minimum bow weight for hunting

RescueRiley

RescueRiley

Joined
Mar 22, 2006
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Just wanted to know what the minimum rec bow weight for hunting small game and me game up to the size of a white tail...in my state it is illegal to hunt with a bow that is #35 and under...but even that seems inefficiently light, I'm new to the sport so I might be wrong. My compund s set for #55 but I'd like to get into a recurve, and I feel like a little light bow would help me land my form better, but it'd be nice if it could double duty as a usable hunting bo later, thanks.
 
35# will do the job, but make sure you are accurate. Shot placement is more important than weight. If you can comfortably shoot more weight, than don't be afraid too. I can accurately and comfortably shoot 70# with my compound and thats what I hunt with.
 
I've read stories of folks killing moose and elk efficiently with 55# bows. They all had perfect arrow flight, perfect placement, and a razor sharp cut-on-contact head. I imagine a 35# recurve would slay a whitetail at 15 yards if you had all of the above. I wouldn't know, as I like my bows to draw so heavy that I fart and scare off the quarry.:D
 
Thinking you should start with a bow that pulls 35-40# at your draw length. If you want to be legal, it will have to show on the bow that it's over 35#. Keep in mind that your draw length could shorten 2 inches with a recurve. If your draw with a recurve works out to be 28", what the bow reads, is probably what you are drawing in weight, or pretty close (unless the bow stacks) and depending on the age and string material of the bow, anything drawn past 28" will add 2.5-3# of draw weight per inch exceeding the 28". Again, unless the bow stacks, or adds weight more quickly the further you draw it, then you would have to have the bow's weight measured at your draw. You need this information in order to get the correctly spined arrows for the bow at your draw and the weight of the bow at your draw.

*WARNING*..... most compound bow shops have no clue as to how to properly choose the arrow that will work for a recurve, because they are not chosen the same as they are for a compound. Go to stickbow.com and get involved in the discussions and you will soon learn everything you ever wanted to know about shooting a stickbow (recurve-flatbow-longbow).

Take your time and learn to shoot, because at the weight you will be shooting, you will need to be right on with your killing shot. Have fun, it's a whole lot of fun.
 
The most important aspects of killing anything with a bow are a sharp broadhead, shot placement, and kinetic energy. The first two are pretty obvious, the last one most people don't think much about. If you do some searching on an arrows kinetic energy you will see that by playing with the weight of the arrow (as long as you don't over-spine the arrow) you can gain and/or lose kinetic energy. It is the reason why most dangerous game archers shoot monster arrow weights - even though you lose some arrow speed the "penetration" factor is increased because of an increase in kinetic energy. A fast, light arrow does have some advantages - it gives you a fudge factor if you mis-judge yardage and decreases the chance of an animal "jumping" the string.
 
35# ought to do the job, but as has been stated, shot placement and broadheads count for quite a lot. Use a 'cut on contact', like the Wensel Woodsman (just an example). I've seen detachable blade broadheads bounce off, or just barely penetrate the skin, even from heavier bows.
 
longbow50 said:
Thinking you should start with a bow that pulls 35-40# at your draw length. If you want to be legal, it will have to show on the bow that it's over 35#. Keep in mind that your draw length could shorten 2 inches with a recurve. If your draw with a recurve works out to be 28", what the bow reads, is probably what you are drawing in weight, or pretty close (unless the bow stacks) and depending on the age and string material of the bow, anything drawn past 28" will add 2.5-3# of draw weight per inch exceeding the 28". Again, unless the bow stacks, or adds weight more quickly the further you draw it, then you would have to have the bow's weight measured at your draw. You need this information in order to get the correctly spined arrows for the bow at your draw and the weight of the bow at your draw.

*WARNING*..... most compound bow shops have no clue as to how to properly choose the arrow that will work for a recurve, because they are not chosen the same as they are for a compound. Go to stickbow.com and get involved in the discussions and you will soon learn everything you ever wanted to know about shooting a stickbow (recurve-flatbow-longbow).

Take your time and learn to shoot, because at the weight you will be shooting, you will need to be right on with your killing shot. Have fun, it's a whole lot of fun.
Click to expand...

very well said longbow....:thumbup:

take your time and have fun.... :thumbup: i highly recomend, at least starting out on a lighter weight traditional bow.. to learn proper form and anchor placement, as well as build muscle memory...

if you plan hunting with a #35 recurve, you need to be spot on.... it's all about shot placement....:D
 
Bwilson said:
The most important aspects of killing anything with a bow are a sharp broadhead, shot placement, and kinetic energy. The first two are pretty obvious, the last one most people don't think much about. If you do some searching on an arrows kinetic energy you will see that by playing with the weight of the arrow (as long as you don't over-spine the arrow) you can gain and/or lose kinetic energy. It is the reason why most dangerous game archers shoot monster arrow weights - even though you lose some arrow speed the "penetration" factor is increased because of an increase in kinetic energy. A fast, light arrow does have some advantages - it gives you a fudge factor if you mis-judge yardage and decreases the chance of an animal "jumping" the string.
Click to expand...

Well said.

