Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Don on September 02, 2008, 05:31:19 pm
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I've herd alot of people talk about hunting weight bows of 50# and higher.
I know it depends on the animal your hunting but for WhiteTail Deer ;D size animals
I think 40# to 50# would be plenty as long as you hit them were it counts.
I know personally I like 45#, that is what is comfortable for me.
What does everyone else think?
Don
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Yes, 45#-50# is perfect in my book unless you just prefer a higher draw weight for some reason. It would be light enough for you to hold back longer, but strong enough to penetrate the deer without exiting the other side in most cases, which means the arrow will stick in and do more damage. I plan to make myself a 45-50 hunting bow sometime soon.
~~Papa Matt
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45#-50# is a plenty ;D
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I use 55# at 28 for elk, deer, bear and everything else...45- 50 should be perfect for whitetails.. happy hunting HAWK
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IV KILLED SEVERAL ELK WITH A 53 ALL ONE SHOT KILLS AND A FEW BEAR AND SEVERAL DEER I SHOT 1 BIG BLACK BEAR IN ALASKA WITH THE SAME BOW BUT ID PREFER A BIT MORE FOR THE BEAR AND MOOSE THE RIGHT SHAFT WT AND BROAD HEAD WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFRANCE AS MUCH AS WHERE YOU STICK IT IF IT S IN THE SWEET SPOT ITLL DO THE JOB IF NOT WHO KNOWS ???
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In the Province of Canada where I live, 40# at your draw length is the legal minimum, and in my opinion, plenty for whitetails. That being said, I personally use 55-60# bows, cuz I don't have any difficulty shooting them. They carry a bit more momentum with heavy arrows, and shoot a little flatter. But, at the usual 10-20 yard hunting distances, the difference is negligible. You should be able to easily draw your bow while sitting, kneeling, after hours of waiting in the cold, etc.
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Hi,
I use 55lb to 60lb at 28in bow on; Boar, Deer, Reindeer and Rabbits ;D ;D
But I did start out with a 45lb bow and that worked just find because the arrow would go into the animal and then cut them up inside, It's just the making sure you can get your arrow into the right part....
Thanks for your time.
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20# will do the trick if you hit them right. But, score a direct hit on a rib, or worse, and the animal will bound away, perhaps not to be recovered. No doubt, 35 to 50# bows have taken loads of game. But again, get a poor hit and the penetration won't be there. I'm a firm believer in using as heavy a weight bow as you can before your shooting begins to deteriorate. (Not talking repetive target shooting here, in which you may want a lower weight yet, but first shot or short duration shooting.) I'm comfortable with 60# year round, up to 70# when well practiced and in fair weather. Most of my hunting bows hover around 60#. Animals move and jump the string, twigs deflect arrows, and I sometimes make poor shots, so I want as much ooompf as I can manage well to ensure the deepest penetration possible for those occassions when the shot goes bad and my arrow lands in heavy bone or dense muscle, or needs a lengthier pathway to reach the "off" switch. I'd shoot 80# or 90# if I could manage it well. It's up to the archer to find the balance.
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For short bows and close shots, 50# will do it. However, I like longer bows pulling upwards of 85# for medium range shots. It really helps my confidence at 10-20 yards knowing that I could hit it at 50. Also, I like the power that comes with shooting such bows. I don't like to use rifles, so I know I don't have to worry about a charging rabid Kodiak ;D!
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Kegan. 85#!! Yep pretty sure that sound I just herd was my shoulder letting go.
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50-60......it is what does it!
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From the Den of the Old Bowhunter, "We made our heavy bows heavy and our broadheads broad."
The PBS was started to differentiate between target archery and hunting, their minimum standard for a hunting bow is 50 lbs.
One more, "The good is sometimes the enemy of the best."
Use what you like, but I will stick with at least 50 for hunting anything larger than a mouse.
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I think the most important consideration is being accurate with arrow placement. It's far better to be accurate with a light bow than to shoot poorly with a heavy bow. For the size of the deer where I live, I would be confident that a 35# bow at close range could cleanly kill. Although I usually shoot a 52# bow.
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I like a bow from 45-55 lbs, but I don't think one should focus too much on the exact weight of the bow as much as how it performs. I'd rather be hunting with a good shooting, fast 45# bow than a sluggish 60#'er.
Of course, a fast 60#'er is good...but I would be more accurate with 45-50. ;D
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I guess I'm with Adam to a point. I think a guy should shoot the heaviest weight he can up to the point his accuracy and or confidence begins to suffer. But only up to about 60-65#. I think a guy should be able to target shoot with his hunting bow every day though. If you cannot, you are over bowed. IMO
I can shoot 80-90# but I think it would be silly for hunting North American game. If I ever get to hunt cape buffalo I will be shooting 90#. Justin
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I can shoot 80-90# but I think it would be silly for hunting North American game. If I ever get to hunt cape buffalo I will be shooting 90#. Justin
And when you are My Age.....you will be going in for either a Labral Tear....or Rotator Cuff Surgery too!!!!
