Proper Bow Fit

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Proper Bow Fit Guest Columnist Jay Strangis is filling in for Jeff this issue. Most bear hunting is not about making long-range shots; it is about picking a tiny patch of fur and putting the arrow on the spot while your heart is pumping madly. Assuming that shots on bear will be close, some hunters underestimate the accuracy necessary to make a clean kill. Pieplate groupings at 20 yards are not good enough. When nerves are high and it is “game on,” we need to shoot baseball-sized groups at 20 yards. Nobody wants to trail a wounded bear into the bush. Whether you are new to archery or have been in the sport for years, one of the best things you can do for your shooting is insuring your bow fits properly. You are going to be a much better shot at crunch time with a bow that fits. Looking back on my own shooting, I was years into the game before realizing my draw length was too long. This seems to be a common problem for many archers, one best recognized by frequent string slap on the forearm as well as only “fair” accuracy. Once I changed to bows with shorter draw length, my shooting improved dramatically. Getting Fit If you are new to the sport, we will assume that you have already determined which eye is dominant and whether you are a right or left hand 42

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With proper fit your bow arm should be slightly bent at the elbow while the elbow of your draw arm points straight back in a line parallel with the arrow. The bow should fit comfortably so that each time it is drawn it comes back to the same reference points on the face.

shooter. Let us also assume that you have chosen a bow with a draw weight that is comfortable for you. Now you need to determine your proper draw length. Checking draw length is not an exact science, because everyone is built differently. You may be 5´ 8˝, but have the arms of an ape, or you may be 6´ 2˝ with short arms (i.e. Payton Manning), so formulas based on height do not work. A better formula suggests measuring “wingspan;” your outstretched arms from fingertip to finger tip then dividing that distance by 2.5. This should get you quite close. Do not get hung up on the length of draw as if it were something to envy, as if longer were better. Taller shooters generally have longer draw lengths than shorter shooters and this is natural. A person with a longer draw length will have the advantage of a longer power stroke, drawing more speed out of a given bow, but a longer draw also means the arrow will be in contact with the string longer, making a given bow less forgiving. Shorter draw archers can actually handle more aggressive bows, those with shorter brace heights, better than long-draw archers. Once you have estimated your draw length it is time www.bear-hunting.com

July/Aug 2009

to get behind the bow and see how it fits. The bow should feel comfortable and natural in your hand and just as comfortable at full draw. Compound bows, unlike recurves, have distinct back walls; the farthest point the string can be drawn. If a bow you are testing feels mushy at full draw, it may be better to choose another model. Soft back walls erode accuracy because the arrow may be launched from a slightly different draw length from shot to shot. With your release aid attached to the string (or string loop), draw the bow until you hit the back wall. At this point your left arm (if you are right-handed) should be slightly bent at the elbow. If your arm is bent too much, your draw is too short. If your elbow is locked straight, your draw is too long. Locking that elbow also invites string slap. Your right arm is a good indicator of proper draw length too. Ask someone to stand behind you to judge the angle of your right forearm (the arm you draw with). Your right forearm should line up with the arrow with the elbow pointed straight back. If the forearm is angling outward (to the right) your draw is too short. If the forearm is pointing inward (your left) your draw is too long. Again, with the proper draw length, all this should come together in a comfortable, natural, not forced manner. Reference points will become important parts of your regular anchor points, so it is important to check and establish them now. With your face forward, not cocked sideways, notice where the knuckle on your draw hand touches your ear or cheek, if the bowstring ticks the end of your nose or crosses the corner of your mouth. These are important reference points as you establish your anchor point. Solid anchor point(s) are critical to shotto-shot accuracy. About Heavy Bows How about bow weight? Perhaps you are enamored with speed or power and feel you would like to shoot a heavy bow. Most adult males shoot between 55 and 65 pounds of draw weight with compound bows. Some shooters opt for 70 pounds and more. More draw weight means more speed, but there is a tipping point where the struggle to draw the bow will affect www.bear-hunting.com

your abilities as a hunter. I have long been a proponent of choosing bow weights that do not wear you out. To me, the 60-pound compound is a heavy enough bow to handle any animal in North America. Lately, with improvements in efficiency and speed among compound bow models, I feel even more confident in that statement. When muscles are cold from a long sit on stand and nerves are wracked by the excitement of a big bruin at close range, the body needs to perform on command to get the bow back smoothly. This is more easily accomplished with a comfortable bow weight, one that can be easily handled rather than one that causes the shooter to struggle at the moment of truth. Still, some guys like the monster bows, 70 and 80-pound models that generate enough horsepower to take out a house. A good number of these shooters could not pass a simple test of arm strength that involves sitting flat on the floor with legs outstretched and drawing the bow without raising the bow arm. Anyone who shoots a bow should evaluate themself from this starting point. If you struggle to draw and hold a bow, it will affect your accuracy negatively. Most bows have adjustable draw weights. Factories ship bows at the high end of these draw weights. By backing the limbs off evenly, the bow can be shot at any lesser draw weight, but bows do perform best when set at or close to their maximum. If you are a new shooter and order a bow with a 50 to 60pound draw, back the limbs down to practice and build arm strength before working up to its maximum weight. Conclusion Whether you are a new shooter or one that has been at the archery game for years, it is important to take a close look at proper bow fit. Not only will a bow that fits promote better overall accuracy, bit it will make you a better killing machine at the moment of truth. Originally published in the July/August 2009 issue of Bear Hunting Magazine - Reprinted by permission of Jay Strangis and Bear Hunting Magazine.

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