I have noticed a trend with you fellers over here in the USA ,, a lot of you only shoot 40-50# . Why ? Over here we use 55-70 # , is it 'cause we are stronger :biglaugh: Just joking ;)
So can anyone tell me ?
Maybe its because you Aussies are hunting for bigger bodied game like buffalo, large feral pigs, ......and cane toads!
Seems like most guys here in the States are shooting 50-60 # which is plenty for most of our hunting needs.
Besides, we can't buy Vegemite as easily as you all can, and that MUST have something to do with it. :)
The truth is, our bows are 80-90#. We just mark 'em low so as not to insult the rest of the world. :biglaugh:
i think the fact that whitetails are probably the most hunted/popular big game animal in the US has something to do with it mate. not particularly large in the body compared to other species.
another factor as i see it is that these days seem to be a growth period for trad bowhunting, with a lot of compounders or newbies trying it out, and getting good beginners advice from some of the old salts on how to get started right.
thats just a guess though, and i'm also keen to hear more from some yanks on this one.
brian
I can't answer for others but I pick bow weight according to what I will hunt with the bow.I see no need for shooting a heavier bow if I don't need it.Anything too heavy and it just makes it harder to find your arrows after they blow through something.I can't see setting up for a buff if all I plan on hunting might be a bunny. :)
Some of us are just getting old. :rolleyes:
Ron
The rest of us are smart :biglaugh:
If you can shoot 70 #, then you ARE stronger than me!
Because it gets the job done. A pass through is a pass through, and dead is dead.
I think its because you guys are upside down. Gravity is working for you and against us so its easier for you to draw.LOL!
I must be Austrailian. :thumbsup:
I like Molson's response ! Funny. Actually...we have an honor code over here.. When we say "45 pounds", it is actually "65 pounds". hahahahaha
I believe the draw weight has fluctuated over time, due to popularity, need, and other issues, age being one of them. Most of us hunt deer and deer sized or smaller critters , and from tree stands.
For those purposes, 45 pounds will be enough to pass thru a "vitals" area most times and it also keeps your elbows and shoulders intact.
ChuckC
Just an observation:
You see a lot of heavier (55# +) bows for sale or trade with the notation of "selling due to shoulder injury."
To expand on what ChuckC said, the vast majority of vintage bows of the 60's and 70's on the market are 45-50#. It seemed to work then for our whitetails. I also think some of the high poundage mentality comes from high compound draw weights.
That being said, I will shoot mid-50#'S because I get a flatter trajectory and don't need to estimate the yardage/distance as precisely as I would when I shoot mid-40#'s. It matters little at 15 yds but is a factor at 20-25yds.
The only exercise I get is pushing my luck. What a burden it is! I don't want my bow to make the fun I have with it WORK\\EXERCISE. :thumbsup:
Brent
I shoot a 54# bow cause it is enuff and I like my shoulders and neck I may get a set of 60-65# limbs for machoism that overcomes me every now and than.
LR
I shoot a 70# bow cause it is enuff and I like my shoulders and neck I may get a set of 90 - 100# limbs for machoism that overcomes me every now and than. :D
These type threads always crack me up.
Me too T! Always draws out the 40-50 crowd while the 55-70 crowd remains silent. :D
But then I'm just an old fart with good shoulders who shoots 70-75 anytime he wants... as always! ;)
(now would be a good time to put on your flack jacket if you have one.)
We be wimps. Y'all just ain't caught up yet :D ...Van
I use a 52# Hill bow and can shoot it for a couple hrs straight....
Most people I know hunt with 50-60#.
I have been shooting a 70# hickory flatbow. I have started building a new self bow that I am aiming for #55. I think that 55# is nicer and sweeter to shoot. I will therefore shoot it more, practice more, enjoy it more, and ultimately it will do the job just as well as the 70#er.
Terry's bow is so heavy, it makes him lean over just to shoot it...check the picture up top :D
I always liked bows between 55# and 65#. My release was always better with those weights. Once my shoulders started making noise I dropped back to 51# to 55#. I've been shooting 51# for the past 8-9 years and its been plenty for hogs, deer, and elk. If I decide to make the brown bear trip I've always wanted to make I will shoot the 60#. I just don't like hearing the creaking when I get in that weight range :)
In other words, you Aussies are just stronger than us yanks...but you know what they say about smell :)
Shoot the bow you shoot best. I can still shoot 90#, but the bone spurs on my shoulders don't like me much when I do. So i stick around 56-60 at my draw.
If a 55#er will do the same job as a 70#er.....
Then will a 25#er do the same job as a 40#er?
If yes...will a 10#er do the same job as a 25#er?
Sorry........still cracked up :smileystooges:
Beachy........I shoot like that no matter the weight.
Here's another one for ya.....
