Yes I have a backup bow! Last fall 3 days before the Wisconsin opener my bow limb cracked (I sold the bow 2 weeks ago) but some members on this great site offered to send me a bow to use. 1 member (RickJames aka Matt) indeed sent me a bow to use and I was very greatful and I am still in debt to him. So once again a big Thank you is in order. I ended up getting the broken bow back a day or two later after I had gotten Matt's. I was on the fence for a good week or two to have him send it or not and thats why this had happened. I could of kept the bow as a backup but I just didnt feel comfertable shooting it and it had nothing to do with what had happened to me. I have my first compound bow the Oneida Eagle back in my hands and this will be my backup bow from now on.
When I replace my current bow I am going to keep this one as the back up instead of selling it to pay for the new one. I know the bow and how it shoots. What better back-up? After what happened to me last year the week before the season with my string and rest problems I had, I crave a back-up bow. This whether I'm at home or not. It took me three days to get the parts I needed for my rest and still had to re-tune.
I rotate four compound bows in and out of hunts, depending on what I'm hunting. I rarely have fewer than two on any given hunt. This is especially the case for out of state hunts. However, since I'm a cheap bastard, my take down longbow has been accompanying me more and more on airplane trips (super easy to stow). It 's getting to the point where extra buggage fees are busting the bank! I also travel with a field press, extra strings, and supplies to service and repair my equipment. When I travel out of country (where pro shops are few and far in between), I usally take a very basic. easy to work on, single cam, solid limb bow (my PSE Stingray). This is a work horse bow which can take a licken and pop right back up shooting with excellent precision. If it's lost or stolen, well, it still ruins the hunt, but you aren't out as much do-ray-me. There's alot to be said for the adage "keep it simple stupid" when you're traveling abroad. Make sure your equipment is durable too! An extra pound might be the difference between you hunting or waiting for that warranty bow to show up... If you're like me, time is gold.
I currently have one 'dedicated' back up bow (set up almost exactly the same as my primary bow... and ready to shoot at a moments notice) I have another that is pretty much ready to go at moment's notice as well. Then I have my back up, back up bows..... You can't possibly own too many weapons.
Before I sold my bow the other day, I was without a back up bow. Now I am without a bow altogether which is considerably worse that not having a back up bow. It is however turkey season and I slapped one upside the head tonight with my 870...so no worries, I will get another bow or 2 before season, so all is well.
Back Up Bow I've been blessed with the ability to have a sponsor IE, Diamond for the last 2 years and was able to get a couple bows from them to hunt with. I no longer am with them and this year I did need a back up when Will, AK Imyourhuckleberry came north to Alberta to hunt with me. My primary bow The Iceman and my Octane Sight froze up and the up down screw broke on the sight only enabling me to shoot zeroed in at 20 Yards or less. Most of my stands allow me to shoot to 40 and some even to 70. Not being able to get my site too and back from Oregon I choose to use my other bow I used the year earlier called The Rock. By using the same arrow and weight I only needed to shoot for the feel one night at the local Archery lane to see if it was still dialled in. I did finally get my sight back after a month from Bowtech & Diamond. Me being a tight wad with my cash, was fortunate enough to not waste time, and money buying unnecessary products. In the end I did end up taking a decent buck with the back up bow. Some of the guy's above mentioned if they lived in close proximity to where they hunted they wouldn't have a need ,but in my case I did and it all worked out for the good. So I would say yes to a back up. I hunt a lot of out of province and have ventured out of country also. I also hunt 5 hours from home for Mulies and Elk too, so the need is definitely there. Rocky
I just bought a Bowtech Destroyer and will be getting rid of my Bowtech Pro 38. I have a very old PSE that I still have on hand. I know I would not be able to get much out of that old bow so that is a back up if you call it that. I have knocked my bow off a bow holder that was on my stand and lucky enough it was not damaged except for the stabilizer. I say you dont really need one but a lot of people like to have one due to travel. I dont travel so I only need one really!
