Hunting Weight

[Don]

I've herd alot of people talk about hunting weight bows of 50# and higher.
I know it depends on the animal your hunting but for WhiteTail Deer size animals
I think 40# to 50# would be plenty as long as you hit them were it counts.
I know personally I like 45#, that is what is comfortable for me.

What does everyone else think?

Don

[Papa Matt]

Yes, 45#-50# is perfect in my book unless you just prefer a higher draw weight for some reason. It would be light enough for you to hold back longer, but strong enough to penetrate the deer without exiting the other side in most cases, which means the arrow will stick in and do more damage. I plan to make myself a 45-50 hunting bow sometime soon.

~~Papa Matt

[Wasichu]

45#-50# is a plenty

[hawkbow]

I use 55#  at 28 for elk, deer, bear and everything else...45- 50 should be perfect for whitetails.. happy hunting HAWK   

[bcbull]

 IV KILLED SEVERAL ELK WITH A 53 ALL ONE SHOT KILLS AND A FEW BEAR AND SEVERAL DEER  I SHOT 1 BIG  BLACK BEAR IN ALASKA WITH THE SAME BOW  BUT ID PREFER A BIT MORE FOR THE BEAR AND MOOSE THE RIGHT SHAFT WT AND BROAD HEAD WILL MAKE ALL THE DIFFRANCE AS MUCH AS WHERE YOU  STICK IT IF IT S IN THE SWEET SPOT ITLL DO THE JOB  IF  NOT   WHO KNOWS   

[adb]

In the Province of Canada where I live, 40# at your draw length is the legal minimum, and in my opinion, plenty for whitetails. That being said, I personally use 55-60# bows, cuz I don't have any difficulty shooting them. They carry a bit more momentum with heavy arrows, and shoot a little flatter. But, at the usual 10-20 yard hunting distances, the difference is negligible. You should be able to easily draw your bow while sitting, kneeling, after hours of waiting in the cold, etc.

[Cromm]

Hi,
I use 55lb to 60lb at 28in bow on; Boar, Deer, Reindeer and Rabbits
But I did start out with a 45lb bow and that worked just find because the arrow would go into the animal and then cut them up inside, It's just the making sure you can get your arrow into the right part....
Thanks for your time.

[Adam Keiper]

20# will do the trick if you hit them right.  But, score a direct hit on a rib, or worse, and the animal will bound away, perhaps not to be recovered.  No doubt, 35 to 50# bows have taken loads of game.  But again, get a poor hit and the penetration won't be there.  I'm a firm believer in using as heavy a weight bow as you can before your shooting begins to deteriorate.  (Not talking repetive target shooting here, in which you may want a lower weight yet, but first shot or short duration shooting.)  I'm comfortable with 60# year round, up to 70# when well practiced and in fair weather.  Most of my hunting bows hover around 60#.  Animals move and jump the string, twigs deflect arrows, and I sometimes make poor shots, so I want as much ooompf as I can manage well to ensure the deepest penetration possible for those occassions when the shot goes bad and my arrow lands in heavy bone or dense muscle, or needs a lengthier pathway to reach the "off" switch.  I'd shoot 80# or 90# if I could manage it well.  It's up to the archer to find the balance.

[Kegan]

For short bows and close shots, 50# will do it. However, I like longer bows pulling upwards of 85# for medium range shots. It really helps my confidence at 10-20 yards knowing that I could hit it at 50. Also, I like the power that comes with shooting such bows. I don't like to use rifles, so I know I don't have to worry about a charging rabid Kodiak !

[Don]

Kegan. 85#!!  Yep pretty sure that sound I just herd was my shoulder letting go.

[Stonedog]

50-60......it is what does it!

[Shaun]

From the Den of the Old Bowhunter, "We made our heavy bows heavy and our broadheads broad."

The PBS was started to differentiate between target archery and hunting, their minimum standard for a hunting bow is 50 lbs.

One more, "The good is sometimes the enemy of the best."

Use what you like, but I will stick with at least 50 for hunting anything larger than a mouse.

[ricktrojanowski]

I think the most important consideration is being accurate with arrow placement.  It's far better to be accurate with a light bow than to shoot poorly with a heavy bow.  For the size of the deer where I live,  I would be confident that a 35# bow at close range could cleanly kill.  Although I usually shoot a 52# bow.

[FlintWalker]

I like a bow from 45-55 lbs, but I don't think one should focus too much on the exact weight of the bow as much as how it performs. I'd rather be hunting with a good shooting, fast 45# bow than a sluggish 60#'er.
 Of course, a fast 60#'er is good...but I would be more accurate with 45-50.

[Justin Snyder]

I guess I'm with Adam to a point.  I think a guy should shoot the heaviest weight he can up to the point his accuracy and or confidence begins to suffer. But only up to about 60-65#. I think a guy should be able to target shoot with his hunting bow every day though.  If you cannot, you are over bowed. IMO

I can shoot 80-90# but I think it would be silly for hunting North American game. If I ever get to hunt cape buffalo I will be shooting 90#. Justin