I know that this is extremely subjective but what do you guys think is the "perfect" weight for most North American game animals - If you had to have one bow what would its draw weight be?
44 is perfect for me right now but if you wanted to be able to hunt all game, legally, in all areas of NA it would likely be 50#
I would have to agree 50# to be legal in most of North America
60#
Not underkill, not overkill, but absolutley enough for everything on the Continent.
Whats perfect for one is different what would be perfect for another.Thats a tough question to answer.
QuoteOriginally posted by JRY309:
Whats perfect for one is different what would be perfect for another.Thats a tough question to answer.
Completely agree. I knew when I asked there was no good answer.
I figured most would say about 50# because of laws. But what if there were no state game weight restrictions?
45 to 80 - depending entirely on the bow, the hunters actual draw length and their ability to shoot that bow accurately.
The old rule of thumb is for the maximum draw weight you are confortable with.What can work for a Deer can be border line for an Elk and not adeguate for a Moose or a Grizzly bear.If you can have just one bow I guess 55# is enough.
QuoteOriginally posted by SteveB:
45 to 80 - depending entirely on the bow, the hunters actual draw length and their ability to shoot that bow accurately.
Well that narrows it down. :)
50 would be my choice as well.Nothing to do with restrictions I just think I could kill everything with 50lbs easy enough.
yeppers, highly subjective topic that's almost meaningless. this sure sounds like a 'cabin fever' topic. where's the dang spring so we can all git out and play? :D
i think lots depends on the archer/hunter, as well as his/her holding bow weight. it's all an experiment of one.
modern stick bows have come a loooong way since the middle end of the last millennium - far more efficient engines than ever created,
what's gonna matter most are the hunting bow weight laws at the venue you hunt, and the most holding weight you can truly master under hunt conditions. might humble some folks, but it is what it is.
hunt with the most holding weight you can master. and know the true efficiency limits of yer stick bow - they all ain't alike.
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
yeppers, highly subjective topic that's almost meaningless. this sure sounds like a 'cabin fever' topic. where's the dang spring so we can all git out and play? :D
hunt with the most holding weight you can master. and know the true efficiency limits of yer stick bow - they all ain't alike.
or an I am bored at work subject. :D
my personal feeling is the one that you can shoot most comfortably and consistantly, and of course for hunting situations ethicly. Jim Pyles
I have what I have called the "Tony slam". Silly I know. But this is the list I would like to hunt (not necessarily kill) but hunt before I die-
whitetail
mule deer
elk
black bear
hog
turkey
caribou
I am hoping that 47# will be enough, with properly placed shots, for all of these.
I think 50/55 would include the majority of bowhunters.Off course a large percentage shoot lower and heavier so a best wgt. is hard to call.
50
It seems the consensus is 50#/ that makes me quite happy because all I can handle is my 52 pounders. I don't have any desire to chase grizz.
Larry
It depends, when I was younger, 65-70# seemed about right. As I age though, it seems that perfect weight gets a little lighter. Now I'm thinkin 50-55 is about right!!
I'm with Ceb- 70-80# when i was younger.57-60# now, next year Joe at Prairie Traditions may have a bunch of work to reduce all my bows!
It's been said above,what you can shoot comfortably all day with confidance. Some states the law may have some say, but go with what you can handle well! If that happens to be 72#, God bless you, if it's 48# so be it!!
You may as well stay home as hunt with a bow you can't handle accurately. I know we throw bow weights around like they really mean something. Of course they do if that weight is used to best advantage.
A 45 pound bow drawn to 29" with a dynamic release, will be a better than a 60 pound bow that is pulled to 26". Subjective is an understatement.
If I could pick one weight to hunt everything in North American, it would be right around 50 pound, and maximized for best performance per pound.
QuoteOriginally posted by George D. Stout:
You may as well stay home as hunt with a bow you can't handle accurately. I know we throw bow weights around like they really mean something. Of course they do if that weight is used to best advantage.
A 45 pound bow drawn to 29" with a dynamic release, will be a better than a 60 pound bow that is pulled to 26". Subjective is an understatement.
If I could pick one weight to hunt everything in North American, it would be right around 50 pound, and maximized for best performance per pound.
+1 :thumbsup:
For me, 71 @ 31 with stinkin heavy Ultra EFOC arrows that are well tuned and shot accurately and proficiently in the back yard at perfectly still targets but also will have NO problem should the arrow not hit where intended due to 1 of the 1001 possible reasons..at least to most of us.
