Bow-Repair Kits for the Traveling Bowhunter

Question: I’ve booked a guided moose hunt in Canada. I won’t be bringing a backup bow due to weight constraints on luggage. With this in mind, can you suggest items for a bow-repair kit, in case disaster strikes? — Leonard P. (via e-mail)

Answer: A DIY archery-repair kit is a must when traveling to remote hunting areas. After all, if something goes haywire, it is up to you to fix it, or your hunt could be done. Over the years, my repair kit has evolved to maximize usefulness while minimizing weight and bulk. Nowadays, these archery essentials, stored in a durable Mystery Ranch pouch, go with me everywhere, whether I’m hunting two hours from home or out on a remote, big-game adventure. Here’s what I use and why it’s important:

Portable Bow Press, Extra Bowstring & Cables: One swipe against a sharp rock or broadhead can sever a bowstring completely; be prepared. You’ll want to make certain the tool you choose can press your bow limbs when completely relaxed (without a bowstring). So, experiment ahead of time. I use a Bow Medic Bow Press with wide, split-limb brackets. Typically, my extra bowstring and cables are pre-stretched/pre-fitted, with a peep sight already served in.

Serving Material, Tool & Cord: One common problem I encounter in the field is loose bowstring serving, whether it’s on the center serving near the nocking loop, around the peep sight or on the cable harnesses. To fix this, you’ll need to strip away old serving and re-serve the material to prevent tuning and accuracy issues. I use a lightweight BCY Model 26 Serving Tool loaded with .021-inch 62XS thread to redo the center serving. The 62XS thread is strong and versatile. I also use a two-foot strip of parachute cord to strap down the bow’s cables, so I can rotate the serving tool without obstruction. Additionally, I keep a few feet of .016-inch BCY 3D thread and dental floss on hand in case I need to serve over loose serving ends, rather than re-serve them completely. The smaller thread works well inside a cam’s string grooves and minimizes weight when applied to the center of the string or near the peep sight.

Extra Bowsight, Arrow Rest & Replacement Parts: Bowsights and arrow rests are pretty tough, but I’ve seen them fail. For this reason, I like to have emergency backups, as well as replacement parts to remedy simple problems, such as a broken sight pin or bent arrow launcher. If a total replacement is needed, I carry a simple, 3-pin bowsight and biscuit-style arrow rest as failsafes. Both items are compact and weigh about six ounces combined. If you really want to keep weight and bulk to a minimum, you can use a simple NAP Centerest Flipper. I’ve tested this rest, and it’ll shoot well with the cock vane oriented 90 degrees to the bowstring.

Sandpaper and Fletching Glue: While hiking steep terrain, it’s easy to slip and fall, increasing the likelihood of banging a bow limb against a rock, causing it to splinter. To fix it, sand the splinter using fine-grit sandpaper (320-400 grit), then place a dab of Fletch-Tite glue over the spot (if needed). Limbs are very durable, so a small nick won’t do anything to alter strength and performance. However, I would certainly have the bow checked by a pro shop upon returning from your hunt. If a cam is scraped near the string groove, use the sandpaper to smooth out nicks so sharp metal can’t contact the bowstring. The fletching glue can also be used to repair/replace vanes or dab loose, rusted-out screws on the bowsight or arrow rest.

Other Items: Arizona EZ Fletch Mini tool, 12 extra vanes, Allen wrench set, small multi-tool, lightweight tape measure, index card with bow-tuning measurements (can also be used to set arrow-nock height to bowstring at 90 degrees), arrow wax, pre-cut lengths of nocking loop material, extra cord for drop-away rest, disposable lighter for burning nocking loop or serving ends, bow-axle clips, permanent marker, extra release aid, two extra arrow nocks, two fieldpoints, Judo Point and extra broadheads and/or blades round out my kit. The tape measure is used to measure the bow’s axle-to-axle length, brace height and peep-sight height if the bowstring and/or cables are replaced, so I can reset everything the same way it was. I use the fieldpoints to re-zero the bowsight as needed. I also like to shoot a broadhead-tipped arrow to double check the bow’s point of impact — hence the need for extra broadheads or blades.

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