Ahead of the 2025 deer season, David Raber, Outdoors Manager at Mohican Hardware & Outdoors in Westerville, is urging hunters to tune their bows to improve accuracy and performance.
The store offers archery equipment maintenance, including restringing and precision flex tuning for hunting bows and specialized archery repairs.
Raber advises customers to prepare early, saying mid-summer is the ideal time to tune a bow before the fall archery season.
“In the middle of the season, sometimes we get busy, and my suppliers get busy too,” Raber told the Mount Vernon News. “If I need a custom-length string now, there’s not much lead time. I can have it quickly and put it on. We’re not backed up that far.”
Raber said demand for archery equipment and repairs spikes once the season begins, which can lead to delays.
“During the season, if I order a string, it might not show up for quite a while because they’re backed up,” he said. “When people really want it, they might not be able to get it. So it’s better to get that taken care of now when it’s not a rush, rather than when you really need it.”
Raber, who has worked in archery equipment maintenance for six years, stresses the importance of fine-tuning bow settings to ensure consistent arrow flight.
He tunes bows for clients in the store.
Bow tuning at Mohican Hardware & Outdoors starts with a paper test.
“What we would do is shoot the bow from about six yards away and put paper two feet in front of the target, then shoot through the paper,” Raber said. “This lets us see how the arrow is flying through the air.”
The paper test helps identify any irregular flight patterns, such as arrows tearing the paper to the left, right, up or down.
“Is it flying in a straight line, or is it flying at an angle—left, right, up, or down? The paper shows how it is shooting by how the hole looks compared to the fletching. When we see which direction it’s tearing through the paper, we make our adjustment.”
Raber describes how these patterns point to specific tuning needs.
“If we see a left tear, right tear, or an up or down tear, we know that the arrow is coming out and is winging or fishtailing, and that will definitely affect accuracy. It will also reduce penetration,” he said.
Raber highlights the difference between field points and broadheads, noting how improper tuning can affect broadhead performance.
“You do notice a difference,” he said. “You might not notice as much difference shooting field points if it’s not very significant or not off that far. But once you put a broadhead on and it’s off slightly, that will multiply the problem. People shooting broadheads find it more critical to have it tuned than with field points. It will affect your accuracy even with field points if it’s not tuned right, and you won’t be as consistent.”
In addition to tuning, Raber stresses the importance of choosing the right arrows.
“Arrows are also important,” he said. “You can tune the bow, but if you’re shooting an arrow with too much variance, that can affect your accuracy. You want to match the arrow to your bow, which can vary in a couple of ways.
Raber said one factor is the poundage of the bow and how fast it shoots, another is the length – such as the draw length – which also determines the length of the arrow. Another consideration is the straightness of the arrow, as cheaper arrows tend to be less consistent.
“Take all that into consideration to figure out which spine you need, based on how stiff the arrow is—whether a 340 or 400,” he said.
The store also carries a new selection of arrows, announced last fall on their Facebook page.
Entrance to Mohican Hardware & Outdoors, LLC (Photo credit: Facebook / Mohican Hardware & Outdoors, LLC )
For hunters looking to tune their own bows, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife offers guidance on maintaining equipment to improve the chances of a successful hunt.
In a video posted to the ODNR website, Jaron Beck explains that the first step is to ensure all accessories, such as the sight, arrow rest and stabilizer, are securely attached.
Bowstrings and cables should be inspected for fraying or wear, with wax applied to any worn areas to protect the string and extend its life. String silencers should also be checked regularly, as shooting vibrations can loosen them over time.
Beck recommends using the straightest and most consistent arrows and inspecting fletching for damage, as torn vanes can cause buzzing and reduce accuracy.
These preparation steps, Beck notes, help ensure hunters are ready when the season begins.
Beck also emphasized the importance of regular practice before the season to improve consistency and avoid missed shots.
“While practicing, sometimes an arrow will be stuck in the target and you'll hit it with another arrow in the vein, and that'll cause a tear,” Beck said in the video. “That tear will cause that arrow to buzz. And of course, practice makes perfect. You want to practice plenty before the season so you don't miss that trophy buck.”
