And one more thing: do not trust advertising. All manufacturers and sellers indicate attractive speeds in the performance characteristics of their spring-piston rifles: “magnum” (18-25 joules) - 305 m/s, “supermagnum” - 360-380 m/s. Rreality looks completely different:
- for “magnum” (approx. 20 joules): “half a gram” (0.55 g) - up to 280 m/s, “heavy” (0.68 g) - 240 m/s. "Hatsans" (25 J) - up to 300 m/s with light bullets and 270 with heavy ones.
- for “supermagnum”: (29-33 joules): “heavy” (0.68 g) - 290-310 m/s.
Light bullets cannot be used with “supermagnums” - the result is an analogue of a destructive blank shot. Details in the articles "" and "".
Now it's the turn of bows and crossbows
| Weapon | Projectile weight (g) | Speed m/s | Energy (J) |
| Recurve bow 70 lbs | 23 | 75 | 65 |
| Compound bow 70 lbs | 23 | 106 | 130 |
| Recurve crossbow 225 lbs* | 25 | 100 | 125 |
| Compound crossbow 185 lbs* | 25 | 115 | 165 |
Well, we have answered the question “who is more powerful?” Are you satisfied? So I don’t!
In fact, all those asking him are not interested in bare numbers, but in the practical application of these types of weapons, that is, their lethality.
But it is radically different for arrow throwers and rifles.
Features of air rifles
Again, let's start with pneumatics. There is no fundamental difference with a firearm, the main task is to transfer the maximum amount of energy to the target, causing lethal damage internal organs. To do this, it is extremely desirable to avoid a through wound, in which the bullet takes away part of this energy. But here lies the fundamental difference between the military and hunting approaches.
In the first case, the principles of humane methods of warfare have been in effect for a hundred years, in particular, prohibiting the use of expansive (explosive) bullets, and through wounds, on the contrary, are welcomed. Roughly speaking, the enemy must be given a chance. And to be completely honest, the costs of transporting, treating, nursing and paying a wounded person are much higher than burying a dead person in the field. Moreover, a lot of the enemy’s people are distracted from direct combat operations - you can’t abandon a comrade. This is the ugly homespun truth.
In hunting, the principle is exactly the opposite. There is also a kind of “humaneness” here: since the “infirmary-medal-disability benefit” is not given to the beast, it must be obtained quickly, if possible, avoiding unnecessary suffering. Hence the use of various expansive ammunition, where the bullet in the body begins to open up like a “flower” or disintegrate into segments. These fly worse than usual.
The photo shows a pneumatic expansive bullet.
The selection of ammunition is an eternal compromise between speed, flatness and stopping power.
This is especially true for pneumatics. She does not have thousands of joules of energy in reserve that, due to hydrodynamic impact, can create temporary pulsating cavities in her body, characteristic of firearms (pictured).
Therefore, special precision and accuracy are required from the shooter.
Before us is the “supermagnum” “,” which produces 310 m/s in a 4.5 mm caliber and 33 J of energy with a 0.68 gram bullet and is by far the most powerful serial spring-piston rifle.
Most biological targets designed for this power will be freely pierced with a lightweight, high-velocity pellet. The energy remaining in the flesh, especially when hit “locally”, is quite enough to catch a hazel grouse pigeon, even a rabbit (see “ ” and “ “). Just, for God’s sake, do not confuse hazel grouse with black grouse and especially wood grouse - these are completely different birds, the tiny musk deer and the huge elk are also from the same deer family.
However, from an ordinary 20-joule “magnum” - with an accurate hit to the head.
The point here is this. When hunting, game is often killed by a single “golden” pellet/buckshot. Sometimes the entrance hole cannot be found immediately, as if the animal died of a heart attack.
Bullets of 4.5 mm caliber in terms of weight and size characteristics approximately correspond to fractions from “00” to “000” (hare, fox, wood grouse). And if at the end of the barrel a single pellet is noticeably superior in speed/energy to a pellet, then with increasing distance this difference first levels out and then changes sign (in the “supermagnum”, of course, earlier). This is the advantage of rifled weapons, which includes almost all long-barreled pneumatics.
Different rifle, different approach. The Career Dragon Slayer is one of the most powerful pre-pumped (PCP) air rifles available.
A heavy 18-gram 50-caliber bullet (12.7 mm) develops only 220 m/s, but produces 430 joules. And all of them will go to the deer carcass, which is what such weapons and ammunition are actually intended for.
Such rifles also have disadvantages. In addition to the exorbitant price, these are short firing distances, low projectile speed and the associated ricochets of a round-headed bullet from any branch. But, again, if it hits “on the spot”, it has an acceptable stopping effect. Although when it comes to large animals, everything is not so rosy - see the final section of the article ““. But since August 2016, such weapons can also be used to throw heavy hunting crossbow bolts (see “ “).
Ammunition and its practical use are also discussed in sufficient detail in the articles "" and "".
Features of the use of bows and crossbows
It is precisely the stopping effect that all arrow throwers, bows, and crossbows lack. In terms of energy, they are tens of times weaker than shotguns and rifles (see tables), and are used mainly for animal hunting. In historical terms, there were, of course, exceptions to the monstrous tension force cocked with the help of a gate and a partner. They fired heavy steel “bolts” and were intended to knock out armored horsemen, preferably piercing knightly armor. In a word, these are, rather, not small arms, but peculiar medieval anti-tank guns.
In combat and hunting, completely different devices were used en masse, and their damaging factors also looked different.
This is exactly how crossbow and archery hunting takes place now, where a mighty beast with a high pain threshold and level of “vital force” simply loses it, pierced right through with an arrow with razor-sharp tip blades.
This happens due to the cutting of blood vessels, causing rapid blood loss. Clearly, we are not talking about a sniper shot into an artery. Apart from the heart and liver, which are also very difficult to hit with a arrow thrower, the main target is the lungs. The organ is quite solid, paired, that is, located on both sides of the body, and also densely penetrated by a network of blood vessels.
With the blood, life gradually flows out. I have a suspicion that often the animal does not even understand what is happening to it, but simply runs away to the side and, feeling a sudden surge of drowsiness, lies down to rest.
This is if you don’t scare him, jumping out of cover with a triumphant cry. Then the animal “on adrenaline” is able to get away from the hunter for hundreds of meters, often to no avail.
For this type of hunting you will need a strong (at least 60 Lbs) compound bow
or a crossbow with hunting shoulders:
– recursive – from 200 lbs;
- block - from 165 lbs (some unique designs provide excellent performance even at 140 lbs).
