New Kodabow Magnum .338 Arrows
OutdoorHub 01.24.13
Shooters always are looking for an edge. You only need to look at the new rifle calibers that appear annually the old standards like .30-06 and .270 never lose their popularity. Same holds true for archers. We always look for an edge.
Recently, a customer wrote in with a tale of his experiments to see if he could improve upon accuracy of our standard Kodabow hunting arrow offering. He went out and bought different brands of shafts, different sizes and brands of vanes from 2″ to 4″ and fletched several combinations in the quest to see if he could obtain any better results with his Kodabow. His analysis after all the time and effort was:
- Some combinations shot poorly
- Some shot well
- Achieved results equal to the Kodabow Magnum .338 arrows with a few combinations, but never did better than Kodabow’s .338 arrows
His conclusion was “just buy the Kodabow Magnum .338 arrows. Save time & money, and spend more time hunting!”
Three different colors of vanes allow a shooter to pick one of the three colors to index as a cock vane. Each arrow is individually serialized so you can track results by specific arrow. You can “tune arrows” by choosing a different cock vane to tighten groups by marking the vanes and rotating the arrow placement on the rail by 120 degrees – the rear Flat Nock allows this option. The 20” premium carbon fiber arrows look good and shoot nicely from all Kodabow crossbows. With a 110 grain brass insert (supplied), the arrows weigh in at 408 grains with a 100 grain head and have a high 18% FOC (Forward of Center) weight distribution. The arrows ship with all components – rear aluminum nock, brass front insert, field points or broadheads (if desired) and instant adhesive for assembly.
The Arrow Tells the Story
As crossbow hunting increases in popularity, it is important that hunters educate themselves about archery and the unique challenges that the sport presents. For many hunters who grew up shooting with recurve, longbow, and compound bows, the knowledge gap can be small because years of study and experience hunting with arrows taught the necessary lessons. A crossbow is just another tool to propel an arrow downrange. For hunters who are new to archery and especially those who are have been longtime firearm hunters with little archery experience, we ask you to buddy up with a qualified archer and learn the ways of the woods when it comes to taking game animals with a bow and broadhead. Read books. Jump on the internet. Much more is involved than picking up a crossbow and heading out on a hunt.
Everything is Different
Here is one example.
This is my sequence that I follow 100% of the time when taking an archery shot with a recurve bow, compound bow or crossbow.
- Take a good shot
There is no place in archery for taking a low percentage risky shot. Target the heart/lung area and place your arrow in that kill zone with the deer standing broadside. You are not shooting a firearm and are depending on the cutting forces of a sharp broadhead to do the work. - Wait. Wait. Wait.
After taking a shot, I don’t move for at least 30 – 45 minutes. Watch the animal behavior closely at the shot and gauge the direction of travel but stay put. At the 30 – 45 minute mark, walk over to the area where the shot was taken and study the area closely and determine if the arrow is in the ground or laying nearby. - Study
Look at any sign present… the beginning of the blood trail if any, the amount and color of the blood, the color and length of hair that may be on the ground, the sign that is present on the arrow and determine if what you are observing is consistent with the shot that you believe you made. You must become an expert at knowing what all the visible sign means before making another move. Perhaps what you thought was a missed shot was actually a pass through shot. This is an area that goes beyond the scope of a short newsletter article so we encourage you to study animal anatomy, the meaning of the various sign and representations, and animal behavior. - Recovery
Based on the results of what is seen on the ground and on the arrow, a decision will be made to wait longer or proceed to recovery. For a shot that is in the abdominal area, waiting several hours may be required before tracking the animal or the risk exists that the animal will be pushed and never recovered. For other circumstances when the blood trail is significant and the studied results confirm a heart/lung shot, it is reasonable to begin the recovery phase immediately and expect the animal to be recovered within 60 yards providing you waited and avoided the natural tendency to make an immediate pursuit.