But huge run-on sentences are another issue I need to address...unlike most of us.
well I just happened to know of a feller that killed every animal in North America with a 55# bow, believe it was a paulmer take down, with a Axis shaft!
QuoteOriginally posted by Chris Shelton:
well I just happened to know of a feller that killed every animal in North America with a 55# bow, believe it was a paulmer take down, with a Axis shaft!
what works for one may not work for another.do not take all you see as gospel, do not emulate. understand, learn, use what works best for you.
Ask the guy that is 6'4" then ask the guy that is 5'2". It depends a lot on build, type of bow, and length of bow, as to what different people are comfortable with. Add in different state laws, and you will get a lot of different answers.
Forgetting all that, I use 53#'s, which should take of most anything, with the right arrow.
I am going to leave the grizzly bears alone too.
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
what works for one may not work for another.
do not take all you see as gospel, do not emulate. understand, learn, use what works best for you. [/b]
O no dought, I dont take it as gospel, it is just a example of what bow poundage "can" do the job. Plus that and there are so many other factors going into every different bow, that a 55# paulmer is probably different than my 55# greatree :)
QuoteOriginally posted by Chris Shelton:
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
what works for one may not work for another.
do not take all you see as gospel, do not emulate. understand, learn, use what works best for you. [/b]
O no dought, I dont take it as gospel, it is just a example of what bow poundage "can" do the job. Plus that and there are so many other factors going into every different bow, that a 55# paulmer is probably different than my 55# greatree :) [/b]
some folks have killed moose with a .22 rimfire, i wouldn't.
I love my 30# on Grizzly's. :scared: J/k. If you were new and an average sized guy. Lets say you had enough cash for 1 bow only and weren't going after dangerous game. I'd have to say find a bow in the 45-50# range and learn to shoot it.
You all haven't taken wind direction and wind speed into account, that would narrow it down for sure.
Fred also has a 30.5" draw with that 55# Palmer.
I doubt there is a perfect bow weight. I reckon all that you can muster and shoot lights out with is what's good. For me, It's 55-60#'s.
I break it up because for deer sized game and smaller I want as light a bow as I can to be super accurate. For me I have decided 47# to be the perfect combo of speed and accuracy and weight. 50# for most bows but my acs cx shoots faster at 47 than any of my 50# bows. It works for deer, rabit, hogs, and squirrels.
For game larger than deer which I will rarely get a chance to hunt, I have a couple of predator bows with 52# and 63# limbs depending on how big the animal. I think I would use the 52# for elk but moose, bear and other large animals probably break out the 63# limbs.
In the future I plan on getting another acs cx in a heavier weight but that weight is still undecided. 53-56 pound most likely.
Like others have said, it's personal preference. But, if you are looking at EVERY animal in North America, then it has to be at least 50#. I'm not sure of Maine or any other state that has moose, but in Alaska you have to have: "50 pounds peak draw weight when hunting mountain goat, moose, elk, brown/grizzly bear, musk ox, and bison". Like I said, I'm not sure of other states. But, I imagine they would be close.
Yep, 50# is my perfect bow weight. Nothing on this continent I wouldn't go up against with a 50# bow. That is as long as everything was completely in tune! :D
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
some folks have killed moose with a .22 rimfire, i wouldn't. [/b][/QUOTE]
No to mention that women I think it was that supposeatly killed a elephant with a 22 short :scared: , and I definatly wouldnt!
QuoteOriginally posted by varmint101:
Fred also has a 30.5" draw with that 55# Palmer.
I thought the 55#'s was the weight after being calculated for his overdraw? I thought I heard on the show one time that it is really a 50# bow???
Pulling 55# @ 30.5" is storing about the same amount of energy as a 65# @28" bow. As George and others have state, draw length plays a huge role.
As far as I know, 60# peak weight or @28" is the highest minimum in the states (NH for moose). Now my 55# limbs (pulling 61# @ my draw length) is putting significantly more energy into the arrow as that minimum, but I'm still not legal to hunt moose in NH. Go figure.
Isn't there something you guys can get out and hunt? There's pretty much always something in season here. :D
I guess I really didnt answer the question as he did ask for one weight for everything. I would imagine that I would have to pic 55# from my acs cx or Predator bows. More like 58-60 from slower bows.