With a bow, everything is very, very difficult, since shooting and hitting with it is much more difficult than with a crossbow. Even more or less easy-to-learn “blockers” have a lot of nuances, and not everyone can devote the necessary time to regular training, which is indispensable here. And only a few will be able to stretch a 70-pound hunting “recurve” without refined technique and the corresponding muscle groups developed by special exercises to a normal attachment.
The technique of shooting from a crossbow is almost no different from a rifle-rifle, adjusted for short shooting distances. In addition, there are a number of purely hunting devices that do not even have a bowstring as a class, but the speed indicators are unattainable for conventional crossbows, and visually they are more reminiscent of a modern assault rifle (see “ “).
You can learn more about the nuances of choosing between a bow and a crossbow in the article ““.
But there are also types of hunting where the arrow does not “sew”, but, like a bullet, transfers its energy to the game - for example, “feather” hunting. For these purposes, completely different tips, so-called “shockers,” are used.
Firstly, even a non-hunting bow is strong enough to do this. In any case, a regular one (pictured) will do.
And secondly, such spreading tips prevent the long flight of the arrow, and they also get tangled in branches and grass, and it is relatively easy to find it, even if it misses.
Subjective indicators of the power of bows, crossbows and pneumatics
If we are not talking about hunting, but about entertaining “shooting games” for a bet, then I can say the following.
A magnum-class spring-piston rifle sews a half-inch board right through, and splits some (apparently with defects). “Supermagnum” is capable of making holes in commercial rolled metal - mind you, with soft lead bullets. “Overclocked” rifles with modified ammunition make this easy. A blank fence made of corrugated board is not an obstacle for such pneumatics - keep this in mind.
A standard 95 lbs/43 kgf compound crossbow at a 30-meter distance usually splits already one-inch boards. Moreover, the arrow also stabs not too thick (up to 10 centimeters) trees, although it gets stuck in a split. She doesn’t notice corrugated sheets and similar materials at all, only losing her plumage. In its hunting version, fired from a crossbow with original arms of 80-100 kgf, it destroys everything that gets in its way, including the rather frail scapula of a large animal.
A 40-pound recurve bow is much more loyal to various obstacles, mainly arrows. But a legal “blocker” with 60 Lbs hits not much worse than a forbidden powerful hunting crossbow.
Please consider all of the above information when choosing a shooting location (see “Where to shoot with a bow and crossbow?”). Health, including mental and financial health, is more valuable than entertainment.
In conclusion, I suggest you watch a wonderful video on the topic “arrow versus bullet” that we discussed today. True, we are not talking about pneumatics here, but some of its models are quite comparable in energy (“more powerful”) to the tested firearms. And, as we have already seen, the “air” is not fundamentally different from it.
Although not everything is so bad with game in our country. A notorious agarophobic city dweller, once in the forest, will decide that no one lives in it, except for small birds. I recommend conducting an experiment (of course, not in the nearest suburb of a metropolis). Go into the forest without onions, cigarettes, maybe with a basket. Don’t be confused by the old tires, plastic bottles and other rubbish lying around - the animal also gets used to everything. Choose a place so that the leeward side is covered by bushes or trees, and the windward side is easily visible. And freeze. I don’t promise a pig with minke whales, but you may well see a moose cow with her calves - they don’t know the coast at all, but they know that even 99 percent of the “brakosh” will not raise their hand. Depending on the area, you can admire both the fox and the hare. But the wolf would rather admire you from behind and quietly leave.
The influence, or rather the disappearance, of the human factor is also noticeable. Yes, during the era of Google maps, we used excellent map material on trips (that’s how it works), but it was still from Soviet times. The difference between paper and reality was shocking: a little away from the regional centers, and almost all the places where cultivated fields appeared on the maps turned out to be completely full-fledged forest lands. Nature instantly launched an attack on villages and villages that were dying one after another - like Kipling’s advancing jungle.
In short, there is, by and large, game. It’s a pity, not about us, crossbow archers. Everything that moves at the moment of aiming disappears - a flying bird, a running animal. This limitation is similar to a rifle, but not in all respects: with a rifled gun, large animals can be quite successfully killed on the run in driven and even mountain hunts. The fact is that an arrow from a strong crossbow, and especially a bow, flies almost three times slower than the speed of sound, a bullet from a pneumatic gun, and ten times slower than a rifle bullet. Even a calmly standing animal at long distances has time to hear the clap of the bowstring and react during its approach, while a running animal has time to move several meters. What kind of preemption is there, this is tantamount to firing from an ancient anti-aircraft gun at a modern jet fighter.
What remains are almost, and ideally, completely static targets: a drake at the decoy, a hazel grouse on a tree (shooting at a large upward angle is very difficult), a wild boar on the bait (more on that later), a bear “on oats” (this is such a joke, and evil). With a crossbow and a night sight, you can try to take on a beaver who is busy repairing a dam. But the devil will go away - the arrow has no stopping effect, a strong animal will have time to dive and swim to the hut before bleeding out. I heard, however, that they hit them with harpoon arrows with a cord.
But I’m talking about the forest belt of the country. What about in another area? I tried to imagine bow hunting in the south of Transbaikalia. Nothing came to mind, at least a “Saiga” with an “A” is needed, or, of course, a good old smoothbore. Unlike the now popular “varminting,” a long time ago we “hatched” tarbagans, now listed in the Red Book, and hit them from a short distance, in the head, of course. Pierced by an arrow, he will go into a hole no worse than a beaver, and it is not a fact that he will die - he is also a healthy animal, and the killing zone is tiny (if you just try, as in the photo). I’m generally silent about goats, wolves and others; in those parts there is no way to unnoticed to approach the animal at bow-crossbow range. The ancestors of the local residents did the right thing, for thousands of years without getting off their fleet-footed horse.
The same bummer awaits archery and crossbow hunters of the European marmot in the Orenburg, Volgograd, and Rostov regions, in a word, in the steppe and forest-steppe zones.
In a word, we are left with a bird sitting on the water or a tree (below is a rare video of an admirable shooting at a pheasant making a “candle” from under a dog) and something large that has solid inertia so as not to jump out from under the arrow on the bait site. For the first, a compact recursive arrow thrower with shockers may actually be sufficient. In the second case - only powerful, preferably compound bows and corresponding crossbows.
The costs of purchasing powerful hunting models will be quite comparable to the cost of trophies. For reference: depending on the region, age, gender and trophy characteristics, an elk will cost you 30-120 thousand rubles, a deer - from 15 to 170 thousand, a wild boar (the main object of hunting in our country) will cost from 10,000 to 50,000 rubles. These are, of course, commercial prices, but please note, they are exclusively for traditional hunting.
