I'm sure it's been covered, but I couldn't find it. I'm currently shooting my dad's old 54# 28" longbow and I'm shooting about 30" draw. It seems to stack really bad and I get tired really fast. I had a martin jaguar 50# I sent back, didn't care for the metal riser. I was looking to order another budget recurve, maybe samick or greatree. I didn't necessarily feel the 50# martin was too heavy, but I want to be able to shoot tons of arrows without getting tired. I notice I get sloppy after shooting 15-20 arrows. I've fallen in love with instinctive shooting and want to practice all I can. I was thinking of buying a 45# bow that I can shoot a ton without getting so tired. I also don't really want a takedown bow, I like the one piece traditional style better. Would a 45# bow be enough to kill a MI whitetail at 20yds max? Or would I be better to just keep practicing and building up my strength and going with a 50# bow?
A 45# Bear is what I hunted with last year and it's a real joy to shoot.
45#'s is plenty.
When your getting "sloopy" (tired) your developing bad habbits. You will be much better of with a lighter bow.
If you continue to shoot a bow that is too heavy for your practice sessions you will, at best, develop bad shooting habits or, at worst, hurt your shoulder. 45# is plenty for whitetails.
#45 is plenty. Use good sharp heads and place your shots well (read: practice and take shots within your accurate range) and it'll do the job just fine. Use heavy arras too.
As on other threads, check out a Bear Kodiak Hunter. My personal favorite. And there's usually a lot of them around for a reasonable price. :)
YES YES YES as stated above.... I use a Bear Kodiak Magnum 45# 52"..... get a sharp BH and go do it....
45# is definately enough and if you are indeed pulling to 30 inches you can add about 5 to 6 pounds to actual draw weight. Most shooters that come from the compound world dont actually shoot their compound draw length it is usually shorter . But as with any hunting it is shot placement that counts put an arrow through the boiler at 20 pounds and it will do the trick ! I'm not advocating 20 pounds mind you it's just important to hit where you aim . I personally shoot the heaviest I can shoot accurately and comfortably ,so that marginal hits have a better chance of doing the job !
good luck and as always
Practice Practice Practise !!!
Huntnfool
I hope so!
My 46# @ 28" (my draw length) Kanati will blow through whitetails like paper! A 45# bow drawn to 30" should be around 50# actual. The longer stroke also adds some zip. How far do you want the arrow to stick into the ground after it hits the deer?
A good, sharp broadhead, with a total arrow weight of about 500 or so grains, from a 45-50 pound bow will do the trick on just about anything in North America.
Awsome, that's what I was hoping to hear, thanks!
My wife shoots 45# @ 26". She hit this deer in front of the right hip and got penetration thru the opposite shoulder....two holes, short trail and the deer was down in 5 seconds. She also used a 3 blade Razorcap and it did a great job.
(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Arrowworks/Laurabuck2.jpg)
Hope so...
44# at 27" 150 fps with 540grn
You bet. Shot clear through a doe Sept. 11th with 46 pounds at 25.5" draw. She ran 52 yards and dropped. The Helix broadhead.
45# is plenty(especially since you are drawing to 30", 51#?).
I would look at a used Bear or Martin (or other) one-piece, can't go wrong with either.
My buddy killed a 220# hog with his 45# Martin Mamba, got full penetration,too.
45# is more then enough. With the lighter poundage bows you can draw ALL the way back to your anchor instead of leaning your anchor toward the bow.
Historically, when I was a kid in the 50's, the most common bow weight was 45#. If you look at the auction site you will rarely find a vintage bow 50# or heavier. They did a good job back then and with improvements in design and materials today's light weight bows are really much more efficient than the bows of 50 years ago.
In the last three years I have killed 5 deer and 1 big hog with bows from 44 to 46 lbs at a 28" draw. As stated earlier, the 2 extra inches of drawlength you have increases the power stroke even more. Sharp broadhead on a clean flying arrow of a sufficient weight and you are good to go.
Would it be enough to say that 45#'s is more than enough or that 1000's of deerand even larger game have been harvested with 45# or less.
An effective complete arrow design will pay much greater dividends than going up a few pounds.
Use a good sharp cut on contact broadhead and 45 lbs. is plenty.
I've taken many deer with 43# and never a problem. If you have a true 30" draw, I'd say you'd be good down to 35#. A long draw adds a lot of energy. I'd still stick with cut on contact 2-blades myself.
I talked to a well-known bowyer a few years back who told me that back in the 50's and 60's a 45# to 50# bow was the most common weight used for deer (some of that probably had to do with the fact that many also preferred to use a lighter bow for target shooting). Even though in our day most bowhunters prefer heavier bows, the deer certainly haven't changed in the past 60 years.If a 45# bow was sufficient to take deer in the 1950's then it's also sufficient today - perhaps even more so since many moderm bow designs and materials are more efficient than they were in that earlier era.
QuoteOriginally posted by ArrowAtomik:
I've taken many deer with 43# and never a problem. If you have a true 30" draw, I'd say you'd be good down to 35#. A long draw adds a lot of energy. I'd still stick with cut on contact 2-blades myself.
Shoot Yeah!!! I have a shorter draw 27" and over the past 3 yrears have I have put down 4 with a 42# longbow... If you shot a 35#@28 it'd probably be higher # than I am plus that longer stroke would put you even to me shooting close to 50#...
Fire away brother, just put it through both lungs.... and you'll be rewarded with short blood trails
Thanks guys, I picked up some Magnus 125gr a little while ago, so I'll likely use those and find a nice heavy arrow setup once I buy the bow. I'm glad to hear 45lbs should be fine for hunting, and now I just have to save a couple more pennies. I'm hoping to be ready to go by the late bow season here in December. I'm good to go with my longbow, but only out to about 12yds at this point.
My Daddy shoots a 44# selfbow and does fine with it.
I used 42# at 26" and have no problem with mature Iowa whitetails bucks.
This should answer your question. Used a self bow that was 40 pounds
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v107/doublelung/UltimateExperience.jpg)
Ive shot two big Ohio does with my daughters 40# recurve. 2016 arrows and 160 snuffers, passthroughs on both of them. 45 is plenty for deer.