Whether it’s the hunting season you are excited for or the archery competition that’s just around the corner, it’s time to take your archery skills to the next level. Now, it’s not only the bow and arrow that you need to master using; there’s more to that to ensure success.
Striving to stabilize the bow is quite crucial, and perhaps in some cases, the only thing needed to put you one step ahead. But how do you stabilize a bow while you are in crazy hunting? The answer is simple – the stabilizer.
Using a proper compound bow stabilizer, you can quickly get hold of some extra yards while aiming to hit the bull’s eye. This piece will see how a perfect stabilizer can take your archery a few yards ahead in the range!
What Is A Stabilizer?
A stabilizer is a tool that stabilizes the bow while you are using it. It’s basically an attachment accessory that can be attached to the bow in multiple places. When connected, the stabilizer effectively maintains the bow’s balance and eliminates torque to reduce any aftermath. Plus, it also absorbs the vibration produced and makes it pretty simple for an archer to shoot the arrow.
How Stabilizers Work?
Now, how do you know if a stabilizer can give you extra range with a better stabilization? Well, the answer lies in the way the stabilizer works. The stabilizer effectively increases the inertia in the bow. This makes it quite challenging for the bow to move or twist. Whether the arrow is about to be released or already shot, the bow will not move.
In this process, the sight pin of the bow tends to settle faster. Plus, it moves towards the target in a smaller pattern. Again, stabilizers (mostly the top-quality ones) come with a dampening technique that absorbs the vibration produced after the shot.
This can reduce the usual noise and the aftershock. Thus, you can get a perfect shot like never before.
How Is A Stabilizer Used?
Usually, a bow stabilizer is used either on the front, back, or sides of the bow. The front placement allows the inertia to be directly in line with the target. But today, most ultra-modern bows don’t seem to have been designed on par with such kind of front weight.
So, in this case, you can use a side or back stabilizer, as well. It will quickly mitigate the front weight pressure quite nicely.
Are Stabilizers Necessary On A Compound Bow?
Although a compound bow is in and of itself a well-designed modern bow, it’s still not as advanced to stabilize itself without a stabilizer. Most people make a mistake by taking stabilizers for granted. They see it as an accessory that you can get if you want and ditch if you don’t need to use it.
But the concept is flawed as you get an immediate improvement in the stabilization of the bow with a stabilizer mounted on it. Be it on the front, back, or the sides – a stabilizer will always result in better shooting and control over the bow.
Can A Compound Bow Stabilizer Give You Extra Range?
As you can see, a stabilizer does come with the ability to add some extra range for your hunting. Here are some of the ways it does it.
To be precise, a compound bow stabilizer does give you extra range. But that comes with some baggage. Not all the stabilizer can give you the same output. For example, if you think that the short yet heavy stabilizer can support you reach beyond your capacity as much as the longer yet lightweight stabilizer will do, you are wrong.
As we have seen in the entire field, the more the stabilizer’s length, the better it is for reaching further. Hunters who have used different stabilizers with varying lengths like 3,5,7, and 10 inches, have a common feeling about hitting the bull’s eye. Once you keep track of the variance of picking the bull’s eye, you can notice that the 10-inch stabilizer can do wonders. Hunters from different areas of the hunting zones positively reckon that the 10-inch stabilizer has given them the best range ever.
Apart from that, adding a few weight-forward stabilizers can make a huge difference in getting a few extra yards. You will definitely notice an improvement in arrow groups and the distance reached. When you use the longest stabilizer (in this case, the 10-inch one), you can see that the sight pin accurately settles in the bull’s eye. You can even notice the holding pattern of your hand will shift towards a bit of slower movement.
With this setup, you can reach up to 30 yards and more. So, it’s evident that you can easily reach a few yards more with a more extended stabilizer with a significant weight added in the front.
But you better be careful in moving with such an extended stabilizer in the woods if you are a whitetail hunter, as it may come in your way quite frequently.
Deciding On How Much Weight To Put And The Angle Of The Back Bar
Putting the exact weight that is necessary for your shooting is absolutely crucial. There is no simple answer to the question of how much weight to put. It depends on the type of bow and the performance of the archer.
Finding out the weight requirement is simple. Simply draw the string of the bow with an arrow and then settle into the anchor. After that, check the sight bubble. Is it stable and in the center? If yes, then the weight is just perfect. If not, then add counterweight until the bubble comes in the center position.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How good are professional archers without bow accessories?
Ans. Truth be told, professional archers are helpless without bow accessories, like a stabilizer. It will make their target hunting very poor.
Q2. Where is the stabilizer located on the following compound bow?
Ans. A stabilizer can be located on the front, back, or sides of a compound bow.
Q3. How do you clean a stabilizer?
Ans. You can use clean cotton cloths with water or alcohol rub to clean a bow stabilizer.
Q4. Why do Olympic archers have so many attachments on their bows?
Ans. As the Olympics is a severe competition and you have to be the best of the best in performance, you must make sure you’re giving your best. That’s why archers use so many accessories attachments on their bows.
Q5. Is a more extended bow stabilizer better?
Ans. A longer bow may help you balance off the weight better, but it’s not the case for every single bow. It depends on the design and construction of the bow, as well.
Q6. What type of stabilizer should you buy within a tight budget?
Ans. If you are on a tight budget, you may start off with a short stabilizer on the front. If you can increase your budget, then you can switch to a front one or a longer one with a lighter profile.
Final Words
From a regular hunter in the woods to the professional archers in the Olympics, the stabilizer is something that every archer loves to have on the bow. It’s not something to be considered as an excessive attachment with useless expenses. It’s actually is a vital organ of a bow that simply needs to be purchased separately.
Apart from the stability, balance, and weight adjustment, using a top-quality bow stabilizer will definitely give you a few more yards in range than a bow without a stabilizer mounted on it. So if you are still confused about whether to get one or not, it’s absolutely a ‘Yes’ from us.