Private hunting farms, it seems, are already offering archers services for organizing so-called enclosure hunting, where the main object is wild boar. But we'll talk about it another time.
And finally, beast hunting. You and I have only two options: with dogs and with “stays”. The first one is fantastic for a beginner. The adrenaline rushing in the blood, the fear of hitting a dog even with a “stretched” animal can greatly spoil the shot with an already not very well-honed technique. This is if there is a dog owner who will generally allow a person who does not yet have a certain authority to shoot. When you decide to get your own, keep in mind that no one will sell a puppy from working parents to a non-hunter. Keep this in mind when looking on the Internet for advertisements from “breeders” who do not stipulate such a condition in any way. You can get into a lot of trouble. I described similar situations in a little more detail and sadder in the article “Dog of the Apocalypse.”
In short, the only thing left to begin with is ambush hunting. More precisely, since a beginner is unlikely to be able to find a feeding place, a path to it, or feed the animals on his own, determine the place and time of hiding, or build a storage shed (pictured), it is better to talk not about hunting, but about shooting from a tower on a feeding ground.
Why shooting? The type of it that suits us is essentially not hunting at all, it’s called selective shooting. It’s one thing when a huntsman, as part of biotechnical activities, conducts it during the day (!), from a carbine with optics, at 50 meters - this is his job (a turner will not process a blank in the dark with a blunt cutter, so that it would be interesting and sporty) . Even the so-called “shooters”, who don’t care whether there is a running boar or a target of the same name, the main thing is to fire a bullet, and it’s scary to work in such hothouse conditions.
It’s a different matter for a beginner who hasn’t caught anything larger than a duck. It is even useful for him to see the underside of the animal hunt: even without the initial tracking and pursuit, but to shoot a wild boar, if necessary, wander through the forest and, better with a knife, pick up a wounded animal, skin the prey. If he doesn’t quickly return back to the ducks, then things will continue to escalate.
And for a novice crossbowman and especially an archer, this option will be really worthy, albeit during the day and at half the shooting distance.
And here, since there is no need to make long treks on foot, and even a certain comfort is expected (in the photo he is atypically steep), you should not experiment with hunting “takedowns” or “Scorpions”. A normal powerful “compound” and a corresponding crossbow, no matter whether it’s recurve or block. Although, again, I emphasize, I would choose the latter. The only advantage of a recurve crossbow for hunting is its relative lightness. Is she that important on the tower? The difficulty of repairing and replacing components may be significant at other times, since you are using a serviceable weapon. And rumors about the tenderness and brittleness of blockers are greatly exaggerated.
Let's compare other characteristics. The tension force of the hunting version of the “Mongoose” is 225 lbs, that is, 102 kilograms, the arrow speed is 100 m/s. Archon: 200 lbs (90 kg), speed 116 m/s. More details in the article ““. But that’s not even the main thing. Please note that due to the blocks and force release at the end of the stroke, it cocks much easier and smoother. It shoots the same way. But with recurves it’s the other way around: the peak of power occurs at the most difficult end of the cocking and, accordingly, the beginning of the movement of the bowstring during descent, when the projectile receives a kind of kick in the ass, lifting the tip a little. And the hangers are not only very wide, but also move with a greater amplitude when fired than block hangers, which can lead to confusion if you incorrectly calculate the distance from the crossbow to the window opening or roof support pillars.
Well, in general, this topic is old, many copies have been broken. I expressed solely my own opinion. And of course, all of the above remains valid for any crossbow, be it Excalibur or BowTech. The problem of choice is discussed in more detail in the article ““. And the nuances of application are in “” and ““.
Now about the arrows. It is generally accepted that it is better to use so-called “Broadheads” for an animal that is tough to wound, aggressive when wounded, and has a high pain threshold. As a rule, they come in two, three and four blades. Animals with powerful armor made of skin, fat, and muscles are most often beaten first. Since hippos are not relevant for our lakes, the wild boar, or rather the cleaver, fits this definition, especially in late autumn and winter, when this armor (kalkan) becomes completely impenetrable.
A three-blade broadhead can also be used successfully, just keep in mind that there are two types of it - with blades from the point (it's on the right in the photo) and with a chisel point. The second one is not suitable, so to speak, its cutting ability is weak, and it is difficult to try to penetrate boar armor with a chisel.
The so-called “openers” (pictured) are used mainly on ungulates. Please note that size does not always matter. The cat is so small, but she has nine whole lives. So it is here. I won’t give unappetizing details here; after all, the site is not a hunting site. But the huge elk collapses and quickly recovers from the wound, with which a guran, and especially a cleaver, would have run another mile. I don’t know what effect the arrow will have on the elk, but I think the trend will not change. In general, a tip with drop-down blades (the mechanism of action is clear from the picture) provides wide cuts and, accordingly, rapid bleeding of an animal that is not protected by either a strong skin or some kind of internal strength.
But even they are capable of stitching an animal right through. A double-blade broadhead almost certainly does this. This ensures rapid blood loss from both sides of the body.
Finally, one piece of advice. Not only before hunting, but in general, try to shoot at 3D targets more often, with the exception of zeroing your weapon. We’ll talk more about the reasons another time, at the same time. About four years ago, a “boar” cost me tens of rubles, not thousands.
The author of the photographs and the article itself is C.R. Learner was quite surprised when the inviting party handed him such an unusual device. The total force of the “sparky” was not too significant 45 pounds, which should have been quite enough for varminting - in this case, hunting small animals like a squirrel or a rabbit.
To be honest, it is not entirely clear whether the hunt at that time was successful, but overall the impressions of the “double bow” turned out to be unexpectedly pleasant. Despite the obviously heavy shoulder tips, the weapon fired quite smoothly. Aiming is also easy due to the design features, where the handle does not block the target. In addition, the bow is essentially centrifugal, which means the so-called. The archery paradox is smoothed out.
The method of installing a bowstring in the classic way “through the stop at the thigh” did not work here, but the problem was solved by using a stringer. Which was supposed to complete each copy. Yes, the authors planned to launch the production of their designs. Moreover, according to individual customer specifications. But it’s difficult to say whether anything real came out of this idea. Since it was not possible to find any additional information about their fate.
But let’s first, without dwelling on specific models, types and methods of hunting, let’s look at general issues, without which all other details simply become meaningless.
