Simple question. Not loaded or looking to start a debate just wondering why people like Ferguson and others use 60+ lbs weight bows.

I have theories but thats it.

My guess is that it has to do with flatter trajectory and a quicker arrow for moving targets.

Ferguson in his book (Become the Arrow) he states that he is a hunter and likes to use a hunting weight bow to shoot so all his shots feel the same.

That is what I was thinking.

They seem to shoot wood arrows which ( I'm not an expert on wood arrows) I believe it would be harder to get in a real light weight. So they shoot a stronger bow to increase speed in trajectory for the different range shots.

My guess is if you were to shoot a really light carbon you could get away with the same thing with a  really light bow, since your just punching holes and balloons.

You would might loose showmanship points though. It definitely more interesting to me to watch a guy shoot an arrow out of a bow capable of taking any game animal on the planet, and hit stuff I might miss with a 12 gauge!

Just some thoughts, love this stuff!

Byron Ferguson uses aluminum arrows form Easton.  His book calls this out and if you watch impossible shots on TV you can tell they are aluminums.

I would speculate that since he does and has shot so much, what we consider heavy weight is not to him.  

Until the last couple years I didn't consider my 75# recurve that difficult to shoot.  Now I do.  Time wins all battles.

It's all relative. I shot a 76# recurve for years and shot often, which was great preparation for shooting my 84#. By comparison, shooting one of my bows in the mid 60's was its own kind of fun.

Byron states he shoots 10's of thousands of shots a year. At that rate you'd probably be surprised how little work it becomes...and how you might no longer see 60# as a heavy weight bow. Rick.

Many people shoot better with a heavy bow, because the release tends to be better. It's hard not to release a heavy bow smoothly. I shot much better when I could still handle 65# with ease. In those days I shot around 100 arrows a day.

A heavier bow is more forgiving of a sloppy release.  A light bow is very critical of a sloppy release.  Trajectory is not a big deal for close range trick shots.

You folks probably never hear of Bob Markworth, probably the greatest so-called trick shot of the 60's and 70's.  He used bows in the high 30's and low 40's.   Frank Addington doesn't use heavy bows, but I guess you never heard of him either.   Stacy Groscup used a 55 pound bow but only drew about 26 1/2 inches....hard to top Stacy's record either.  Byron is the only one I know of note that shoots a heavy bow, and he was born with one in his crib 8^).

hey George!  I know Frank and saw Stacy shoot many years ago. His passing was a great loss to archery. I agree about Byron being the only 'trick shooter' using a heavy bow. there's a young and upcoming shooter named Chris Hurt from PA that's gonna be talked about like these other fellows in years to come and, Chris dosen't shoot the big weights either.

Bob Marksworth was great !! He just never got the TV exposure Ferguson got. Media exposure works wonders even if your not all that good.

About heavy bows and trick shooters - didnt Howard Hill use quite heavy bows all the time ?

'cuz he is stronger than me....way stronger.

I don't remember if it was durring one of his live shows or on a video but Byron Ferguson says he gets a cleaner release shooting a heavy draw weight bow.

QuoteOriginally posted by Gapmaster:
Bob Marksworth was great !! He just never got the TV exposure Ferguson got. Media exposure works wonders even if your not all that good.

I doubt that it was your intention, but this post comes across to me as saying that Byron Ferguson isn't that good of a shot.  At least to me it reads that way.

Doesn't Byron Tabor shoot over 65lbs.?LCH

I saw Stacy Groscup shoot an I ,m pretty sure they said he was shooting 29 # at the time. He was getting up in years when I saw him. Oh he layed on the ground with both moccasins in the air an shot better than I will ever shoot standing or any other way, He was a great shot an a true spokesman. Bob

Ron La Clair also used to shoot pretty heavy bows.

I watched Byron Ferguson "ricochette" an arrow off of 4 plywood panels and break a balloon. I would think that after bouncing off 2 pieces of plywood the arrow would have pretty much "run out of gas"..... BUT 4!!!!!