So hiw heavy if a bow did you guys start with?
I started at 55lbs but I'm built like a fireplug.
70lb with a compound and still paying for it 5 years later.
Back in 1980, I was shooting 80# longbow...but back then that was more the norm. I now due to age shoot 45-50#. There is no reason to shoot that much even is you are younger & stronger...tippit
I started with a 63# longbow. I still hunt with that bow but i am shooting 45-50# more these days
30# @ 28" RH with a Bear Grizzly (1979)
32# @ 28" LH with a Black Mountain Sheepeater (2009)
Keep the wind in your face!
Shoot straight, Shinken
:archer2:
I was young and dumb. My first bow was a #65 Martin Ventura. I wish it would've been #45 like I shoot now, I'd probably still have it.
My first stickbow was a 50# Bear Kodiak Hunter. That was about 20yrs ago and I still shoot 50# at my DL.
Bisch
Oh and that was around 1987-88ish. Learned a lot in the last 25years.
I first started with a bear recurve at the age of 15 that was 45lbs @ 28". I then moved to a compound that was 65lbs. Now I'm back to a recurve 50lbs at 28". I do draw 29.5.
Don't remember,probably a 40-50 Stemmler or bear recurve when I was a kid. The first bow that I bought new and picked the specs was a 67#@27" Black widow recurve in the late '80s or early '90s. Still prefer bows about 65-70#
I started at 41# then 55# and decided I could handle more then that . I did shoot 70+ for a couple years but slowly came down in draw weight. So instead of drawing my anchor point to my bow I draw my bow to my anchor point and tend to stretch out just a bit at full draw. Knowing now what I shoulda known then I never would have gone up in poundage. Much Better! :thumbsup:
Too heavy. I started with 55 lbs and I could pull it fine but my form suffered. I dropped to 45 lbs and my form and range increased significantly.
60@28 with over 29" draw. I wouldn't advise it! However, it worked out.
1972 a 47# Kodiak Hunter, I was 16. Got into the 70+ pounders in the late 80's. shot that Kodiak for 13 years until it broke.
Started out to heavy 50# @28. Wish I had started lower. Didn't know any difference and the guy who sold to me at ba** p** didn't know anything about trad equipment.
Started with a 45# Howatt HI Speed now I shoot around 58-60lbs since my draw length grew and gave me some extra horse power :) Im going to be 24 and I feel like I could shoot 70-80lbs but havent got to draw a bow that heavy yet to be sure.
Interesting, most of you guys started relatively heavy. I'm shooting in the low 50's on my first bow, after 18 years of shooting 70-80 compounds. Over on Archerytalk everyone swears that is too much, but it seems to have worked out for you fellows.
Bought a Browning Nomad in 1966, 37# @ 28".....
43# but I was 14. When I got back into it in my late 30's my first bow was a 63# Quillian T/D.
Much too much weight. Settled in around 53#. I got away from it for a while and recently came back. First with a 50# 50's style but I am now shooting a 47# Fedora 560 one piece. Now at 53, I find the 43-47# range best for me. If I had the money to order a new bow, I would go with 44#. I just don't shoot that often to be able to handle more.
45@ Ben Pearson Cougar recurve in late 1960's.
45 years later I'm still shooting 45-50 pound recurves (at my 26" draw).
45#@28". I draw 27. I should have started at 40# or even 35#. I would be a better shooter today if I had.
I started with 45# @ 28 which was only about 38# at my draw length when I was 12. Nowadays I shoot mainly 55#-60# at 28".
Started out with a 75# HH LB in the early 1980's. Hunt with 50# now. Do a lot of shooting with a 36 and 44# during the off season.
Little Bear... 20# @ 24"s - 1969...11 yrs old
>>>Still have it<<<
Before that - numerous bows made from limbs
Sierra Shakespeare...50 @ 28 - 1973...15 yrs old
......Note: I was over-bowed but loved every outing...
