Who takes a back-up bow on out of state hunts?

[H'n'F]

I have done it both ways but have yet to need one. Who is taking a second bow on out of state hunts in case of a failure? One day hike out vs. losing an entire hunt? I'm on the fence about buying a second bow and just taking a poll and gathering info on who else struggles with this decision. Thanks all!

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[Dunndm]

There's a lot of "depends" in my opinion.
Are you backpacking? Staying somewhere hotel wise? If you have a UTV? Horses? All of that factor in. But in my personal opinion I would just have spare parts that you can carry in with a portable press.




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[bates]

I take 2 bows with me when i travel out of the country. its nice but not necessary...i feel today's bows are tough. hard to say if i would take both on a shorter out west trip though.

i think having tools, part and knowledge to fix issues is very important and the handier you are the less likely you need a backup.

then where is your back up going to sit while hunting, i would be hesitant to leave it in a hot car for a week.

not to hijack but those with 2 bows do you buy 2 of the same bow... or get a new one every year other year and sell the oldest?

 

[Kilboars]

I don't take a back up bow but I take a backup of everything else and a hand bow press.

 

[boom]

i dont.

i spent the money on a good travel case. toss in some spare parts, an extra release. i have a portable press (that now wont work on my new bow)

so far, so good.

 

[codym]

I take a back up bow, but I always take a back up gun as well. I'm a lefty so chances are if something happens to my bow I'm not finding a replacement. I take a backup and leave it in the truck when I horseback into the wilderness, seen a horse wreck destroy a limb once. I would rather lose a day ride out to the truck to get another bow then my entire elk hunt.

 

[Brendan]

Always - Backup Bow fully set up, plus press and tools to work on both. Not worth chancing a hunt I've been looking forward to for that long.

Had a 1 year old hoyt fail quite spectacularly last year when a limb delaminated at full draw. Fortunately, that was at the range in July. Had a friend lowering his bow down from a tree stand last year in Montana - rope broke, string came off, did enough damage he wouldn't have been able to use it again. Fortunately that was last night, or he would have been using my backup...

 

[theleo91386]

One goes in with me one stays at the trail head in the tack room of the horse trailer. had a small rodeo last season and ended up bending the dovetail bar on my sight. Rode out, switched out bows and hunted my way back into camp. It cost me half a day instead of a full one or more.

 

[Trial153]

I have taken a back up plenty of times, both driving and flying. Yes there are times its not feasible or possible but the times i could do it, it was nice to not have that worry.

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[Fishn4eyes]

Always do.

Haven't needed it yet but never say never.

 

[camping1601]

I just started to last year. Last fall I had a limb go 5 days before our deer season opened and If I didn't have a back up I would have missed the first week.
Had that happened two weeks earlier in CO without a back up, I'd have been screwed.

 

[Dapper]

I always do. In 2014 towards the end of my New Mexico elk hunt, I drew back my bow and the lower limb folded. With a back up bow sighted in and ready to go, I shot a 330" bull the next afternoon. Had I not had the back up bow, I'd have gotten skunked. Only time I've needed it.

 

[Elkhntr08]

Took a second bow to Africa and it never came out of the case. Going out west, I only take one bow. I can find a shop if I need to. Why do bowhunters feel the need to take a backup but rifle hunters don’t?

 

[codym]

Took a second bow to Africa and it never came out of the case. Going out west, I only take one bow. I can find a shop if I need to. Why do bowhunters feel the need to take a backup but rifle hunters don’t?

I don't rifle hunt much but when I do I take a backup. I birdhunt 30-40 days a year and always have a backup shotgun in the truck or polaris. I have had to loan it out more times than I can count.

 

[Superkodiak38]

I hunt with an ILF recurve and will have a second set of limbs in the truck. I have hunted with a wood/glass laminated longbow for the last 8 years but bought the ILF recurve riser just for this, would hate to fall and crack a limb and not be able to hunt !

 

[H'n'F]

When I rifle hunt WY I always take a back-up, as well as here at home. I'm really just looking for a pile of you guys to tell me "Of course I do, you can't go without a back-up!" That way I can justify it to my wife, who thinks I'm Bat $h!+ crazy...
Thanks for all of the replies so far!

 

[MattB]

Almost always, with the exception being where I do not have a place to leave it where it won't get damaged or stolen. With the time it takes to fix and re-tune, I'd much rather have a fully set up bow than the parts/tools to fix one.

 

[Ten Bears]

Interesting post.

This is my first year bringing my bow out west, usually a rifle guy.

A couple questions.

Do you prefer to basically duplicate your original set up regarding bow ? Or do you have a completely different rig just for the fun of variety ?

For those of you that don't pack a back up bow, what do you keep in your truck for a fix ? (strings, sight, wrenches, etc)

Also what do you guys like to keep in your pack for some minor bow fixes ?

 

[SunShine]

Always !


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[Brendan]

Ditto on carrying a backup rifle for rifle hunts. The way I look at it - I look forward to these hunts all year, and have a limited amount of time when I'm there. Equipment issues that take more time than a trip back to the truck are too much. Didn't Tony Trietch damage his primary Hoyt last year on one of his multi-hunt trips? Maybe he'll chime in....

In the field for my bow I carry serving thread and allen wrenches for key rest / sight parts. And a small-game tipped arrow so I can check I'm still sighted in.

In the truck - I've got pretty much everything except a draw board. Press, tools, spare sight, backup bow...

My backup bow is close, but not exact this year. As long as you have them both sighted in, and practice some with both, I think you're fine. Most economical option is to make your current bow your backup when you upgrade next, and sell your current backup if you have one.