So what now? From a legal point of view, a lot has changed and at the same time almost nothing has changed. Buying a bow or crossbow for recreation and entertainment is not a problem these days, but traditional confusion reigns in hunting and weapons legislation. Okay, in Russia and Ukraine, any throwing weapon, as well as hunting with it, is prohibited, and production and sale is generally a criminal, not administrative, article. As they say, there is no judgment. But in Belarus, which is advanced in this regard, hunting with bows from 27 kgf and crossbows from 43 kgf was not so long ago allowed, and not only in enclosures, but also in the grounds. And at the same time, as in Russia, they retained the ban on the sale of products with such characteristics, that is, throwing weapons. Ukrainians were even more unlucky: both bows and crossbows are limited to a tension force of up to 20 kgf.
Our people, to put it mildly, have long been accustomed to this kind of legal conflict, so they get out of it as best they can. For example, in Russia you can easily purchase a “crossbow for recreation and entertainment” with a tension force of 43 kg, and additional arms of at least a hundred kilograms, as well as combat hunting arrowheads. Until you attach powerful elastic elements to the stock, and razor-sharp broadheads to the arrows, neither one nor the other is considered a weapon. In this disassembled form, this entire constructor easily travels across the border to Belarus.
Then, as usual, the classic legal turmoil begins. In principle, you can go to the licensing authority, where, by presenting the assembled crossbow, you can receive documents for it as a throwing weapon approved for hunting. But! A natural question arises: where did you get your weapons if you arrived across the border without them? In short, you can get into a lot of trouble.
It turns out that, as always, all preferences go not to citizens of their own or neighboring countries, but to residents of the blessed “far abroad”, where powerful bows and crossbows are sold freely with the appropriate documents. And hunting with them is encouraged by lower permit costs, an extended season and other sweet benefits. In the USA, hunters with arrow throwers number in the millions. So they happily ride all over the world, including to their native Polesie - just look at the episodes of “Straight Shot” with Archie Nesbitt.
And yet, in almost any Belarusian hunting area, even a Russian or Ukrainian archer-crossbowman will be received with open arms and the words: “Let’s agree!” Naturally, there is no talk of any violations of hunting legislation - you will hunt exclusively with a huntsman and exclusively for the types of game permitted for this weapon, and only if you have a hunting license.
By the way, you probably noticed that so far I have talked exclusively about crossbows. The fact is that even a “recreational and entertaining” compound bow with a maximum permitted draw force of 27 kgf is quite suitable for successful hunting. Unlike a legal crossbow that weighs 43 kilograms. Simply put, you don’t need to buy or carry any additional powerful arms for your bow. Why this is so is the topic of the article.
In a word, well done guys from White Rus'! Somehow they manage to calmly and without conflict maneuver between the requirements of clumsy and often stupid legislation, combining them with the economic interests of hunting farms and without causing damage to the animal world. The last one is very important. After all, not only is crossbow and archery hunting in itself difficult and low in yield, but it is also aggravated by increased prices and draconian fines for wounded animals, plus the fee for picking it up by the huntsman.
Just recently, Russia and the Baltic states have followed the path of their neighbors. These are still very rare (and expensive!) shootings of captive animals. I don’t call it hunting, not because of the desire to somehow belittle this action - the enclosure is actually no different from ordinary lands, in terms of area it can be simply huge. Here again there is a legal subtlety: this kind of animal is not considered an object of hunting, otherwise it would be naked poaching, and even with the use of absolutely prohibited types of weapons. So we have to invent an Aesopian language. Although real archery hunting - there is a feeling - will still be allowed in the coming years.
Choosing a weapon for hunting
But, as we have seen, even now a person with an empty wallet and a drop of aventurine in his blood can easily hunt with arrow throwers. And here, finally, we come to the problem of choice - for now between a bow and a crossbow.
If you are a rifle hunter, mastering the latter will be a fairly simple task for you. Crossbow shooting techniques are practically no different from bullet shooting from a smooth-bore weapon, except for the lack of recoil and the roar of a shot. However, a beginner who has never shot anything at all will master a crossbow quite quickly after an individually measured amount of training. Oddly enough, girls do it even better, if you don’t take into account the physical exertion of cocking a bowstring or simply holding a fairly heavy weapon. The point, again, is comfort and, accordingly, the absence of the fear of being shot, which is typical for beginners.
Everything is much more fun with a bow. At least six months of regular training, preferably with a coach or an experienced archer, otherwise there is a possibility of meeting with an orthopedist. This is for a compound bow, a classic or traditional one will take years to master. In addition, blockers are much easier to tension and, even more so, to keep the bowstring cocked due to the release of force.
Financial aspects of crossbow and archery hunting
Well, the last point for today is money. It’s better to think about it before you dive headlong into the addictive whirlpools of this sport. More details about the cost of various models of arrow throwers are discussed in the relevant articles on this site (““), but for now we will talk about general issues again.
ATTENTION! In 2016, Russian Customs banned the shipment of bows, crossbows and ALL components to them for individuals. Therefore, all information related to their purchase on foreign global resources is for informational purposes only!
Crossbow price
So, more or less suitable for hunting (Taiwan, China, Russia):
— a full-size recurve crossbow plus additional, so-called “correct” arms – $600 (in the picture on the right - “Lancelot-225”);
- compact block - the same 500-600 bucks (shoulders are more expensive for it);
- full-size blocker - 700-800;
- a set of normal (USA) arrows at the rate of 10 dollars per piece (““);
- a set of more or less normal hunting tips - again, ten apiece, if excellent - then 40 USD;
A working optical sight and other necessary and not so necessary accessories are usually included in the kit.
If you're targeting crossbows made in the USA and Canada (TenPoint Vapor Pkg pictured left), at least double those amounts. The upper price limit is generally sky-high.
Clearly, you will need shields, targets, arrow catchers, etc.
Bow price
Here you will have to focus exclusively on American archery companies; our trio of countries producing budget arrow launchers from bows does not produce anything suitable.
The minimum price of a block working machine will again be about 600 American rubles. Additional shoulders are not needed, but a sight, shelf, release, etc. are. will have to be purchased separately. Moreover, cheap crafts are not allowed here. Arrows are also more expensive than crossbow arrows. But in general, it’s quite possible to keep it under $1,000 (including the bow itself).
As for classic and traditional bows, I would suggest purchasing one solely for the soul - hunting with it requires the highest level of training and remarkable physical strength.
08.24 Bow and crossbow hunting for beginners - what to buy for bow hunting
Hunting honestly
As a child, I watched films and read books about heroes, “Redskins” Indians and Robin Hood,” Igor writes in his hunting notes. - How I wanted to be like these heroes! The result was homemade bows made of hazel, arrows made of glazing bead... Then adult life came... The only hobby left was hunting.
