The Perfect Setup–A Guide to Building the Perfect Bow
For 10 years, Bill Winke, OL's Bowhunting columnists, has hunted with the bow shown here. Winke explains why he set it up the way he did.
Sight
Fiber-optic pins are preferable, but they require an extremely rugged pin-protection system. This one has been on my bow for the last seven years. If I were going to hunt whitetails exclusively, I’d reduce the pin count to two, one set for 25 yards and the other for 35 yards, to keep things simple. But because I also hunt out West with the same rig, I’m set for 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 yards.
Rest
The rest I choose must cradle the arrow very securely to keep it from falling off when I draw the bow. It also must have a centering capability should the arrow fall off the rest while the bow is lying in my lap. If I forget to put the arrow back on the rest I want the bow to do it automatically. This rest is made by Bodoodle, but there are others on the market that do the same thing.
Silencing Material
I apply a layer of silencing material to the front of the rest shelf and sight window and to the bottom of the sight’s pin guard so the arrow won’t make noise if it falls off the rest.
Cable Guard
A pure Teflon cable-guard slide reduces the chances of a squeak when the bow is drawn.
String and Peep Sight
I’ve started using only zero-stretch/zero-rotation custom strings from a company called Winner’s Choice. I don’t like to use rubber tubing to position my peep because rubber can snap unexpectedly. The string assures that the peep will come back the same every time. The zero-stretch component prevents surprise changes in impact point that may result from string stretch. String silencers reduce noise, which makes it less likely that a deer will jump the string.
Nock Point
I still prefer to attach my caliper release directly to the string even though nocking loops have certain advantages. It’s debatable, but I feel I can hook up more reliably going straight to the string. I use an eliminator button under the nock and have dressed the string with a layer of Fast Flight material to reduce wear.
** Grip Area**
I’ve started doing all my shooting without a wrist sling to eliminate the need to slip my hand into the apparatus when shot opportunities arise quickly.
** Limbs**
Cloth camo tape on the limbs keeps them from reflecting light.
