Ive got an old Ben Pearson bow that is 40lbs @ my 28" draw that i would love to deer hunt with in the future, and am curious about the arrow/ broadhead combinations that those of you hunting with this poundage are using?
:campfire:
Wood arrows 50-55 w/ 125 gr heads. Have killed a bunch of stuff w/ this combo from bows 43@26"(my draw) to 47@26". Usually get complete penetration.
This is my best buck to date w/ a bow. 43#@26"
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/Prairiedrifter/hunting/Picture019.jpg)
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/Prairiedrifter/hunting/Picture018.jpg)
I've taken 14 deer in the last 3 years with 40# plus or minus 2# at my draw. Arrows were GT 1535's for all. Broadheads used were 125 gr. WW's and Helix, also Zwickey Eskilites which weigh 140 gr. with adapters.
Thats a dandy Mike! You say you use 125 grain heads, if you dont mind sharing, what model are they?
Having always shot heavy bows, going to 40 lbs is a huge drop, hence my questions about the light bows.
I figure by asking those who have been successful it will help to straighten out my learning curve a bit.
I'll be folowing this as age and work have combined to lessen the weight I shoot. I am still in the low 50's but can envision less in the future.
45#@26" gold tip 35-55s cut at 27". I have 100 grain brass inserts with 200 grain 2 blade Muzzy Phantoms. Total arrow weight 520 grains.
I shoot low 40's but with a long draw and use heavy arrows (700) plus grns . I have killed deer , bear and hog with all kinds of heads tree sharks , woodsman , vpa , concorde tuskers , grizzly's , muzzy phantoms and a few others I'm sure I have missed . Sharp and acurate is the key. Drew
I took 2 hogs and 1 deer with a 47@27 Shrew this year. Poplar shafts and a 160 grn Ace, 600 grain total arrow weight.
I used a 40# bow in 2011 and passed thru a deer.
I used a GT3555 with a STOS broadhead Full length arrows and 215 gr up front.
QuoteOriginally posted by moleman:
Thats a dandy Mike! You say you use 125 grain heads, if you dont mind sharing, what model are they?
Having always shot heavy bows, going to 40 lbs is a huge drop, hence my questions about the light bows.
I figure by asking those who have been successful it will help to straighten out my learning curve a bit.
I use magnus heads, easy to sharpen and work great . I have also used zwickey with the same results. Might go back to zwickeys, they are cheaper. Arrow weight was aroung 500grs.
I have had great penetration with a 45# hill bow using carbon express 150 tipped with a 175 grain delta zwickey head.
Moleman,
Perhaps Nightwing will post on this thread. He has taken a LOT of deer with his 37 and 42 pound bows ( I hope I remembered the pundage correctly ). He lists his arrow set up as his signature on all his posts.
Bob.
Really good to see the posts above as I also dropped down to 40@28 ... Thanks for starting an interesting topic and thanks for the responses.
I hunt with a 40# at my draw length. I shoot a CX90 with a muzzy Phantom with bleeder blade removed. Total weight 505 grains. Works great.
I shooot a 40# Northern Mist longbow and have taken several deer with it using wood arrows and the 125 grn 2 blade Zwickey plus one deer with a stone head.
#43@28 Kanati slinging a GT blem 55/75 with 325gr up front. Total arrow weight is 640 gr.Eclipse broadheads and Simmons tigersharks. 7 deer in the last 2 years and I don't know how many hogs. All but 2 were complete pass thrus. The 2 that didn't pass thru, one was a spine shot. The other traveled under the shoulder blade forward into the neck.
Due to age and bad shoulders using Bob Lees 43#-44# at 29",
cedar arrows 540 gr. bear heads.
This year shot through ribs on mature buck. Also shot what I thought was a doe (was a button buck)-- arrow deflected on a branch, shot went through skull. (yes)
Bear head protruding 1" out other side.
Wish I had been shooting these lighter bows the last 50 years. Shoulder might have lasted longer.
When an arrow travels straight, it's surprizing the penetration you get. I saw a woman on a video shoot clean through an elk with a 45# bow.
I'm shooting a Toelke whip 41#@31". I shot my first hog with this bow and a Trad Only shaft, 250gn VPA 2 blade, TAW 511gns. The broadhead came out the other side and arrow was buried almost to the fletching.
I have modified my arrow setup even more to be even more lethal at my low poundage. I am now shooting CT 400 Cheetah shafts, with 100gn brass insert, 225 Tuffhead and 125 steel BH adaptor. TAW is about 625 with around 30% FOC.
Flight is great with these arrows even though it is very high grains per pound. I think the heavy arrow with a good mechanical advantage 2 blade BH is the way to go with light bows.
What kill shot said X2. I can still handle 60# and up but choose not to. I shoot mid to low 50#'s. Love hearing what "ligher bows" are capable of...very cool! The arrow does the work anyway...and more specifically the broadhead.
Kris
GT 1535's, with all the bows listed and then some, 50 gr. brass insert and 125-150 gr. tips.
My bows run from 40# to 44# @ my 28" draw. At present I am shooting Grizzlystik Sitkas cut to 29" with about 200g up front between broadhead ( WW, Grizzly, Stos, or Simmons) and steel 75g adapters. I also shoot 2016s and/or 3555 GTs with a heavy brass insert added up front. All fly straight, and I've had pass-throughs on deer every time. The lightest of my bows, a 40# Shawnee, has carbon/foam limbs which I think have a bit more speed-- I get a lot better penetration with it (same arrow combos) than with a Bob Lee or Thunderchild, both 41# @ my draw.