Western Hunting Journal, Sneak Peak WHJ_Short | Page 25

Anatomy of a Hunting Bow
A
t first glance, modern compoun D bows may seem a bit complex and con-
fusing, however take a moment to break them apart piece by piece and they
quickly become marvels of modern engineering. Cutting edge materials and
design continue to allow advancements in weight savings, speed, strength and
shootability. Understanding the components of modern compound bows will allow you
to better choose from available models and options which best suit your particular ap-
plications. ERIC MARTIN
1 Cams Single, Dual, Binary (pictured) Hybrid,
or Round Wheel designs are common. Cam de-
sign plays a role in arrow speed, ease of draw, let
off, and the ‘wall’ felt at full draw. More rounded
designs will generally have a smoother draw, be
most forgiving in terms of accuracy, and may also
be a bit quieter, however may produce lower ar-
row speeds, have less let off, and have a spongy
wall that can impact shot consistency. Hatchet
shaped cams can produce blazing arrow speeds,
high let off and a solid wall at full draw, but can be
harder to draw and be a bit less forgiving.
2 Limbs Limbs power the shot process by releas-
ing the stored energy created when the drawn
bowstring flexes the limbs, and they spring back
to their original position when the string is re-
leased. Split limb designs better distribute the
stress over the whole limb, extending the life of
the limb, and help to save overall weight. Solid
limbs are very durable and stable.
3 Limb Pocket/Bolt The ends of the limbs fit
into the limb pocket, and attaches to the riser
via a bolt which also provides adjustment for the
draw weight range. Each bow is different in terms
of how much adjustment is possible, so always
follow manufacturer recommendations before
making any adjustments.
4 Riser The riser acts as the foundation of the
entire system, and provides the strength and sta-
bility of the bow. Riser materials are typically alu-
minum, magnesium or carbon, and may be cast
or machined. These materials play into overall
weight of the riser, as well as the strength. Risers
may also feature cut out designs to further reduce
weight.
5 Sight Sights commonly feature one to five pins,
and may be fixed in place or allow quick adjust-
ment in the field. Multi pin sights offer quick aim-
ing points for a variety of yardages, and the gaps
between pins can be used to help gauge distance
to target with practice by the user. Single pin
sights offer simplicity, and eliminate accidentally
aiming with the wrong pin in the heat of the mo-
ment. Single pin adjustable sights offer supreme
accuracy as they can be set for a measured dis-
tance in the field, though this requires a bit more
time and experience, and is not recommended
for beginners. Fiber optic sight pins offer the best
visibility under low light conditions.
6 Grip Modern bows typically have very slim,
minimalist grip designs. This results in less
torque when gripping the bow, greatly benefit-
ting accuracy.
7 Stabilizer Stabilizers help to reduce move-
ment and aid target acquisition when aiming.
Some feature vibration damping devices which
reduce shock and noise from the shot. They can
also help balance a bow, producing a better fol-
low through after the shot.
8 Wrist Strap/Sling A relaxed grip will pro-
duce the most accuracy, however if you are too
relaxed, your bow may end up on the ground af-
ter a shot. A wrist strap will add a bit of security.
9 Quiver A quiver will keep arrows at the ready
while hunting. Most mount vertically off the ris-
er, while some mount horizontally and double as
a stabilizer. Quivers also affect the balance of a
bow, so even if not being used when simply target
practicing, make sure to practice with the quiver
mounted to best replicate hunting scenarios.
10 Speed Buttons Small weights attached to
the string near the cams will help to reduce
string oscillations at the shot, allowing the string
to track straighter and recover faster, reducing
wasted energy and increasing arrow speed.
11 String Modern bowstrings are made from
some of the strongest fibers available. Unlike
strings of old, these newer fibers last longer, pro-
duce little or no stretch, are less affected by tem-
perature and weather, and require significantly
less ‘break in’ time.
12 Peep Sight Accuracy comes from shot con-
sistency, and use of a peep sight greatly benefits
a consistent anchor and aiming point. Hunting
peeps will have a larger opening to allow more
light transmission, and may also have a piece of
tubing to ensure the peep is always aligned cor-
rectly when the bow is drawn. Target peeps will
have a smaller opening for fine tuned aiming.
Some peeps are even available with lenses to in-
crease sight pin and target clarity.
13, 14 Cable Guard/Slide The cable guard
moves the cables to the side to allow clear path
of travel for the arrow off the bowstring. Guards
closer to the rest will allow the best clearance
while also producing the least amount of torque
on the cables. The cables may be guided along
the guard by either a slide, or a system of rollers.
15 Nocking Point The area on the string where
the arrow attaches is the nock point. In the case
of this photo, a “D Loop” system is used which
produces even tension above and below the ar-
row, and allows for a release aid to be attached
directly behind the arrow. Finger shooters will
typically use a knock button on the string. The
nock point greatly influences bow tuning, so
make sure this is set up by a professional.
16 Rest The rest holds and guides the arrow. The
primary styles are shoot through, and drop away.
Shoot through rests use fiber bristles to hold the
arrow from several sides, and at the shot, the ar-
row fletching simply passes through the bristles.
It is argued that this can impact accuracy a bit, as
well as reduce arrow speed. Drop away rests use a
string attached to either the cables or limbs of the
bow which pull the rest arms up into position as
the bow is drawn. At the shot, tension on the guide
string is released, and the rest drops away instantly
for complete arrow clearance. A downside to drop
away systems is more moving parts, and the possi-
bility for brush, snow or debris affecting the move-
ment of the rest at the moment of truth.
17 Brace Height The distance from the back of
the ‘throat’ of the grip to the string is called the
brace height. Short brace height is generally at-
tributed with producing greater arrow speed.
Short brace height is also less forgiving on form
miscues, and may impact accuracy a bit.
18 String Suppressor A relatively newer fea-
ture of most compound bows is a string suppres-
sor. A rear facing rod mounted off the riser has
a rubber bumper which stops the forward trav-
el of the string after a shot. This helps to reduce
string travel and oscillation, greatly reducing the
amount of noise given off at the shot.
19 Cables The cables are the drive train of the
shot process, helping to transfer energy into the
limbs when the bow is drawn. Some cables go
from the cam to the opposite limb axle (dual cam),
while others run from cam to cam (binary cam)
which ensures timing of the two cams remains
consistent. Like the string, cables are now made
with advanced fibers and can handle several years
of heavy use before needing to be changed.
20 Axle to Axle Length The distance from the
axle pin at the end of each limb is called the axle
to axle. Modern, long riser/parallel limb design
bows create incredibly short a2a lengths, which
makes packing bows through brush, or maneu-
verability when shooting out of a blind or tree-
stand a breeze. Longer a2a bows are preferred by
finger shooters, as the string angle is less severe
at full draw, reducing finger pinch. Longer a2a
bows are also more forgiving, benefitting accu-
racy, and are a better choice for the beginning
shooter.
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