J.L., Idaho Falls, ID: "I am new to bowhunting and just obtained an Alpine bow about five years old with an overdraw installed. My hunting buddy says overdraws are junk. Can you tell me the advantages/disadvantages of an overdraw? Thanks."
To say overdraws are junk is a bit off the mark. At one time they served a valuable function. When the only arrows available were relatively heavy aluminum arrows, the only way for an archer to shoot lightweight arrows -- and thus gain significant arrow speed -- was to attach an overdraw and then to cut several inches off his arrows. The shorter length alone reduced arrow weight, but more importantly, shortening of the arrows allowed the archer to shoot arrows of considerably lighter spine and mass weight.
With the development of superlight aluminum arrows and, perhaps more significantly, carbon arrows, the need for long overdraws has largely disappeared. Today, arrows are available in a wide range of spine and mass weights, and you can achieve high arrow speeds with full-length arrows. Thus, few bow-hunters these days use long overdraws. Rather, if they desire to lighten their arrows for greater speed, they simply switch to lighter-weight arrow shafts and lighter broadheads.
I recommend that you remove the overdraw and install a rest directly into the threaded hole in the riser. I've had good success with fall-away rests such as the Trophy Taker Shakey Hunter, Tro-phy Ridge Dropzone, and the Schaffer Performance Archery rests. Or you can install one of the many excellent shoot-through rests available today.
Curt Wells, Equipment Editor
Bowhunter Fitness
Mike Richmond, Phoenix, AZ: "I am looking for a way to build strength to prepare me for shooting a bow. You ran an article a few years ago on this subject, and I cannot remember which issue it was in. I have a PSE Thunderbolt, which I used to shoot daily at about 70 pounds. But after laying off a couple of years, I cannot draw this bow, even after backing out the limb bolts four turns."
We ran a four-part series called "Get Fit" designed to help bow-hunters prepare not only for shooting but overall better hunting. Part 1, "Mus-cle Power," (December 2002) by Dave Cole, a physical therapist, specifically addresses building muscles for drawing a bow. Part 2, "Functional Fitness," (Jan-Feb 2003) by Chris Andersen, and Part 3, "Build a Strong Back," (Mar-Apr 2003) by yours truly contain good information for overall fitness. Part 4, "Prepare for Hard Hunting," (May-June 2003) by Chris Andersen, outlines an aerobic training program for endurance.
A good program like this will help get you back into shooting. Still, your draw weight obviously is too heavy. Drop the draw weight to 50 pounds or so, and then work up to 60. That's heavy enough for any game in North America. And by eliminating the strain of drawing and holding a heavy bow, you'll shoot a whole lot better.
Dwight Schuh, Editor
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North American Whitetall
North American Whitetail is designed for the serious trophy hunter. It provides authoritative coverage of world-class whitetails, the latest approaches to deer management and advanced hunting techniques.
