Pre-Season / Mid-Season Bow Inspection
Chances are, you’ve been shooting your bow a lot lately, getting ready for the upcoming archery season. With all that recent shooting, it’s a good idea to check out a few areas on your bow to make sure it’s as ready as you are. It’s also a good idea to inspect these areas regularly during the hunting season to make sure everything is always ready to go.
Secure your Peep Site
If your peep isn’t tied in or isn’t tied in very well, it’s important to have your archery shop secure your peep by tying it in properly. Not only is it important for safety considerations, but if your peep slides up or down your string even just a little bit, you’ll find yourself missing high or low.
D-Loop Inspection
After a lot of shooting, your D-Loop can start to show wear and tear. If it’s starting to fray or look worn out, get it replaced. Your dealer can help you replace it, but don’t wait until the day before the hunt. You’ll want to put a few shots through it before you head out on your hunt so make sure you give yourself at least a week or two.
String Wax
You don’t need to apply string wax just for the fun of it, but if your string is getting worn and has little fuzzies, a light coat of string wax will help prolong its life. (If any strands are cut or broken, get a new string right away.)
2nd and 3rd axis sight leveling
Sigh leveling is often overlooked - maybe because a lot of shooters don’t know about it or don’t know how to do it. However, it’s critical for accuracy and consistency, especially when shooting at up or down angles. If you don’t know how to level your sight, visit your archer shop and have them help you. It’s worth every minute and every penny you spend doing it.
Arrow Straightness
You can get away with imperfect arrows when shooting field tips, but once you screw on the broadheads, any wobble in that arrow turns into a big problem. With your broadheads installed, spin your arrows on an arrow spinner to find all your best arrows, mark them so you know they are the “good” ones. Those should be your hunting arrows. (Keep the “bad” arrows for practice.)
Broadhead Accuracy and Sharpness
If you haven’t already done so, choose one or two of your good hunting arrows and take a few practice shots with your broadheads installed. You want to make sure your broadheads are sighted in before you go hunting. More times than not, you’ll need to make a slight adjustment to your sight to be dialed in with broadheads after being sighted in with field tips. Also, make sure you always have fresh, sharp broadheads when hunting. Razor sharp blades make clean cuts, causing more bleeding and getting more penetration than dull broadheads. You never know when that one extra drop of blood will keep you on the blood trail versus losing it all together.
If you have any question or concerns about your hunting gear, visit your local Hoyt dealer and get a thorough bow inspection to make sure your rig is ready for the season. Good luck!