Started out with Dads Ben Pearson lemon wood flatbow at around 45#. Got into compounds for a little while and then got a Sky Eagle at 60#. Took me several years and dozens of missed deer to figure out I was over-bowed. After shoulder surgery I keep it down to 45#s. I don't miss as often either!
When I started bowhunting at the age of 13, I used 40# Bear Whitetail compound. When I made the transition to traditional I went from an 85# compound down to a 55# Great Plains recurve.
I started with a 50# Indian archery compound at 15. Moved up to about 65-70# 1.5-2 yrs later. The last 15 or so years I shot wheels it was 60-62#. About 3.5-4 yrs ago started dabbling in traditional with a 50# "selfbow", thought I could handle the poundage, but found it was too heavy for my typical extended shooting sessions. Dropped down to 43# when i started shooting exclusively traditional a little over 2 yrs ago, then 45#, working my way back into a 53# now. Probably won't go much heavier. As general rule, I'd advise anybody just starting traditional to go at least 5-10#'s lighter than you think you can handle. Work on your form / technique, then work your way up. I was hard headed, ended up buying / trading 2-3 bows that were too heavy and have learned my lesson...I think.
Started shooting in about 1968 with a Shakepeare 25# fiberglass bow. Then when I was about 20 I got a 47# Bear Alaskan off a co-worker for 15.00. That was my first hunting bow and I killed my first deer with it. I worked my way up to 55# but today I'm most comfortable with 45# or 50# bows. Have not shot the 55# limbs in years. I have made some 60# and 65# self bows and enjoyed stumping with them but these days bows that heavy are just not for me.
Started with a fred bear montana 45#@27, went up in # to 62 to quickly. I regret doing that. Was only about 3 months of shooting. Went down to 50-55#. Settled with that for about 4 months before i got my hands on a 70#@26, my draw is to 27, made sure i came to anchor, released and was wowzified by the speed and flat trajectory of the woody made for a 55# bow. Took about 2 weeks to where im comfy shooting it. Now pulling the 50's seems so ez. Start low, work your way up by either asking to borrow, rent, buy used bows. Thats what i did and dont regret. My wife on the other hand... Another bow???? :-)
Started out as a kid in target archery followed by small game. No clue on the weights, but I'm sure it was about the same as kids today. Still have the bow dad built for me when he felt I was ready to hunt deer with a bow. He marked it 45 pounds, but I was probably drawing low 40s. Back then, dad's hunting bow was too heavy for me, so I started using my grandfather's marked 50 pounds. Eventually, I became the apple that didn't fall too far from the tree and fell into the 60 pound range. Been my favorite hunting weight since.
My first bow had 49# and 61# limbs at my 31" draw. I shot the light limbs for a couple of years, and still like shooting the 48# and 49# setups that I have. My preference is to shoot heavier, though. I like the 55# - 65# range.
(1969) 45 lb grizzly I was 13.
About 45 at my draw length
60#. What a mistake.
I started with a 33# Tigercat in my Tweens/teens. Took a long hiatus from trad, got back into bows through 70# wheelie, ditched that quickly for boredom, dusted off the Tigercat, fell in love all over, graduated to a Samick Sage with 45 and 60# limbs, so as to work on form and build strength, then went hog wild a few months later and started shooting customs anywhere from 40-71#. I built my real strength shooting a 90# warbow for 3 months and now 45 feels super light to me. My favorite weight is 53. And my heaviest bow is now 65. I found the system of shooting both light and heavy bows very nice. I'm 6'2'' 250/ firefighter.
I started with 60# Montana, I shoot 45-50# these days. I never shot the 60# bow as well as I can shoot the lighter bows.
Started with bamboo bows my father whittled when I was around 5,weight unknown. At 15,we were able to buy a used Ben Pearson that was 30#.Now have a 60#@29" longbow and slightly lighter ILF recurve.
