Whisker bisquits
Whitetail Deer
Has anyone had any trouble with whisker bisguits in cold weather. Im talking temps below 20 degrees. Was out shooting in -0 weather yesterday morning and my arrows were low and right. It was perfectly tuned in the fall and nothing had moved. Thanks!
It probably has more to do with your fletching in cold weather. I shoot the Whisker Bisket and love it except it does do a job on your featherers as well as plastic fletching. I just imagine your plastic is hard do to the cold and may be hanging up on the rest.
Another reason to go with a Drop away.
That is a reason why people that use WB in cold weather will leave their bows outside after tuning and sighting in. To some degree large temperature changes will affect every WB.
I'd look at cold-weather clothes as the most likely source of the problem first. String hitting puffy sleeves or changing your bow arm position.
Personally I've never seen any cold-weather effect of any kind on a dry WB in my set-ups.
I can see it know. Big boy standing their eating twigs at ten yards. Go to draw my bow and the drop away freezes up. To many moving parts for me , thanks tho!
I am shooting Feathers and yes they are getting chewed up pretty good.
Lots of snow and cold weather up here this year and frankly am pretty disgusted with The suppasibly to be the best rest in the world logo crap. Im going back to the old style TM-hunter type rest. Thanks
Mason,
I just started shooting a WB this year so my knowledge is limited but I have not seen any differences in cold weather. I shoot almost everyday, we have had some pretty cold days this year in MA, I shot two weeks ago and it was in the teens for a week. I didn't notice any problems out to 50 yards with tuning or erratic arrow flight.
Were you shooting with gloves or heavy clothing? I do notice that when I put on the parka and gloves that my consistency degrades when I shoot at 40 or 50 yards. Also, did you have any ice/snow on the rest. Mine was especially noisy when it got snow on the rest but I didn't shoot beyond 30 as the wind was blowing hard that day with the snow.
Dont know if any of this helped but I would shoot it again and see if it was your jacket or gloves causing your issue.
XMan
I've never understood the concept of having an arrow rest that makes contact with your arrow nomatter how you move your bow at the shot. They've got to be the most unforgiving rest made. I second the drop away advice. The designs that are out now are so reliable, the chance of something going wrong is so low it would be well worth the added forgiveness. JMHO.
Very likely the clothing issue as stated in previous posts.
I was on a whitetail hunt in Alberta a couple of years ago and at the request of the Outfitter was asked to shoot a few arrows at a target with all my cold weather gear on. My shots grouped within 2" of one another at 30 yards but they were all 4" to the left (right handed shooter) and low.
Once I adjusted my sight to compensate for the clothing I was shooting perfectly thru the bisquit again. That being the case the problem is not the rest.
I doubted them because of the contact issue also for many years. Went to the WB 2 years ago however, and would never go back to anything else. It blows the "no contact" issue out of the water IMO:^)
I have tuned hundreds of bows for clients and never do they bad mouth the whisker bisquit. I shoot a drop away because I have been for years and have never had trouble. However, I have several bows in the shop rigged with bisquits and they are acurate at 60 yards and beyond. I does not seem to me that this kind of accuracy would be possible, but the results speak for themselves. As far as cold weather?? We are in Texas and dont get much of it. Here is a picture of one of my guide buddies. He shoots a bisquit and the squirrel thinks it is accurate!
quote:
"I am shooting Feathers and yes they are getting chewed up pretty good."
I know it has been asked and answered many times here on this site, but worth repeating.....Shooting a WB rest requires the correct fletching type. Blazer vanes work well, as do VaneTecs. Any thick, stiff, plastic vane performs well. Also the hole in the WB must be slightly larger than the arrow shaft, by 1/16" to 1/8". With correct vanes and correct hole size, you can send thousands of shots thru a WB and the vanes will show no wear.
trash the wb and get a drop away.
