What is your favorite weight for hunting big game and why? I'm thinking of increasing my draw weight on a new bow and I figured it would be interesting to see what others like.
Caleb
Well I only hunt midwest whitetails, and I use 50lb longbow and I picked up a 45 lb grizzly that I will use this season. I would not hesistate to go after any big game animal with a 50 lb bow. Proper arrow and good shot placement is what it's all about.
Pick the most comfortable weight bow You as an individual can handle in a hunting situation. I have bows from 52-70@28. I would not hesitate to shoot any animal with any one of them.
I shot in the mid 60's for years, but after a hand injury I have been shooting 40-50 pounds and have and just as much success.
I like a bow around 45#
I recently tried my hand shooting a bow at 52#. If I needed more oomph than 45, I think 52 would be plenty.
55#-60# arrow placement is more important than bow weight.
Better to shoot a little lower weight comfortably. Im 26 and can shoot 70lbs bows, but I tend to shoot bows in the 55# range more accurate. No reason to try and flex the pipes when its not needed. Remember Bowhunting is for enjoyment and fun.
58# for me. Very comfortable at and accurate at that weight. I would add, shooting a 62" recurve made a huge difference in terms of a smooth draw when compared to a 60" bow. I would give equal consideration to bow weight and bow length.
Shooting Upper 40s right now, but would like something about 52#s at my draw.
52lbs @ 28 for me. I can shoot more but when on stand for hours with the temps in the teens wearing a bunch of clothes you can't pull as much as you can comfortably on a hot summer 3-D range.
Somewhere around 50-54#@28" works best for me.
53 lbs !! i will hunt any animal with with 53 lbs. i have killed turkey, deer and elk with 53 lbs, and this fall i will be after caribou. shoot what is comfortable for you. more weight is better but NOT necessary.
your 55lb grizzly will do the job on anything! i
I know i could build my my self up to shoot 60lbs. but there is no need in it....
i wish i had your draw at 28
Between 55-58lbs at my draw length. I could probably go down a few pounds and still get pass throughs on whitetails.
I like to come in around #220 but I bulked up to #250 so now I have to train down. My bows 47-52#at my draw length. ;)
Seems like the general consensus is around the mid to low 50's which I expected. I have a 30" draw so I'm really pulling about 59 or 60 pounds with my grizzly. I'd like to go up to about 65 pounds or so just cause I know I can handle it and it won't hurt anything to have a little more KE down range. I shoot about 200 times a day so I don't think I'll have any problems with going up a few pounds.
Caleb
I like 55 or so. I'm accurate and can hold it at full draw even in cold weather. Heavier and I start to struggle when cold.
If you can go heavier, by all means do it. Never know iuf you'll hit bone etc.....
My bows are all in the 53-60# range at 28. I shoot 30" and my favorite is 57@28 and 62@30.
QuoteOriginally posted by YORNOC:
If you can go heavier, by all means do it. Never know iuf you'll hit bone etc.....
Agree!
Maybe I am just one of those unlucky souls that things just never go "as planned" but I prefer to plan for the best but be prepared for the worst. I like shooting heavier.
I shoot 55#. A well designed bow that pulls 50-60 pounds with a heavy arrow and razor sharp broadhead will kill anything on this continent.
I shoot a 52, 57 and 63 at my 29" draw. I also have a 85 that I can pull slowly and hold at anchor for 20 seconds or so. BUT I don't shoot it very well and I now rarely pull it back because I feel like I could injure my bow shoulder.
With that said, It becomes obvious to me towards the end of long sessions that the light bow is easiest to hold steady and scores will usually show.
I love sneaking up on the hogs with the 63 even though the light bows seem to do as well.
All of my hunting bows range between 45 and 52# in draw. I don't need anything more then that to get the job done.
JL
46-49# at 29".......because I like it. I can shoot more poundage...a lot more, but I don't shoot it well. The heavier I go target panic raises it's ugly head so I keep it in that range. Plus you really don't need any more than that for the shots I would take!
66# for me. It just seems to be the magic number for some reason. I think 4 out of the 6 bows I shoot end up being 66@31½" either by luck, design or bit of stack!
Momentum produced by your set up is more determinative than draw weight. I have bows that produce more energy/momentum than other bows I have that have 5# heavier draw. It seems we always talk about draw weight when it is energy/momentum that means penetration.
Yep, cold weather IS a consideration! I only hunt whitetails and am waiting on a new Sasquatch @ 44# :archer:
45-50lbs for me
55-60# @ 29" for me. 625 grain arrows.
I shooot my 48-pounder bettter than my 69-pounder, but shoot both well. The lighter one is so easy to shoot that I may be developing bad habits. I have coughed at full draw and moved to cover my mouth with my drawing hand -- still at full draw -- without thinking! I think that 55-58# would be ideal for me, but it means buying another bow.
50 -55lbs @ 29"
#40-45. I get good cast in this weight range with both of my bows.
40 to 50ish, depending on the bow. I can shoot heavier, but not as well. As my hunts are limited mostly to whitetails (and little ones at that) and assorted small game, I feel fine with what I use. On the off chance that I ever arrange a larger animal hunt, I'll do the heavy lifting to shoot a heavier bow.
I am shooting 53# these days. I have another couple bows I switch to occasionally at 52# and 57#. I shot 64-66# for many years, but construction work has taken its toll on my shoulders. Shooting a bow actually helps with that, but I think the 53# will do anything I need it too.
53#-64# depending on which bow I pickup. I really like the heavier weights because they shoot so flat.
