dathein

Late deer season in still open in a few zones here in frozen Wisconsin. Obviously the temps are quite low now and for the forseeable (-2 for spelling) future. Do low temps (i.e. teens to low 20's) have any negative effects on bow performance or negative effects on the bow it's self??

john nail

When talking about selfbows, the old timers used to say that cold weather added pounds to the pull. I doubt you'd find any difference in a modern, laminated bow. What you will discover, is that your cold muscles have a harder time pulling a heavy bow. That's why a lot of us use lighter pull weights late in the season.

Your life is made of time, not money.

Dick4bows

When it gets that cold, my bow keeps dragging me back to the restaurant for coffee. Dick

Lilhunter

As for the cold on bows, I havent noticed much as per performance even using wood arrows. Thats to the tune of -40 in which one fall we played around watching moose as gettin close on crunchy snow was about hopeless let alone looking like the michalen man.

I can however tell you one thing. We havent completely proven it yet but so far its proving true.

I cant remember the term for this (yes we do have one) but it has to do with something being frozen completly through. For some reason the one guy I know who takes his bow to work daily, leaves it in the truck (no garage) and shoots daily all summer and winter has been having a problem. So far its with only two bows a Saxon and a Wes Wallace. The finish cracks bad. Almost like a spiderwebbed window. We havent completely placed it on this complete freezing of the bow, but we have our suspicions that is what it is. Reason is I know atleast a handfull of us all fiberglass laminted bow shooters are out shooting in cold temps. He however is the only one that leaves his bow in the truck at nite when the merc really plummets. The rest of us store our bows in the house and those lucky enough in heated garages. The Wes Wallace was sent back 3 times for the same thing. They finally said it had something to do with the finish they were using and a bad batch. His Wes Wallace hasnt cracked since. He however has recently (little over a year now) purchased the Saxon American recurve and an identical bow made from the same piece of wood for his daughter. Now his Saxon is giving him fits in the cracking department. Her bow, made from the same "boards", same finish batch etc etc, is fine, his however is cracking severly!

We are thinking it is the type of finish sprayed on these bows. To date I dont more information then that. I would like to call Wes Wallace comp, and the bowyer at Saxon and ask what they are finshing there bows with and what Wes Wallace did to keep this from happening.

Just some interesting (and thus far) unproven facts to ponder the next time you think of "storing" your bow out in the cold.....