Am I underbowed?
03-08-2006, 03:04 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 276
Am I underbowed?
...if that's the right term
Anyway, I feel like I am but don't want to crank up the poundage just to find myself overbowed in the woods. I'm a superfly weight guy at 120lbs and shoot a 60# Hoyt. Shooting in my yardeven in the cold,I can do it for hours at a time without strain. I'm a righty but can draw my bow without a great dealof difficulty using my left. (just to give you a better idea of where I am with this bow)
I read somewhere that if you can sit cross-legged on the floor with your back straight up and point your bow straight forward then pull straight back slowly and smoothly, chances are you're not overdrawn. I can do this with ease. In fact, I feel like I can probably add another 10#'s and still be fine. However, when you're all bundled up and been sitting in the freezing cold for hours, it's a different story.
I don't want to sell myself short and not pull the optimal poundage. At the same time I haven't been hunting long enough to know where to draw the line and stop cranking the allens on the limbs. I know it's a difficult question to answer but how do you guys gauge what's too little or too much weight? Any input is appreciated.
Anyway, I feel like I am but don't want to crank up the poundage just to find myself overbowed in the woods. I'm a superfly weight guy at 120lbs and shoot a 60# Hoyt. Shooting in my yardeven in the cold,I can do it for hours at a time without strain. I'm a righty but can draw my bow without a great dealof difficulty using my left. (just to give you a better idea of where I am with this bow)
I read somewhere that if you can sit cross-legged on the floor with your back straight up and point your bow straight forward then pull straight back slowly and smoothly, chances are you're not overdrawn. I can do this with ease. In fact, I feel like I can probably add another 10#'s and still be fine. However, when you're all bundled up and been sitting in the freezing cold for hours, it's a different story.
I don't want to sell myself short and not pull the optimal poundage. At the same time I haven't been hunting long enough to know where to draw the line and stop cranking the allens on the limbs. I know it's a difficult question to answer but how do you guys gauge what's too little or too much weight? Any input is appreciated.
03-08-2006, 03:33 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Iowa
Posts: 2,670
RE: Am I underbowed?
Yeah 60# is plenty. Thats what I'm shooting now but the last couple years I was shooting 55 and that is plenty. As said above, shot placement in most important. I know some young kids that have killed deer pulling 38#. I wouldn't recommend that but 60 is plenty.
03-08-2006, 05:27 PM
#9
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blossvale, New York
Posts: 21,199
RE: Am I underbowed?
It sounds like you could comfortably shoot a few more pounds if you wanted to. Not necessary, but you could. The reason you may want to would be to beef up your K.E. and maybe shoot a heavier arrow or heavier head. Lots of reasons to change, but they're basically preference. The only true test would be to sit for an hour in fridgid weather and then have to make a nice smooth draw.[8D]
03-08-2006, 06:32 PM
#10
RE: Am I underbowed?
A 60# bow is fine. You weigh 120 pounds? That's fine... I almost got 100 pounds on you. I am 210 but I am 6' tall too. My brand new bow is a Reflex Highlander and I got it tweaked to 67# and 29" draw. The bow shop noticed me straining a bit with 70# but could easily pull 60#, so the guy tweaked it more and more until we both found a good spot to leave the bow set at.