Mantusov's favorite weapon for hunting is a simple wooden bow. And the arrows are made of the same material. Our ancestors used such weapons to hunt deer, wild boar, and other game. No gunpowder or lead. Everything is fair. Here you can no longer shoot an animal from a long distance. You need to get at least fifty meters away from the game.
From such a distance, the animal can easily smell the hunter,” Igor Mantusov explained to KP. - Yes, and the sound of a shot from a bow reaches the game faster than the arrow reaches. Therefore, you need to know the habits of animals by heart.
The idea of hunting like the old days came to us from the West. In America, according to Igor, there are about 3 million hunters with bows and crossbows.
This is a more humane option,” Igor explained. - According to statistics, in America, when hunting with a bow, there are much fewer wounded animals left than when hunting with a rifle. There is only one shot - the arrow will either strike or kill the beast. After all, you need to get to a certain point - the heart, kidneys, for example.
Death after such a shot occurs from loss of blood. And it hardly causes pain to the animals. Sometimes they don't even notice that they've been hit.
I release the bowstring and the arrow silently hits the target. The characteristic sound of cutting flesh is heard, followed by a dry blow to the frozen ground, followed by the crunch of a breaking arrow,” Igor Mantusov writes in his hunting notes, “I’m following the blood trail.” I walk about 35-40 meters and see a wild boar lying on the path. Congratulations! So that the prey is completely mine, I drag it out to the car myself and then skin it and butcher it!
So, if you want to take a break from everyday worries and be a little red-skinned Indian, then bow hunting is a good option. True, it requires effort and patience.
There is only one “but”. In our forests, hunting with a bow and crossbow is prohibited by law. But it is possible only in closed enclosures of forestry enterprises.
Moreover, an enclosure is not necessarily a cage with bars, but, as a rule, simply fenced areas of forest, sometimes with an area of up to 300 hectares. And the animals there are quite wild. There are even a little more of them than under normal conditions. It turns out to be a real hunt.
Compound bow: a completely modern weapon
How to prepare for bow hunting
1) You have to get close to the animal. Therefore, smells will easily give away the hunter. So we wash clothes not with powder, but with ordinary soda, and after drying, be sure to put them in a plastic bag (transparent, without factory dyes). An odor neutralizer (applied to lower clothing) and a spray with the scent of pine needles or earth (applied to upper clothing) will come in handy. Also, clothes should not rustle or make sounds at all when moving. Pockets - better with buttons. The chest pockets should not be voluminous, otherwise the bowstring will hit them when firing and the arrow will not hit the target.
2) The backpack should contain: a first aid kit, a flashlight with spare batteries, binoculars (range finder), a knife, a compass, a cord (3-4 mm thick, 10 meters long), a flint, a bottle of water.
2) We take shoes according to the weather, but preferably boots so that the smell remains inside.
3) You also need a mask and gloves, since your hands and face are visible from afar.
Where to hunt?
Shigony, state hunting reserve "Volzhskoe".
446720, Russian Federation, Samara region, Shigonsky district, Shigony village, Lesnaya street house 1 Show on the map »
Director of the State Budgetary Institution SO "Volzhskoye GOOH" - Litvinov Gennady VladimirovichThe area of the enclosure is 14 hectares.
Game - wild boars, young animals.
How much?
Bows: traditional and classic...
Traditional bows are almost no different from those with which our ancestors hunted. To learn how to shoot them, you need about 5-10 lessons. Classic bows differ from traditional ones in their design - they are prefabricated. The bow arms are attached to the handle, which can be made of plastic, aluminum or wood. Moreover, it must be taken into account that such weapons are selected individually for each person. Depending on it physical training and arm length.
Price - from 3500 thousand rubles. Depends on the configuration and materials from which the bow is made. So, a weapon with a plastic handle will be cheaper than the same one, but with an aluminum one.
... and block ones.
Two blocks are attached to the bow, making it easier to pull the string. With such a bow it is easier to learn to shoot, but it also costs more.
Price - from 7 thousand rubles. It also depends on what additional equipment is on the bow - a sight, a quiver.
Bows: classic, traditional, compound
Crossbows
After purchasing, you can hit the target almost the first time. But, according to experts, hunting with a crossbow is easier, and therefore less sporting.
Price from 6 thousand rubles. The price depends on the performance characteristics. After 30 thousand rubles, the price-quality ratio grows disproportionately.
Crossbow
Additional equipment:
Arrows:
The price depends on the material from which they are made. Carbon and aluminum arrows cost about the same. But the latter have a peculiarity - they bend after shooting at a target, and it is very difficult to straighten them later. For aesthetes there are also wooden arrows. All of them are adjusted to the size of the hands (stretch length).
Prices.
Carbon arrows - from 250 to 1000 rubles per piece.
Aluminum - up to 1000 rubles (both types are sold in packages of 6 and 12 pieces).