Been shooting a WB for 4 years so far and 3 deer with 3 shots. One at 40yds, 45yds, and 70yds. I wont shoot anything but a WB for hunting. If I were shooting comp. maybe a drop away would be better. And the 45 yd was in a hard rain. Never had a problem, 27" maxima with 2" blazer and muzzy 100gr 4 blade.
"trash the wb and get a drop away."
- I second that. They eat up fletchings and slow down your arrow. You won't get the same groups you will with a drop away...
The WB is by the far the best rest out there. I agree with what some have said above.... You may be hitting your sleeve.
I lost a whopping 3fps when I switched to the WB. And I've been shooting the same dozen practice arrows with the same 4" duravanes for 2 years now. Not a wrinkle on them. The past 2 seasons gave up 3 shots, and 3 deer. None of which complained about any noise during the draw neither:^))))
The WB I installed on my 20 years old sons bow a few years ago was horribly noisy with XX78 shafts. That rest went bye - bye. Was watching Tom Miranda the other day while he hunted a sheep I think in cold weather. I could HEAR his arrow being drawn on the show! I was shocked to say the least. I agree that simpler is better, but the WB will never grace any of my bows. Use them if you like, the concept is certainly popular. Of course, I never liked training wheels on bicycles either! :-)
I use a dropaway and use sticky fleece to ensure a completely quiet draw. Arrows shoot fine, good accuracy, etc. Yes, like anythign these days, a pain to tune; but then again, anything more than my Widow is! :-)
>>>>>------------------->
Not to de-rail the thread, but has anyone ever used that magnetic rest where the arrow just kinda hovers inside without making contact with the rest at all? I always wondered how that gimmick really works?!?!
I've always used NAP drop away rests on my compounds and like them very much!
I love you guys that trash WB's but have never shot an arrow out of one or know a friend. If you don't have personal experience using one, go find another thread to give an opinion.
I use a WB and love it.I've taken many deer and a bear and had no problems at all.The bear i took did hear me draw but it was a 7 yd shot.
best hunting rest built today IMO
I have had draw noise issues with the WB too, but I simply changed to an arrow with a smooth finish (Beman MFX w/HIT). Voila, deadly quiet. It is the most bulletproof, reliable hunting rest made. I play with both dropaways and the WB all the time but the WB has to be the best HUNTING rest made.
Dan
i used a whisker biscuit on my bow last year and some this year and the rest worked fine i was accurate enough to kill deer with at 50 yards but about a month ago switched do a nap dropaway and my groups shrunk dramatcally at 40 yards and beyond but you should shoot what you feel confident with not what some people say works its all about trial and error finding out what works best for you.
I have been shooting drop aways for the past 5 years first was a TR drop zone on my LX then went to a TT pronhorn on a Switch back, and finally a TT full capture on my Drenalin. This year on my annual late muley hunt on the washington and Canada border the temps averaged around 5 degrees above 0. The first day there my Trophy Takers cord breaks from the wear on the metal eye of the arm. No press and the nearest one is about 60 miles away. I head back to camp pull a WB out of the tackle box Install it, sight it and kill a buck the following day. Moral to story,( WB is a great hunting rest and will group just fine.)I have never lost a vane (2" blazers)and I have never had cold effect it.
I have a small whisker bisquit on a trykon. I am shooting blasers on a Axis 400. I can't get rid of a 1/4" high tear. On the WB website they say a 1/4" high tear is ok and not to worry about it, but my Broadheads are hitting 6" lower than my field pints at 30 yards. Tried everything but I can't change it. By the way a bare shaft makes a perfect hole. Any thoughts.
Curvebow, you have problems tuning a Dropaway? I shoot Cavaliers and am done in 15 minutes. Very simple to follow directions fer the 1st timer.
