I am ready to purchase my first recurve and have been researching for months.  I currently hunt whitetail with a 70lb Mathews Drenalin Compound.  I'm 6'2 250lbs with a 29in draw length.

I have pretty much decided on purchasing a Martin Hunter as there is something about the Martin bows that I like.  The Hunter has a 62in length which would help with the draw, smooth even at my longer draw length, some of the shorter bows seem to have incredible stack.

My question is:
For basic all around hunting, majority being whitetail, what poundage would you choose?
45lb or 50lb?

I want to buy one bow get very familiar with it and not want to upgrade.

Many say 45lb is enough for Whitetail, some say 50lb is better.  50lb is the minimum for Moose and Bear in my province.

I am having a very very difficult time deciding and am searching for advice

45# or 50#???

Hope you can help

Your DL-
Is that an actual 29 or are you using a 29" cam on your bow?If you're using a 29" cam that means your dl is actually 28.

Just asking so the more knowledgable folks will know how to help you better,as it may affect some folks' answers.

You will not get the full 29" with the recurve. I would go with the 50# if you are reasonably fit. You are smart to  not overbow yourself and form bad habits. IMO you can not buy  a better bow than a martin hunter reguardless how much you pay. Good luck and keep us informed.

Jack

I have a 29in to 29.5in draw length.

Many of the short recurve bows that I pull back on stack terribly.

I work out and have healthy shoulders.

Will I enough shooting a 50#, or will it be a chore after 10 shots?

enjoy shooting...

brain fart

Tough call, but I would lean toward the 50# bow.  It may seem like a chore at first, but if you're comfortably shooting 70# with wheels you should be able to handle it with practice.  The lighter bow would normally be the way I would lean, but since you really want this bow to be your one and only, and you would need a 50# bow to be legal for other game, I would go that way.

Just be warned, very few of us got away with staying with one bow from the time we made the switch!      :D   New bows are fun, and if you went with the 45# bow to start with you would have a built in excuse for a new one eventually!  

45# with your draw will be about 48-49#. Martins are great bows but are famous for being a bit heavier than thay are. I would find a scale take it to the bow and draw it to 29" and see what it says. I'll bet you it will be 50# or so close it wom't matter.

MS

First of all if you have shot a 70# recurve and can draw it comfortably, stick with it.  I shoot 74# easily and plan to continue for many more years. You will just have to shoot at least 3x times per week to stay in shape. Byron Ferguson and Fred Bear are /were not large men and they handle/d 70# plus easily, Fred into his 70s. Second I recommend you shoot as many bows you can and find one YOU like. A good bow is like finding a mate, no two are the same.  Third, martin hunter is a great place to start. I think the most important aspect of a bow is having it properly tuned.  Byron Ferguson has a great video on doing it correctly. Forget spine charts, get yourself a setup that bare shaft tunes and you are 75% home.  Lastly, I recommend you shoot a Dryad Orion at the earliest opportunity. Some bowyers offer a test drive program, and this is a great way to test some out if you cannot attend a shoot or expo where bowyers have test bows available.  Lastly, don't get caught up trying to shoot target groups, once tuned spend the vast majority of your time roving/stump shooting- one arrow at a time.

Cheers
Mike

At 6'-2" and 250 pounds a 50lb bow should be a cake walk.  I'm 5'-10" 195 and I can easily shoot 75 arrows without a hitch and I'm no icon of physical fitness.

At 6'-2" if you are coming to full draw I would expect every bit of a 30" draw out of you.  I pull just short of 29" and shoot a 58" BW.  For some reason I think 62" may be on the short side for you but I can't say for certain....but your fingers will if the finger pinch is bad enough.

BTW...just like Whip said...nobody gets away with one bow...nobody.

Just remember going to a 50lb bow is more than doubling the weight you are shooting now with your Mathews.With the Martin and your draw you will be pulling 55lbs or better if you buy a 50lb bow.Since you want one bow and need 50lbs to be legal sounds like you don't have much choice anyway.

tough call

QuoteYour DL-
Is that an actual 29 or are you using a 29" cam on your bow?If you're using a 29" cam that means your dl is actually 28.

Maybe for a while.  Maybe for always....but it wasn't the case with me.

I shot a 70# compound, also....and my first trad bow was a 50#/64" Bear LB.  I had no issues with it.  I'm 6'1"/200#.

