The draw weight will be measured using the longest arrow you intend to shoot. The bow will be drawn as back as far as the longest arrow can be effectively drawn. If your bow has a shelf, then the bow will be drawn until the point starts to fall free of the highest point on the shelf or arrow rest.
If the bow does not have a shelf, then the draw weight will be taken at the point the arrow point would start to drop if the bow were shot horizontally. I hope this makes sense. This depends on the handle geometry, but is is usually near the middle of the handle at the arrow pass.
The bow should be drawn quickly enough to verify the weight and let back down. The bow won’t be drawn any farther than the point of the intended weight class, or until the draw length accommodates the longest arrow without exceeding the intended weight class.
If the draw weight limit is reached short of the length determined by the longest arrow, then we can give you the option of finding shorter arrows, modifying your existing arrows, or registering for the next higher draw weight category.
I always kept my primitive bows a few pounds below the draw weight cutoff. The humidity in the portland, Oregon area is much higher than at Bonneville, so the bows would almost always gain a few pounds of draw weight by the end of the tournament.
Alan
