Traditional archery

[toxo]

What do you consider minimum lbs for taking deer sized animals with Trad gear?

[pinshooter]

I think where I am from it is illegal to hunt with anything less than 45lbs.

[Big Country]

I know 35# worked 3 times for me.

Man was that a LONG time ago! :lol:

I think PA has a 40# minimum.

[justshoot]

toxo, in years past, to get the k.e. needed and the speed,
most everyone shot 60 plus pounds for longbow and
55 plus for recurve..

with the advent of newer technologies and materials, these
are not needed today for small boned/skinned animals like
whitetail or mulies..
I think 40-45 lbs is fine for trad. gear today... unless you're
hunting dangerous or large game (bear/elk), then I'd go with
50-55 lbs.....
Most archers say to use the heaviest you can comfortably
shoot.. I say, shoot the lightest that will get the job done.. in
30 years, you 'll like the shoulder and elbow you still have..

[justshoot]

I see you've already been shooting for 50 years.. I guess it
won't matter much in 30 years as I stated earlier(hey, I'm in
the same boat).. :lol:

Have you seen the newer black widow video where the owner
successfully hunts caribou in canada with a 43 lb recurve.. It
did a nice job for such a large animal...

I think you get as much out of a modern day 45 lb recurve
and carbon arrows as you could 40-45 years ago with a 60-65lb
longbow and wood arrows.

[Tejas Raz]

Yea, all the new bows are much more efficient. My Chaparral is way faster than the Sky and it's 10# lighter!

There's a good article in the current issue of Traditional Bowhunter by Fred Asbell about poundage and egos. Good read. Practical advice too. What's the highest poundage you can pull (to full draw!) shooting straight down, while sitting, after being in the blind all day when it's 25* out? There's your best poundage. Something to think about!

[toxo]

and let us get more people joining on. I shoot around 45 lbs w bent stick

[xring]

I think 35# is plenty for a modern recurve/longbow setup. I have a 50# recurve and I know with the little bit I shoot it, it is too much poundage for me to be accurate with unless I am practicing A LOT with it. My next bow will be a 35/40#'er. Plenty for deer around here. :D

Art, good to see you on this site. 8)

[justshoot]

hey xring, got any blacktails up there or just whitetails and
mulies?? sorry for the hijack guys..

[xring]

We aren't far enough West for Blacktails, although we have some great mulies and whitetails :)

[max a2a]

I'v never owned a recurve or longbow that was over 55lbs, and I never worried about being underbowed. I shoot 45lbs now and love the way I can keep my form good, shoot all day, and feel confident about going after any animal in my area.

[p8ntballnryan]

how do you folks get a clean release wiht such low a poundage..48 and under i just find myself grabbing at it as i release it! :shock:

[max a2a]

just pretend you're lettin go of a can of paint.........P8nt :wink:

[Tejas Raz]

how do you folks get a clean release wiht such low a poundage..48 and under i just find myself grabbing at it as i release it! :shock:
That's supposed to be one of the advantages of shooting a lower poundage bow. It teaches you to relax the hand/wrist to get the clean release rather than rely on the bow. I'm building some arrows right now for an old Wing 30# recurve for just that reason.

[p8ntballnryan]

well i have a bow that's about 30lbs...it's a selfbow..and you gotta PUSH THE STRING OUT OF YOUR HANDS!!! :shock:


i was told proper bt would alleviate that..but you can't tell me i'm not using my back when holding 63#'s

my arms aren't THAT big! :shock:

[SageCreek]

My Howatt Hunter is 50#'s at 28". I think I'm backing it up a little more than that. I haven't killed a deer with it yet, but I imagine it would do the job just fine. :wink:

[toxo]

Yeah I read that. and I think he is right.........but in some states they have a minimum........which is 40-45 which complicates things.

[xring]

You could always "cheat" a little with the state min. poundage too by ordering a bow that is 40# @ 30" (even if you only draw 27") that way the bow is in fact a 40# bow :lol:

P8,

I have had no problem getting a clean release from a recurve or stick as light as 25#. Most compound finger shooters are shooting around 60# or more and at 60# that means they are only holding 21#'s or so. It's all in relaxing your hand and not building tension and using the back.

[hump]

I too have a hard time with a bow that is too light. I recently got a 40# Martin and can't get a clean release out of it - My 48# Widow - Now that's just about perfect. 40# is legal minimum in Arkansas But I think you could pass through the little deer we have here many times with a lighter bow.

[hs6181]

40#s it the legal limit here in bama. Right now I'm shooting a 50# Super Kodiak. I used to shoot 60-70#s before I got all hurt up.

[Tejas Raz]

toxo,

That a Firebrand bow over off to the side in your Huntphoto's pic of the two hogs?