45# Alaskan, Halloween bow. Given to me when I was a youngster by my Grandfather's next door neighbor.
Tom
50lb
Started around 1969 with a 25# Bear "Red Bear" Had a bunch of solid glass bows in the 36# - 45# range... Got my first laminated recurve to hunt with my 1st year 1976, a 50# Bear Alaskan.
I had the heaviest bow out of all of us hunting. (my friends & I) most were using 40# - 45#.
I think my first bow was a 12# lemonwood longbow. Of course, that was 60 years ago and I was seven years old. Progressed to about 65# over the years. Now shooting 50-55#.
Went from shooting a 70# compound to shooting a 50# recurve. At that time 55# seemed like too much weight, although I could get it to full draw I couldn't control it the way I wanted to. Currently shoot bows anywhere from 50# to 100#, but have shot most of my critters with bows from 53-60# at my draw length. Shooting the heavier ones sure makes the lighter ones feel easy, and you never know what life holds in store. Maybe you get a chance to chase buffalo, and then being able to shoot a heavy bow is a plus.
65# Howatt Hunter. I had been shooting a 92# compound, so it wasn't bad. Have hung around the same weight ever since.
First trad bow was a 65# (at my draw) Tigercat. A few months later I sold it and bought a longbow I was pulling 82# on. Like some others have said, young and dumb. Still own a flatbow that I was pulling 120-125# with (never scaled it). It is 98@28, I was pulling it right at 32". Stacked like crazy.
Bounced around a bit, settled on 66# at my draw for a long time, but if I get another bow it will be 50-55@ my draw...or less. I can still pull fairly heavy, but see no point in it. I have a bow that's in the mid-low 40's at my draw that I hunt with some, but haven't shot anything with it yet. It was a gift, and I promised I'd try to bloody it.
Heavier draw weights were used to mask my awful release. Finally bit the bullet and worked on getting a better release.
I started with a 60# compound in 1985, then on to a 65# compound.
My first trad bow was a browning stalker recurve? I ,and honestly cannot remember the weight in 1994.
Then I bought a longbow from a guy building bows and he talked me into a 67# bow. I shot it well as I took 2nd in a traditional league two years in row. Looking back I wish I would have started with a mid 50# bow.
I currently shoot 50# bows most of the time but ramp up to 60# for hunting season. I can shoot the 60# as well, just not for as many arrows. I have a 60# Robertson that I can outshoot all my other bows with for first couple dozen arrows.
Lately I have really decreased my number of arrows per session, concentrating on quality arrows, vs quantity.
I started with a 50# longbow. went well for me
not sure maybe 20lbs about 50 years ago. First real recurve was 40 then 60 then 70. Like shooting 55-60 now.
Bear bow that was 50@28 in the 80's. I have stayed between 55lbs and 65lbs. Nothing over 65lbs and that is my max in warmer hunting conditions.
At a time in life when I could, I started with a 70# longbow and shot around that poundage for years. No longer though
QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
(1969) 45 lb grizzly I was 13.
I should state, I had a gray fiberglass recurve when I was a kid. put a lot of arrows through it. I think it was a 25 or 30 lb bow but I was only drawing 24" or so.
42 pound Maddog longbow my first year.
Second year I owned 3 bows in the 50s.
Third year shooting trad I had 3 bows in the 60s.
Now I just shoot whatever I'm in the mood for. I can maintain good form up to about a hundred pounds, but I like my bows I the 65-80 range. I'm a huge fan of going light until you get your form down.
Thom
Thanks for all the replies guys.