I shoot 70#s cause I like to shoot all day....I just can't do that when I get over 80#s :D ...like gofer hunt above, we shot all morn and all afternoon with bows over 65#s.
Bows are tools as well as weapons, and sometimes you need a bigger hammer. Try building a house with a tack hammer, and you'll soon wish you have a bigger hammer.....so it is with bows, some animals we hunt need a little more punch....some of us want a little more punch.....and that's OK.
Charlie.......where ya at?
I've been shooting bows from 70# upwards ever since I was 14 years old. After near a half century of being so 'overbowed' my shoulders may be starting to go now ... I've felt like a whimp ever since I had to drop back to a hundred pounder! LOL! :goldtooth:
Ed
I hear ya Doc! The last couple of years I dropped back to 65# and feel like I'm just not getting the performance I want.
Fully intend to get back to around 75# by mid summer.
I've got this Jack Howard Gamemaster Classic that bumps 75# at my draw and what it will do with a 750 grain arrow will make your jaw drop.
It is in fact a matter of conditioning and little more as far as I'm concerned. It always seemed to me that the more a guy hunts the more he gravitates toward heavier bows.
I have an older brother that was an old style on your hands and knees cement finisher. He shot 90 to 100# compounds up till just a couple years ago. He is now 63. He dropped down to a reasonable weight of 70. PSE and one other company had actually GIVEN him bows to shoot before they hit the market because he would shoot them in league and wear them out!
As for traditional bows, the efficiency falls off so badly after 55 to 60 #s for most it is not worth the effort. Its not how hard you shoot a few times its how often you shoot that makes you better! I think my wife said that. :bigsmyl:
Just joshing ya Terry. In fact, I just saw video of you shooting (MBB) and your bow was so heavy it bent you over backwards. Didn't seem to affect your shooting though.. :bigsmyl:
My bow is so heavy, I can kill a large moose with a flu-flu arrow tipped with a rubber blunt. :D
Matt
does anyone know of a "study" that shows how many fps you gain with the same arrow when going from say, 50# to 90# in 5 or even 10# steps? I wouldn't mind runing some numbers from high to low. I'm betting just as it is in the world of compounds, bow design makes more of a difference than draw weight. I would like to know for sure though. I've only ever owned 2 traditional bows, both under 60#. When I shot compounds I shot a 100# bow for a couple years. I upgraded bows and discovered a 60# bow out performed my old 100# bow on game by a long shot. I bet with traditional bows curves, material, limb width, ect will issue the same findings.
Yep Charlie, last year I bought ten bows from the estate of one of the early bowhunters in Africa, a Frenchman who lived there (West Africa) and started bowhunting Africa about the same time as Hill. Only three of the bows were below 80 pounds draw, and four were over a hundred! Except for an original Hill bow of 65# (by far the lighest draw of all the bows) the 'light weight' bows look like they have hardly been used. Some of the heavier ones are well worn. I have a friend who knew the gentleman (and is the one who put me on to the estate sale). Both he and the gentleman's daughter (who lives in Canada) tell me the heavy bows were still in routine use up until just before the old fellow died a couple of years ago, even though he only shot targets and small game for his last few years. Guess his shoulder must have finally wore out from shooting those big bows! ;) It is merely conditioning, and the will and persistence to learn to shoot high poundage. Build up slowly and stay up!
I really wish I knew the stories those old bows could tell of those early African hunts. All I've been able to find out for sure is that he took A LOT of game with them. I've started using two of them bows a bit when I hunt, and have taken game with both. It's a good feeling; using an old bow with a prior history. Pure fun.
Ed
I did a quick search and if I can believe the review test on the bows I found it appears you can gain as much as 70 fps by changing bow design and on a very high end modern longbow you gain up to 1.5 fps/lbs...up to a point.
I doubt fps could go up, KE obviously will, but not fps...10gp# (not inch...thx Dave) @ 28" (as a measure) is 10gp#, no?
I can be enlightened, though.
I have a very sissy shoulder and can't pull the heavies for all put a few shots...it's 55#-ish or less for me. Compressed nerves, rotator cuff, bone spurs, no ligaments, cartilage...Healthy shoulders and heavy weights are easy, man...you wanna try machismo, try shooting with a shoulder that doesn't move, flex or rotate ;)
If you use the same arrow (or same arrow weight) and the heavier bow provides any advantage it will have to show up as an increase in speed.
You need to increase arrow weight by 10gp# not inch. Arrow length won't change. Yes the KE will increase.
I agree if you increase the weight of the arrow the KE goes up and not the speed. I was taking the approach you use the same weight arrow to determine the gain and the calc the required weight you need to add. I think we are all on the same page now. :)
Well ,, I wasnt expecting all these replies ;)
Just for the record , I don't eat Vegemite , hate the stuff :mad:
Thanx for the replies ;)
I bought some Vegemite once and brought it home. I figured it must be pretty good stuff since so many Aussies love it. I tried some on toast and man.....it was just plain awful! One smell and my wife threw the whole jar away!
