road.
Currently I have the middle pin centered in the ring. And it helps with target panic. When a deer is in my sight ring, often I shoot unintentionally for center of the ring . That is the design of a sight ring/peep set up anyway. If he is close, my brain can get adjusted to the first pin and if he is far, go to bottom pin.
A 6-8 inch bee stinger type stabilizer can do a good enough job for most people. They reset a lot of record books when they hit the scene and are effective.

 

[Dennis]

I don't normally hunt whitetails, but I have simplified my bow setup. No stabilizers, no peep sight just a nose button, and a light weight EZV bow sight. Added weight back shooting heavier arrows.

 

[Hudsy]

OP, I shoot the exact same bow as you. I only use a 8 inch front stabilizer bar myself. Most shots for the whitetail in my area are relatively close so I don’t have a sidebar, or anything else is I typically use for 3D or TAC. I also only have a four arrow quiver to keep it simple.


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[signing off]

You said you love shooting and tinkering...Buy a hunting bow.

 

[Cmb213]

I have a Bowtech Solution SS which is 30" ata, seems nice and handy in the treestand. 8" front bar, no side bars. I run a spot hogg adjustable 2 pin sight mostly for range fun/TAC. I leave the sight alone during hunting season and it gives me a 20 and 33 yard pin. More than enough where I hunt in CT, NJ, PA. My quiver comes off the bow and hangs in the tree once I'm settled, I dont like a lot of stuff on the bow. I stick with an index/wrist strap release. Can't drop it out of the tree if its attached to me.

 

[sickles107]

My daily driver is a v3x33 with front and back bars, single pin slider.

The whole intention behind the setup is to send arrows at antelop, and it does it well.

A bit overkill for elk, as my last three bulls were shot within 30 yards.

I always toyed around with the idea of a second bow, something short, fixed 3 pin, no bars, basically close range short fast light.

 

[ThumbsMcGee]

I think a lot people have gone way too complex for hunting setups. I remember years ago the average shot on a whitetail was 18 yards, so are the side bars/back bars really needed. Indoors, my Omnia holds so well I may forgo a stabilizer all together.

Don’t get me started on sights. Holy crap those things have become complex boat anchors.

 

[Nickydunzo]

I had a similar thought last year. Took the rear car off. Shortened the front (kept it on more for carrying as I let it sit on my forearm as I walk) and changed to the MBG dual pin. The sight picture is nice with the vertical pins. I have it set to 20/30 but like that it slides for off season use without changing my setup. The 4 and 5 pin housings were too cluttered. And a hook index release works great for being a touch quicker.. at least for me it feels I can work my shot process faster

 

[cuttingedge]

For Whitetail I shoot a single pin set at 27 yards and my maximum shooting distance is 35 yards because of ethics. I use a 6 or 8 inch front bar and typically a tightspot quiver which I leave on the bow. The arrow rest is a Vaportrail gen 7 or a QAD HDX. My arrow weight is between 350 and 400 grains total weight. My poundage will be 60 to 64 pounds depending on the bow. So many whitetails over more than 4 decades of hunting I lost count.

 

[FLS]

I shoot single string bows now, but Ive killed a bunch with a very simple setup.

Whisker biscuit
Fixed single pin sight
Single stabilizer

 

[jonboy]

i’ve been shooting compound bows for over 40 years. I’m back to a fixed pin sight. Also have a Limbsaver stabilizer that cost me $2 installed on a Bowtech Reign 6. Bow sights shouldn’t be more complicated than a trigonometry problem. Simple is relaxed and care free. I just seem to be so much more relaxed and enjoy shooting more now that I’m not fidgeting with anything.

 

[NYSKIER]

Don't have the cash right now for a whitetail only bow but if I did, I'd do the following:

-Single Pin (Most if all shots are 40 and under anyway)
-Front Stabilizer
-Quiver (Detachable pending how your bow balances
-Limb driven or whisker biscuit rest

50lb draw weight so you can hold forever, I'd even think about 45 and shoot 25 and under