ok now we always here about people who drop in bow weight as they get older I want to know how many of you over 55 are still shooting heavy weight bows. for the sake of this post I am saying bows over 55 pounds. I am 45 and like bows in the 55-65 range and hope to keep shooting them for a long time.
I'm a card-carrying wuss. Heaviest bow I shoot anymore is my Martin Dream Catcher of 55@28". But you've seen me shoot and I go a bit past 28" so I may be getting around 58#.
I'm liking the 48# to 55# range for most of my recurves.
Finesse rather than raw power. ;-)
I am 63. The bows I shoot currently : 50,53,54,55. Not far from my heaviest which were two at 60#.
58 years old and my go to bow is 62# at 28. I draw close to 30. I still shoot my 75# recurve on occasion.
I still have one that is 62# @28 .
But I do prefer 45# - 50# .
I'm just a few weeks short of 60 .
I'm 62 and have had to drop down to 55# at 28" which is close to my draw length. It seems I really have to concentrate to get a good release at this lower poundage where with the heavier bows, I didn't even have to think about it. I guess time catches up with everyone.
55 and shoot 55# or so...
I was over 55 when I started shooting traditional bows...I started lefty with about 35 pounds...I now shoot righty and lefty with about 65 pounds max, and 55 pounds all day...and that is without really working at it much...all depends on the individual
DDave
I was over 55 when I started shooting traditional bows...I started lefty with about 35 pounds...I now shoot righty and lefty with about 65 pounds max, and 55 pounds all day...and that is without really working at it much...all depends on the individual
DDave
I am 53 and still shoot 56 lbs but I need too drop down to around 45 #. My shoulders and elbow would thank me.
I just turned 50. My newest bow is 62lb@31". That puts me into the .340 spine shafts at 650-670 grains with good speed. Thats where I want to be. Pass throughs are the norm. I was shooting a few pounds less but was always stuck between .400 and .340s. and light shafts or very heavy. I lift at the gym 3-4 times per week. While that makes a person strong it also makes you stiff and tight. No telling where that first arrow is going! After being warmed up I guess I could shoot 80lbs.
I wouldn't mind trying some heavier limbs on my new predator but the current setup will kill anything up to moose sized game.
I have a '66 bear kodiak that is 58@28" so it's 67-70 at my draw. That bow stacks after 29" and I should sell it so I don't break it. It's 60" long. I need the new 64" super kodiak.
I'm 63 and my favorite bow at this time is a 75# longbow.
The heaviest bow I used to hunt with when I was younger was 93#.
I never went heavier back then even if I could have because I had a hard time finding arrows to match my 31" recurve draw length and my 30" longbow draw at those bow poundages.
Although I'm still comfortable with my 75# bow, to protect my shoulders I'm on the verge of going to my 71# and 68# longbows.
When I feel I must, I will drop poundage again.
These days my draw length is around 29 1/2".
58 and my longbows are all between 63-69# @ my 29"draw.
64 and in the 60s but 48 or so sure feels good
55, and still in the sixties at my draw length.
Thanks,
63yrs old - 65# have shot 80# plus in the past
I'm 57 and my longbows are in the mid 60's and my recurves are anywhere from 45-65.
I'm 66, and have been shooting 66 pounds for almost 29 years.
Murray
Almost 71 and still shoot 60#. But 55# is feeling better all the time. I only get to shoot once a week about 200 arrows.
you guys are making me feel bad, 26 years old and I like 45 pound bows, maybe next year ill work my way up to 50.
keep up the good work gentlemen!
Sixty-two and shooting a 60-pound longbow better this month than I have ever done, thanks to a mild winter (which I otherwise loathed) that allowed me to shoot on a nearly daily basis. That bow is going moose hunting in 90 days, backed up with a 58-pounder. (To be honest, I wouldn't really consider them heavy, as I tend to think that starts at 65 pounds.)
My grandfather was living alone and cutting wood for fuel when he was 75. My father's uncle in Norway could run most people into the ground at age 70. He'd spent a lifetime outdoors, and it showed. My father-in-law (ex-railroad carman) was on the roof at 80 (to the great consternation of his family). They're all goading me from the great beyond now.
55 years old, and all my shooting is in the #60 -70 range
#63 seems to be the sweet spot on being able to shoot extended periods, and still performance I like
Here is a Tradgang link for a post on heavy bows.
