Stabilizers for Hunting only Bow

[AaronMColeman]

Personally I like as few things as possible dangling off my bow, pack, body, everything when I'm in the woods. I've always been able to get the bow to balance pretty well with a tight spot quiver, so I've never really considered a quiver. So this is very much a question about a problem that doesn't really exist.

So why do you use a stabilizer on a hunting bow? My experience has been that modern bows balance really nicely without one and it's just added bulk and stuff to get caught on stuff when walking around. I'm open to playing around with a stabilizer, I just don't really see the need for one hunting.

The two answers I came up with are: 1) don't fix what isn't broken...but that's not gonna happen, we are on a hunting forum where the goal is to fix problems that dont' exist and 2) I'm not good enough with a bow to see a difference but better guys would see some benefit from a stabalizer.

 

[Patriot2]

I agree 100% with your analysis. Just bought a used Bowtech Carbon Icon to save a pound. The last thinig I will do is add the weight back in a stabilizer. That said, I see people hunting steep western terrain with stabilizers - sometimes large ones, and that seems to suit them fine. To each their own I guess.

 

[bsnedeker]

50 yards and in its probably wasted weight. I shot my elk at 75 last season and I want the stability it offers when shooting at that distance. I have a Ventum 33 with the short stabilizer that comes with it and it works great.

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[KHNC]

I use Dead Center Archery carbon 8" stabilizer on my Bowtech's while hunting. Not very heavy and im used to shooting with it on there. Seems to make a difference for me. I have cut weight on my sight, rest and quiver already. I chose to keep the Stab on mine.

 

[Billy Goat]

My western hunting bows I haven't been using bars on. I don't want the extra 3/4 pound, and my shooting without them doesn't suffer enough to not be hunting accurate.

Frequently carrying my bow, that 3/4 pound hurts my shooting more than what it gains me.

 

[Holocene]

Last year I started shooting a 15" rear / 10" front setup with about 13 oz. on the back and 3 oz. up front.

The extra weight you get used to. The extra bulk is nothing -- I fight and tangle with my bugle tube more than my bow.

Generally, there are two benefits to long stabilizers and heavier bows. The added weight 1) calms down your float while aiming and 2) reduces torque immediately after the release in situations where you are tired and shaky, at an odd angle, nervous -- basically most hunting shots.

There can be diminishing returns to extra weight. The bow can get so heavy that your float suffers. That's based on personal strength. And, if you just throw random stabilizers on there your shooting and torque could actually be worse. It takes me multiple sessions of tuning and grouping on vertical and horizontal axes (sharpie marks drawn on paper and shooting groups at 50 yards while adding a ounce here, taking off an ounce there) to dial things in.

These dynamics play in to rifle and shotgun shooting as well. Everyone shoots heavier guns better, especially at distance and the margins. But is carrying a heavy weapon worth it in your situation? That all depends.

 

[Holocene]

PS, the stabilizer game is freaking expensive. So is paying $200-400 in bars and weights worth it to you to increase your max effective range by maybe 10 yards? That's another way of looking at it.

 

[AaronMColeman]

I love that there are like 6 responses in a row with profile pictures of dead elk. I guess the proof is in the pudding!

Yeah the bugle tube gets in the way all the time, that was my fear with sticking another 10-15" on the front of my bow. I don't shoot much past 50y in practice anyway...I'd like to start shooting further so maybe I'll play with the stabilizer this year and see how it goes.

Thanks guys! Great points all around. On another popular forum used for "talking about archery" this would not have gone so well.

 

[Button]

This thread would be a shit show on AT

 

[jpmulk]

Ive tried shooting with and without a front stabilizer. For me, i noticed a significant difference on my ability to handle the bow on follow through with a 10” stabilizer.

Probably a lot of it comes down to what youre used to. Which may or may not be right. But ignorance is bliss sometimes. One of my hunting buddies has hunted archery for years. First time i shot with him, i noticed he had horrendous form and incorrect draw length. Hed shot like that for years and killed ek that way, including a 350 bull. Just didnt know any better and found a way to shoot ok. He has since gotten some better instruction and now shoots much more consistently.

 

[5MilesBack]

I hunt with what I shoot year round, and year round I use a stabilizer. I use a 10" B-stinger Sport. Couldn't even tell you what it weighs because I've been using it for years. I've never had an issue with it on the bow, but I do shoot better than without it. If I didn't have one on the bow, I could do OK without it, but for elk hunting I'm not looking for "just OK". I don't like the feel of the bow without a stabilizer, especially after the shot. I have a 17oz 12" B-stinger as well, and it's hard to move the bow off target using that thing. But just too much for hunting.........unless I'm hunting in a lot of strong wind.