I don't believe there is one perfect weight or bow brand. Everybody is put together a little differant. For me.... 74 @ 28 is what I shoot the best but that is just me
is 47# enough for elk and black bear?
Interesting, albeit meaningless, Rob. Another cabin fever thought - - would the fella holding 45# with a 29" draw have a more perfect killing machine than the guy holding 60# at 25/26"?
Whoops! Should have not been in such a rush and read things completely first off. George annswered my question before it was asked! :knothead: :knothead: Sorry.
I think 47 would be enough if you were shooting one of the faster bows. Poundage is not nearly as important as end result. Only an chrony will tell you if your 47 pound bow is enough. I am willing to bet that there are plenty of 52-55 pound bows that dont shoot as fast as a 47 pound acs cx. Also I bet a 47 pound acs shoots miles faster than a 65 pound self bow. Get my point. Calculate your KE and then you will know if its enough.
buff, I couldnt get 74 pounds to my cheek if you put a metal splint on my bow arm..... your da man if thats your prefered weight.
QuoteOriginally posted by TIMP:
is 47# enough for elk and black bear?
well just up north from you in MD, we legally can kill whitetail and black bears with a 30# bow :knothead: , what is our DNR thinking???
Jus' love these threads... :jumper:
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Here is a big guy taken down with a 42# bow....
50# at 28" minimum.
Works for me.
John
REMEMBER THAT THE BULL FIGTHERS USE ONLY A SAWRD
AND THEY KILL UP TO 1000 POUNDS NASTY AND DEADLY
TOROS AND THE FORCE IS LES THAN ANY OF THE BOWS WE USED TO HUNT IS ONLY THE SHRPENES OF THEYR SAWRD AN THE GOOD PLACEMENT OF IT.
fred, only partly true my friend. The bull is killed due to it's own weight being pushed onto the sword....that's some heavy duty momentum, and a better than 3 to 1 blade ratio 8^).
It seems being blessed with a long draw would allow a bit less weight with the same results. Unfortunately I only draw about 28" and like my chances when shooting 50-=55#.
I like mine at 52# but I dont hunt really big game, I bet if I averaged out all the bows I have built for customers in the last 15 years it would be really close to 50# +/- 2#
Well, according to studies by Saxton Pope, Native American bows in the 48 CONUS states averaged to about a 50 pound draw weight. So, nothing new under the sun. With 50 pounds, you can put pounds in the freezer, so to speak.
QuoteOriginally posted by JPE:
my personal feeling is the one that you can shoot most comfortably and consistantly, and of course for hunting situations ethicly. Jim Pyles
I'll second that. :thumbsup:
QuoteOriginally posted by Tsalagi:
Well, according to studies by Saxton Pope, Native American bows in the 48 CONUS states averaged to about a 50 pound draw weight. So, nothing new under the sun. With 50 pounds, you can put pounds in the freezer, so to speak.
also consider that a typical 50# self or composite bow of yesteryear would probably equate to a modern stickbow that could be rated as low as 40#.
When I was having Bob Sarrels build my bow, we decided on a final draw weight of between 45-47 pounds at my draw length of 31 inches. I had a reality check that I work in an office and my office has made me soft. I am coming back to archery after a long layoff and I knew this would be a good weight for me. Plus it is MORE than enough to kill any deer, hog or turkey roaming Texas- the place I will hunt 99% of the time.
Having gotten the bow late last week and shooting it over the last few days I know I absolutely made the right decision. It is within my strength capacity, I can draw it smoothly, focus and hold for a period before releasing (which lets me settle in on a consistent anchor), and am already keeping shots within about 4 inches or less of where I am aiming at a range of 10 yards and in. It feels great!
Just out of curiosity, and slightly off topic (for this I apologize), can one of you guys who is comparing energy to draw weights at 28 inches tell me what the energy of my bow is compared to that i.e.: it is like a ___ pound bow at 28 inches.... I draw 46# at 31 inches. THANKS!
A PLX and PTFX both 50#@28" Just perfect for me!
I shoot bows in the 46-48#@28" range and prefer 46# or 47#.
