Fine Tuning Your Bow In The Off Season
Deer season is over. Now is a great time to prepare yourself and your archery gear for the next season. Many bowhunters rarely tune their bows, rarely replace strings and cables, and often procrastinate when it comes to fine tuning their form. The best time to do these things is in the dead of winter when most bowhunting seasons are closed. Below are a few things all bowhunters can do during the off season to make sure that when hunting season arrives, they are ready.
Many bowhunters notice during the middle of deer season that their bow string is looking pretty rough or the cables are starting to fray. Since they want to hunt and don’t want to drop their bow off at the pro-shop, many hunters put off the task of having new strings and cables put on. When hunting season ends, many hunters put their bow in the case and forget about it until the next summer. “We have many customers that come into our shop right before deer season and want us to put new strings and cables on that day. Everyone wants their bow worked on during the late summer,” John Schaffer from Schaffer Performance Archery noted. “The best time to have a bow tuned up is during the dead of winter. Hunting season is closed and very few people are having their bows worked on so the turn around time on a bow is very quick.”
Another thing bowhunters should consider during the off season is their shooting form. “Many bowhunters develop bad habits. They punch the trigger on the release, they peak when they are about to shoot, and some let their bow creep down as they shoot,” Schaffer explained. “All these things can rob a bowhunter of accuracy.” One way to solve some of these problems is to go to a pro shop that offers lessons. A few shooting lessons can drastically improve the down range accuracy of most bowhunters.
The offseason is a great time to try out new broadheads, buy new arrows, and any other accessories you may need. Nothing is more aggravating than trying to sight in a new bow sight days before the season opens. Buying one in February gives the bowhunter plenty of time to fine tune his setup.
Just because it it is cold outside doesn’t mean bowhunters should give up on shooting. I have set up a target in my basement and shot at 10 yards in the winter. Just a few arrows a day inside helped me overcome a few of my bad shooting habits and it can be a lot of fun.
Bowhunters shouldn’t get the winter blues this time of year. Instead they should get their bow tuned up and ready for next season so when the fall arrives, all they have to worry about is hunting.
