And using more aggressive fletching helical equals additional broadhead control when conditions become demanding, such as on the windy plains of eastern Colorado. A drop-away provides a tad more forgiveness to help minimize those discrepancies. When ranges become extreme, shooting flaws are exaggerated exponentially, small mistakes looming large. This translates into 50 to 70 percent less opportunity to introduce human error. In terms of shooting, the average drop-away rest results in arrows remaining on the rest 50 to 70 percent less time. This applies to both shooting forgiveness and the ability to use more aggressive helical or larger fletchings without worry of rest contact and poor arrow flight. To my mind the drop-away arrow rest is all about forgiveness. For the average woodlands hunter seldom taking a shot beyond 35 yards - not so much. The NAP Apache Crossfire arrow rest is a popular model for bowhunters who prefer a drop-away rest.īut the question begs asking: Do you really need a drop-away arrow rest on your whitetail bow? On the bows I set up specifically for Southwestern Coues’ whitetails, where ranges average 55 to 65 yards, or an outfit I might take to Colorado’s Eastern Plains while spot-and-stalk hunting those behemoth whitetails on wide-open ground, I’d say positively yes.

The modern drop-away is easier to set up and more accurate and dependable than ever. I think of straight-drop-away models from Trophy Taker, Trophy Ridge and Vapor Trail, all of which I’ve used extensively (and used hard) and can’t recall ever having a problem in recent years. I think of models such as New Archery Products’ QuikTune series, which has made instillation, setup and tuning a snap. With time drop-away arrow rests not only became more refined, but also 100 percent, dead-nuts reliable. Despite this the Whisker Biscuit, and the many similarly designed rests, remain one of bowhunting’s most popular rests. Drop your bow arm during release, as an example, and the arrow’s final destination is negatively influenced. Those problems solved, one glaring problem still remained: The total-containment arrow rest contacts the arrow tip to nock during the launch, requiring rock-solid follow-through for reliable accuracy. Inaugural models were slow to load and wore fletchings badly. The Whisker Biscuit’s encircling bristles allowed turning the bow upside down without dislodging the shaft.īut they weren’t without shortcomings. Here was a ridiculously simple design solving a lot of common problems, largely arrows jumping from arrow rests in the heat of battle. When the first total-containment arrow rest - the still-popular Whisker Biscuit - arrived about the same time frame it became an instant hit. The Whisker Biscuit was the first arrow containment rest and remains popular today.

Had I been shooting at white-tailed deer instead of turkeys, I would’ve been wounding animals instead. I recall, for instance, missing a couple of spring gobblers because a launcher assembly slipped ever so slightly upward, resulting in arrows hitting a foot high. They provided troublesome setup, and many models were somewhat unreliable. When drop-away arrow rests first appeared during the 1990s, they were easily ignored. A drop-away arrow rest may be exactly what you need to improve your shooting and help you become a better bowhunter. Bowhunting is multi-faceted and being in good physical shape can help you have better success throughout the season.

Drop away arrow rest