I have a very nice RER static recurve, 49# at my 29" DL. Shoots great and is quick, but I'm concerned with its power for deer hunting. I was doing some close bale(5yds)and some of my arrows (about 515gr total weight)would bounce off the Morrell bag target I was using, others penetrated but just a few inches. I tried a heavier aluminum arrow I had, maybe 560gr, and it was a little better, but not much. I would like to make the switch to recurve for deer season, but not too confident right now. Have many of you had luck with bows in this # range? Would like to hear your opinions/experiences...Thanks!

A 49# bow and 515gr arrow is plenty for deer...sounds like there may be an arrow tuning issue,though.Can you give us some specs. on your arrow?

Unless the bow has very bad cast, 49# with a well placed shot with a hunting weight arrow, should be sufficient for all but the largest of N. American game.

You will be fine with 49lbs at your 29" draw. A 515grn arrow with a sharp cut on contact head will work great for deer sized animals.

Don't get too hung up with your penetration on bag style targets.  They are not a good indication of what penetration will be on a deer. I shoot a bag target with a 60lb longbow and 600+ grn arrows and don't always get the penetration you would expect.

Keep practicing and you will be all set for this fall.

I agree with whats stated above.  Sounds more like a tuning issue.  give us the type of arrows you are using and point weight.  also let us know how long your draw length is.  

There are a lot of good archers in your area that can give you some hands on advice.

Check out WTA (wisconsin Traditional archers)

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=78

Its enough poundage with a two blade head like a zwickey that's razor sharp, I killed my first 10  deer with a bow that poundage. That's a great arrow weight at 515 grains. What your draw length? For every inch under 28" of draw you can deduct about 2.5 to 3 pounds draw weight.

My arrows are Beman Hunters. 400s, 30.5" long, 100gr insert + 125gr point. Backed up to 15yds and arrows flew straight to target, just thought they would have more punch.

Definitely sounds like a tuning issue. I killed 2 deer last season with a 49# Zipper recurve, 540gr arrow tipped with Stinger 150gr 4 blade BH's. Complete pass thru on both deer.

I have a 48# Centaur longbow. I wouldn't hesitate going after anything up to elk. Deer? No problem!

BTW there was a thread on Pow Wow about a year ago that asked folks to post pics of game taken with 45 lb or less bows. Lots of deer, plenty of elk and a moose or two.

A 49# bow is plenty for deer, and other critters. Age caught up with me a few years ago and I dropped to 50# recurves. I shoot 575 gr arrows with either zwickey deltas or Simmons interceptors. I've gotten pass throughs on many deer and a cow elk.  If there is any difference between 50+60#s, I can't see it. Dead is still dead.., I wished I'd have dropped the poundage years ago, as I sure shoot the lighter weights better, especially on cold days after being in a tree for 5 hours.
Shoot straight and good luck
DK

Sometimes those bag targets can be stuffed pretty tight.  I have had bows that were 55 lbs bounce off bag targets at times.  Not consistently but bounced off none the less.  Also you should consider sometimes they penetrate but bounce back out.

You have good equipment and arrows are flying straight.  You should be good to go.

I'm always tinkering, but my current set up is 50@29 with 525 gr arrows.  I'm not scared to shoot anything in Texas with that set up, including pigs.  I think you'll be fine. If you were up close, maybe the angle was bad or your arrows were paradoxing too much.

49#s, 29" draw, and 10+ GPP is a perfect match for deer.  Go hunt

With that setup you shouldn't have any problem hunting anything in NA with sharp blades and a well placed shot. Definitely sounds like a tuning issue.

Years ago I had the same situation shooting wwwwaaaayyyy too stiff an arrow

Probably hitting the target sideways            

I have a 45lb rer and shoot 30 inch 35/55 gt with 145 up front fly great

Tx, you may be right about being too close. None of my further away shots bounced off, but 50% of my close ones did.

My 46# Kanati blows arrows through whitetails easily. I haven't shot any critters with my 47# RER yet, but it is faster and I have no doubt it will do as well or better.

You may have a tuning issue, but bag targets are stuffed with an odd assortment of junk. I often have arrows bounce back out and they are tuned to perfection. Field points can hit the stretchy stuff in a bag target and bounce back at times. Believe me, broadheads will zip right through (don't ask how I know this     ).

I like to paper tune my arrows because I don't shoot animals with bare shafts, so I want to know how my arrows are tuned the way I hunt with them. I made a simple tuning device with 1" pvc pipe. It takes 10' of pipe, two elbows, and four tees. I make it big enough to fit a newspaper page, which is held on with masking tape. Set it about 4' in front of your bag target, back up 10' or so and shoot through the paper. You should see one hole and three cuts from the fletching (assuming you use 3 feathers. If you have a tear rather than a hole, you need to tune.

I shoot a 49#27 stalker longbow presently and have killed a Turkey and a hog with it. I have no worries though because the bow I hunted the last couple of years with is 47@ 27 and I`ve killed 16 deer 6 pigs and 4 Turkeys with it. Most with Woodsmans and simmons heads with a couple no mercy kills thrown in.I`ve said this before and I will again...John Bookhart my bowhunting no computering mentor has killed hundreds ....yes hundreds of deer and hogs with a 45@28 longbow. RC

Bag targets are funny that way, I've had 800g arrows out of a 65# bow bounce off if I hit a certain spot. You got plenty for deer.

Eric