Adding a Bow to My BOB/SHFT Kit

[BenCullehe]

I've got a decent BOB setup which includes a 1911 for protection, however I'm seriously thinking about adding a survival bow to my kit. More for hunting purposes and protection really. This Spectre bow looks pretty darn good http://www.readytribe.com/the-best-survival-bow. Compact and under a hundred bucks is hard to beat. This one is a little pricer, but also looks solid. htttp://www.goprimalnow.com/Compact_Folding_Survival_Bow_p/cfsb-1-55.htm

Do any of you have a bow as part of your setup? Any suggestions or other one's I should consider checking out? Thanks a ton.

 

[Maverick]

For food gathering or can be used for defense is a converted slingshot to shoot arrows or in my case break down arrows such as what I have here in my food gathering kit with 25lb and 40lb bands.

 

[Silent Earth]

A bow requires constant practice to be useful for preppers and as handy as survival bows are in an emergency you need to " have your hand in" to be able to use it well. So start off with a decent rated TDB Take Down Bow around 30 pound draw and practice with that, then as your skill develops you just buy more powerful limbs for the bow to match your increased draw capability. TDB are easy to maintain and care for. A good basic compound will do pretty much the same without have to change imbs you just dial up the power, but compounds require more complicated mtce when the strings wear out. I have three compounds for home security and a couple of TDBs for hunting.

One important point dont go throwing money at your archery kit, I guarantee you this fact the bow you start doing archery with will no longer suit your needs in 6 weeks time after you develop the right techniques and skills.
If you local community has an archery club its well worth doing an archery 101 course with them and using their gear until you find out what suits you best.

 

[Brent S]

I have both a compound and a cross bow. Neither one were hi dollar, but both were decent bows. I pull them out once or twice a year and practice, but don't use them enough to get 'good'. If shtf I would use them a lot more and get more accurate quickly. Even after an hour or so my accuracy gets much better, so I don't think it would take long. My biggest reason is to be able to hunt quietly after shtf. I don't want the extra attention a firearm can bring. Crossbows are my favorite. It's similar to shooting a gun, and is just more comfortable to shoot.

 

[Brent S]

For food gathering or can be used for defense is a converted slingshot to shoot arrows or in my case break down arrows such as what I have here in my food gathering kit with 25lb and 40lb bands.

View attachment 6169

That's awesome mav! I've never seen or thought of an arrow in the slingshot. I have two and a coupl extra bands in my bug out bag. I really like the slingshot. You can use almost anything for ammo (including arrows now) and within 5 mins of practice I am hitting cans repeatedly from a good distance. I have no doubt I could bag a squirrel if I was hungry.

 

[bigpaul]

if you just want something to put in a bag i'd say go for a slingshot..what we here call a catapult, in fact have two, one set up as an ordinary slingshot and the other set up as a slingbow, that's what I have done.
I like a wooden bow rather than something made in a shop out of plastic with all the bells and whistles that seem to go with modern bows, but then i'm a traditional old coot!!!

 

[Silent Earth]

That's awesome mav! I've never seen or thought of an arrow in the slingshot. I have two and a coupl extra bands in my bug out bag. I really like the slingshot. You can use almost anything for ammo (including arrows now) and within 5 mins of practice I am hitting cans repeatedly from a good distance. I have no doubt I could bag a squirrel if I was hungry.

Slingbows are gaining popularity among non gun carrying back packers
http://slingbow.com/sample-page/

 

[Brent S]

if you just want something to put in a bag i'd say go for a slingshot..what we here call a catapult, in fact have two, one set up as an ordinary slingshot and the other set up as a slingbow, that's what I have done.
I like a wooden bow rather than something made in a shop out of plastic with all the bells and whistles that seem to go with modern bows, but then i'm a traditional old coot!!!

There's something to be said for simple and reliable.

 

[Brent S]

Slingbows are gaining popularity among non gun carrying back packers
http://slingbow.com/sample-page/

View attachment 6170 View attachment 6171

That's really cool!

 

[Silent Earth]

Brent what a lot of sling bowers do is mount a Whiskerbiscuit off a bow onto a slingshot and they work far better than just using the slingshot itself to rest the arrow. Their is footage some place showing an American hunting all sorts of edible critters with one, including fish

 

[bigpaul]

I have made several slingbows using a standard black plastic slingshot, using 2 zip ties(cable ties in the UK) and a split ring(similar to a key ring), within about a minute you have made a slingshot.

 

[Silent Earth]

Hey on slingshots with tubular bands like the black widow etc how do you change the bands when the old ones wear out? what the correct way of pushing the new tubes onto the arms?

 

[Maverick]

Hey on slingshots with tubular bands like the black widow etc how do you change the bands when the old ones wear out? what the correct way of pushing the new tubes onto the arms?

Oops

Wasn't for sure who you was asking

 

[Silent Earth]

Oops

Wasn't for sure who you was asking

anyone?

 

[bigpaul]

Hey on slingshots with tubular bands like the black widow etc how do you change the bands when the old ones wear out? what the correct way of pushing the new tubes onto the arms?

i think you just slide them on, because of the bend on the arms they just grip, I had to replace one of mine and it took a bit of force but it wasn't too hard.

 

[Maverick]

I use a thin metal to break the seal around the band I pull from the end of the band slightly turning the slingshot/catapult. Installing I use a little spit and push the tube as I slightly twist the band to 3/4 of the bend.

 

[Haliboy]

I have the Pathfinder Pocket Hunter but have yet to make use of it.
I do have the Samick Sage which cost under $200 but am now looking at about $100 for a doz arrows. A bow is somewhat bulky so keep that in mind, also buy quality arrows as they take a lot of abuse if you miss your prey.
I have made up a "Minus the wood, bow kit" in an Altoid tin that includes things like a single loop bow string, plastic vanes, glues, plastic notches, flat metal arrow heads.