Many of us are blessed with more than one bow. Like children it’s impossible to say which is our favorite unless it’s a single child. My personal preference is my Predator Recurve 55#@28”. In case of a misfortune my runner up is my ThunderStick MOAB @45#. I’m not really comfortable hunting with the MOAB but it’ll do in a pinch. I’m shopping for a Cascade Recurve in high 40# or low 50#.

Have a MOAB (64#) that’s semi-retired but is easy to transition to. Big River 21st Century clone (66#) is my go-to bow. Kota longbow (71#) is my back-up. Big River recurve 50’s style (66#) is also at the ready.

I only shoot target now. My main rig is a 35 Ilf Fivics, and my back up is a 35lb. Hoyt Gold Medalist. When I hunted it was a Damon Howatt Hunter,and my back up was a Howatt Bandido. I also really liked a 1964 Kodiak that I used for a long time. I also made, and hunted with my own custom long bows for a while. Lamboo core limbs under clear glass with a Zebra wood riser was my favorite.

'68 Grizz 50# @29 is number one. If it goes down, Bodnik Super Slick Stick 53# @29 ".

Hmm, interesting question... I don’t have just one backup bow. I don’t have a huge collection of bows like some on here. I currently have 7 bows, all of which I shoot regularly, but will single out one to use for whatever season is coming up and will shoot that one almost exclusively until I kill something. Then I’ll switch to the next one... so I guess to answer your question, I have 6 backup bows, all of which I am very comfortable shooting & hunting with.

One of these. I can never make up my mind.

One of these. I usually bring more bows than I need. It could also be a Bear, Samack or Pearson.

My backup bow is determined by my primary bow. I try to stay with the same design, by the same bowyer if I can. I want to be able to shoot the same arrows out of both bows. I normally decide on what bow I'm hunting with by August 1st. After that I practice and hunt with that bow and my back-up through January. Works for me.

I'm like Oly in that I don't have a backup bow because I don't have a primary bow. But unlike Oly, I may use a different bow each time I go out depending on the day and other conditions. My main bows are all set up for the same arrows and the grips are the same but the limbs and riser lengths are different.

But I may be upsetting the apple cart in another week. I have a Gillo Ghost and new limbs coming and I'm really looking forward to getting to know that bow.

I have a Yellowstone Hunter and a Kota Killum whichever one I pick the other will be my backup.

Well, I'm of the opinion that each bow needs its own back up. I have several. If in the case that a recurve goes down, I have several ready to step up. Same with the LBs.

Always have a back up, been in too many situation where a back up was need either for bow or gun, been more than often with a hunting partner to complete the hunt. stuff happens when least expected.

My back up bow is an old, beat up Shakespeare Cascade, 53# @ 28”. I keep it strung in the back of my car. A back quiver with some arrows with broadheads and a couple extra gloves, and a variety of extra bowstrings. I’ve only had to use it once myself, but I’ve lent it out to others who forgot their bows.

My daily driver is a Yellowstone hunter. My back up is a Yellowstone longbow. I've grown pretty fond of Yellowstone bows.

Got to old to shoot wood.

My back up is a Bernardini Cobra with Hex 7.5's.

Bowmania

Reminds me of a story I heard about the great golfer Lee Trevino. A golf reporter once spied two putters in Lee's bag and asked him what was up with the two putters in his bag. To which Lee replied, "Oh I keep another putter in my bag just to let my main putter know he can be replaced at any time if he starts acting up". Gotta hand it old Lee - he had some good lines.

It will be the one I'm not using at the time. :)

My backup bow is any of the 12 longbows I have that I’m not using as my primary bow. They are all similar enough that a dozen shots puts me on. All use the same arrows also.

This year the two bows I will be using are my Dwyer Original LB and my Yellowstone Half Breed Express. One will backup the other. Dwyer for elk and Yellowstone for white-tails.

My primary bow is my Black Widow SAIII 60" in autumn oak...my 1st back up bow is my Black Widow MA II 60" in gray bark and my 3rd back up bow is another Black Widow MAII 62" also in gray bark.

I really don't consider any of my bows a primary bow. But no matter what bow I'm shooting I have seventeen other bows to back it up.

Main bow - Morrison; back-up - Dreamcatcher.

And a few other ponies in the stable...

Which ever bow I grab at the time.

Is this a trick question? On any multi-day hunting trip I take at least three bows, so far I've never repeated the same three and I rarely carry the same one into the woods twice in a row. I always carry the same quiver, though.

Same as my go-to Bear T/D

If'n you hunt with a Howard Hill you don't need a back up bow. Just an extra string.

My Bear TD- A riser, #1 limbs at 47 pounds is my main bow. My backup is the Holy Grail of Bows, my old Drake Hunter-Flight. It's 45 pounds, 54" long. I took three deer in a row with the Drake. One deer had been struck by a farmer out combining, but I had to finish it off with the Drake, so it counts. I know the Drake will get the job done, if anything happened to my beloved Bear TD!

Joe

I always grab my Super Grizzly but my old Grizzly is always close by. carpenter.

Widow or Schafer

Well I was working on a black walnut selfbow. Shot it all summer and into the fall. That year I was trying to stay out of my woods in MI. till Nov. 1st. Around Halloween the inevitable happened ... SNAP!@#$%^&*. Did not know what to do, so I made a string for my 53 Kodiak. Got this fella. John

I bring four or five bows if I am driving...three if I am flying.