Wooden arrows - from 300 to 450 rubles. Peep site secured between an equal number of string threads above the saddle and secured with upper and lower straps. When drawing the bow and taking the position, a correctly installed pip-site is in front of the shooter's eye. To take aim, the shooter needs to place the front sight in the center of the peep sight hole and aim the dot (crosshair, etc.) at the center of the target. Often shooters, especially inexperienced ones, have a problem with the pip site being under-twisted, or, conversely, over-twisted. When the bow is fully extended, the pip-site plane is not perpendicular to the aiming line, through visible to the eye arrow hole aiming is difficult or even impossible. To regulate the twist, it is necessary to throw one or more strings of the bowstring to the other side of the pip-site. To facilitate this operation, it is advisable to have a portable press on hand to loosen the tension on the bowstring. For the same purposes In addition to the bow and arrow itself, the shooter must also have other equipment at his disposal. There are a huge number of various devices and tools for servicing, adjusting the bow, repairing arrows, and for the convenience of the shooter. 1.Kraga- leather or plastic protective shield. Worn by the shooter on the left forearm (for a right-handed person), it protects against the blow of the bowstring. 2. “Knitting”- a rope loop or leather strap that holds the bow in the shooter’s hand after the shot. Mounted on the wrist or fingers of the shooter's hand holding the bow or on the bow itself. 3. Wax for impregnating the bowstring Luke. 4. Ruler- a special ruler for checking the correctness of the bow settings. 5.Quiver for arrows or shako. The main difference of the shako is that it is attached directly to the bow, making it easier for the shooter to move in the forest and allowing the bow to be quickly prepared for a new shot. Many shakos have additional features, such as arrow illumination, which helps you quickly reach the arrow in the dark, or a specially designed rubber coating that absorbs vibrations. 6. Hex key set. Most bow screws have inch internal hex holes. 7. Press for compressing the arms of the bow. Necessary when disassembling a bow, setting up a pip-site, adjusting a bowstring and cables, etc. Inexpensive mini-presses are produced, accessible to every shooter, and more expensive, stationary presses for professional work with bows in shooting clubs and stores. Who are they, bow hunters? In Russia today, few hunters objectively understand what a hunting bow is and what requirements are placed on it in order to be able to hunt effectively with the help of this ancient weapon. On "POWER OF THE BOW?" “HOW HOW MANY METERS CAN A BOW SHOOT?” “WHAT IS BETTER FOR HUNTING - COMPOUND OR TRADITIONAL?” "POACHING" "INHUMANE HUNTING" Text: Hunting and fishing magazine "Safari" No. 4 (July-August 2013) p. 50 There is no question whether it is possible to hunt with a bow if a person kills his own domestic animals on his own land, and not on hunting grounds. He has a formal right to do this, unless animal rights activists pay attention. Bowhunting by its very nature cannot be prohibited by adequate authorities as it is considered the #1 Hunt all over the world. Bow hunting in Russia depends on an important factor: the attitude of the Ministry of Nature to this. And it is for this cause. According to the law, this activity is neither sport nor entertainment. At the same time, sporting and hunting bows are considered weapons, the possession of which by citizens is not provided for by the licensing and permitting system. At the same time, GOSTs mention sports bows for recreation. There they are equated to household items. The law does not mention this product, so bowhunting cannot be directly prohibited. But there are some factors that influence this issue: But as a rule, life is ruined by some 0.1% when the law is misunderstood. At the same time, officials will not be able to formally prove the prohibition, which means it is possible that they will make assumptions about the bow’s non-compliance with GOST requirements and confiscate the weapon for examination, which will last forever. The popularity of such weapons today is so high that in large cities sales are twice as high as the demand for smooth-bore weapons, although bow hunting is still prohibited in our country. This is due to the exclusivity of the item and the opportunity to engage in a rare type of hunting, as well as the lack of licensing for such purchases. A complex system, which is equipped with stabilizers, vibration dampers and other bells and whistles, makes a compound bow for hunting a formidable weapon with which you can safely go out on an elk. These products are easy to use and fast-firing (the initial speed of the arrows is 90 m/s). Bows for hunting come in different types: budget and expensive, made from exclusive materials. Their power is incredibly high: a flying arrow pierces a deer at 60 m. Here you have to focus only on American companies. The minimum cost for a block working machine will be around $600. Arrows are also expensive. But in general, you can keep it under $1000. As for classic bows, it is better to buy them for the soul, since hunting with them will require a high level of training and great physical strength. Consider a situation where someone goes hiking, or on an inflatable boat, or raft. A compound bow is not suitable - it is bulky and clumsy. And although some models can be disassembled, assembly and adjustment will take up precious hours of rest. Our instructions will tell you how to make a bow for hunting in a short time. It is carved from a tree or branch: When bow hunting is allowed, it will be possible to develop special lands for it and raise game there. Shooting ranges and courses will be opened, and domestic tourism will be widely developed. Foreign archers are hoping for change the most. We have unique animals waiting for them - upland game, which does not live in other states, and which is not prohibited from hunting. As well as trophy hunting - elk, roe deer and bears. Foreign hunters, receiving related services, provide more than one thing at once workplace- companies with a range of tourist services, translators, hotels, rangers, transport companies. Hunting with a bow in Russia is actually possible, but only if the citizen has the appropriate permit, license, hunting license, and all this is agreed upon and communicated to the relevant persons in advance. Usually everything is allowed, warning about security measures. However, there are officials who want a little money or, for personal reasons, refuse to cooperate. Even a hunter's qualifications can be a reason for refusal. Not every hunting user will take risks if they want to excommunicate him from the land. He will give a permit, and the inspectors will take it and write a corresponding document about waste and the development of poaching. No one will figure it out, and the hunter will remain the last one. But practice shows that hunting is generally allowed. They only ask you to be quiet, to go to certain places and not alone. The law does not prohibit hunting with a bow if the latter is understood as a hunting weapon, the citizen’s documents are properly executed, and the hunt is carried out within the prescribed period and in the permitted place. But so that this fact does not give rise to double interpretation at all, the current legislation should not only not mention the corresponding tools, but directly indicate the rules allowing such activities. Hunting bows are presented in a wide range in specialized stores. Hunting bows come in different types: classic, traditional and compound. Classic bow consists of a handle, shoulders and a bowstring. Such bows can be straight or recurve. They differ in the curvature of the shoulders. Most often, recurve bows are collapsible, although non-collapsible models are also found. Classic bows can be used for sports and outdoor activities. Traditional bows are closest to ancient bows, hence their name. Changes made to the design of such bows are due to modern requirements for the shooting qualities of weapons, durability and practicality. Such bows are usually used for shooting without special devices such as a stabilizer or sight. A traditional bow has a strictly defined length, but the tension can be adjusted. Compound Bows are the most modern bows. These bows have a complex design that makes stringing easier. Compound bows are the fastest and most powerful than all of the above. For shooting from compound bows sights and stabilizers are used. The second difference is the speed of the follow-up shot. The second shot from the gun can be fired at any desired moment, and the aiming time takes less than a second. To shoot from a bow, you first need to determine the distance to the target, turn sideways towards it, lay an arrow, pull the bowstring, then aim and shoot. It is almost impossible to make a second shot at a fleeing game with a bow. In addition to the above, the bow is uncomfortable to wear. Due to the size of the weapon, it is quite difficult to move around the forest with it. Archery requires good physical fitness. A tired hunter has no chance of hitting his target with a bow. It is impossible to shoot a flying bird with a bow and very difficult to shoot a