I also believe the WB is a terrific hunting rest.I also have a second bow set up with a nice fall away rest.One shoots just as accurate as the other out to 60 yds.In my opinion, there is not a rest out there as bullit proof, durable,dependable, reasonably priced or easy to set up as the WB.If you have issues with it eating vanes, just fletch up with blazers & you have no more issues! For years I was one to criticise the WB. All that arrow contact has to completly destroy accuracy. WRONG! I believe it works exactly opposite to what we believe.All the way thru the launch cycle the arrow is contained in a cushion of bristles & leaves the bow perfectly.Way too many guys love em. There has to be something to it.
When it comes to rest technology and arrow flight theory...the WB has probably changed the minds of more die hard (anti contact) folks than any single thing:^) I laughed at them for years....now I are shootin one! LOL! I shoot 4" left helical through them with no problems.
Jerry....I would say you are just a frog hair out of tune.
Yep, I used to tease all my friends for shooting a bisquit too then I tried one.....
Shoot off the 'shelf' and save all your money!!
I havent bow hunted for long, so I have to say that the Whisker Biszuit is the only rest that I have EVER used for MYSELF. But I have a buddy with a Nap drop away, and I dont know if its him, his bow tune, or just something wacky with his setup, but he shoots like crap. He's missed deer at 20 yards, BIG DEER, but he sticks with it. He is not that great of a targer shooter anyways. But he has this habit of keeping his finger on the arrow at all times. I think that is his problem! Is it?
I have spent way to many hours making sure NOTHING hits,touches or otherwise messes with arrow flight to use a wb some folks swear by them I don't care for them.
I have never had problems or noise from a whisker bisquit. Probably will not ever switch.
Tony
Treeclimber.....I hear ya. I was much the same. I think the baby-powder stock has dropped since the popularity of the WB! I had a box of TM-hunters & parts, a 3D Rover, and a Platinum Premier....plus 2 NAP dropaway rests here sitting for the past 2 years. I sold it all this past spring on EBAY. All I can say is...don't try one:^)))))
I have used the Wisker Bisquit for four years and love it. I have no problem with noise. Wisker Bisquit makes a spray that you can use to spray on the wisker bisquit during really cold and wet conditions that keeps it from "freezing". I use that before I hunt in really cold, snowy, or freezing rain, type conditions. I have found it be one of the best items out there for hunting in a world filled with all kinds of "gadgets".
14 deer, 2 beer, 5 turkeys and 2 caribou in a pear tree with the WB. Nothing better for hunting.
Merry Xmass
Probably string strech and cold muscles. WB works fine for me. If you use the old all black WB it will tear up some vanes after a few shots.
Since switching to the WB I never worry about my rest or if my arrow is still on the rest. It is trouble free and is about the only thing on a compound that is simple, trouble free and effective. I've been bowhunting for 50 years and have yet to find a better rest. Last fall I took two caribou in very windy,wet, cold conditions; one at 40 yards and the other at 30. Most other rests would have been problematic under such conditions, especially in the wind. The drop away crowd are a bit arrogant and think they have the final word on arrow accuracy. The WB crowd have proven them wrong time after time.
I use a WB and I love it, this last year I shot two "robbin hoods" in one night. The best part was that I totally called the first one and the second was when someone bet me that I could not do it again, poor sucker got his arrow wrecked. Yeah they are accurate.
I've been bowhunting for 17 years and the whisker biscuit has been the single best piece of equipment I have purchased during that time.
I practice out to 80 yards with it, and shoot just as well as my friends with their drop-aways. I will never have to worry about an arrow falling off the rest at the moment of truth again. I also can lock that arrow onto the rest and belly-crawl or duck under deadfalls. That is a BIG DEAL for those of us who spot and stalk out west.
Big fan of the biscuit - end of story!
I have used a WB for 5 years and recently with Blazers the same arrows for three years, no vane damage at all. I still believe its best feature is that it has no moving parts. You would be suprised how much noise most rests make, especially drop aways. FOr the little decrease in accuracy, minor at best, its advantages outweigh its drawbacks.
