Stabilizing in the wind

[Boreal]

Howdy all,
I've got a 2017 Carbon Defiant that is my primary hunting bow. I now have a Stokerized SS1 on the bow, but am thinking about additional stabilization for an upcoming goat/deer combo hunt on Kodiak. Given the likelihood of wind on The Rock I don't want to think about a quivalizer or anything too long. I"m thinking about something like the DeadCenter DLH v2 8&6, but am unsure about the added weight on a carbon bow that was purchased to have a lighter weight setup to carry up mountains. I shoot with 30" front and 12" side on my target bows. What are your thoughts on a front/side setup for a hunting bow?

 

[Gumbo]

I was on the fence for a while, but a side bar helps me balance the bow and stabilize in the wind dramatically. I run a Bee Stinger Elite QD mount with 10" front and 8" back bars, 3 oz front, 7 oz back. I'm still not a rock when the wind blows, but it definitely helps. I'm using an aluminum riser too and like the added mass, although it does get heavy after a long shooting session. And the back bar is nice because it is like a kickstand to keep my cams, rest, and sight out of the dirt.

 

[Lawnboi]

I really like a side bar, even for hunting. Really balances the bow

 

[desertcj]

I only shoot with a 10" front bar, no side/back bar. I also hate shooting with a quiver on my bow.

 

[Gumbo]

I only shoot with a 10" front bar, no side/back bar. I also hate shooting with a quiver on my bow.

This is could be because you don't have a sidebar on your bow.

 

[RosinBag]

The side bar will probably make no difference in the wind. Your sight picture will be more affected by your body and your bow arm being affected by the wind, which will in turn make your sight picture show a lot of instability.

With that said, a sidebar will absolutely stabilize your sight picture as a hole. So if your sight picture isn't solid with just your front bar, I would try a side bar to see if that helps. If it helps without the wind as your sight picture is more solid to start, it may be less affected in the wind, as it started in a more solid state.

The one thing that can help your "bow" in the wind is overall mass weight as it will take higher winds to affect the sight picture.

 

[desertcj]

This is could be because you don't have a sidebar on your bow.

No doubt, but I just like how lean the bow feels without a quiver AND an extra bar hanging off. The offset riser on my Hoyt seems to be enough to balance the sight. I do admit that its handy having arrows right there, but shooting with quiver attached sucks imo.

 

[Beendare]

I've bowhunted Kodiak 5 times, I don't use a stabilizer....haven't now for about 20 years.

It seems to me, at some point all of that stuff is only going to catch more wind. And I can't imagine trying to cross one of those alder choked draws with all that stuff hanging off you bow. Personally, I think we are talking the difference between hunting and shooting....not the same.

I'll tell you what I think helps....a detachable quiver....and shooting low profile arrows like Axis. Very rare it doesn't blow on Kodiak...and when the wind stops ...its to change direction.

 

[justin davis]

I think removing the quiver helps with wind. Even thou it lightens up the bow

 

[MattB]

A detachable quiver helps in the wind, although it reduces mass weight which creates its own problems. I've even pulled the arrows out of my 2 piece bow quiver to reduce squirreliness in the wind.

 

[bojangles808]

we frequently have 15-25mph winds sometimes 30+gusts and the backbar rly helps. i run the bee stinger 8/10 setup. i run 4 weights in the back and 2 up front. more weight would porbably help stabilize even more but i think for me thats a happy medium of being enough to help shoot and not too heavy lugging around spot and stalking