21# and 59 years ago! :archer2:
54#
I shoot both right handed and left handed and I believe that is what has allowed me to shoot the draw weight that I do...I started shooting traditional bows seriously at the age of 58 with a left handed bow that draws about 35 to 38 pounds at my draw length...then I bought a right handed bow that draws about 45 to 47 at my draw length...I was happy at that weight for a while until I bought a nice 1960 Kodiak that is just over 60 pounds at my draw length...I found out that I could shoot that weight and have never looked back...right now I shoot 60 to 63 pounds both right and left handed and by this fall I fully intend to be shooting just under 70 pounds right handed...as long as there is no physical distress involved I cannot see a downside of being able to shoot more weight...I will hunt this fall mostly with bows that draw right around the 60 mark, but could also be found in the field with a bow that is only 45 pounds and the one mentioned that I will shoot at close to 70...I will be 62 this winter...it is not a given that as we age we need to shoot less weight
DDave
One way that I verify that I am coming to full draw and shooting consistently is to shoot Technohunt....you get a printed velocity for every arrow at the end of your shooting time...if I am still getting the same velocity at the end of a 40 or 45 arrow session in a half hour I know that I am maintaining good form and not over bowed
DDave
55# martin X200 I think,,, 3 or 4th shot I put it through the neighbors tin shed,,,, I new then I needed to drop 50lbs and bought a 50lb martin pioneer and new then I would pretty much always shoot 50lbs.
Started at 54#. Now own two others, 50# and 52#. Never felt the need for more poundage.
Started at 57#s. Too much. Had it reduced to 54, still too much. Now i own two bows. 46# and 52#. Wont go any higher as I developed TERRIBLE short draw habits with the heavier bow and severe target panic.
On my trip back to trad, I came from shooting 80+ lb compound. My first recurve coming back was 47lb at my draw. I eventually moved up a few pounds at a time and shot 62# for a while. My current bows are all 71-76lbs. It took about 4 years and 1000's of shots to work up to that correctly.
I think it was 20#, when I was about 10. My first hunting weight bow was a 45# Ben Pearson Gamester when I was a teenager. Since then I have hunted with bows from 45# up to 78# but now mostly shoot 50 - 55#.
QuoteOriginally posted by damascusdave:
One way that I verify that I am coming to full draw and shooting consistently is to shoot Technohunt....you get a printed velocity for every arrow at the end of your shooting time...if I am still getting the same velocity at the end of a 40 or 45 arrow session in a half hour I know that I am maintaining good form and not over bowed
DDave
Interesting, I may have to set up the chrono and do that in the backyard.
Started with 60+ now keep everything 50 or less
My very first bow back in 1970 when I was a junior in high school was a 1965 Herters Perfection....52"/55# @ 28". I still have that bow along with eleven of the Microflite #7 arrows. Apparently I wasn't a very good hunter then as I lost only one arrow.
I started at 40 @ 28. I'm hunting my first year with 45 @ 28. I can handle 55 tops at this point, but 45 i can shoot all day. Next year i'm going to hunt with my 50 pound don dow stikbow. Who knows might hunt this year with that too. 40 seemed like a ton after hunting with compounds for 10 years. What a difference shooting every day since january made.
Too heavy! 70#@28" Bighorn TD
Kris
My very first bow was a 15 or 20# fiberglass recurve. Then I shot compounds & came back to trad with a 61# recurve which was way too heavy even after shooting 70# compounds. Now most of my bows range between 50 & 55#.
50#, then moved to 65# a few years later
18lb recurve age 11
Started with a 47 pound recurve. Have shot recurves and longbows up to 80 pounds. My bows today run from 50-62 pounds.
Hoyt hunt master recurve 65@28. I was a lot tougher then.
I started with a 70 pound compound in 1988. My last compound was a 90 pounder. Based on that bow, the local archery shop recommended 65 pounds for my first traditional bow, a Super Kodiak. They didn't deal in traditional equipment and I'm guessing they didn't know any more about the subject than I did/do. Turns out 65 pounds is too much bow. I am capable of shooting it well, if only for a few shots but, I don't really like to shoot it. I'm going to try to sell it and buy something in the 48 to 52 pound range.