I think popeye must have stopped over to OZ and dropped off some spinach. :D Actually I enjoy shooting right around 75#. Heavy weights are also good for training, sort of like lifting weights. After shooting heavy for a while 55# feels pretty light. Cheers
Actually our bows are around 20.411-22.68 Kg @ 711.2mm
Eric
If you wan't to make any snide remarks about my 52 pound longbow or recurve, then you should probably do it to my face at Denton Hill. At least then I can see if you're smiling or not, and you will know how I feel about that.
All my current bows are between 58 and 67#'s. I started out with a 50# bow whhen I was 14 and didn't think anything of it. I am not a big guy nor am I super strong. As long as my age doesn't surpass my poundage I will continue with the heavier bows, but I will soon be 58. Heavier bows can shoot heavier arra's which to me means more punch. Do I need more punch? Prolly not but I like punch. :bigsmyl:
QuoteOriginally posted by George D. Stout:
If you wan't to make any snide remarks about my 52 pound longbow or recurve, then you should probably do it to my face at Denton Hill. At least then I can see if you're smiling or not, and you will know how I feel about that.
Hey George , is that remark aimed at me ?
If so , you are barking up the wrong tree ;)
I just noticed that a lot of guys on here shot low poundage and I asked a question as to why ?
:rolleyes: As for the face to face comment ,, the trip over there is a bit far :D
Awe, lighten up George.......I really don't think anyone here is seriously knocking anyone's bow weight......just being silly really.
If I said anything that offended you, I'll pull my own post......I've done it before, no big deal. I don't care what poundage anyone shoots, and wouldn't think of measuring a man by that....there's always someone with a bigger bow, so what would be the point anyway?
Yup, what Terry said, guys who know me say man what a big tough dude, and I am. Over the years though some things have taken a toll on me( I party hard and generally abuse my body) and I am currently dropping down in weight to 50-57#s. I think with todays bows and weighted carbons I can kill anything in North America with those weights. Can I still shoot 80#ers like just 7-8 years ago ? Yes, but it is not as enjoyable the day after!(LOL!) Shawn
I shoot around 50 to 55 I guess I could go up I did shoot 70 pounders just kinda picked that weight. Way to get me thinking :knothead: I think the big reason like others said I match the bow to the animal. Plus that way I can buy more bows and not feel bad about it :bigsmyl: Oh theres no reason to get bent out a shape. A little sharpie can make any bow a 80 pounder :campfire:
Norbert.......I knew you were ;)
I enjoy watching guys short draw heavy weight bows.
I like to stay at or under 50# now. A good performing light bow will take any game in Alberta.
Dr ED:
Didn't I read something about you shooting a light weight bow with black limbs and comparing it to a much heavier bow you love.
I like to read these threads and see what others opinions are and why. I may agree with some and not with others but can only find this kind of info here.:0) I shoot 53#@28 pull closer to 29 1/2 and love my bow and I feel this is a good weight for me . I don't worry about the next guy pulling more weight or not . respectfully Drew
QuoteOriginally posted by Pete W:
Dr ED:
Didn't I read something about you shooting a light weight bow with black limbs and comparing it to a much heavier bow you love.
If so, I sure would like to know the results. This site is so cool. I get to guess all day long about how things work and why and then have someone teach me how things really work! :) It was one of them there black limbed bows I found with a 70 fps advantage. It would be nice to know how theory holds up on this.
Pete,
I like to watch guys full draw heavy bows :biglaugh:
QuoteOriginally posted by drewsbow:
I like to read these threads and see what others opinions are and why. I may agree with some and not with others but can only find this kind of info here.:0) I shoot 53#@28 pull closer to 29 1/2 and love my bow and I feel this is a good weight for me . I don't worry about the next guy pulling more weight or not . respectfully Drew
:thumbsup:
Coachy, Terry, et al, no problem...it just gets a little old. That's why I added that I could see whether you were smiling or not. I'm just sitting here wondering how far, "4 doughnuts out of camp" is 8^).
Pete, yes you did! The efficiency of some of today's bows is astonishing, and I'm sure glad they are there, for whenever that day comes when I get REALLY OLD!
On the serious side, I do have reasons why I actually NEED heavier draw weight bows than most folks. One is because of my poor release, which I've recently discovered results from a congenitial deformity in the bones of my hands (which is related to the congenital metatarsus varians I have in both of my feet). I physically can not get a good release, regardless of what I try to do, and a heavy holding weight helps overcome that by ripping the string from my fingers and by having faster string recovery after the release. The other reason is my shorter draw length. I need extra force to make up for the shorter power stroke.