No particular bow that's my main bow...mangonboat stated it perfectly. Find all bows shoot differently but just a couple of shots to get used to it.

The '62 is the backupbow for the 61.

No clue. I haven’t even figured out which one’s my number one yet!!

Don’t hunt anymore so all my bows are backups

Back up bow HH Wesley Special 70#. Main bow HH Big 5 65#

Deno

Never had a need for a back up bow because all my hunts have been close to home. I'm going to South Dakota this year. Hopefully my Black Widow will be all I need, but my vintage Super Kodiak will be nearby just in case.

ITs got training wheels?

Widow PL II TD, 64", 45#@28", then old MA III, 45#@28" Then PLX TD 40#@28", all of these shoot pretty much the same arrows. Just a bit of adjustment on my part and we are good to go.

If I hunt (deer) its pretty close to home anymore so not much of a problem changing bows. If I were to travel I would take all three...

I have more but these are the "starters".....

I don't have a backup. I shoot the same home made bow all the time now that my shoulder is healed.,

Martin Hatfield ,have 50 & 55 lb limbs . Mostly use the 55s for bowfishing but wouldnt hesitate to slap on the 50s if i needed a bow to deer hunt .

52 # SA 3 primary, Bear Kodiak TD 50 # secondary both spit out 2018 with snuffers where I look.

MOAB

Batting is Thompson Zipper, on deck is Thompson Zipper, and in the hole is JD Berry "Vixen"! On the bench and ready to play are various Wings, Bears, Brownings, Reynolds, etc.!

Top of the list for me is Whisperstik Kajika Stik by JD Lund thats 51#. Next is Bear Takedown A Riser with 47# #1 LES blem limbs. Bear might surpass the Kajika by the time hunting season rolls around. Both are 56" 3 piece takedown recurves making them easy to travel with and hunt with.

Was usually my dessert Big Horn or my Big Horn 1 piece Asbel.

Not sure now have to bow down so might be a Little Big Horn or my Drake Hunter Flight? They are all set up ready to go at a moment.

Awesome. Everyone has their own prerogative as to what gets it done. Some more pictures would’ve been the icing on some of the bows mentioned. It’s the pageant for bows!

An old Ben Pearson Model 304 in 50# is the backup to my Don Dow R/D 48#. I do have a 58# Hickory selfbow that I play with and a Hill Style bow that gets some range time, but the Don Dow bow is my favorite and take down Pearson is my hunting back up.

River wolf- I like your hat ! Also a fan of the Montana

Any of these ACEs.

Riverwolf, that's a really nice photo of your bows and gear! Nice skull, too.

Have one bow-all fibre Uukha -would only need another if this gets stolen.

My back-up bow. A beat up, Shakespeare Cascade. 53#@28” 50”amo. Except for one time when I gave the string to a guy who broke his at a 3D, it has been strung since 1999, and kept in the trunk of my car. It was the first bow I bought on eBay, and it was around $32 delivered. It had a wicked twist in the upper limb, and the recurved tip was twisted as well. It’s how I learned to untwist a limb using hot water.

Twin Wilson Brothers HF1225 #44 0

Or twin Wilson Brother HS #48 & #50

MStyles, I’m digging that Cascade. How about 360 pictures of it?

Toxo23 - Here’s a few closer pics of my Shakespeare Cascade.

One thing I like are the Rosewood fade outs. I attempted to refinish this 50 yr old Shakespeare Cascade. I didn’t have the time or patience back then. I rattle can painted the riser Krylon Hunter green, but it had too many holes on both sides of the riser. I decided to find a better one instead. I ended up with 2 more at 55# each, and one at 64#. I gave one 55#’r to my brother Chuck, and sold the other one. The 64#’r I’m redoing with phenolic tips and a couple of other changes that are pending. The only drawback to the Cascade is the extra wide limbs are loud. They’re not as inexpensive as they were in 1999, but they’re still a good choice if you’re looking for a 50” recurve.

I like all my bows.Really don't have a back up.

Mine is a Bear Kmag

Back up is Kodiak hunter 45 # or Najavo Aztec 54 # Best of luck to all this year.

My main bow this year is my new WW Mentor I got this year. Its #53 and my 16 year old Widow #52 will be my back up.

My backup bow is a Smith and wesson 357 magnum. It seems to work pretty well.

Like my superior so much I ordered a second one :) and have twin 7 Lakes Longbows also. I have a sickness when I like something I buy 2. It’s a sickness. :( Especially with knives. I have 2 of everything. Lol. Dumb but can’t help it.

I am in search of a second Howard Hill now. Have one I got not to long ago but waited to make sure I gotta have 2. And I do. :) might go up in weight though as mine is so smooth to draw I feel I can go up a bit and be ok.

I like to have a backup bow that shoots about the same as my standard bow . So for 3D shoots my current favorite is the Wes Wallace pictured and it's backup is it's cousin a Blacktail which is just a couple pounds heavier in draw wt and shoot the same arrows well.

Shoot one bow well,rather than many bow badly-need only one.

"Shoot one bow well,rather than many bow badly-need only one."

Yes but if you blow a limb because of a dry fire because of a busted nock and you are 150 miles from home it's nice to have a backup in the tent. ( Been there done that!)

I agree. I always have a second bow that will shoot same arrows in case. Stuff happens. In my compound days I had a issue with my bow and Missed a week of prime hunting as I waited for my bow to be fixed. Won’t ever not have 2 bows.

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