This is exactly why a recurve/stickbow can effectively kill moose and elk, even though the draw weight may seem deceptively low - those heavy cedar arrows and old style broadheads have the momentum necessary to ensure full penetration.

That said, my own recommendation for compound bows with aluminum arrows is a minimum of 40-50# for deer sized game, 50-60# for moose and elk.

My only quibble would be the 'benefits' of bow speed. Alot of people seem to obsess over speed, personally I think that's a fools errand. Especially since it usually involves cranking the bow to its most extreme weight, where they become much more temperamental, and the speed increase is typically small anyway. The change in drop associated with this speed change is (at whitetail range) small and best overcome through practice and good range measurment/estimation (and practice.) In my experience deer either string jump or they don't, when they do the difference between a 'fast' compound bow and a normal compound bow is negligible and the hit is probably going to be bad either way. Personally, I won't shoot a whitetail deer much beyond 25 yards because of their jumpiness (although, it's not the jump that scares me - it the whole twist/crouch/spin/run thing that they do.)
 
I don't plan on huntig with a #35 lb bow I was thinking more in the #40 to #45 range, all other factors aside #40 should be adequate???
 
40# will work okay. The bows I make are usually 45# to 50# at a 28" draw. Most guys that I know starting out with recurves get a lower weight bow so the can comfortably use it for bowfishing in the summer also. You will have greater success from a tree stand with a lighter bow than you will from the ground due to angle and gravity being on your side. Plus you can get them in a little closer.
 
But they also did it in numbers.

It would be better to pick a bow with greater draw weight for white tail, but for smaller game modify your arrows and use small game heads like judo points.

That way, you can use a consistent draw and delivery, and merely modify your projectile.
 
As has already been stated, you can hunt ethically with #35 up.

Let me offer some advice...get over any macho thoughts you have about pulling heavy draw weights. Heavy draw bows are best at doing one thing...ripping your damn shoulder apart. And I don't care how big and strong you are, keep playing with with heavy bows and you'll live to regret it. I KNOW! I have had extensive surgery on my drawing shoulder and have some pain in my bow arm shoulder.

YOU DON'T NEED EXCESSIVE PULL WEIGHT -- DON'T BE DUMP ENOUGH TO TRY IT! (Forgive the caps).

Now, with that out of the way let me say there is nothing more pleasing than to shoot a stick bow. You need to learn how to hit what you're looking at consistently.

Best of luck and be sure to start (and continue) a conditioning program for the upperback, shoulders and chest. Don't worry about the arms too much -- drawing should be done with the upperback and shoulders.

:)
 
I am an ex-fitness trainer and martialrts instructor, I excercisdaily, I'm planning on continuing this through my archery training and the rest of my life, I plan on using my compund for hunting this year as this will be my first year bow hunitng, and at 20 yards I'm holding tight groups ( for a beginner) but I'd like to graduate to using a stick bow by next yar or the year after, I like the simplicity portability, and the challenge of developing a new skill, thanks for all the great help guys I love this place.
 
I shoot both osage self bows and a roy hall longbow. it is all about kenetic enery, enough arrow weight and a extremely sharp two blade broadhead. i have killed deer both, the self bow is 49lbs and the roy hall is 52lbs, i get 154fps in the osage and 208 in the roy hall. the osage is the equivlent of about a 35lbs recurve. it is all about shot placment and perfect arrow spine and tuning. practice practice practice, and with that light weight of a bow dont shoot till you know he is close enough and perfect broadside or quartering away.
 
As far as draw weight is concerned, it's up to the state's DNR to determine what the minimum has to be . I would suggest no lighter than 45#. Make sure your bows draw weight and length are matched up with the correctly spined arrow. Also with a lower weight bow, I would go with a cut-on-contact broadhead like Magnus Stinger, NAP Razorback, or Muzzy Phantom.
 
I'm not an archer but I think there's some confusion about terminology.We have the same problem with firearms. 'Energy' never killed anything [kinetic energy =1/2 MxVxV ] What you need to do is penetrate into the vital organs and do damage to them.To get more KE you boost velocity and thus lighter and faster arrows.But those arrows don't penetrate as well. What you should be looking at is Momentum [1/2MxV ] a much better measure of penetration and effectiveness for arrow or bullet.
 
mete said:
I'm not an archer but I think there's some confusion about terminology.We have the same problem with firearms. 'Energy' never killed anything [kinetic energy =1/2 MxVxV ] What you need to do is penetrate into the vital organs and do damage to them.To get more KE you boost velocity and thus lighter and faster arrows.But those arrows don't penetrate as well. What you should be looking at is Momentum [1/2MxV ] a much better measure of penetration and effectiveness for arrow or bullet.
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Arrows don't have much K energy, especially down range, which is why a heavier arrow will normally do a better job at penetration. An arrow from a 50# recurve with modern string material and craftsmanship and a 500+g arrow (mine run just about 600g) will completely penetrate a deer sized animal, unless the arrow hits heavy bone. Since the arrow doesn't have knockdown power, the broadhead needs to get into the vitals and cut, bleeding the animal out. An exit wound makes for an easier tracking job.
 
Its not something we allowed to do in the UK, but I'd love to have a crack with my 70lb Mongolian bow.
 
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