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=119566;p=12
On this page there is a link for an exercise from Texas Archery that is great for increasing bow strength. I haven't gotten in much shooting in the last two years, so I am in low and slow mode, moving back up in weight.
Gil
Not me, 45-50# ever since I got back in to recurves when I was 55-56. Deer and turkey is all I hunt so that is plenty for me.
I will be 55 in a couple weeks. My current #1 is 64# and that is not too tough. I am fighting a shoulder issue and elbow issues, but that is from 6 years on jump status as an army paratrooper now almost a quarter of a century ago. It needs maintenence, but if you start dropping draw weight to get out of working it/away from the pain, it becomes a slippery slope. The key is to get and keep the shoulder in shape through work. When I have had issues it was because of lack of work, not overwork. After two major tears was able to get it back to be able to draw and hold 113# longbows and 92# hybrids (the longer/straighter profile the bow, the easier on the shoulders/joints).
really enjoying all the responses I just seem to be able to shoot #60 bows better then #50, form is better and I enjoy them. my job helps to stay in shape (UPS) as I lift heavy packages all day long.
I am 66. I used to shoot a 78# bow, but following an injury, I never tried to handle it any more. For years I shot a 65# longbow, but that same injury made it difficult to shoot, even though it is my favorite. For several years I shot bows from 50-55#. After surgery last February, I am now able to shoot my 65# bow again. I'm not 100% yet, but I can shoot about 30 arrows before fatigue makes me unstable. I was hoping to be able to hunt with it this season; however, I may not be ready by September. I agree that my form is better with the heavy bow, or more particularly, my release is smoother.
I will be 56 this week. Most of the bows I hunt with now are 52-55#. I do have other bows that I still shoot some that are 62, 63, 68 and 75#. After shooting the 75#, all the others seem so easy to draw. :archer2:
Turned 60 on July 15,shooting 56#,but shoot Trent my middle son:s 60#Dale Dye occasionally
Terry
57 this year, shoot 55 to 60 . Most go to bows are closer to 60 at my draw.
65 and shoot 55-63#, can still pull and hold 80#
Yup
ChuckC
I'm 70. Shot 60-65# most of my life, 70# for a moose hunt, but have dropped to 45-50# for most of my shooting now. Do still have a couple of bows in the 55# range I use for elk.
I think this is awesome! I cant contribute, as im not old enough, nor shoot a heavy enough bow. My form just aint good enough yet to get a handle on the heavies. Eventually, I'd like to have at least one heavy bow though. Thanks for the inspiration, and good read!
I'm 63 and my main bow, a Bob Lee Classic T/D, is 55#. Have a RER Vortex longbow which is also 55#. Lately though, have been shooting my '67 Super Kodiak which is 52#. Just those extra 3# seems to make a difference as the age creeps up....or, it might just be that smooth pulling of the '67 S.K.
I'm 68 and shooting a 60# long bow and my recurves are from 65# early season to 50# for late season when it gets below 20 degrees.
I'm 67. I shot 64# for years, then life circumstances forced me to just dabble in archery for almost a decade, although I hunted every year, usually successfully. Over the last 5 years I've gotten steadily stronger, shooting 40,40,52,60,and 63 this year. Four heart shots and a spine shot in the last 5 seasons. One other with a muscle wound he survived, and one lost to coyotes before I found her.
I'm at my limit at 63#, but I'm handling it. Strongest bow in my collection.
At 69, I have backed off of 60 plus pounders in favor of 55 pound bows; did that several years ago. I feel like I probably could shoot a heavier bow, but don't see the point. I'm doing just fine with 55.
I am 55 and have been shoot #54 for many years!
Born in 1943, shooting a couple of 60# and a 53#.
The 60s were too much ten years ago, but they're perfect now..have slowly built up my core strength without a lot of effort. Will trade the 53#, a very fast RD longbow...want something 35#ish for my girlfriend.
I am 57 and my go to bow is 56# at 28....still shoot it very accurately......
I turned 70 last month and still shoot 62# at 31 inches.
Favorite bows are in 55# - 66# range at 73.
