It is obvious that we Tradgangers hunt with a variety of bows and bow weights. If you want to find out what favorite weights are used for hunting, take this poll. (I know many use more than one bow and weight, so vote for your favorite hunting weight.)
I love polls. :thumbsup: Since I shoot two low poundage bows, I'll vote my favorite of the two which is my 37# bow.
47# Through 52# bows
I think 55-57# @ my draw is about perfect for a hunting weight bow. I have shot down to 43#, but, did not like the penetration I got on a big whitetail with that setup.
No one wants to join the 65#+. I still have a hard time believing there are so few of us.
I am in the "bad shoulder" category. I will likely start the season around 53# at my draw length and end the season at 44# at my draw length.
Cold weather really seizes up the old shoulder.
If I had to pick just one for all year it would be 46# at my length so I voted accordingly.
My bow is 42# on my scale at my draw length....
43.5# at my draw....45# bow
I have bad shoulder, neck, wrist, hand and finger, yea, a bad brain too!! I love shooting/hunting with a 49-52# (MAX) @28" Setup correctly (and shot placement) will take down anything in North America.
50@28
The curve is shaping up about what I expected. A bell at 50-55.
I used to shoot heavier bows. I used to bounce when I fell out of trees, too. Now? Not so much.
54@27
Once again I'm pretty much in the averages.
one 51# and one 48# at my draw length
My favorites are 65#, 66#, and 75#.
been shooting 50# and droping down to 45# now.50# just getting to mutch for me pull.
My bow is just over 60#@28" but I draw to 30.5", I think I put down 60# - 64#
The bows I shot up until about 5 years ago were all in the 68-74 pound range. When I hit the big FIVE-O I dropped down to what I'm shooting now, mostly bows in the 58-63 pound range.
I voted my favorite weight which is 50-54# and my Kanati is 53#@28" but it's only 49# at my draw length. I can live with that.
Man I was almost convinced to start going down, now I think I will go up.
I have bows from 45# to 73#,my favorite weight range are my bows from 55# to 65#.I shoot these mostly anymore.
48# @ 29 draw. Comfortable to shoot all day, but plenty of speed on a 515 gr arrow. Out of a Lost Creek that is!
Mine are 3@60#, 2@65# and 1@69# so I voted 60-64.
46-50# @ 29"......works for me!
64 years old and still shooting 58-62#'s.
When I was younger mid 60's worked fine.
with these stiff joints 50 is just fine.
not ready to set on the porch yet. :archer:
I like the results. Seems pretty sensible.
I like my bows in the 60ish range. I think 50ish is fine for hunting but the increased performance is worth the extra weight to me.
55# @ 27
Sergio, Your the man at 64, Good for you on those heavier bows. That is what I was shooting in my 40's. After years of shoulder issues everything is in the low to mid 40# range! Matched up with the right arrow I get excellent cast.
I am more consistent shooting 45# bows, can draw and hold.
While I would probably feel more confident with a 53-58# bow, I like the feel of my 48# longbow and 49# recurve. I also shoot a 60# recurve and 65# longbow, and have no qualms with them... but I enjoy the lighter ones more. I draw a solid 31", and my style is to draw and hold for a couple of seconds or so.
A shoulder injury has sidelined me for the time being, though.
55-65 works for me.
50 @ 27" for me
63#@27"
59lbs @ 31inches works nicely for me
My prefered wt is 67@29 1/2".
50#-55# at my 31-32" draw depending on the bow
QuoteOriginally posted by SERGIO VENNERI:
64 years old and still shooting 58-62#'s.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper:
F-Manny
45# @ 29"
50@28 Recurve
65@28 Longbow
Can shoot comfortably 10 to 15 pounds more than I normally do. If there was a personal need, then I would spend more time shooting in the upper ranges and work up higher if required.
I typically stay w/i the 50-54# range also due to my lack of moderation when it comes to practise. I do concede that the higher ranges are quite fun to shoot.
I like it up around 70 lbs.
