QUESTION: Archery Takedown Bow

Apr 2 2013 | Yosemitest

[Yosemitest]

What takedown Bow would you recommend for someone who is right handed, but due to shoulder rotator-cup damage, doesn't have full strength in his right arm? He's interested in backpacking and wants enough pull strength to kill medium sized game, up to deer.
Budget is a concern, but I don't want to buy him a piece of junk or a toy.

[Vendome]

That is a toy.

Having rotator cuff surgery 6 months ago and still recovering, I can’t think if a bow that would work.

It isn’t just the strength to pull one needs, it’s also the ability to steady the shooting plane from your back through your hands.

I shot bow all my life but, can’t conceive how I could even attempt with either right hand or left. I can shoot both but, ain’t heappening.

I’ve been thinking about a crossbow but, they are mostly verbotten

[Yosemitest]

I found a Horton Scout 125 Crossbow for $299.95.
But that's a new one, and a little more than I was hoping to spend.
But it's a thought.

[Durus]

An older bow is more likely to be heavier than a modern bow. It is more important than you might think. Another important consideration with old fiberglass limbs is that they weaken over time and deform inconsistently. This isn't always true of course but can be.

Draw length isn't something that be be toyed with. Have your friend get measured. You can pick up some bad habits shooting bows that are undersized or over sized.

[Vendome]

At 50% it isn’t going to happen.

It takes a fair amount of strength on a takedown or compound at various points throughout the pull.

Even if he could do it, he is going to pay for doing it. He probably knows what happens if he exerts too much on that arm.

I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t have to.

Heck, I won’t hike, snowboard, kayak, play baseball, tennis, nothing. Not worth the aggravation.

I out a bunch of stuff in storage Sunday and I’m oaying for it today in the front and back of my shoulder. As well, decreased range of movement due to pain.

[Yosemitest]

My friend took almost 2 years of therapy and exercise before he got comfortable with about half strength.

[Yosemitest]

Okay, thanks for the heads-up.

[varmintman]

It's nearly impossible to buy a compound bow for somebody other than yourself. The most critical thing is draw length, which absolutely has to be right. Once you had an idea of draw length and poundage, you could look for a bow on ebay.

The big innovation in archery over the past ten years or so has been the High Country carbon arrows.

[wrench]

Your friend needs to find someone with several style bows and see what he can comfortably shoot.

On a heavy weight bow, many archers partially anchor the string then push the bow away from the body to tension the bow. Your extensor muscles are stronger than the flexors in that part of the body. This style may help him, and works great with a compound bow. Then holding the string prior to the shot on a compound is easy due to the weight letoff.

45 years ago I shot left handed. Some time during thr interim I switched to right handed, but can still switch hit if needed, Your friend might see if left handed archery works.

Either way, 50 to 55 pound bow is plenty, either recurve or compound. Both can be had in take down, though the recurve is found more often.

[Vendome]

Really?

I was not aware of this.

I’ll look em up later.

If I can something to wind it up to full load, I might be able to get off some shots before calling it a day.

Thnx

[Yosemitest]

He says he's tired of sitting on his butt and wants to do some long hiking, backpacking before his knees won't let him.
He thought a bow might be fun and draw less attention than a hiking rifle or a handgun.

[21twelve]

I just briefly looked into bows and bow hunting. In my state (Washington), to hunt with one legally it has to be rated to at least 50 lbs or something, so something to look into. Of course if it is a survival situation - not so much.

Reminds me of the old Far Side cartoon where the two guys are out fishing and in the background are 4 or 5 mushroom clouds.

“What does it mean Harry!? I’ll tell ya what it means. NO size restrictions and SCREW the limits!”

[Yosemitest]

High country carbon arrows, okay.
So you definitely recommend getting measured for " an idea of draw length and poundage".
Okay, we'll do that, I guess at a sporting store that sells bows.

[cripplecreek]

I’m seriously considering a crossbow myself now that its legal to hunt with one here. I also have shoulder issues which takes a traditional bow off the table.

[Yosemitest]

Okay, thanks.

[Yosemitest]

That high quality one is definitely out of my price range, but thanks.

[saltlick]

Is this what you're talking about?

Yes, that is the bow. I got mine from 3rivers archery. A nice feature is that the bow may be taken down without an allen wrench, so one less tool to keep track of. This bow will require the additional purchase of an arrow rest (relatively inexpensive).

Also, the Sage is made in South Korea. If you want American-made in the same price range, you might research the PSE Stalker, although I have no personal experience with this bow.

[Yosemitest]

Thanks for the info.
I see we've got a lot of research and sizing to do.

[Yosemitest]

That’s funny.

[Yosemitest]

I've got some time in South Korea, 5 years+, and some of their stuff is pretty good,
but some of their fakes aren't worth a damn.

[Vendome]

Tell me about it. Just not worth the pain.

I can probably go for a hike but, I’ll be in bed the next day.

I think if he’s going to go, at this point, it might behoove him to go with someone or a group and let em know his limitations.

At least they will be aware of someone’s limitations and know when they need to pick up for him.

Two years ago, I’d do anything by myself, today I wouldn’t go on a hike alone and probably now with someone.

Just a few more months. Wish like hell it was over. I really didn’t think it’d go past three months.

I went cowboy shooting a couple of weeks ago and had not confidence in picking up a heavy lever action. Did great on six shooter and shotgun but, I wasn’t at all comfortable picking up a loaded weapon with a weak arm.

Mistakes happen.

Everyone let me off the hook