Backup Bow?

You can do a lot of things in a pinch, I used my wife's bow once in Namibia even though the draw is a lot shorter , just shot with a bent bow arm and took a couple of animals with it. I also mailed a pop up blind to Henry Griffiths Safaris from Idaho to Joburg and the cost was just over a hundred bucks.
 
You can do a lot of things in a pinch, I used my wife's bow once in Namibia even though the draw is a lot shorter , just shot with a bent bow arm and took a couple of animals with it. I also mailed a pop up blind to Henry Griffiths Safaris from Idaho to Joburg and the cost was just over a hundred bucks.

Who did you go through to ship your blind? Ups, fed ex ?
 
I always take two bows. I have never needed a back up bow, but I'm a firm believer in 'it is better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it'.

A trip of a lifetime, Murphy....
 
I always take two bows. I have never needed a back up bow, but I'm a firm believer in 'it is better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it'.

A trip of a lifetime, Murphy....

Couldn't agree with you more my friend
 
My hunting buddy always buys two identical bows and sets them up with same accessories. Good idea just a little pricey!
 
My hunting buddy always buys two identical bows and sets them up with same accessories. Good idea just a little pricey!

I agree with the fact that it can get pricey. I'm most likely going to setup my backup bow pretty close to my primary bow. As far as I know I only need it restrung, tuned, and of course the same arrows as my other setup
 
I'm strictly a bowhunter. Not one of those "bowhunters are better than everyone" guys, but I just prefer the bow. Therefore, I always take two. I just returned from a Lion hunt with Paw Print Safaris. I took my new Mathews Halon as primary bow in an SKB case with a fly rod tube full of arrows. My old Mathews Creed went in a rolling duffel bag with another fly rod tube of arrows. Both arrived safe and in shape. Frankly, I hate taking the SKB because everyone at the damn airports thinks its a rifle. Increases the "pain in the ass" factor significantly. Normally I just take a roller duffel with two bows in it but as this was a lifetime trip for me, i took the hard case as well. Remember, you really don't need many clothes in africa (daily washing) so don't clog up room for your bows with worthless clothes.

Some points to consider:

1. Take cell phone pictures of your rest and bow sight settings. I used to mark them all with a paint pen (like crafters and high school cheerleaders use) but now a quick pic with the cell phone cam works to make sure your settings are the same when you left home as when you get into mother Africa.

2. BUY DOVETAIL SIGHTS. A simple removable sight is so much easier than worrying about broken/bent sight assemblies. I have a TruGlo and an HHA. Both dovetail. They travel in my computer bag with me and nobody touches them but me. The HHA is great for precision distance hunting and minute lighting changes (read into my Leopard hunt someday where the tree is a known, set distance). My TruGlo is a five pin setup that I can shoot with my eyes closed. Both have a purpose and i can shoot both equally well.

3. Broadheads in a box. There are several great companies that make little broadhead boxes....my company will be too shortly! Keeping your broadheads in a separate compartment greatly reduces the chances of one getting loose and cutting vanes...or worse...cutting your string. Never travel with broadheads attached to arrows. That's pretty obvious but people do it all the time.

4. TWO RELEASES or more. Never rely on just one. I keep one in each bag. That way no matter what, I would have a full setup as long as one bag arrived (bow, sight, release, arrows and broadheads).

5. Similar setups - No, mine are not exactly the same but they are close. Both bows use the same rest so I can use one for parts or completely transfer if the other goes down. The releases are identical and I use them both when practicing so they are both broken in. Sights are different but easy to re-sight if needed.

6. Underwear is your friend. I always put a pair (or several) on top of my bows. If the TSA or customs agent really wants to dig through my undies to check out my stuff he/she can but most of the times a brief look to see a cam, limb or string under the undies is enough to keep them from going through your bag. Childish...yes. Worth it so some idiot doesn't dry fire your bow...yes.
 
Good stuff from Tom! :)
 
I'm strictly a bowhunter. Not one of those "bowhunters are better than everyone" guys, but I just prefer the bow. Therefore, I always take two. I just returned from a Lion hunt with Paw Print Safaris. I took my new Mathews Halon as primary bow in an SKB case with a fly rod tube full of arrows. My old Mathews Creed went in a rolling duffel bag with another fly rod tube of arrows. Both arrived safe and in shape. Frankly, I hate taking the SKB because everyone at the damn airports thinks its a rifle. Increases the "pain in the ass" factor significantly. Normally I just take a roller duffel with two bows in it but as this was a lifetime trip for me, i took the hard case as well. Remember, you really don't need many clothes in africa (daily washing) so don't clog up room for your bows with worthless clothes.

