Hunting Weight

[El Destructo]

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

                           And when you are My Age.....you will be going in for either a Labral Tear....or Rotator Cuff Surgery too!!!!

[Coo-wah-chobee]

Not necessarily ! Ya a Doctor Mike ?

[El Destructo]

                             Not that last time I checked Bob......Let ME Feel.....Nope ......still a Crane Operator!!!!!!

[Justin Snyder]

I hope so, I would lots rather be cripple from shooting a bow than from swinging a hammer.  Ill probably kill myself on a four wheeler first anyway. 

[Gordon]

I like a 60# bow for my hunting.

[GregB]

When I used to use a recurve, 65# was comfortable. With selfbows and a few more years under my belt, 45-55# is more my speed and plenty for deer in my opinion.

[huntertrapper]

right now i shoot roughly 50# but when i move west i plan to use higher maybe sixties or low seventies.... but for deer a good 45# or maybe a bit lower will work just fine...

[rudderbows]

Joe trapper. Moving west? When and where? Stop by, I am in washington state

[Traxx]

What do i think?
I think this area has been debated since,archery became popular again,and bow seasons were established.There have allways be those,"Taste great!!!Less filling!! kinda arguments ,with good points from both sides.Some by experience n some by theory.Since you mention whitetails as your intended target,i would say you are fine.I believe,that when Dr Ashby's recent studies are published,folks are gonna be surprised at the results.

[Kegan]

I'm still worrying about the bullet-proof aliens .

[kiwijim]

Howard Hill had a good rule of thumb concerning the draw weight for a hunting bow.
It went something like " start with 35# and add 1# for every yard of range you will be shooting to."

I personally like shooting 55-60#, mainly because I shoot heavy arrows and like to get pass-throughs

James

[orcbow]

I'm still worrying about the bullet-proof aliens .

I think about 70# is good for hunting orcs  especially if you armed them with a 58# bow!!

[jamie]

first stone tooled bow i built was 45# ash. one cold morning i walked into a new area the deer there took off and then meandered back. was pitch black and i could here them moving around. one was so close i could hear it breathe. that deer meandered around me for 30 minutes. i thought the light would never break and when it did the 90lb doe was still there. unfortuneatly i was sitting down with my legs crossed and couldnt come to draw in that position. she came into 12 yards and i shot from the chest and buried a 600 grain ash shaft and normanskill point through hers. it just broke through the other side. after it was all over and the deer was in the freezer i was curious to how i even made the shot. and tried it again in the backyard. couldnt do it. i also checked the bow weight at the draw i used. roughly 35 lbs. granted it was a close shot but it was still only 35 lbs and almost passed through.

[david w.]

45-60# are my favorite draws

[kayakfisher]

I believe as we get older our perspectives change ! I before getting into the [real archery world] shot a Bear take down hunter at my draw length it was 52 pounds my wife shot a 40 pound wheelie with carbon arrows and I shot 11/32 POC her arrows at the same distance would blow right through a backstop [hay bales] mine would bury 8 to ten inches in but sound like back stop was getting hit with a cinder block . Now I shoot a 45 pound Osage ,rawhide plains style bow more comfortable to shoot with 5/16 arrows .I would rather something know it been shot than to just blow right through. Thats experience talking I have been shot with a high velocity round went right through the flesh,thigh of right leg did not know I had been hit till the blood started soaking into my boot never really hurt.
                                                                                         Dennis