Started at 65# Jerry Hill longbow. I can remember shooting tournaments and I would start out smoking the targets but half way thru the course I was shaking and it took everything I had to just get it back somewhere close to anchor. Now I shoot around 50# and really like that weight.
Little over 60# at my draw. It never really bothered me though I just practiced a lot and it felt natural. It's been a year now and I still shoot that weight. I've got a 45er on order though so I'll probably soon get too lazy for the heavier one though. :D
15# for the first bow I ever used on animals (squirrels). I think I was 5 or 6. My first deer hunting bow was an old bear compound started at 25# at 7 years old and moved up to 40# by the time I was 12 and could legally hunt. My first recurve was around 55# and my first long bow, which is still my hunting bow, is 65# at 27 inches.
43# @ 28" draw.
Started with a 45# Bear Bearcat in 1966. Now that I'm old and feeble I shoot a Bear T.D. @ 72#.
25# all fiberglass Bear recurve.....I was 7.
By 10 or 11, I dissappeared into the abyss of compound archery......when I stopped that, I was shooting at 72#......then I picked up a brand new Super Kodiak at 60# (graduated from wheels and cams all together at that point) ....because I figured if I was shooting for years at 70ish with the wheel bow, 60 with the recurve should be fine......
WRONG! I couldnt shoot that bow at first! Could not concentrate and learn form....it was too heavy.
Ive been at 50 to 53# for a long time now with my recurves and longbows. Its the perfect weight for me.
62",45@28" Wing "Thunderbird" recurve in 1970 was my first. Prefer 45 to 55 at 28" today. :campfire:
58#, now 45#. Took awhile to get rid of ego.
1984 ( age 18 ) 35lb target recurve then up & up to around 70lbs left handed then injury made me switch to right handed still have a set of 64@27 limbs for my widow ( I draw28.5 ) but haven't shot them for ages . Don't feel the need to over bow myself . :banghead:
55#'s for a year. Then I started having terrible elbow pain. Went into ILF's that were 45-50 lbs.
found I liked high 40's. Now,I like 47-48lbs.
Started out in the 80's with 65lbs shot up to 70 for years because everyone else did! Now 47 at 28 draw more like 29 really was over bowed all those years.
At the age of 5 I would tie a string to any piece of scrap lumber or down tree limb I could find or manufacture. Estimated 1 - 5#, when I was 7 my pop bought me a green bear fiberglass recurve ~25# and I used that one for years (until my dad took it away for me shooting things I shouldn't).
My first was a 45 lb Bear Grizzly. My dad surprised me with it for my 13th birthday (1974) He took me to the local archery shop before my birthday to see what they had. I picked out the Grizzly, but he said the $80 price tag was a little more than he could spend. A few days later I came home from school to find it laying on my bed!
Transitioned from wheelies to trad with a 45# recurve. I was shooting 85# compounds at the time I switched. I shoot heavy longbows now but it worked my way up very slowly. I wish I had not sold that 45# Chekmate Falcon, but I did.
Shot a 45# bear 76r in the late 70s then went to compounds till 1992 and traded a 80# compound for a 80# Mamba as it was the only trad bow at the local bowshop, shot it OK a few years then ordered my first custom at 60# and thats were I stayed......
Can't imagine shooting an 80# stickbow. I killed my first 12 deer with an 84# compound, but that thing had 80% letoff.
I started with a compound but at 16 switched to a Brackenbury Drifter. At my draw it was 55#. I killed my first buck with any bow that year. I had to toss a lot of hay bails to pay for that bow.
34# @ 27.5 Samick Sage Recurve, 3 years ago.
Ben Pearson solid fiberglass 30#(killed a lot of stuff with it) and then shortly after a Bear Black Bear 40#. My next bow was a Bear Kodiak Magnum 63# that I shot with sight pins! I cringe when I think about that now,lol! I was accurate on targets but missed about 100 deer with it.
Now everything is 50# and under for me.