I’m going to examine that area really closely, but the significant knot just proximal to that area combined with a lesser knot at the distal 1/4 of that area and a Little beyond have it looking more non-working than it actually is (I think).
When I looked at that limb as I was bending it, when bent but being held static, I saw the stiff area everyone was mentioning; when I flexed the limb, some small areas/spots around and within it were flexing….
And a couple of points in the stiff looking area and just beyond it were not bending.
I hit those non bending areas, and when I flex the limb now, I see the bend happening despite it still looking a little stiff in spots when held bent and static.
The same is true for the outter 1/3 that I was originally thinking was too stiff when I looked at the pictures. The outter 1/3 is bending more than it seems in the pics…as I pull it, I see the bend happening. It could stand to bend a scosh more thru a spot out there, but the limb is twisted there, and it’s bending enough to work there without compromising the strength of that twisted (also a small knot swail/swale (sp)) spot.
At this point, it is shooting dead and quiet, and it’s accurately hitting where I’m looking…and that was in a lot of wind yesterday with a couple of weak spined arrows, one river cane and light and the other Doug fir and heavy.
I have a new set of test packs from 35 to 100 lbs Doug fir as of yesterday. Bow is actually now pulling 58 at 27” and 60 at 28”. As accurate as I can be with the crappy scale and rack set up I have. So I lost ~ 2 lbs. But that’s weight I needed to lose to be honest.
I’m going to look hard again at the spot today and analyze carefully, but time constraints are likely going to have me finishing it up temporarily for my hunt, as I need to find the perfect arrow spine, weight, tip, and FOC combo for this one in a hurry, get some arrows built, and quit dilly-dallying instead of hardcore practicing.
I’m very confident that any elk within 25 that I can loose an arrow at from a good angle is going to die a noble and quick death. I’d like to have that same confidence at 40 yards; I will not shoot past 25 at this point and not past 35 ever…probably will never, ever take a 35 yard shot, but I don’t do rangefinders, and the Western terrain has fooled this southern boy more than a lot in the three years I’ve been out here.
Regardless, I’ve been shooting a variety of sticks a good bit and this one a lot…I just need to shoot this one with the arrow that I find suits it…and shoot it a ton with one of those arrows from all over….first-shot-is-the-only-shot-that-counts style. Do some stump shooting and roving too.
Unless I see something different today, I’ll make any micro adjustments after the hunt. In late September-October.
Thanks for you input; I WANT nitpicking and constructive advice and pointers. I listen to every comment and consider them all whether I directly acknowledge it or not.
Thanks again.