Some points to consider:

1. Take cell phone pictures of your rest and bow sight settings. I used to mark them all with a paint pen (like crafters and high school cheerleaders use) but now a quick pic with the cell phone cam works to make sure your settings are the same when you left home as when you get into mother Africa.

2. BUY DOVETAIL SIGHTS. A simple removable sight is so much easier than worrying about broken/bent sight assemblies. I have a TruGlo and an HHA. Both dovetail. They travel in my computer bag with me and nobody touches them but me. The HHA is great for precision distance hunting and minute lighting changes (read into my Leopard hunt someday where the tree is a known, set distance). My TruGlo is a five pin setup that I can shoot with my eyes closed. Both have a purpose and i can shoot both equally well.

3. Broadheads in a box. There are several great companies that make little broadhead boxes....my company will be too shortly! Keeping your broadheads in a separate compartment greatly reduces the chances of one getting loose and cutting vanes...or worse...cutting your string. Never travel with broadheads attached to arrows. That's pretty obvious but people do it all the time.

4. TWO RELEASES or more. Never rely on just one. I keep one in each bag. That way no matter what, I would have a full setup as long as one bag arrived (bow, sight, release, arrows and broadheads).

5. Similar setups - No, mine are not exactly the same but they are close. Both bows use the same rest so I can use one for parts or completely transfer if the other goes down. The releases are identical and I use them both when practicing so they are both broken in. Sights are different but easy to re-sight if needed.

6. Underwear is your friend. I always put a pair (or several) on top of my bows. If the TSA or customs agent really wants to dig through my undies to check out my stuff he/she can but most of the times a brief look to see a cam, limb or string under the undies is enough to keep them from going through your bag. Childish...yes. Worth it so some idiot doesn't dry fire your bow...yes.

I also have put into consideration that the SKB case may attract unwanted attention. I have considered putting non hunter type stickers on the case(i.e. Musical notes, bird stickers, etc.).

I am actually considering shipping my backup bow(complete with arrows, heads, spare release, etc.) in a cheaper "Plano" case for a little bit of hard shell protection. I only paid about 3 or 400 $ for it about six or seven years ago which is about what I would insure for via UPS.

My newer Mathews Creed (still about 14 years old) will be in the SKB. I certainly like the idea of packing it with your underwear. Not that I'm too worried about them finding out that I have my bow for this hunting journey but I also don't want to advertise to the entire airport that I'm a hunter.

I also will certainly use your trick of boxing up all of my broadheads due to the fact that I would be devastated if I found out that one came loose and cut my bow string.

I was thinking that if one bow gets shipped and the other travels with me via airline cargo then I have a pretty good chance of at least one of them being there for me to hunt with. And when they both arrive? Well let's just say I will not have to freak out if my primary bow gets dropped off the moving truck or anything else that could potentially ruin a bowhunter's expensive trip.

Thank you so much for this awesome information based on experience obviously

DL
 
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I'll be packing my take down recurve in my checked bag and my compound in its SKB case. The compound IS my back up bow. I plan on going trad unless we do some spot and stalk.
 
I'd say leave off anything that tells others what is inside whether it's true or deception. Hard cases by themselves imply value and musical instruments are easier to sell than guns so they may be more attractive to steal. On both my trips I did nothing more than spray paint a couple of distinct strips on my hard cases. I just wanted to have distinctive cases compared to the rest that may be there at arrival (officer, mine are the X color with Y color (number) diaganol/ horizontal etc. stripes). You learn this in the military with a couple hundred identical flight bags coming off a plane.
 
I'd say leave off anything that tells others what is inside whether it's true or deception. Hard cases by themselves imply value and musical instruments are easier to sell than guns so they may be more attractive to steal. On both my trips I did nothing more than spray paint a couple of distinct strips on my hard cases. I just wanted to have distinctive cases compared to the rest that may be there at arrival (officer, mine are the X color with Y color (number) diaganol/ horizontal etc. stripes). You learn this in the military with a couple hundred identical flight bags coming off a plane.

We did the same thing with the bottom of our duffle bags. Great idea
 

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