Pat
I don't know if anyone shoots them but I just bought a half dozen full metal jacket arrows to try and they are deadly silent in the WB. Not a sound! NADA, Zippo, Zilch.... a little costly for some but with blazers they shoot sweeet out of the WB.
How often do you replace the biscuit part of the rest? Mine has a few stray pieces on the lower right, I occasionally pull out a couple strands that are "off".
Also how much does the WB slow down your arrow?
I like mine and it has shot great. I waited a long time. It shoots great - and having the arrow always there is a big plus. Love it.
I have been hsoving arrows through mine for a full 2 years now. No sign of wear. Unless it shows noticable wear I wouldn't be concerned. I cronied mine and lost 3fps going to the WB. That's with pushing 2314's and left helical 4" duravanes through it. I would imagine a carbon with Blazers would lose a bit less.
Glacial said it best. The best feature of the Whisker Biscuit is the fact that the arrow doesn't come off the rest when the minute of truth comes. It does make a sound when your draw back. I had a buck bust me this year while drawing back. He was only 10 yards off and both me and him heard it.
Scraping sound at draw = wrong WB insert.
I shoot both carbons and alums thru a WB and there's a noticeable sound on the draw ONLY if the shaft fits tight in the hole of the rest. This also causes more vane wear. Solution...get the correct size rest insert such that shafts fit loose. Or simply enlarge the hole (following the instructions that come with the rest, which only takes a few seconds). Need at least a 1/16 inch gap above the shaft, for a near-silent draw.
For Axis arrows is the small biscuit hole the correct size like the package says or is the medium hole size better?
Medium for Axis size arrows
I think that the web site calls for a small for Axis arrows.
Here where weather is around 0 most of the winter the WB is a joke. It is WAY to loud in cold weather, you'll get busted every time if the deer is within 15 yds.
QAD and ripcord work great when used with a quiet moleskin type product on it. I like the camo stuff they use for riser shelves myself. I put a WB on my bow a couple years ago, drew it back with an arrow and took it off right then and there. I know they work for millions of folks I'm sure, but they don't work here in the dead of winter.
I shoot ACC's out of mine down to single digits and the thing is extremely quiet!
I'm a Rip Cord guy, Hair in my Bisquits no thanks
Gotta wonder about a guy pickin a cord over a whisker biscuit. 8^)
Pull a cotton ball 2-3 times through the WB (front to back) once in your stand. No noise.
Not to derail this but I am using the WB with smmoth black Carbon Express with no noise problems when drawing. With the Gold Tip camo arrows I could hear the arrow being drawn. Has anyone used the Carbon Express Maxima arrows with it? How about sound on the draw? Tank You !!
I have about 3/16" gap above the shaft using Beman Black Max and a medium bisket, is this to big of a gap? If so, how can I make it smaller?
Toby....I think so. You need to order a replacement biscuit. I belive the Medium should fit your shafts? Bever shot the Black Max.
Ogoki....I noticed noise with the PSE shafts. And some fo the camo coatings. I Maxima shafts are probably the same.
I've noticed quite a bit of noise with arrows with the camo coating. No noise with uncoated arrows. I've used it from +90 to below zero, no problems. I've tried drop aways, and they're great from a treestand and terrible for stalking.
One of guys on the lease was working a tear down 24/7 and had his wife bring his bow in to be repaired. You should have seen the look on her face when she was told she needed a new WB....:)
I love the WB, I have been using it since 2001 and have taken at least 31 big game animals with it. I shot my Polar Bear in April 2006 with it in -30 below temperatures! Absolutly no noise or problems. My guide up there on my Polar Bear hunt told me that the best rest to use up there is the Whisker Biscuit, (No moving parts to freeze up) It works beautiful for me, I will continue to use it, I'm a firm believer that if it isn't broke don't fix it. Just my two cents, good hunting guys and dolls! Michele
Well...I reckon we just got a "cold Weather Testimony"! Very nice:^)
i shoot veins they do all right with the whisker but i hate drop aways they are dangerous cold weather hasn't affected mine none
