Compound bow maintenance is paramount whether you use it for hunting or target practice. It must be maintained and checked frequently to ensure it continues functioning properly. Making sure your bow and arrows are well maintained before you need them is the best way to ensure they will work properly when the big buck you’ve been waiting for finally appears.
Keep in mind that bows are constantly subjected to intense pressure. You can risk serious bodily harm if your equipment breaks down because of your carelessness. The importance of bow care requires no suggestions or hints, as it is a valuable asset, so it must be kept well-maintained.
However, we have gathered some handy tips for bow maintenance. Regardless of your level of archery, you can look into them to keep your compound in tip-top condition.
1. Do-Not Dry Fire Your Compound Bow
Dry firing your bow can have severe and permanent effects. To dry fire, a compound bow means fire without an arrow. When dry-fired, compound bows typically can sustain substantial damage but not always. For this reason, if someone who isn’t adequately prepared handles a compound bow, he must check it out as soon as possible to avoid any potential damage to the bow.
2. Get A Bow Case
One important compound bow maintenance tip is getting a case for your bow. Maybe you’re taking your bow on a hunt, want to ensure it stays in good condition when you’re not using it, or perhaps you need something to help transport it. For several reasons, buying a bow case for your compound bow is a wise decision.
For instance, if you’re going across the country or internationally, you’ll need to check your bow like any other piece of luggage. Thankfully, archery gear can be checked along with the rest of your luggage without any additional hassle.
3. Mini-Inspect The Bow
When we say “mini-inspection,” we mean it. If, while using your bow, you experience any unusual noises or vibrations, you should have it checked out immediately. Take it to an expert if you can’t figure out what’s wrong. Putting off repairs to these seemingly minor issues may cost you more in the long run and even cause the problem to worsen the compound bow conditions.
4. Wax Your Compound Bow String
If you’re into archery, you’ve probably heard about this a lot. However, if you regularly wax your bowstring, it will last longer and perform better. Use a high-quality silicone-based wax compound. Silicone helps your bow stay in perfect shape.
Candle wax could make the situation worse. There are different opinions on how often you should wax your bowstring. However, waxing the bowstring once a week might do the job for your bow care.
5. Keep It Away From Heat
Compound bow maintenance is highly dependent on the temperature. If a bow is exposed to extremely high temperatures, it can suffer damage and become too loose to use for shooting safely. Conversely, the durability of your bow is greatly improved by maintaining a consistent temperature.
You have a bow in your car, and just like leaving a human, animal, or baby in a hot car, a bow left in a locked car will also cause serious problems. Given that you’ll want to keep your bow enclosed in its case for the duration of the trip, the interior temperature is likely to rise above that of both the outside air and the moving vehicle. So, make sure to keep your bow away from heat.
6. Keep It Dry
Your bow might not be the best weapon when it comes to water. More frequent interaction with water could damage your bow in the long run.
Always keep your bow in its proper case. In addition, you should store it somewhere dry to prevent damage from humidity. Finally, keep the bow free of snow during the winter months. Your bow could warp if water gets inside and expands the wood.
7. Don’t Over Draw The Bow
The unique design of a compound bow makes aiming easy because the amount of weight you have to hold onto is minimalized once the bow is fully drawn. However, you should only fire it when fully drawn.
To prevent overdrawing, today’s compound bows feature “the walls,” or reference points that indicate when the bow has been drawn to its maximum length. It could be damaged if the string is stretched beyond its breaking point. The draw length of your bow should be altered if it is too short or too long for your arm. Self-modification is usually possible, even for minor adjustments, with most constructions. A bow press may be necessary for certain bows.
8. Check The Sight And Rest
The bow rest should move smoothly and avoid becoming stuck in either position. If you do this, the arrow will be less likely to deflect by a kick and will travel in a straight line. For best results, use a whisker biscuit that has not been worn down by erosion. Your bow sight should always be in the tune and stably attached to your bow’s riser.
The same method applies to the rest of the parts in your compound bow maintenance process. Check that nothing is dangling from the bow’s frame, and ensure all the extra parts are correctly attached. Ensure that the bow sight is in perfect condition. Listen for the telltale rattling of any loose parts. Different noises, such as rattling, may also frighten away a deer.
9. Keep The Cams Synchronized
You can only use this tip if your bow has two cams. This is because the shot and the bow’s normal functioning depend on the precise timing of the cams. When you draw your bow, the easiest way to tell if the cams are in sync is to see if they both stop at the same point.
They should ideally mirror one another’s movements. Also, lubricating the axles is a good idea. The key is to use high-quality oil that is free of detergents. In doing so, you’ll lessen the resistance to your draw.
10. Consult A Professional
As the saying goes, “A stitch in time saves nine.” This principle holds for bows, as prevention is much simpler than repair. In addition, bows benefit from annual inspections from experienced technicians, just like cars and trucks do.
The bow will be inspected thoroughly for misalignment, improper cam timing, and other things you would never think to check in proper bow care. If you’re not a professional bowyer, it’s probably a good idea to get a second opinion from someone who does.
Final Words
Mastering the compound, its maintenance, and using it for hunting is exciting and ever-changing. You’ll learn a lot of helpful knowledge about the bow and its parts, how to adapt to different environments, how to take good care of your bow, and how to sharpen your focus and aim as you progress.
However, compound bow maintenance is an area in which you should always strive to improve. That way, you won’t have to waste time driving to the bow shop every time something goes wrong, and you can fix problems on your own time while you’re out in the field.