Just turned 56 and my bows run 50-63#. In truth, the 63# is a little too much and I mostly use it for strength building. The 50#ers are fun to shoot and great for form practice but most of my hunting is with my 55-56# bows.
62 here, I like to hunt with 55-62# recurves but at home I practice with 65-71# bows. That said I shoot many Hours a day and a too high poundage bow is really demanding , then I personally don't see an advantage to use a too heavy bow at least for European and American games
I'm almost 66(28th of this month) and I still shoot 55# to 60# and always have.
54 and shoot 58 to 60 @ 28 hope to for a long time. I work at staying in shape, lots of the old timers worked at it to draw heavy bows.
I am just 56....but all of my bows are 60 plus. I have learned the "secret" (for me anyway) to keeping in heavy bow shape and can handle bows better than when I was in my 20's. I've always shot heavier bows, and still make and shoot bows upwards of 80 lbs...but I'm a pretty big guy, and have worked with heavy stuff my whole life.
69 and I'm down to 48@28
Ken you are shooting your bows easily, so no reason that changes in the coming 2 decades at least!
F-Manny
57 and shoot 55 to 60
64 yrs old & shooting 65#'s
I generally shot recurves/longbows in the 62# range, but as high as 72# at my 30" draw. Then I developed elbow issues. Dropped down to 45# and it was quite theraputic. When no pain during shooting I jumped up to 50#, and now up to 56#, which is probably going to be about it...but you never know. :-)
57 1/2 years old and I have two bows that are 65#,one 58" recurve and one 68" longbow. Another recurve is 60" and 60#. Two more recurves that are 55#,one is 60" and one is 62". Also have a 68" 55# longbow.
62 yrs. , 58-62#
I am 57 and I shoot bows from 50-60 @ 28 and my draw is just under 30.
D.P.
I used to shoot heavy bows up to 80#s but I shot mostly 62 when I was young and I am suffering from it now . A bad elbow has given me lots of pain and since I'm a bowyer I test shoot all the bows and some are heavy. I shot a 60 # lately and my neck hurt for hours. I shoot 48 to 52 now and I see no difference in penetration on deer , bear and antelope size animals. I remember a test that was done years ago and I don't remember who did it but after 57# you have diminishing returns.
I'm 64 and gave up the heavy bows years ago. Shot 65# all the time back then. I still have a few 55#ers, but seldom shoot them. Now it's between 47 and 50lbs. My shoulder likes me better that way !
When I turned 55, I could still shoot 80 pounds. But most of my bows were 55-65 pounds. I only had one 80 pounder and the only reason I ever shot it any longer was to show myself I could still do it,lol. Then I had a heart attack and not sure why but afterwards I was very weak. I could not shoot at all due to doctors orders for several months but I felt good enough to shoot, just weak. When I got to start shooting again, I could shoot 55 but it was difficult. Most of the time I stay around 50 because that is the lightest I have.
66 years old favorite wgt. 50lbs. plus or minus a couple.Kip
54 this year, I have two Silvertips with limbs ranging from 52 to 82 lbs. Hunted with the heavy limbs last, but the season was only one shot. I have hunted with the light limbs in the COLD ND winters.
I'm 63 yrs old & I pull bows 56 to 58 lbs. I only bowhunt, no tournament shooting. Otherwise, I'd probably also have a lighter target bow.
Am 58 and shot a 58@28 numerous rounds a week ago.
Did like the feel, especially since I had only been shooting 42@28 since April.
Was comfortable and accurate, yet have found myself consistently effective for the game I pursue with bows approximately 5#s less. Just my own personal preference.
To be 78 come this Sept. I am a Boyer and still making Bows. Can shoot 45# Recurve and Long Bows.
Don't Hunt anymore thou, have too be carefull cause have a ICD planted in my chest. (Pacemaker&Defiberator). ONESHOT
I'm almost 67 and 53# is about as high as I need to think about shooting well.I haven't had to drop weight in 8 years now.I try to make the arrows as efficient and well tuned as possible and broadheads as sharp as I can get them.I wouldn't be afraid to drop a few pounds if that time comes but hope to hold it at 50-53 for as long as possible.
I'm 59 and shoot 57lb bows. :archer2:
67 yrs old and still shooting my 70# recurve. I did develop a sore left shoulder a couple months ago, so have not been shooting regular. Might have to get the shoulder checked out.