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Not necessarily ! Ya a Doctor Mike ?
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Not that last time I checked Bob......Let ME Feel.....Nope ......still a Crane Operator!!!!!!
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I hope so, I would lots rather be cripple from shooting a bow than from swinging a hammer. 8) Ill probably kill myself on a four wheeler first anyway. ;)
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I like a 60# bow for my hunting.
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When I used to use a recurve, 65# was comfortable. With selfbows and a few more years under my belt, 45-55# is more my speed and plenty for deer in my opinion. ;)
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right now i shoot roughly 50# but when i move west i plan to use higher maybe sixties or low seventies.... but for deer a good 45# or maybe a bit lower will work just fine...
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Joe trapper. Moving west? When and where? Stop by, I am in washington state
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What do i think?
I think this area has been debated since,archery became popular again,and bow seasons were established.There have allways be those,"Taste great!!!Less filling!! kinda arguments ,with good points from both sides.Some by experience n some by theory.Since you mention whitetails as your intended target,i would say you are fine.I believe,that when Dr Ashby's recent studies are published,folks are gonna be surprised at the results.
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I'm still worrying about the bullet-proof aliens ;).
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Howard Hill had a good rule of thumb concerning the draw weight for a hunting bow.
It went something like " start with 35# and add 1# for every yard of range you will be shooting to."
I personally like shooting 55-60#, mainly because I shoot heavy arrows and like to get pass-throughs
James
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I'm still worrying about the bullet-proof aliens ;).
I think about 70# is good for hunting orcs ;D especially if you armed them with a 58# bow!!
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first stone tooled bow i built was 45# ash. one cold morning i walked into a new area the deer there took off and then meandered back. was pitch black and i could here them moving around. one was so close i could hear it breathe. that deer meandered around me for 30 minutes. i thought the light would never break and when it did the 90lb doe was still there. unfortuneatly i was sitting down with my legs crossed and couldnt come to draw in that position. she came into 12 yards and i shot from the chest and buried a 600 grain ash shaft and normanskill point through hers. it just broke through the other side. after it was all over and the deer was in the freezer i was curious to how i even made the shot. and tried it again in the backyard. couldnt do it. i also checked the bow weight at the draw i used. roughly 35 lbs. granted it was a close shot but it was still only 35 lbs and almost passed through.
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45-60# are my favorite draws
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I believe as we get older our perspectives change ! I before getting into the [real archery world] shot a Bear take down hunter at my draw length it was 52 pounds my wife shot a 40 pound wheelie with carbon arrows and I shot 11/32 POC her arrows at the same distance would blow right through a backstop [hay bales] mine would bury 8 to ten inches in but sound like back stop was getting hit with a cinder block . Now I shoot a 45 pound Osage ,rawhide plains style bow more comfortable to shoot with 5/16 arrows .I would rather something know it been shot than to just blow right through. Thats experience talking I have been shot with a high velocity round went right through the flesh,thigh of right leg did not know I had been hit till the blood started soaking into my boot never really hurt.
Dennis
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Ouch. Well, maybe not. Did it hurt after you saw it? ???
possum
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i think it would depend on the cast of the 45# bow. regardless of the poundage, i would not feel comfortable shooting a bow that was slower than 150fps using a 500gr arrow. i shoot 55-65# and mostly 650-750gr. arrows for hunting. i like for my arrows to pass through thus leaving a blood trail on both sides of the trail.
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Know it never really hurt, I was more in shock when I seen the bullett hole on both sides of my leg and blood runing down both sides, I got lucky know major arteries were hit and it missed the bone
Dennis
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kayakfisher- Now I'm curious. I'm guessing you're talking about field points, right? What was the comparative result of the two shooting broadheads?
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I'm in the 55#- 60 range. I like flat shooting at 15 yds and passthrough shot also. The more blood the better.
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The speed and efficiency of a bow is what matters most, but for moderately efficient bows, I think a 45-50lb bow ought to do it.
Sean
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I shoot any where from 48 to around 53 lbs.and with a 550/600 grain arrow have had no problem with whitetail.I think that is plenty.You could get by with less if the shot placement is good.Mine
ant always that good. :) I try and keep my shots 12 to 15 yards or less. :)
Pappy
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I'm shooting mid 50's and feel it is more than adequate to harvest deer. I like the layup shots, so I keep my range 15yards and under. I plan on using a 43lb osage to hunt with at some point and feel it has plenty of zip w/ 550 gr arrow. I believe if you're comfortable/accurate with the bow of choice and know your equipment well as most primitive archers do then 40 lbs and up will be sufficient for deer at close range(25 yards and under with emphasis on the under). JMO
Tracy