Sergio, You've got me beat. I'm also 64 but my 3 favorite bows are an A&H ACS at 55 lbs and 2 Massie Longhorns at 56lbs and 57lbs, all at my 28" draw.
60@27 for alot of years i have always shot 58-65lbs. i have had alot of injuries and with 60yrs of age not that far away i hope i can stay there,
50-55# at my draw ...
Occasionally 65# .....
At 42 yrs old I am more concerned with not overbowing it anymore and I shoot mostly around 60lbs at my draw, this is plenty of horsepower and I want to be able to shoot into my golden years without shoulder issues. I have shot heavier, killed my first archery elk with a 80lb bw ma2, but I now realize there is not alot of advantage to more that 60lbs on game.
40-43 for me these days.
I have bows from 56# to 65# at my draw length and shoot them all, but I voted the one I've been shooting them the most lately the 65#.
46# is all i need for pass through on a deer :thumbsup:
My recurve is 50# and longbow #55. I prefer the release of the longbow so #55 was my vote.
QuoteOriginally posted by oxnam:
No one wants to join the 65#+. I still have a hard time believing there are so few of us.
True, there are few of us. I love the heavies. I love the "Thump" of a heavy arrow out of a heavy bow.
Matt
Shoot longer Hills/style between 75-90# for near 35 years straight. Like Matt said, when you get used to stacking heavy arrows screaming through the air, it's hard to check.
I voted for the 65 - 69.
Two years ago I reduced what I use in draw weight by roughly 30#, and now shoot 68# most of the time.
I mainly took the reduction, because I don't get to shoot as much as I used to be able to, and the low draw weight just makes it easier for me to stay on top of my game with the limited practice.
My main go to bow for hunting is 48#.
I shoot lefty but I am right handed so I can't shoot as heavy. So I am at 44# lefty.
I only own one bow at this point in time. It is 61 #s at my draw.
I shoot a 60# bow but i will go up to around 75# to 80# pounds i figure more penetration in the right spot the better blood trail plus i like pass through
Mt lightest is 52lbs,I shoot after a long layoff and heaviest is 76lbs(workout bow).I seem to shoot heavier bows more consistant on the first shot of the day.Most of my hunting is done w/ 60lbs to 70lbs.
I'm in the 60-65ish club. I'm a firm beleiver in margin an error and more poundage exspands that for me.
80 + at my draw because I can and I like the way it slings an arrow Not because I need it.
I just know that I can comfortably do it and if I drop in weight, my muscles will atrophy to what ever I drop to.
I shoot a lot of bows a few times just before I send them to there new home. Most are in the 50lb range with a spattering all over the chart. I wonder how I can shoot the higher weight stuff because each and every one of them seems to put up a little strain (maybe I'm always tired), but then when I pick up my personal bow, I fall right back in to 80 as if it were a groove. Shoot what makes you happy and quit worrying about my shoulders.
BigJim
90% of the bow orders we get are for bows from 47# to 53# @28 The next 8% are under 47@ 28 only 2% are over 54@28"
Just some numbers I was looking at
I prefer the 48-52# bows... I shoot just two bows now 43 & 55... I find a much cleaner release with the heavier bow, and sometimes I wil pluck the string with the lighter bow.... But I must use a tab with the lighter bow and I use a big shot glove with the heavier bow...
Mine are all 45-49#. My favorite white-tail hunting draw weight is 47#@26". I have one Bear B Mag in the original factory camo that is 40# @ 26".
66@29
In my early 30's I ordered my first "custom", a 3 pc Custom Bighorn from Fred Asbell 70#@30.. Now after surgeries on both shoulders and turning 60 recently 56-58#@28" is my "comfort range", However I draw 28 1/2" so maybe 1 1/2-2 #'s higher then listed at 28".
Gene
I like to shoot a wimpy 150# longbow!
50ish and trying for a bit more ??