Usually in the neighborhood of 70 lbs plus or minus depending on what i grab. I dont advocate heavy bows for everyone, shoot a poundage that you shoot well, and shoot comfortably. A well placed arrow from 45 lbs is far better than a poor shot from 75 lbs. if you cant control it. :thumbsup:
50#. My 1968 Kodiak Hunter in 50# is about perfect for anything I care to hunt in the lower 48 States. Although I do on occassion hunt with 60# to 65# recurves, 50# (even at 29.5"), feels easier to pull on a cold morning, after being in a treestand for a few hours. And with a razor sharp arrow, in the boiler room of a deer or hog at under 20 yards, I doubt there is much, if any difference between a 50# and a 65# bow. IIf I get drawn on the Moose Lottery this year, there is a good chance I'll take a 50# recurve along.
With today's designs and materials....my bows range from 52/55/57/58#....don't need anymore weight for anything that walks this planet.
I will use longbows from 45 to 64# depending on what I grab. With that being said I only hunt whitetail and small game. 50# is all you need. I like heavy arrows and sharp heads :thumbsup:
My go to bow and its backup are both HH bows at 65#. That's the max that I can still handle well. I used to hunt with a 78# Bamboo Longhunter, but now its too much work to stay conditioned well enough to handle it properly, getting old I guess.
I am actually spending a lot of time lately with my 4 bows in the 50 - 59# range. As I said, I'm getting older by the day. Besides, you guys are absolutely right when you say heavy draw weight is not necessary.
I shoot 49 after years of 63#
I get my best release around 56-60 lbs.
I like around 50-54lbs for hunting.
most mine are in the 55 to 60 range.
Cochise
Been hovering just above 70 lbs for many years.
Comfortable, even the "cold" shots, and with a 700 plus grain arrow, my local whitetails don`t have enough armor to to affect penetration.
This past winter, I did a "Robin Hood" on a favorite Carbonwood that is older than my daughter...it had been pushed thru at least a half dozen whitetails.
Confidence in an individuals set up is WAY more important than draw weight!
52@28" :thumbsup:
Bill
55# is my bow of choice.
shoot the weight you shoot well. I shoot a 60lbs bow because I shoot it best.
60 to 65 pounds at 29in, 630 grain arrows.
65 to 70# recurves; 73# longbow; my arrows are 600 to 650 grains. I'm 60 yrs old and with the help of my shoulder joints am starting to consider dropping weight but will hang on as long as I can accurately shoot these weights.
The trad bows that I use are between 38 and 52#. even my compound is 50#.
DaveP
I got a set of 52# limbs comin for hunting
My bows are 42-51#, I can shoot heavier but haven't found a reason to as yet.
I think you can hunt almost anything with 45# and a HEAVY arrow. I would rather have more arrow weight than more pounds in draw weight
61 lbs. @ 27 inches
i have a 64 that I really love that is getting alot of my attention but my 74# is my go to bow
60# at the moment and working my way up to 70# for hunting.
I have few bows at 80# I would like to be able to shoot but wouldn't hunt with them at this point. One day I would like to do Africa and would shoot the heaviest I could.
I like to be between 210 and 220 or so. Any more and my camoflauge makes my butt look fat.
ChuckC
My favorite hunting weight is 95@28. It's over the top for some, but in my recurve it's just sweet at anchor and I don't know any better.
58-61# at my draw for me
My favorite, if I could handle it as easily as 45#s would be a 60# recurve. But, since I can't my favorite is 46-53#s.
I'll be hunting with 53.5#s this year which is more than 5 pounds heavier than the past two years. More than I've ever needed, with recurves, for whitetail deer.
Mid to upper 50's for me.
I like low to mid 60's. Mainly because I like to shoot 650-800+ grain arrows and still get decent trajectory with those draw weights.
Travis
My "go to" for hunting is a Shrew CH, 68@29.
53 pounds....zips right through anything I'm going to hunt.
Around 50# be shooting that weight for many years.
55-60 just feels right.
50 to 55 lbs with a 600 grain arrow and ultra sharp broadhead will zip thru pretty much any deer, elk or bear.
When I started bowhunting in the 70's I went from 45/50 to 55/60 till about 2008/2010 or so.When I turned about 60 I found I shot better with 50lbs. plus or minus a few lbs.I have limbs 46 to 53 that I shoot now.Looks like I am back full circle.Kip
My bows range from 45-60# at my draw. Now that I'm 40 I'm liking 50#, it's all about hitting where ya look...
50#s does the job for me!
About 205, but I haven't been 205 for years.
I've gone from 60# to 55# to 50# and now settled at 47# for the past few years ( all at my 30" draw). Arrow weight at 563gr. Great performance on deer & bear and would not hesitate to hunt elk or moose with this setup either. SHARP broadheads and good placement = dead critters!
55-60 is comfortable
55#'s has traditionally been my favorite hunting wt. however starting to warm up to the 50-52# range efficient bows.
I think at my draw length I'm pullin' about #53-54.
65# to 75#
<><
<-----------------------<<<<<<<<<
55 - 70#, having dropped after years of shooting heavy stuff. Favorite weight 55-66#, I do not shoot near as much as when I was younger.
Anything around 50# give or take a few pounds!!!
I've settled in to the 38-40lb range for whitetails. A passthru at 40lbs is easier to see than a passthru at 50lbs.
Usually 60 to 65 but the go to bow is 61 all at 27 inches. A much cleaner release and been shooting them for many, many years and .....elk are big animals.