The Take Down Survival Bow & Arrow: 6 Reasons You Should Consider Owning One

I am a big fan of the Bow & Arrow for many reasons. I personally think that anyone who has an interest in primitive survival skills or modern urban survival should seriously consider purchasing a good Bow & Arrow and become proficient in using it. There are 100s of bows to choose from. My Bow of choice is an October Mountain Blue Ridge Hunter Take Down Recurve Bow. Below are 6 Reasons why I think you should consider owning a Survival Take Down Bow.

1. PORTABILITY
“Take Down” means that the bow comes apart in 3 pieces: the middle grip section & the 2 limbs. It is super simple to ‘take down’ – just the twist of a couple lug screws and voila. The fact that it comes apart makes it very portable. You can stash the bow in your pack or Bug Out Bag. It’s perfect for a Bug Out Vehicle or BOL (Bug Out Location) cache. And, it weighs very little. My bow weighs only a couple of pounds – if that.

2. AFFORDABLE
A good Take Down Bow should only cost you a couple 100 bucks and if you take care of it, you can expect it to last your lifetime. Not only is the bow itself affordable, but the ammunition (arrows) are cost effective too. Once you hone your shooting skills, you should be able to retrieve your arrows after shooting….and reuse them over and over again. With a little practice, you can easily make your own arrows using wooden dowels or even natural found wood and plant shafts.

3. VERSATILITY
Modern arrows have come a long way. Most new carbon fiber arrows (ultra light weight) have a tip that accepts different screw in arrow tips. I have an extensive selection of tips to choose from: small game stunner tips, broad head razor large game tips, standard practice tips, hook tip and line for bow fishing, etc… I’ve killed both squirrel and deer using my Take Down Bow with different arrow tips. A good selection of arrow tips can be easily kept in a pack or vehicle. I practice flint knapping regularly so that if I was ever in a situation when I need to make my own arrow points I would know how.

4. LAWS, RED TAPE & PAPERWORK
Legal limitations and laws are much more lax on the Bow & Arrow than they are with guns and bullets. You don’t have to mess with paperwork and permits even though in the right hands the Bow & Arrow is equally as deadly. The less you have to deal with this stuff the better – especially if things get messy.

5. SILENT
The bow and arrow is very quiet weapon. You never know when you might need the convenience of a weapon that is silent & deadly.

6. MULTI-USE
Some pieces of a Take Down Recurve Bow Kit can be Multi-Use items – this is always a plus. I like for everything I pack to have at least 2-3 other uses. The first and most obvious is the Bow String. Bow strings range in length from 4 feet to 6 feet and are incredible strong. You could use a bow string in a variety of ways. Below is just a brief list:

– Bow Drill for Fire
– Snares/Traps
– Cordage for Shelter Building
– Trot Line Fishing

If you are packing a bow then you are probably packing a few arrows as well. Arrows can be used as spears and gigs for small game & fish. They can also be lashed to a longer shaft and used as a larger spear for big game such as wild pig. This larger spear can be used in self defense as well. Imagine a spear with 3 Arrows lashed to the end and each of the arrows had a razor broadhead on the tip – you can’t even buy a spear that effective. I’m sure there are some more multi-use features but these are the few I could easily think of. I would love to hear any ideas you have on the subject of Multi-Use with a Bow and Arrow Kit.

My Final Thoughts:

Positives:
– Very Portable for such an effective long range weapon
– Silent
– Affordable
– Multi-Use
– Can reuse arrows
– Can make arrows in the bush
– Lax laws

Negatives:
– Requires practive and skill to be effective
– Arrows can be a little cumbersome to pack

A few good movies that feature a Bow & Arrow in a Survival Situation are:
– Book of Eli
– Red Dawn
– Rambo – pretty much all of them

What I enjoy most about a Bow & Arrow is that it requires skill to use. It is a weapon that carries a certain amount of respect. 99% of being able to effectively use the Bow & Arrow is the skill itself – not the equipment. The skill will always be with you. Even if your bow is damaged or broken in a survival situation or stolen in a bug out situation, you can make a bow as long as you have a nice strong piece of cordage. In the photo below I made this bow from a hickory sapling using only my knife. I also made the arrow. Making a bow and arrow in the bush is definitely an option. However, it will do you know good if you don’t know how to shoot it. Preparation is the key. Practice now for the situation later.

Hopefully this was useful content if you are thinking about getting a Survival Take Down Bow. If you have any questions on the matter – just let me know. Would love to hear your thoughts…

Remember, it’s not IF but WHEN,

Creek

Creek Stewart is the Owner & Lead Instructor at Willow Haven Outdoor Survival School located in Central Indiana & online at https://willowhavenoutdoor.com.