It's interesting to me that the more people who vote, the more the curve becomes a normal bell shaped distribution, with a preference for 50-54 pounds, and a more-or-less equally diminishing preference on each side of that. If I were to have guessed before seeing the poll, I would have guessed a stronger preference for the lower poundages than is the case, in other words, that the curve would be skewed to the left more than it actually is.
QuoteOriginally posted by marlon:
I like to shoot a wimpy 150# longbow!
Gosh marlon, and I thought you had a reputation for shooting heavy bows. :knothead:
Dave
"Skewed to the "Left" a little?"
Does that mean those who shoot below 50# are "Liberals"?
:readit:
QuoteDoes that mean those who shoot below 50# are "Liberals"?
Not necessarily, unless those shooters are from California, or in even more likely, from Washington :)
45# to 63# I have 6 Zippers.
41 years ago I was shooting a Ben Pearson Cougar, Bear Grizzly, and Bear B MaG at the exact same draw weights I shoot today.
The heaviest recurve draw weight I've ever attempted to shoot was only 59#@28" which would have been about 53 @ 26".
Of course there are some rides in Orlando that I barely measure up to.
I picked 45-49 but I actually shoot 45 to 53# bows
46,47,48# is where I shoot best. Bob
I was shooting 56#@29 on a 60" longbow. It was a bit heavy and my form suffered.
I've switched to what I thought was a 43#@29. Turns out, it measures 48#@29 on my scale. I still shoot it well, and I think that it has plenty of "umph" for the deer and hogs in my neck of the woods. It is on a 52" recurve, though, so I think that affects the draw cycle a bit...it doesn't really stack, but I do notice a difference from a longer bow...must be the string angle geometry.
My brother has a 45#@29 64" longbow that draws and shoots like a dream...the best I've ever shot. Ideally a bow like that at around 50# would be ideal for me.
I shoot an 80 pounder but only because I got it cheap for obvious reasons and because well.. I can but Im working on a 50 # hickory self bow. 3rd attempt lol. Wish me luck.
Over 550 folks have voted in the last couple days with about 1/3 hunting with 50-54# bows. I think we can conclude the sampling in pretty indicatave of the trad community.
This poll also agrees with another survey from a year ago where bowyers said that new bow orders were averaging 52#. (I wonder if this meant plus or minus 2 pounds. :D )
I like 75 to 80@28 :bigsmyl:
I think this might also be age related,
42-51 #
45-55# for me, that's plenty for what I intend to hunt.
My bows are in the 45-47#@28" range. And they are all great shooting bows, or I sell them! :) Sometimes I sell them even if they are great shooting bows! :D
Bill
My group range from about 55 to 63#.I tend to shoot mostly in the 55# range. Anything over 60# does not get much use. Appears that age is catching up with me.
DB
53# at 27
55-6o lbs. longbows.
Longbows between 47 & 53# @ my 30" draw. Only use the 47 for the past 4 years now.
I have a 55# Wapiti recurve and a custom TD Herway longbow at 42#, shooting the same 510 grain arrow the 42# is 185 fps the recurve 180, no brainer, I like shooting the 42 pounder better!
last year I started the year at 55# and by augest I was ready for a 45#er.This year started with 46# limbs and things are going so good I will be hunting with at least 55#,may try 60#. Dan
For Me #45 to #48 but have had pass through witha #36 bow.Joey
I shoot #47-#57 so I guess I'm just average.My Mom will be so disappointed.
One at 54# at 28
One at 48# at 28
Only a few more days to vote...
Now I hunt with my 65# Wesley Special almost exclusively. I used to shoot a 78# Bamboo Longhunter, but I am nearly 62 now, and staying conditioned enough to properly control that much weight is a lot tougher than it used to be. I can foresee the need before too long to drop down again in draw weight, but I have some thing for that, too. Draw weights from 59# down to 40#.
Shrew at 56 lbs and a new GN Bushbow at 53 lbs. :archer2:
I've found the lower weight I shoot (to a point), the more accurate I shoot. I once shot mostly a 63# longbow, but prefer mostly 53-55# these days.