 

[4ester]

Stabilizers absolutely can help a bow hold better, but it’s up to you if it’s acceptable at the distances you feel comfortable shooting.

I’m shooting indoors now and have slowly increased my front and back bar weight to help my float…..

But come hunting season I’m going to use my back bar only because I’m not going to shoot over 60 yards.


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[4rcgoat]

Been using a 15" stab up front for the last 4 seasons for elk and mule deer in the mountains and whitetail from the stand, hardly know its there most of the time. Makes a great kick stand when leaning it against a tree.

 

[AkRyan]

Imo bars help you maintain your shot longer. When I shoot at home or the range the targets never walk behind trees or turn face on to me, they just sit there broad side in the open waiting for me to let the arrow fly.
In hunting as we all know SH1T HAPPENS! Adrenaline, nerves, fatigue, etc etc. When hinting we owe it to ourselves and the animal to make the cleanest most ethical shot.

If your on the fence about a front or back bar do this. Go run around your block with your bow in hand then stop and come to full draw, if your pin isn't drawing pentagrams then your probably ok without them but if it is (80%+) you need to work out more or you need to STABILIZE you bow.

 

[TheLoamRanger]

Been using a 15" stab up front for the last 4 seasons for elk and mule deer in the mountains and whitetail from the stand, hardly know its there most of the time. Makes a great kick stand when leaning it against a tree.

I saw someone else doing this too! Maybe a slightly shorter stabilizer, but with an angled mount for the same effect. Seems handy.


I'm new to archery, so I've been experimenting quite a bit to get a feel for how it all works best for me.
I definitely noticed the ~12" stabilizer I built has a noticeable steadying effect for me at 40+ yards compared to no stabilizer. I'm not sure I'd want anything much longer up front though - maybe just long enough to act as a kick stand haha.

I still need to play around more with the back bar at this point. I built a stabilizer & mount that was a little light, so I had to extend it pretty far out to the side to balance out my quiver, which I disliked. I think more weight will make it lower profile. I suspect it will be less noticeable/bulky than a quiver when all is set and done.

 

[Mountain_Life]

I use a 12" stabilizer up front primarily so that I can set the bow down without the site, cams or strings pushing into the ground. It is one of the lightest stabilizers I can find. It also works as a great balancing handle when the bow is resting on the top of my shoulders/pack.

 

[AaronMColeman]

This thread would be a shit show on AT

I had an account for years, now it has asked me to confirm my email for the last year and I can't get in. Maybe that's better.

 

[AaronMColeman]

Imo bars help you maintain your shot longer. When I shoot at home or the range the targets never walk behind trees or turn face on to me, they just sit there broad side in the open waiting for me to let the arrow fly.
In hunting as we all know SH1T HAPPENS! Adrenaline, nerves, fatigue, etc etc. When hinting we owe it to ourselves and the animal to make the cleanest most ethical shot.

If your on the fence about a front or back bar do this. Go run around your block with your bow in hand then stop and come to full draw, if your pin isn't drawing pentagrams then your probably ok without them but if it is (80%+) you need to work out more or you need to STABILIZE you bow.

Funny you say this, I tend to shoot a short session a few times a week immediately after working out. My heartrate is about 120 - 130 when I get to the bow (my resting rate is 45 so it takes a lot to get to 130). And you are right, that pin is all over. It's good enough to hit an elk size target easily at 50y...but that's shooting at a bag with known distance in my yard versus the bull of a lifetime screaming it's head off and i'm on a 45 degree slope. So maybe I'm in that 80%.

 

[WoodBow]

I found that a stabilizer does not improve my accuracy so I haven't used one in at least 10 years. I shoot plenty well out to 70-80. Past that and my pins are too big to hold fine enough.

 

[AkRyan]

I found that a stabilizer does not improve my accuracy so I haven't used one in at least 10 years. I shoot plenty well out to 70-80. Past that and my pins are too big to hold fine enough.

Have you adjusted to weight on the bars or tried different lengths? I tried a pare of boots once that I didn't like but I still like boots just not those ones. Not trying to be a smart ass but physics are physics and a heavier bow with weight outfront and back to balance will always be more accurate you just need to find the right combination.