Ed
Yeah guys, it really is all in good fun. Shoot what you like and know I'm there behind you to support you in your decision.... and occasionally goose ya a little! :D
My belief is that there is an "optimum" weight bow for every man and woman and it has nothing to do with what it can or can't kill on this continent or any other for that matter.
It's that weight where the archer becomes one with the bow. Neither dominating or being dominated, a part of the majic circle.
I think many times (and I ain't pointing fingers here, either) that some of us "settle" on a bow weight that is quite a bit less than they could handle easilly.
All I'm saying is it's as easy to be underbowed as it is overbowed to the same end effect.
Shoot what you must... I'm with ya, whatever. :thumbsup:
QuoteOriginally posted by George D. Stout:
I'm just sitting here wondering how far, "4 doughnuts out of camp" is 8^).
If Big Bite Biggie said it,......he was REAL close :readit:
Hey Shawn I was in the same boat , remedy to this problem, I started drinking a lighter calorie frosty beverage, and put the subtracted caloric weight to frosty beverage intake ratio gain into some 65 lb limbs ,hoping this newly released formula works, by my calculations I should be able to consume the same amount of frosty beverage or more and still be able to draw the 65lb limbs effeciently. BTW the limbs should be here this week I am stoked.
Yeah Charlie.......good post......just let someone start a 'heavy bow' thread....and the same 'old' stuff happens.......that's why they crack me up.
There I was pushing my luck, anybody get the number of that ______
What a goofy bunch we are. :campfire:
Watch out our oen campfire may get us.
Brent
Some threads just seem to take off Couchy. Ya got lucky. Can't wait for the next one :thumbsup: :biglaugh: ...Van
A while back, I ran into a compound shooter with arms like telephone poles who was shooting a 100# plus bow. I asked him why he shot such a heavy bow. "Because I can," he responded. I like that.
I agree with Charlie. It's as easy to become underbowed as overbowed. There does seem to be a slight trend toward lighter bows nowadays. Nothing to get all bent out of shape about.
I've always hunted with bows in the 65-75 pound range at my draw, which usually is at least 30 inches, and this goes back to the early 70's. BUT, last fall I was sitting in a tree with a deer directly under me, the temp was 6 degrees and it was deathly quiet. The deer had frost on it's back. I was shooting a 70 lb. longbow and when I drew it the bone pop probably trigged the 20 yard dash the deer made, and it lived for another day.
A couple weeks ago, Dick Robertson and I were discussing bow weight, and he said he had dropped down to about 53-55 pounds but used heavy arrows. He said he has never had better penetration on critters before (with arrows). I think I'll get a new bow that pulls in the high fifties at 30 inches along with some new arrows, probably in Dr. Ed's 650 grain recommended range.
As far as vegamite, I put some on toast last summer over in Oz. Of course, when you sit at the table in the morning, eating, you tend to read what's in front of you. When I got to "pond scum" on the vegamite jar, I aborted the attempt.
Mark....once the frost sets in here in late Nov...I drop down 5 to 7 pounds just for that reason. Tree stands and lack of movement are the reason.
Frost? I am starting to see a pattern develop here. All the high poundage shooters are from the south and Australia. Try drawing an 80# bow after you have been hunting all day in 15 degree weather. I have actually seen compounders get in good range of an animal and not be able to draw their bow back. There teeth were chattering so bad they probably wouldn't have hit it anyway. Ha! If you want to hear your shoulders crack come up here to Washington State for the late elk hunt in early December.
All is good George ;) I am moving to a 65# bow so I can break bones etc as sometimes I felt the 55 # bow I was using just didnt have enough punch . I weighted up some carbons and they seem to have more punch , but it will still be good to have my 65 pounder Chekmate :)
Maybe I need to drink more Fosters and not so much milk. Apparently Fosters is what makes you grow up big and strong
I started out with a 45lb and when I decided to order a nice custom I went up to 55lbs.Thinkin that way down the road I might work up to 60 or65lb.Well when I got my new custom I way over did it the very first day.I couldn't turn my head very far in either direction for 3-4 days.Apparently I didn't learn anyyhing from that and now I am dropping back down so that I will be able to bowhunt in my later years.I'm average size,5'10-180lb,run and workout often and didn't think 60lb would be out of the question.I don't know how you guys handle some of the bows you shoot. :banghead:
Hey, let's also debate which is a better all around rifle: the 30.06 or the .270! That one waged for about 40 years (some still are at it).
I would guess we can argue best all around bow weight for at least that long!
I think everbody should buy heavier bows in the 65+- range. The girls think its macho! That way when they realize they are too heavy for them, us short draw guys can buy them and they will be just right. I love my 63# Marriah Thermal. :bigsmyl:
Mark
QuoteOriginally posted by Houska:
Maybe I need to drink more Fosters and not so much milk. Apparently Fosters is what makes you grow up big and strong
I havent seen Fosters in the bottle shop for year . I think we it gave to you guys ;)