would you hunt with 458 grn @160+fps

cedar swampman · July 06, 2015, 11:18:00 PM

Hey guys, I have a short draw (27") and about all I can get out of either one of my bows is in the 160's and I am reluctant to hunt with them. This is with a front loaded .500 spine Beman arrow 29". I can shoot these combos accurately but I am concerned about the wimpy performance. One is a Warfed Proline and the other is a longbow. I have a black bear hunt this fall and was planning on using one of these but I am a little reluctant and might just go ahead and use my compound.

Scott E · July 06, 2015, 11:22:00 PM

Sharp two blade and that set up = dead bear and deer.

indianalongbowshooter · July 06, 2015, 11:29:00 PM

agree super sharp 2 bld. good to go..Ive killed a couple huge does back a few yrs ago with the big Simmons Treeshark heads pulling 47# and if I remember right the arrow weighed around 600 gr. and was doing a whopping 149 fps, blew thru both of them like butter leaving 3 in. wide entrances and as big or bigger exit wounds, blood trail was like slinging a bucket around.
Also I shot a 210# buck with the same 47# bow shooting a 485 gr. or so 2114 with a 100 gr. Stinger 4 bld. Buzzcut at 23 yds and it blew right thru him, he made it less then 20 yds and ran head first into a tree and died.

Turkhunter · July 06, 2015, 11:39:00 PM

I shoot 52# at 27in and my arrow is 30in beeman 400 at 510gr. I use a 200 gr vpa 3 blade. I shot completely through a large bodied buck this last fall at 25yds and my arrow hit the ground on the other side with enough force to slightly curl the tip on my broadhead. You should have plenty of power to cleanly kill bear or deer. Shot placement and a well tuned arrow with sharp broadhead will get it done.

Phillip Fields · July 07, 2015, 07:17:00 AM

I wouldn't personally. But, that being said, with a sharp 2 blade BH put in the right spot you're good to go at those specs. I say go for it and post a pic of your kill when you return

Michael Arnette · July 07, 2015, 07:59:00 AM

Good sharp two blade head and you'll do just fine, I'd say you'll get two holes on deer ...no experience with bears

cedar swampman · July 07, 2015, 08:16:00 AM

Thanks for the input guys but I am going to just shoot stickbows for fun and if I hunt I will use other means.

widow sax · July 07, 2015, 08:59:00 AM

Whats wrong with a sharp 3 blade it will penetrate just as good or better in my testing. Widow

Sam McMichael · July 07, 2015, 09:12:00 AM

I generally prefer heavier bows but readily agree they are not necessary. I believe your rig is adequate. Sharp heads and shot placement are your only concerns. Just my thoughts, and I readily admit that I have no experience with bears. By the way, I have a 78# longbow that generates speeds in the 150's so 160's out of your bow sounds good to me. Speed, while a good thing, is not the whole story.

July 07, 2015, 09:16:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by Scott E:
Sharp two blade and that set up = dead bear and deer.

This^^^^^^

There are a gazillion bows out there shooting in the 160's, and they successfully kill stuff all the time. Get em close. Havr razor sharp broadheads, and put them in the right place!

Bisch

creekwood · July 07, 2015, 09:39:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by cedar swampman:
Hey guys, I have a short draw (27") and about all I can get out of either one of my bows is in the 160's and I am reluctant to hunt with them. This is with a front loaded .500 spine Beman arrow 29". I can shoot these combos accurately but I am concerned about the wimpy performance. One is a Warfed Proline and the other is a longbow. I have a black bear hunt this fall and was planning on using one of these but I am a little reluctant and might just go ahead and use my compound.

And your question is? If it is about your perceived "wimpy performance" being able to kill a black bear, then you need to get over that notion.

Orion · July 07, 2015, 09:56:00 AM

Where do you get the idea that 460 grains at 160 fps is wimpy? I'm a proponent for more is better, but you've been listening to too many armchair quarterbacks. That's great plenty to kill a bear. People have been killing critters with a lot less for a long time.

kevsuperg · July 07, 2015, 10:11:00 AM

the first deer i killed with a trad bow was with a bear recurve around 46# with a 28/29" POC shaft and a small zwickey BH. dont know how fast / slow it was or how much it weighed but it killed that deer within 20 yds.
the speed is not as important as shot placement and a sharp BH.
i would not hesitate to hunt with your set up.

awbowman · July 07, 2015, 10:16:00 AM

I would think there are more setups in the wood that don't match those numbers than do. Go hunt and enjoy

dbd870 · July 07, 2015, 10:45:00 AM

I'm 487 at 175 (according to Stu's calculator - never chronographed - don't care). Your setup is not different enough that I would be bothered at all.

David Mitchell · July 07, 2015, 10:59:00 AM

Back before chronos were common, we had no idea what speed we got, nor did we much care. Bowhunting has become much too technical to my mind. We let some number get in our head and mess with us. You will be fine with that set-up.

tracker12 · July 07, 2015, 12:34:00 PM

I have no idea what my speed is but I have killed several deer and hogs with a 475 grain arrow from a 42@28 bow. All broadside shots have been pass thru's using Magnus 4 blade and VPA 2 blade. I have killed a few bears with the bow and they are not a tuff critter to kill.

wingnut · July 07, 2015, 12:37:00 PM

Heck those are pretty good selfbow numbers and a lot of deer and bear have been taken with them. I killed a number of elk with selfbows shooting speeds in the 160s.

Mike

Bjorn · July 07, 2015, 02:05:00 PM

I would not hesitate one moment. Shot placement and a well tuned arrow and blah blah will get it done.

59Alaskan · July 07, 2015, 02:07:00 PM

Yes