Does extreme cold effect bow performance?

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JoeRE
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Re: Does extreme cold effect bow performance?

Unread postby JoeRE » Sat Jan 06, 2018 1:14 am

I was regularly practicing with my compound outside around zero degrees this year (twice a week) and shot a buck after sitting on stand for 2 hours, temp was -4F and don't see any issues. That's just my bow though. Other bows might react differently. I haven't tried shooting my recurve in this weather, with a cold bow.

Only one way to know for sure what it will do just like every other situation/condition you might face while bowhunting. Practice. Make sure to set the bow outside for a while first so it gets fully cooled down. Just walking outside and taking a couple shots with a warm bow won't show much. Practice!

Related to that - if I am hunting in a rain I know I have to pluck my string quick before a shot to get the water off it, seems like all the water on the string, cables, limbs etc slows it down and arrows end up hitting a few inches low, not to mention water can obstruct the peep site....the devil is in the details.


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Re: Does extreme cold effect bow performance?

Unread postby ZA11 » Sat Jan 06, 2018 8:00 am

You may experience minimal noise in extreme cold coming from the pockets or from they rockers if the lack lube (esp Hoyt’s). Agree with JoeRE that rain (and even extreme heat) has more influence than cold does mainly to the string/cables. If a string/cables sucks in water and gets heavy it can influence the shot impact. That is why you see target archers cover their bow during the rain and especially since a lot of them of them have a string built with a lower wax content that promotes more stability (less movement). Obviously any changes in the string or cables in terms of length (excessive heat) or weight (water) can slightly alter cam timing, string oscelation, etc.

That being said I don’t believe any of the factors should be significant enough to alter the shot enough within 30 yards to be a major concern assumming the bow is in good working order
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Dewey
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Re: Does extreme cold effect bow performance?

Unread postby Dewey » Sat Jan 06, 2018 8:11 am

ZA11 wrote:You may experience minimal noise in extreme cold coming from the pockets or from they rockers if the lack lube (esp Hoyt’s). Agree with JoeRE that rain (and even extreme heat) has more influence than cold does mainly to the string/cables. If a string/cables sucks in water and gets heavy it can influence the shot impact. That is why you see target archers cover their bow during the rain and especially since a lot of them of them have a string built with a lower wax content that promotes more stability (less movement). Obviously any changes in the string or cables in terms of length (excessive heat) or weight (water) can slightly alter cam timing, string oscelation, etc.

That being said I don’t believe any of the factors should be significant enough to alter the shot enough within 30 yards to be a major concern assumming the bow is in good working order

I think your right. The cold is more of a factor for the shooter much more so than the bow. With my testing I notice very little difference in how my bow shoots. My form does change with cold muscles and my shooting does become affected. I will never take a shot over 20 yards at a deer anymore when temps are below zero.
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ghoasthunter
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Re: Does extreme cold effect bow performance?

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Sat Jan 06, 2018 1:49 pm

cold weather will change ballistics their is less drag on the arrow or bullet so flatter trajectories and lower humidity play in but that's with extreme ranges over a 100 yards with a bow staying stretched and limber is more of a concern and probably most peoples issue's
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Re: Does extreme cold effect bow performance?

Unread postby Bedbug » Sat Jan 06, 2018 2:17 pm

ZA11 wrote:You may experience minimal noise in extreme cold coming from the pockets or from they rockers if the lack lube (esp Hoyt’s). Agree with JoeRE that rain (and even extreme heat) has more influence than cold does mainly to the string/cables. If a string/cables sucks in water and gets heavy it can influence the shot impact. That is why you see target archers cover their bow during the rain and especially since a lot of them of them have a string built with a lower wax content that promotes more stability (less movement). Obviously any changes in the string or cables in terms of length (excessive heat) or weight (water) can slightly alter cam timing, string oscelation, etc.

That being said I don’t believe any of the factors should be significant enough to alter the shot enough within 30 yards to be a major concern assumming the bow is in good working order


Completely back Everything you just said.


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