My first bow only made me want to try more.  I went through several compounds to find the one I LOVED, also.  In a short period of time, I went through two more LB's and one TD recurve before I found the one I suspect I'll be using when I hang it up.  Good luck with your choice.

BTW....My DL with the compound was 29".  I now draw 28-3/4" with my recurve.  I have two sets of limbs, and draw 52#'s with the lighter set.  I can easily shoot (after MONTHS of shooting it) 75-100 arrows in a session with little to no discomfort.  My 58# limbs (at my DL) are a different story.  I can shoot about 50 arrows per session, now, before I feel it afterwards.  That's fine...and I'm sure I'll work into these, also.

Go to 3D shoots and shoot a LOT of bows (just ask.....we don't mind!).  That's the only way to find the perfect bow FOR YOU.

Good luck...and welcome to the affliction.  I sold all my compounds earlier this year.....and I wish I'd done it, sooner.

Jeff

If you like the Martin line of bows, why not go with the Hatfield takedown? You could start off with the 45# limbs to get comfortable with the new bow and then later on buy a set of 50# or 55# limbs to hunt Moose. The riser, grip would be the same so you wouldn't have problem switching between your light and heavy bows. I have this kind of set up with my Rose Oak recurve. I find myself going with my 48# limbs for turkey/small game and also late season whitetail when the temps drop and I am wearing more/heavier clothes. Good luck! Mike

As someone with a long draw length who used to own a Martin Hunter, here's my take: find a different bow. Not only are Martin recurves notorious for being heavier than marked, the Hunter, while being 62", stacks past about 28" of draw. I've shot 58" recurves that didn't stack as badly as a Martin Hunter.

I shoot a switch back, my all time favorite compound, but it collect dust most of the time now.  I still like to shoot it, but it is not as much fun as the trad bows now that I am hooked.  I shot it at 70 lb. with I think a 28" or maybe it is a 28.5" setting shooting off the string with release.  I am 5'-10".  I am drawing 28.5-29" on a curve and a little less on a LB, and I think my form is good.  I don't doubt your 29" draw on a trad bow particularly if you are shooting with a loop.  

I started with a Predator TD with 46 and 50 lb. limbs.  I was on the 50's quick. I think you will be fine with the 50's.  I would take a predator hunter over a Martin anytime.  With in a month I had a 53# LB I was shooting.  Now I have a 56" Mojo at 54#@ 28 drawing more like 29" and no stack.   I am decent with the weight, but still gaining strength for the first couple shots to be smooth and easy.  After the first couple I can shoot 50 no problem.  I find when I shoot a lot it is the first warm up shots that are the hard ones.

There are a lot of bows with no stack out to 30" and on the short side.  Don't settle for something that is longer than you want or stacks before 30".

I am skeptical of the whole shrinking DL when coming from a wheelie bow.. I actually seemed to magically gained about 1/2 inch!!! I think that with draw loops and depending what release one uses and how he anchors the compound...

I being 5'6" just have a hard time thinking he'd be only an inch longer in the draw...

...........and with a good efficient bow and reasonable weight arrow like 9-10 grains per pound of draw a 45 is plenty for deer at reasonable range.  50# is all you will ever need.  All my bows I have had since I got back into to trad of 46-54# have had all I need to take deer as far as I can shoot well.  My 54# Mojo smokes a 530 gr. arrow out to 30 yd.  Up to that distance I don't even think about any real amount of arrow drop.  I don't see where I ever would shoot even that far so I am set.  As far as bigger stuff goes, I would have no hesitation to shoot a moose or elk with it at reasonable range with probably a little heavier arrow.

I use a loop, and release.  My compound bow is marked and measure 29in draw length.

I am starting to think that I will be drawing a recurve at 30in.

So my new question is:
A 45lb Martin Hunter, 62in AMO
How bad will this thing stack at 30in?

They advertise smooth draw with no stack out to 30in.....?

I shot a compound with a 31" draw length for ten years.

The first time I shot a recurve, I thought, "this is what I've been looking for my whole life!"  I still feel that way today with every shot after fifteen years.  It may not be for everyone, but it touched something deep within me, and for my purposes and style, I think I have a superior hunting weapon...

My draw length is 29" with a trad bow... a two inch decrease from modern equipment.

Best wishes on your decision.

Daryl