"PERFECT" BOW WEIGHT?

30coupe · February 02, 2010, 10:02:00 PM

Well, Jason, your bows tend to shoot a lot faster than most and handle heavy arrows without a whimper. A 52# Kanati with well tuned arrows and sharp broadheads would take any game on this continent...no doubt about it!

So, if I were limited to one bow weight for everything it would fall somewhere between 50-55 pounds. That said, there is nothing in Iowa I can't shoot through with my 46# Kanati, so if I hunt here, it's all I need.

mookie · February 02, 2010, 11:31:00 PM

51 because that's what my new bow is.

Arwin · February 02, 2010, 11:32:00 PM

For my personal preferences a 51-54# bow is perfect for everything from squirrels to elk.
I have seen deer taken down with 35# and less and wouldn't hesitate to hunt with those weights.

Perfect is what gets the arrow in that right spot for the individual.

kung fu kid · February 02, 2010, 11:53:00 PM

I shoot a 40# Morrison ILF for plinking around, and put the 50# limbs on when I want serious shooting. My other bows are in the 46# - 52# range.

Predator Man · February 03, 2010, 12:13:00 AM

Checked on the fred eichler comment. He hunts with a 62" palmer and 54@30.5 So for us normal 28" guys I guess we would need a 56 or 57# bow to be like Fred. However I think that there are probably faster bows than the palmer so maybe only 55#. Fred also shoots an arrow a little less than 500 grain.

champ38 · February 03, 2010, 12:43:00 AM

65-70 #'s at my draw length, Ive been shooting this for serveral years, and its what I shoot the best.I shoot a 600gn arrow and Ive just got use to the arc.

TIMP · February 03, 2010, 08:05:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by Chris Shelton:

QuoteOriginally posted by TIMP:
is 47# enough for elk and black bear?
well just up north from you in MD, we legally can kill whitetail and black bears with a 30# bow , what is our DNR thinking??? [/b]

In Va we must be able to propel a broadhead arrow 125 yrds.

Jeremy · February 03, 2010, 09:48:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by Predator Man:
He hunts with a 62" palmer and 54@30.5 So for us normal 28" guys I guess we would need a 56 or 57#

That's still storing the energy equivalent to a 61-62# @28" bow. It's all about the area under the f/d curve. A few inches either side of a 28" draw makes a big difference. It's something those with short draws really should keep in mind.

bornagainbowhunter · February 03, 2010, 10:09:00 AM

Some of the guys on the Dark Continent forum are shooting 100# and 160#.

I'll just say that's not for me and leave it at that... I prefer around 55#- 65#.

longbowman · February 03, 2010, 10:51:00 AM

I like 70#. It's light enough to shoot all day yet has enough to it to make up for no-so-perfect angle that sometimes happens without us knowing it. I shoot heavier most of the time but that's just because I like it but anybody could shoot 70# with little effort.

February 03, 2010, 04:03:00 PM

I shot heavy longbows most of my life. Eventually the hundreds of arrows I shot everyday started getting the better of my joints. I can still shoot bows in the mid 60s with ease, but I have to limit how many arrows I shoot, because of arthritis inflammation in my wrist and release fingers. The heavy stuff is fun to play with and I tend to get sloppy form shooting the lighter weights, but I am keeping my go to bows in the lower fifties these days for health reasons.

TIMP · February 03, 2010, 04:19:00 PM

What are you guys eating pulling these 70,80, and 100 # bows???!!!????

give a guy complex.

Kris · February 03, 2010, 04:30:00 PM

55#-60# with proper arrow setup in the hands of a competent bowhunter should shoot through anything that walks on this continent. Of course if you can handle it, there nothing wrong with more draw weight. Nothing wrong with less either, I love the stories of people shooting bigger animals with less weight. A very subjective question otherwise.

Kris

frassettor · February 03, 2010, 05:22:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by robtattoo:
60#
Not underkill, not overkill, but absolutley enough for everything on the Continent.

Well said sir! I would have to agree

ottertails · February 03, 2010, 05:39:00 PM

Go heavy or stay home is what I remember being preached 25+ yrs ago...60#s no less...even for Whitetails. Much has changed since then...all kinds of critters have been taken with 40#rs, big & small.

My oldest son at the age of 11, took his 1st deer with his 54#@28 (he was only pulling 41-42#s) lil Shawnee Spirit flatbow....on the ground, spot & stalk!!!!! proud Dad I was! Sorry, for bragging... couldn't help it.

Anyway, he used a 5/16th homemade cedar with a filed sharpened Zwickey...total weight..438gr

smokin joe · February 03, 2010, 08:12:00 PM

50# seems about right, now that I am over 60. I still shoot my 60# bow from time to time, but it sure isn't comfortable any more. Age and arthritis are realities that are not going to change. I am REALLY impressed with modern fast flight bows and how much more performance you can get per pound of draw weight. I have a 48# modern bow that shoots with more authority than my 60# bow from the 1970s. I am impressed by that.

HATCHCHASER · February 04, 2010, 08:00:00 AM

55 to 60 at 30". That's perfect for me.