huntignson,

I commend the way you are going about archery hunting with your wife. If you limit the range the lower draw weight bows are acceptable. And you are having her shoot the highest weight she can comfortably shoot.If more people would do that we wouldn't need this argument.

The problem comes in when people start flinging arrows at animals at distances their skills do not allow. I'm not going to recommend any minimum weight. Our ancestors were killing animals with weapons that were nowhere as lethal as what we have today.

In the same token I believe that you should use the highest weight you can in case of a mishap. Today's 45# definitely are more lethal than the 55# bowI started off with andI think if a person is using new technology that's just fine. I just hate the idea of an arrow sticking out of an animal due to insufficient energy. That's why I go as high asI can comfortably shoot.