I have been wondering ... midwest deer hunters,
A) what length and poundage are your self bows?
B) how much penetration do you often get?
Bob.
Hey Bob,I am not a midwest hunter,but I do hunt with selfbows.Most of my bows are around 50 lbs with a few under by a couple and a few over.Pass thru shots are not uncommon.Even with bows mid to high 40s should bury a heavy arrow to the feathers.I keep my shots to 15 yds max.Most of my bows are 66"to 68"long.I use mostly Hickory because it is free,but I sure love osage.I like your choice of bows.I also shoot a Mohawk and a Whip.glen
I am not midwest either but we hunt deer out west. My selfbows are in the 55-60lb draw weight range. My arrows in the 650-750 weight range. Shots 20yds or so max. Like glenbo pass-thrus not uncommon as matter of fact I would say the norm is pass-thru, maybe not thru and to the ground but two holes neither-the-less. Mostly osage in the 64-68 inch length range.
1. 64", 52-60#@29"
2. Penetration correlates directly to how well the arrow is tuned the bow and where it is placed. The past couple of years only one of my shots was not a pass through on Montana whitetail deer; the one that was not a pass through buried to the fletching. Most of my shots are 10-15 yards but on occasion, it reaches out to 25.
I'm a Midwester! Have shot many whitetail, both large and small! My first in 1991 with osage bow, 48lbs. My first succes at building an osage.
My last, 2 years ago, large doe, with a black locust, 55lbs. 64"- 68" length. Ground and tree stand kills.
Some pass-thrus, some not. But always a sharp broadhead. No different than my glass bows!
Hope you get at it!
I just picked up a 66", 53#@28" osage form Bob Brilhart with no cut in shelf, actually a bearclaw is used for the shelf. I use heavy ash arrows and currently are using 60-65# spine. I'm thinking 55-60 may be better performing because of the lack of the shelf but don't have any yet to try. I shoot about 200 gr. upfront. Any thoughts?
(http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo306/bhaukom/HillandBrillhart004.jpg)
Bruce, that is one awesome looking bow!
Bob.
Nice bow, Bruce. You might want to try 50-55's or even 45-50's!
No shelf and archer's paradox make alot of differernce. Or try putting a heavier point on to weaken the spine.
And then some of my bows don't mind light or heavy spine.
Put a high performance string on it, and see how those 60-65's shoot!
Hey Bruce,
That bow looks great! Before you go out and buy a bunch of differant shafts look me up at either Horicon or the PBS shoot. I will have some arrows you can try out in it.
Chris H
I'll make sure to do that at PBS. Won the bid at Comptons for this bow. Here is the belly. Bob don't mean to steal your thread but I was sure excited to get this bow and for a real reasonable price.
(http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo306/bhaukom/HillandBrillhart003.jpg)
I have killed a bunch of deer with selfbows. I have had two, stick in the ground on the other side pass throughs on smaller deer, all the rest were buried to the fletching.55-60# bows, snap shot(I shoot quickly in the heat of a battle) with somewhere around a 24-25" draw.
I've killed a boat load of deer with the selfbow and I'd say 50% were pass throughs. I hunt with bows ranging from 43# - 50#. A 45# bow is a 45# bow - doesn't matter what it is made out of.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3KC6v1Xlkg