Question for those who hunt with 40ish lb bows?

[moleman]

Ive got an old Ben Pearson bow that is 40lbs @ my 28" draw that i would love to deer hunt with in the future, and am curious about the arrow/ broadhead combinations that those of you hunting with this poundage are using?
 

[Prairie Drifter]

Wood arrows 50-55 w/ 125 gr heads. Have killed a bunch of stuff w/ this combo from bows 43@26"(my draw) to 47@26". Usually get complete penetration.

This is my best buck to date w/ a bow. 43#@26"

[pitbull]

I've taken 14 deer in the last 3 years with 40# plus or minus 2# at my draw. Arrows were GT 1535's for all. Broadheads used were 125 gr. WW's and Helix, also Zwickey Eskilites which weigh 140 gr. with adapters.

[moleman]

Thats a dandy Mike! You say you use 125 grain heads, if you dont mind sharing, what model are they?
Having always shot heavy bows, going to 40 lbs is a huge drop, hence my questions about the light bows.
I figure by asking those who have been successful it will help to straighten out my learning curve a bit.

[dnovo]

I'll be folowing this as age and work have combined to lessen the weight I shoot. I am still in the low 50's but can envision less in the future.

[BUCKY]

45#@26" gold tip 35-55s cut at 27". I have 100 grain brass inserts with 200 grain 2 blade Muzzy Phantoms. Total arrow weight 520 grains.

[drewsbow]

I shoot low 40's but with a long draw and use heavy arrows (700) plus grns . I have killed deer , bear and hog with all kinds of heads tree sharks , woodsman , vpa , concorde tuskers , grizzly's , muzzy phantoms and a few others I'm sure I have missed . Sharp and acurate is the key. Drew

[BCWV]

I took 2 hogs and 1 deer with a 47@27 Shrew this year. Poplar shafts and a 160 grn Ace, 600 grain total arrow weight.

[T Folts]

I used a 40# bow in 2011 and passed thru a deer.
I used a GT3555 with a STOS broadhead Full length arrows and 215 gr up front.

[Prairie Drifter]

Originally posted by moleman:
Thats a dandy Mike! You say you use 125 grain heads, if you dont mind sharing, what model are they?
Having always shot heavy bows, going to 40 lbs is a huge drop, hence my questions about the light bows.
I figure by asking those who have been successful it will help to straighten out my learning curve a bit.

I use magnus heads, easy to sharpen and work great . I have also used zwickey with the same results. Might go back to zwickeys, they are cheaper. Arrow weight was aroung 500grs.

[Red Tailed Hawk]

I have had great penetration with a 45# hill bow using carbon express 150 tipped with a 175 grain delta zwickey head.

[Bob B.]

Moleman,

Perhaps Nightwing will post on this thread.  He has taken a LOT of deer with his 37 and 42 pound bows ( I hope I remembered the pundage correctly ).  He lists his arrow set up as his signature on all his posts.

Bob.

[Ibow]

Really good to see the posts above as I also dropped down to 40@28 ... Thanks for starting an interesting topic and thanks for the responses.

[justracey]

I hunt with a 40# at my draw length. I shoot a CX90 with a muzzy Phantom with bleeder blade removed. Total weight 505 grains. Works great.

[Jon Stewart]

I shooot a 40# Northern Mist longbow and have taken several deer with it using wood arrows and the 125 grn 2 blade Zwickey plus one deer with a stone head.

[swampdrummer]

#43@28 Kanati slinging a GT blem 55/75 with 325gr up front. Total arrow weight is 640 gr.Eclipse broadheads and Simmons tigersharks. 7 deer in the last 2 years and I don't know how many hogs. All but 2 were complete pass thrus. The 2 that didn't pass thru, one was a spine shot. The other traveled under the shoulder blade forward into the neck.

[rkelly]

Due to age and bad shoulders using Bob Lees 43#-44# at 29",
cedar arrows 540 gr. bear heads.
This year shot through ribs on mature buck. Also shot what I thought was a doe (was a button buck)-- arrow deflected on a branch, shot went through skull. (yes)
Bear head protruding 1" out other side.
Wish I had been shooting these lighter bows the last 50 years.  Shoulder might have lasted longer.

[kill shot]

When an arrow travels straight, it's surprizing the penetration you get. I saw a woman on a video shoot clean through an elk with a 45# bow.

[FarmerMarley]

I'm shooting a Toelke whip 41#@31". I shot my first hog with this bow and a Trad Only shaft, 250gn VPA 2 blade, TAW 511gns. The broadhead came out the other side and arrow was buried almost to the fletching.

I have modified my arrow setup even more to be even more lethal at my low poundage. I am now shooting CT 400 Cheetah shafts, with 100gn brass insert, 225 Tuffhead and 125 steel BH adaptor. TAW is about 625 with around 30% FOC.

Flight is great with these arrows even though it is very high grains per pound. I think the heavy arrow with a good mechanical advantage 2 blade BH is the way to go with light bows.

[Kris]

What kill shot said X2.  I can still handle 60# and up but choose not to.  I shoot mid to low 50#'s.  Love hearing what "ligher bows" are capable of...very cool!  The arrow does the work anyway...and more specifically the broadhead.

Kris