Bowhunting Equipment

Arrow quiver options for the bowhunter | Shooting Industry | Find ...


A compound bow with overdraw rest, stabilizer, and other accessories often weighs over five pounds without a heavy quiver attached. A second, more commonly seen hunting quiver is a belt-attached hip quiver. A third problem archers encounter is extreme weight in modern bows. A two-piece quiver like the Sagittarius Pegasus II or Hyot Pro Bow Quiver attaches near both ends of the bow's handle riser, providing a hood-to-gripper span of 16 to 22 inches. After several modifications, I settled on a design that has served me well from the North Pole to southern Arizona. Arrow access requires major animal-spooking hand movement, and shafts and broadheads grate together unless dampened by sawdust or styrofoam packing peas. Arrows ride high above the shoulder, where they can snag foliage and make noise. Dozens of bow quiver models are sold through archery stores, but all the good ones share certain traits in common. Even the shortest overdraw arrows measure more than two feet long, and razor-keen broadheads must be encased in edge-protective foam. Every bowhunter must buy some sort of quiver to tote his "ammo," and current druthers are split between bow and non-bow models. Excellent one-piece quivers are also available, but the best of these also feature two-point attachment to a bow to minimize arrow quiver vibration and noise. For most hunters, shoulder quivers seem more trouble than they are worth. For one thing, bowhunters are more sophisticated about shooting accuracy today, and many realize that a bow-attached quiver unbalances a bow and increases handle torque (twist) during a shot. Furthermore, individual shafts should be shielded from one another to prevent game-scaring rattles or clanks. I had no intention of offering this quiver commercially, but readers showed such high interest that this quiver became available on a mail-order basis in 1988. I personally prefer a hip quiver because a back quiver makes sitting down in the field impossible, and because a back quiver requires you to fish for arrows behind your back. In addition, pricise bow tuning is impossible with a bow quiver because mass weight of the bow changes as you strip out backup arrows. It also has a wide, comfortable cowhide leg belt and a strong tree stand hanging loop. It features hand-oiled saddle leather throughout, a rigid central spine of aircraft aluminum, an unbreakable broadhead hood for safety, and a quick-detach, swivelling belt loop for walking comfort. It is a snap to tote a dozen rifle cartridges, but you cannot stuff arrows in your pocket. It is also quiet, attaching to the bow at two solid points. Most are inexpensive models made of synthetic materials like plastic and fleece. Most hoods have a modular core of dense, closed-cell foam like ethafoam. Now, due to dealer demand, the Adams Arrow Holster[TM] is also sold on a wholesale basis. One-piece quivers that bolt to a bow in only one place tend to be noisier than the norm. Preferably, broadhead hood and arrow holder should be at least 15 inches apart to prevent arrow fletching from rattling during a shot. Relatively few archery stores offer shoulder quivers or back quivers, but most sell bow quivers and hip quivers on a daily basis. Such a quiver is especially light in weight because it has no center bar between hood and arrow holder. The Arrow Holster holds ten hunting shafts securely. The average low-cost hip quiver holds six or seven arrows, loops over your belt with a Velcro[R] or steel-snap closure, and ties to the lower leg with a string. The best low-cost hunting hip quivers include those offered by Neet and Bear Archery. The first is a back quiver like the Catquiver (Rancho Safari). There are several reasons for this trend. This causes shots to hit father and farther to the right. This design is best described as a backpack full of arrows. This foam holds broadheads individually and prevents head-to-head rattle. This makes toting the bow alone a muscle-straining chore. Very few such quivers are rigid between hood and arrow holder, which can cause accidental and dangerous shaft pop-out as a hunter walks or runs.