running game. Considering the peculiarities of hunting with a bow, of all types of hunting, only ambush and luring game are used here. Very rarely do hunters use a bow for approach hunting. To hunt with a bow you need to know the anatomy of animals. A bullet can kill an animal in three ways: damage to the nervous system, circulatory system, or damage to internal organs. In relation to onions, damage to the circulatory system is most likely. It is quite difficult for an archer to pierce a skull or spine, since the impact force of a bow is much less than that of a gun. In addition to studying the anatomy of animals, a visit to the bowdrome will be useful. In such places there are three-dimensional models of animals used as targets. Here you can learn how to correctly determine the distance to the target. For an archer hunter, it is very important to be able to correctly determine the distance to the target. It is best to make a memo that will indicate the angular dimensions of the parts of the bow in the aiming position. Many sniper shooting manuals contain recommendations for visually determining distance using the width of a finger, a matchbox or a transparent ruler. When going archery hunting, you should remember that a tired hunter is unlikely to hit the target. Therefore, there is no need to pack a heavy backpack. Most of the equipment should be left in the car or at the hunting base, and go hunting with minimal weight. Do not wash camouflage in powders with bleaches. The vision of some animals extends to the ultraviolet region, for them you will be very noticeable. You should not drink alcohol the night before a hunt. Animals sense the smell of fumes over long distances. It is best to purchase special anti-odor impregnations for camouflage or store it in a non-residential area along with juniper branches. Don't store camouflage in the garage. Take the bow in your hands and turn it in different directions to determine if it hits grass, branches or clothing. If branches interfere with shooting, cut them off. In general, archery hunting is not too different from rifle hunting. The same safety rules, techniques for luring game and searching for wounded animals apply here. An ultra-fast, yet precise and soft bow. A sophisticated vibration damping system when firing, new split shoulders made of composite material and one-and-a-half blocks ensure comfortable use of this weapon. Suitable for hunting almost any animal: from rabbit to bear. The price ranges from 42,000 to 47,000 rubles from different sellers and in different configurations. The price ranges from 28,000 to 45,000 rubles from different sellers in different configurations. One of the best Attack models. High combat performance combined with an affordable price. Fast and efficient block with easy adjustment, arms made from high strength aluminum alloy pieces. A very accurate weapon. The price ranges from 23,000 to 30,000 rubles from different sellers. The cheapest of the listed models. Simple carbon shoulders, cast aluminum handle, block system with mono eccentric. A simple and powerful small bow. A very convenient weapon for long journeys and difficult conditions. The price is approximately 15,000 rubles. The price is approximately 35,000-37,000 rubles. The maximum speed of fire is ensured by large blocks and small, almost parallel arms of the bow. The bow is equipped with a vibration dampening system. The bow has high killing power. On a large animal, a shot from such a bow leaves a huge entrance and exit hole. The price is about 50,000 rubles.
The sights of a compound bow consist of the sight itself and the peep-site. Aim attached in the middle part of the handle on its right plane or, less commonly, on the front edge. As a rule, the design of the scope allows it to be quickly removed or folded to reduce the overall dimensions of the bow during transportation and reduce the likelihood of breakage. Depending on the price and type of sight, corrections are made “manually” - by moving the carriage vertically and then fixing it with a screw or, on higher quality sights, by rotating micrometric screws. The number and location of “pins” on the sight depends on the price category, ranging from 1 to 8 pieces. The bubble level attached to the sight is designed to control the fall of the bow.
The “String server” devices are used in the form of a flat, blunt plastic “double-edged dagger”. The “blade” of the device allows you to move apart the strings of the bowstring without the risk of damaging them. When adjusting vertically, the pip-site, together with the fixing threads, moves up or down along the bowstring. Manufacturers of peep sites strongly recommend that you always wrap it with a safety thread over the string threads along a specially made groove. Without such precautions, in the event of a bowstring break or other bow failure, the trajectory of a freely “ejected” piece of metal may not be the most favorable for the bow owner or his neighbors on the firing line. Peep-sites are available with hole diameters for different lighting conditions, as well as with replaceable or switchable hole diameters and with a lens in the diopter hole. To avoid problems with rotation, many archers install pip-sites on their bows with a rubber cord that forces the sighting device to be orientated at the moment the bow is fully extended. One end of the cord or rubber tube is attached to the pip-site, the other - to one of the cables or at the base of the upper arm.
Shelf- a small device, usually mounted on the right side of the sighting window of the handle above the stop (for right-handed people). The arrow is placed on the shelf when loading and stretching the bow. Due to the shock-absorbing properties of the shelf, the inevitable horizontal and vertical deflections of the arrow tail as it leaves the bow at the moment of the shot are dampened. All shelves have one way or another adjustable horizontal and vertical position of the antennae relative to the bow handle. There are also “falling” shelves, the axis of which is connected by a rubber tube or cable to one of the cables. When the bow is stretched, the tendril, together with the arrow placed on it, rises to the top position. At the moment of the shot, as the shoulders begin to straighten, the tendril lowers, freeing the arrow from further contact with itself. Expensive shelf models allow you to adjust their settings by rotating special calibration and clamping screws.
Purpose stabilizer lies in the very name of this device. The presence of a stabilizer reduces bow vibrations when aiming and dampens vibrations after a shot. The stabilizer attached to the bow shifts the center of gravity of the bow forward. Due to this, a moment of force is formed that overturns the bow. The "unbalanced" system "shooter's hand - bow" allows you to more clearly feel and control the bow when aiming, reduces the heterogeneous influence of the shooter's hand on the bow stop at the moment the arrow takes off. At the moment of the shot, recoil is transmitted to the shooter’s hand holding the bow. The recoil force depends on the mass of the bow. The mass of the stabilizer reduces this recoil, which manifests itself in tilting the upper arm of the bow back. The straightening of the bow's shoulders, the rotation of the blocks, the movement of the cables, the bowstring, everything that is directly involved in the process of pushing the arrow towards the target reacts in a certain way to the impact of the shot - it vibrates. The natural vibrations of well-chosen stabilizing elements can dampen this vibration. Stabilizers, like many other bow accessories, are divided into sports and hunting. Both of these categories are seriously different and are almost always not interchangeable. Serious restrictions and the specifics of archery hunting impose serious restrictions on the stabilizer in terms of size and weight, while a sports stabilizer can have a length of up to 1 meter and is practically unlimited in maximum weight.
Release- a device for releasing the bowstring at the moment of the shot. The release is held by the shooter's right hand and engages with the bowstring or a loop attached to it. Types of loops are described in the chapter on the bowstring. There are two types of releases - the so-called “wrist” and “T”-shaped. After stretching the bow to fire a shot, the shooter must press the trigger lever with one of the fingers of the hand holding the release. With wrist releases, the index or middle finger presses the trigger; “T”-shaped releases are often triggered with the thumb, less often with the little finger; some models allow the shooter to select the trigger finger. A special strap is used to hold the release on the wrist between shots. To cock the release before fastening it on the bowstring, the hook is brought into working position - it is turned by hand until it clicks, then the release loop, if there is one, covers the bowstring and is thrown over the hook. Many wrist release models push the grips apart when the trigger is pulled. The design of most releases allows you to adjust the parameters of the trigger - the length of travel of the trigger lever, the tension of the trigger, the position of the trigger lever.
a number of the most popular questions that we constantly encounter in the process of our work
Russian club of bow hunters, I will try to answer.
