What do you guys think?

[Bentstick81]

  A friend of mine bought a chronograph. I took my bow up to find out how fast my hickory boardbow was shooting. Just curious. I was shooting 128 ft per second. My tendonitis in my elbows are getting pretty bad, but i couldn't believe how slow it was. I must have lost a lot of strength in my fingers due to that tendonitis. Is this enough speed foe deer? It sure doesn't look that slow, but i want to make sure that its enough. I hate the thought of having to bring out my old compound , that i shoot instinctively. What do you guys think?

[half eye]

Bentstick,
       Are you aware that back in the 40's and early 50's alot of bows were used to take deer (here in Michigan) that drew in the 30 to 35 pound range. You didn't say how much your arrows weighed, or what type of heads you use, or even how quiet your bow is at draw and release. A good sharp, 2 blade broad head, on a wood shaft that hits through both lungs is going to kill a deer and do it humanely.
      If your bow is between 40 and 45# and you ambush the little buggers at 20 yds or less...you should have a deer killer for sure. The thing that bugs me the most about the whole speed thing (as it relates to hunting) is this: there wont ever be a bow thats' speed will make the speed of sound (sound will allways get to the deer first with archery equipment) so you will be better served to shoot what goes where you look, does it REAL quiet. The sharp blades and exanguation will do the rest.
     More speed means flatter trjectory which more hits at longer range....and is fine for 3-D shoots or the target butts, but for actual live animals that you want to kill cleanly....shoot close, shoot well, shoot quiet and shoot whatever you can do with the most accuracy.
half eye

[George Tsoukalas]

You said it, half eye. I agree 200%. Bentstick, I'd love to see a full draw picture and a picture of the last 6 inches and the nocks. What's your draw length? Bow weight? Jawge

[zeNBowyer]

Dear  are easy  enough to  kill  with  a  sharp  broadhead, I am amazed  how  many  people report  complete  pass-thrus with  light  bows

[Bentstick81]

  George, i shoot a more or less floating type anchor . I know, i have a weird way of shooting, due to a bad case of target panic a few years back. So, i picked up this method, and it seems to be very accurate for me, but i don't have a exact anchor. The boardbow i made is pretty much step by step from your site back in 2006. My tendonitis keeps my strength in my fingers pretty weak. The bow is 46# @ 28". I probably pull 26"-27" most of the time. I shoot cedar arrows with 2 blade magnus heads.

[Bentstick81]

 I also meant to say that my style of shooting is like a snap shooter. I concentrate on a spot, pull back slow, while maintaining concentration on a spot, until it feels right, then release. I know you guys are probably scratching your head by now.

[sailordad]

i too agree with half eye
if you ever shoot next to someone who has the most modern hyper speed compound bow
you will notice not only how fast his bow is,but how LOUD it is too
speed = noise.
my uncle(the guy who taught me to shoot bow back in the 70's)only shoots wheelie bows now.
he likes my stick bows but wont hunt with one even if i gave it to him to keep.
to slow is what he says.he just bought a new Mathews wheelie this year,i swear i can hear him shoot it when hes hunting 50 miles away
loud as hell,thats why all those guys with training wheels have all those dampers on their limbs etc.
every one i know that uses them never realy shoot past 30 yrds,they may say they do but ive seen their stands and shooting lanes
and none of them have a clean shot past that(our woods are like briar patches up here)
here it is a legal bow for deer and turkey if it pulls 30# minimum

[Justin Snyder]

I shoot cedar arrows with 2 blade magnus heads.

Do you know the weight of the arrows? If you don't know the weight, what is the length of shaft and what weight of heads? 

[Jude]

Everythings right on the money so far.  As long as the bow has the velocity neccessary for good penetration at reasonable range, with sharp broadheads, you should be good to go.  A recurve would give you more speed, but also more noise, and less accuracy, so what gain do you really get from the extra speed, if the quarry is more likely to be startled?  In my much younger days, I shot an Onieda Eagle, which at the time, was one of the fastest arrow slinging contraptions on the market.  I tried to take a 50 yard shot one day, and I would swear that the doe turned herself inside out and made her head come out her butt, when she heard the noise from that bow.  She was back in the woodline while I was still following through on the shot.  I'll never be tempted to take a shot at that sort of range with my hickory flatbow, and it hardly makes a sound when it shoots.  I have no idea what it chronographs, and I really don't care.

[otis.drum]

bentstick, i think your getting good advice here, and i think you have the equipement to do the job.

-you may want to increase your arrow weight as much as possible without robbing too much of that speed.
-i would say it is important to use the two blade heads, three blade heads don't penetrate as easily.
-as narrow a shaf as possible will also help.
-a bare tuned (therefore true flying) arrow will improve penatration also.

good luck.

[Bentstick81]

Justin, i shoot 5/16", 40-45's, left helical, 3-5" shield cut feathers, full length, wood arrows. They weigh 510 gr.

[Pappy]

That should do the job,put in the right spot and with a good and sharp 2 blade head.
   Pappy

[Pat B]

I chronoed one of my selfbows once and was so disappointed with the numbers I never did it again. I'm certain any of my bows will take any game I go for. The speed of your arrow doesn't guarantee a clean kill. Like the others said, a sharp arrowhead and heavy arrow through the boiler room will do the trick.

[rileyconcrete]

I am going to agree with the quietness.  If you an get close, your bow is quiet and you have a good sharp broadhead, then you will make a kill.  The deer would jump your string from noise, not from lack of speed.  I think you should do fine with the arrow weight, and speed. Just hit it in the right spot and you will have delicious backstraps for dinner! Mmmmmmm............

[Justin Snyder]

A 510 grain arrow at those speeds should be fine. Heavy arrows are great, but you might try lighter arrows also. If it increases the speed enough to make you feel more comfortable then do it. The equipment will do it, so now it has more to do with confidence than most anything else.