Bill
55# is absolutely perfect. Cause that is what I've got :)
57# is the optimum bow weight for hunting in North America. I know that because that's what I settled on after shooting bows from 72# to 47# over the last 30 yrs. I can still shoot the 72# but only for a few shots and the 47# feels way too soft. So now I have 4 different bows at 57#. That's what I like the best, so it must be right :biglaugh:
Daniel is right! How are you man. :jumper:
Well, Jason, your bows tend to shoot a lot faster than most and handle heavy arrows without a whimper. A 52# Kanati with well tuned arrows and sharp broadheads would take any game on this continent...no doubt about it!
So, if I were limited to one bow weight for everything it would fall somewhere between 50-55 pounds. That said, there is nothing in Iowa I can't shoot through with my 46# Kanati, so if I hunt here, it's all I need.
51 because that's what my new bow is.
For my personal preferences a 51-54# bow is perfect for everything from squirrels to elk.
I have seen deer taken down with 35# and less and wouldn't hesitate to hunt with those weights.
Perfect is what gets the arrow in that right spot for the individual. ;)
I shoot a 40# Morrison ILF for plinking around, and put the 50# limbs on when I want serious shooting. My other bows are in the 46# - 52# range.
Checked on the fred eichler comment. He hunts with a 62" palmer and 54@30.5 So for us normal 28" guys I guess we would need a 56 or 57# bow to be like Fred. However I think that there are probably faster bows than the palmer so maybe only 55#. Fred also shoots an arrow a little less than 500 grain.
65-70 #'s at my draw length, Ive been shooting this for serveral years, and its what I shoot the best.I shoot a 600gn arrow and Ive just got use to the arc.
QuoteOriginally posted by Chris Shelton:
QuoteOriginally posted by TIMP:
is 47# enough for elk and black bear?
well just up north from you in MD, we legally can kill whitetail and black bears with a 30# bow :knothead: , what is our DNR thinking??? [/b]
In Va we must be able to propel a broadhead arrow 125 yrds.
QuoteOriginally posted by Predator Man:
He hunts with a 62" palmer and 54@30.5 So for us normal 28" guys I guess we would need a 56 or 57#
That's still storing the energy equivalent to a 61-62# @28" bow. It's all about the area under the f/d curve. A few inches either side of a 28" draw makes a big difference. It's something those with short draws really should keep in mind.
Some of the guys on the Dark Continent forum are shooting 100# and 160#. :scared:
I'll just say that's not for me and leave it at that... I prefer around 55#- 65#.
I like 70#. It's light enough to shoot all day yet has enough to it to make up for no-so-perfect angle that sometimes happens without us knowing it. I shoot heavier most of the time but that's just because I like it but anybody could shoot 70# with little effort.
I shot heavy longbows most of my life. Eventually the hundreds of arrows I shot everyday started getting the better of my joints. I can still shoot bows in the mid 60s with ease, but I have to limit how many arrows I shoot, because of arthritis inflammation in my wrist and release fingers. The heavy stuff is fun to play with and I tend to get sloppy form shooting the lighter weights, but I am keeping my go to bows in the lower fifties these days for health reasons.
What are you guys eating pulling these 70,80, and 100 # bows???!!!????
give a guy complex.
55#-60# with proper arrow setup in the hands of a competent bowhunter should shoot through anything that walks on this continent. Of course if you can handle it, there nothing wrong with more draw weight. Nothing wrong with less either, I love the stories of people shooting bigger animals with less weight. A very subjective question otherwise.
Kris
QuoteOriginally posted by robtattoo:
60#
Not underkill, not overkill, but absolutley enough for everything on the Continent.
Well said sir! I would have to agree :clapper:
Go heavy or stay home is what I remember being preached 25+ yrs ago...60#s no less...even for Whitetails. Much has changed since then...all kinds of critters have been taken with 40#rs, big & small.
My oldest son at the age of 11, took his 1st deer with his 54#@28 (he was only pulling 41-42#s) lil Shawnee Spirit flatbow....on the ground, spot & stalk!!!!! proud Dad I was! Sorry, for bragging... couldn't help it.
Anyway, he used a 5/16th homemade cedar with a filed sharpened Zwickey...total weight..438gr
50# seems about right, now that I am over 60. I still shoot my 60# bow from time to time, but it sure isn't comfortable any more. Age and arthritis are realities that are not going to change. I am REALLY impressed with modern fast flight bows and how much more performance you can get per pound of draw weight. I have a 48# modern bow that shoots with more authority than my 60# bow from the 1970s. I am impressed by that.
55 to 60 at 30". That's perfect for me.