The Hunting Bow is one of the first bows most players pick up. It is a plain reflex bow with 7 base damage and 7 weight, a step up from a long bow but well below any proper material bow. Still, it draws fast and is perfectly fine for deer, wolves and the occasional bandit in the first few levels.
It is also the bow your followers love. Many companions will reach for a Hunting Bow when given arrows, even if you hand them something better. Ironically, real-world bows of this highly reflexed design were rarely used for hunting at all.
Stats
| Type | Bow |
|---|---|
| Skill | Archery |
| Material | Wood |
| Damage | 7 |
| Weight | 7 |
| Value | 50 gold |
| Speed | 0.94 |
| Stagger | 0 |
| Critical damage | 3 |
| Add-on | Base game |
| Item ID | 00013985 |
Where to find
- Common from the beginning of the game: blacksmiths and general goods merchants sell them.
- Carried by various characters and enemies, including some Hold Guards and Stormcloak soldiers.
- One in Alvor and Sigrid’s house in Riverwood (stealing).
- One at Angi’s Camp.
- Also random loot in chests or as a world item.
Crafting and upgrading
This weapon cannot be crafted at a forge – you have to find, loot or buy it.
Improving at a grindstone: 1 × 
Leather Strips. The Arcane Blacksmith perk doubles the improvement.
Compared with other bows
Base stats of all regular (unenchanted) bows in Skyrim, weakest first:
| Weapon | Damage | Weight | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Bow | 6 | 5 | 30 |
| Hunting Bow | 7 | 7 | 50 |
| Ancient Nord Bow | 8 | 12 | 45 |
| Imperial Bow | 9 | 8 | 90 |
| Orcish Bow | 10 | 9 | 150 |
| Nord Hero Bow | 11 | 7 | 200 |
| Dwarven Bow | 12 | 10 | 270 |
| Falmer Bow | 12 | 15 | 135 |
| Forsworn Bow | 12 | 11 | 145 |
| Elven Bow | 13 | 12 | 470 |
| Nordic Bow | 13 | 11 | 580 |
| Supple Ancient Nord Bow | 14 | 18 | 235 |
| Falmer Supple Bow | 15 | 20 | 410 |
| Glass Bow | 15 | 14 | 820 |
| Ebony Bow | 17 | 16 | 1440 |
| Stalhrim Bow | 17 | 15 | 1800 |
| Daedric Bow | 19 | 18 | 2500 |
| Dragonbone Bow | 20 | 20 | 2725 |
Tips and notes
- It cannot be forged, but it can be tempered with Leather Strips; the Steel Smithing perk doubles the gain.
- Variants: Angi’s Bow, Bow of the Hunt and Dravin’s Bow.
- If your follower refuses to use the better bow you gave them, the Hunting Bow in their default inventory is usually the reason.
Stats from the Skyrim LE 1.9 master files (Skyrim.esm, record HuntingBow). Values are base values before perks, smithing improvements and enchantments.