Almost everyone confuses string tension with power. Hunters who use firearms have direct associations with the power of a cartridge of the appropriate caliber. A bow has a string tension that is measured in kilograms (lbs). This is the maximum force applied to tension it. A compound bow has a force that allows it to twist the blocks. 27 kg, or 60 pounds, is the maximum force that someone who wants to buy a bow in our country can expect. This means: to stretch the bow to the “combat” position, you need to apply a force of 27 kg. When the bowstring is released, the arrow gains a certain speed, which depends on its mass. Therefore, it would be correct to estimate the kinetic energy of the fired arrow, which depends on its mass and speed.
Without delving too deeply into physical concepts, I can say from personal experience that an arrow weighing 28-30 g from a bow with a force of 27 kg will have an average initial speed of about 70 m/s. With such characteristics, an arrow with a blade tip is quite enough to pierce through a medium-sized wild boar, medium-sized deer, or roe deer.
Optimally, the arrow should penetrate the lungs. With such a hit, any animal dies without walking even 100 meters.
“Can you kill a wild boar at 100 meters?” In theory, you can “overwhelm” 200 meters, but you can only get where you need to by chance. At such a distance, the arrow loses a lot of speed and falls several meters below the aiming point. A hunter with a bow has an average shooting distance of 20-25 meters.
A compound bow, all other things being equal, will fire an arrow faster and more accurately, since it has the appropriate mechanisms and sighting devices. Moreover, a compound bow makes it possible (only for strong guys) to keep the bow cocked for several minutes. A traditional bow, without any sighting devices, allows you to effectively shoot and hit at distances of up to 25 meters (block up to 50 meters) and requires constant daily training. Therefore, I would recommend starting your hunting journey with a bow with a block version. The result will be faster, and at the same time you can train along the way with a traditional bow, for the future. I would like to note that an experienced hunter will get a trophy with a bow faster than a master of sports in archery who has no hunting experience. It takes months to prepare for shooting, and many years to gain hunting experience. The ability to be at a distance of 20 meters from an animal and fire a shot without spooking it cannot be acquired by any training, this is only hunting practice.
No less often you have to communicate with “defenders of all living things” and “correct hunters”, who, in fact, have two main complaints: “Bow hunting is the path to poaching” and “Bow hunting is inhumane.” To put it very briefly, our thoughts and arguments on this matter are as follows:
- in order to shoot accurately and effectively from a hunting bow (which requires at least 27 kg of draw force), you need to constantly and a lot of training (at least three times a week, 100 shots each);
- the optimal distance for an archery shot when hunting is 25 meters, and the maximum is limited to 50 meters, and then only in ideal conditions (and for a good shooter);
- there are many restrictions on the archery shot itself: the position of the animal in a certain projection, the presence of obstacles in the path of the arrow’s flight, a certain position of the shooter, the immobility of the animal at the time of the shot;
- when an arrow hits, it almost always pierces the animal’s body and remains in the ground. In many cases, the hunter loses it. The marked arrow itself is accordingly incriminating evidence;
- the average equipment budget for bow hunting is approximately 35,000 rubles. The arrow + tip ammunition is a “consumable” item, and the average cost is from 700 rubles per set;
- hunting with a bow implies good physical training of the archer, the impossibility of drinking alcohol and cigarettes while hunting;
- hunting ability with a bow and arrow, according to statistics, is 10 times less than when hunting with firearms;
- due to the fact that there is only one shot in this hunt, archers take this moment responsibly. According to statistics from the Danish Bowhunters' Organization, the presence of wounded animals is only 4%;
- an archer spends a lot of time, money and effort on preparation. Moreover, bowhunting itself is a painstaking process that requires observation, knowledge of the habits of the animal and much more.
Therefore, there is no point in a poacher spending time, money and constantly training to illegally obtain a piece of meat. There are many more available ways poaching. It is much easier to catch an animal (elk, wild boar, deer, lynx, fox and many others) with the same noose or trap.
It is believed that an animal pierced by an arrow suffers greatly, since it does not immediately die on the spot. In fact, unlike a bullet, the sharp blades of an arrowhead, which have a minimal cutting surface, at a speed of about 80 meters per second make an extensive cut wound in the lung area (this is the only place where a shot is usually made in bow hunting). In this case, the animal does not experience severe pain or a powerful blow and often, having run a little away from the place of the shot, stops to “understand what happened.” Death occurs from a drop in blood pressure, and the animal simply loses consciousness. This takes approximately 10-15 seconds. After an effective arrow hit, the animal can walk no more than 100 meters. Compare, for example, with a multi-kilometer pursuit after a bullet wound.
Here, in fact, very briefly, I tried to clarify the most common misconceptions and help you form an objective view of bow hunting.
Sergey BeshentsevIs it possible or not?
Bowhunting problems
What if
That is, you can safely go hunting with a bow, but only if service providers and regulatory authorities understand the rules in the same way as hunters. And they may not understand them entirely correctly.
Compound Bow
Bow price
Homemade bow for hunting
Guests are expected with a quiver
What you need to learn
Advantages and Disadvantages of Bowhunting
Bow hunting has a number of differences from rifle hunting. First of all, this is the shooting distance. The bow allows you to hit a target at a distance of 30-40 meters. The distance varies depending on the skill of the hunter. Forty meters is the maximum distance for a bow. In order to hit a target at such a long distance, the hunter must have extensive shooting experience.
The objects of bow hunting are most often ungulates. You can hunt wolves with a bow. Preparing for archery hunting takes a lot of time. You need to choose a suitable bow, arrows, arrowheads, case, release, bait, camouflage.
Stay still while waiting for game. After hitting the target, immediately take out the second arrow and get ready to shoot. If the game is wounded but not killed, shoot. If the animal ran away, recall the moment of the shot in your memory. If you are sure that the target has been hit, wait a little and go in search of the wounded animal. Conduct your search for the wounded animal slowly. Walk slowly from tree to tree, looking for tracks of the animal.Review of models and prices
HOYT MAXXIS 31
General by BowTech
The main feature of this bow is the split limbs with a center support. This system made it possible to more efficiently use the energy that is stored in the arms of the bow during stretching of the bowstring, and also improved load distribution. The Speed/Smooth system allows the shooter to choose between softness and speed of the bow at any time.Fred Bear Attack
BROWNING Rage
Mathews and his Switchback
The monoeccentric block was first used by Mathews. The bow is designed specifically for hunting. Powerful and precise, yet quite soft. An arrow fired from this bow is capable of piercing through a large ungulate.PSE X-force Dream Season
