Do or don’t and why?

[vtbuck]

When I’m not in a tree or shooting my bow it’s in its home, it’s case. I really only let the guys at the bow shop touch it. My bow ,besides the cost, is an extension of me and I strongly believe I am personally responsible for it’s upkeep and making sure it’s shooting true. I owe it to the animals I attempt to harvest with it.
I’m curious as to if other Beast members restrict who they let handle their personal equipment such as bows, guns, treestands and sticks, etc....

[JakeB]

There’s certain friends I would let borrow most of my stuff except my vital hunting equipment (atv, go-devil, bow, stand, and sticks). If any one of those breaks or is lost/stolen it’s a pretty big amount of effort,time, and money to get it taken care of.

I have let people shoot my bow before, but I do not let anyone draw it back without an arrow knocked. If you don’t feel safe knocking an arrow it doesn’t need to be drawn. 100% would not let someone pull my bow back without a release either. It’s pretty easy to derail the newer bows with a little torque.

I probably don’t take all that good of care of my bow during season. It gets used. I bought it to hunt with and not a show queen.

[Evanszach7]

My bow rides shotgun in my vehicle throughout the season. If a non-hunting buddy of mine wants to shoot it; sure. That’s how I got into bow hunting a few years ago. My brother had a buddy move hear from Denmark who happened to be a guide there. Brother shot his bow, then bought a used one. I randomly shot my brothers and bought a used one within the week.

Hunter recruitment is more important than my old used bow. The bow is a tool, and guys forget it’s got more than 1 job. To me, it was the main reason I got back into hunting. Lots of stories just like mine out there.

[Steelhead125]

I am not overly obsessed with hunting equipment. Spend time making sure my bow is dialed in well before the season starts and shoot it throughout the season for practice and to make sure nothing is off. With that being said I don’t own a bow case and my accessories that I have on it are relatively inexpensive. They work well though and get the job done.
As far as letting others handle my bow.....at times I get a little anxiety . The neighbor came out a few weeks ago and asked if he could look at. I was worried he may try to draw it by to my relief he didn’t. When I first got it 7 years ago a few hunting buddies of my pulled it back to see how it felt. My heart sort of went in my throat. Never know when someone may accidentally dry fire it.

[Bowhunting Brian]

"Because there is no try." Master Yoda.

[Jonny]

95% of the people I know/spend time around, I don't let play with my gear, and I don't play with their stuff. Been burned way too much when I use somebodies gear, and it breaks later on, and I get blamed. Or somebody uses my stuff, returns it trashed then says it was like that when they got it. I just try to avoid that headache. Could be hunting gear, school stuff, cars, boats, whatever.

The other 5%, everything is shared and respected. I like the couple of guys I can do this with. Makes life easy. Need to borrow something I don't have, this is where I go. When they need help, I drop what I'm doing and help them out, or borrow them what I have if they need it. Would trust them with anything of mine (not hunting and fishing spots though).

[Brandonkinchen]

When I got my first bow, I let my uncle pull my bow back and he dry fired it. I was not happy! Since then I'm the only one to pull it back. I've never loaned it out and never will. I've loaned out my guns but never my bow. I'm also left-handed and most of my buddies are right-handed. I only have 2 left-handed buddies and they both have their own bows.

[Drenalin]

About 10 years ago, I convinced my wife that we needed to invest in a quality bow that would outlast my injured shoulder. I was a full time college student at the time and took on a full time job with overtime to save up enough to make it happen. It took months - only the overtime pay went toward the bow. If my house were on fire I'd grab my daughter first, then my bow. I have let people handle it, but I don't offer to let them do it nor do I encourage it. I am the only person who has ever shot it. I don't have an inner circle of guys that I loan equipment around with. Outside of a few hunts a year, I hunt alone, scout alone, and shoot alone. I see no reason for someone else to be monkeying with my bow, or for me to be monkeying with theirs. If someone wants to handle a different bow, I can point them in the direction of one the three sporting goods stores in our area.