Need help pulling back compound bow.
 

Yeah, it's kind of sad. I'm having trouble pulling back a compound bow. It's draw back weight is 55. I set it at 45 for now. But I still can't pull back 45. I really enjoy hunting but its frustrating. Im an average kid, 115 lbs, 13, 5"0' - 5"1'and ive been working out to gain more muscle for hunting. I've tried pulling the bow back with a release, and im getting close but it strains my muscles. My dad got me into hunting and the first time I saw him get a 13 point whitetail, was when I knew I wanted to do it. My bow is a Black Bear, the draw length is 30, and the amo compound string length is 36. The bow says 55 draw back weight, but my dad set it to 45. Is that bad?

RE: Need help pulling back compound bow.
 

Welcome to the forum. Keep working out and you will get there. I'd like to recommend that you take that bow to a good local shop and make sure it is fitted to you properly. It sounds to me like it has way too much draw length. At 5' or 5'1" a 30" draw length sounds kind of long. I am 6'2" and my DL is 29". Is that bow a hand me down? If so maybe getting a bow fitted to you and in a draw weight you can handle will be a better way for you to go. Not much can be more frustrating in bowhunting than trying to do it with the wrong gear for you. Bows are very personal things and to work well they must fit the owner. Its not like a gun where one size fits all.

RE: Need help pulling back compound bow.
 

Well, Im going to be growing next year, so I would like to wait for now. I don't like gunhunting, so I got all year to work out. Hopefully it goes good with me. Next year I will probably be 5"7'- 5"9'. I've been 4"8'-5"0' since 6th to now, 8th grade.

RE: Need help pulling back compound bow.
 

The draw length is way too long, even if you can pull it back it's not likely you'll ever shoot consistantly with a 30" draw. I'm 6'1 200lbs and shoot with a 28" draw.

I shot a bow with a 30" draw for 2 years and never really shot all that well, when I was shopping for a new bow I had my DL checked, lo and behold... 28" was the recommendation! I was skeptical but the shop said they'd exchange the bow no questions asked within 14 days. I took it home, 10 arrows later I knew I wasn't going to return it.

I'll advise you to have your draw length checked at a shop and look around for a used bow that fits.

Jim

RE: Need help pulling back compound bow.
 

yea the draw is WAY too long, you probably aren't even hitting the break point which is why you can't get it back. You should probably be shooting a 25" +/- draw bow. It would be better for you. Like others said, even if you did get it back you'd never be able to shoot accurately with it.

RE: Need help pulling back compound bow.
 

That 30-inch drawlength is definately WAY too long for you, bud. Even if you become strong enough to pull that draw weight, it'll be nearly impossible for you to shoot well since your anchor point will be 2-6 inches infront of the let-off zone. At full draw, you'll still be holding close to 45lbs. Do this....stand facing a wall and spread your arms apart as wide as they'll go. Don't strain or stretch, just let them extend to their natural extension. Then have someone measure the distance between your middle fingertips. Take this measurement and devide it by 2.5 and this will give you your correct drawlength. For example....my "wingspan" is 73 inches. 73 devided by 2.5 is 29.2 inches. My bow is set up at 29 inches but I also use a D-loop which adds about .2 inches.

For you to properly shoot your bows' 30 inch drawlength, your wingspan would have to be 75 inches. I'll bet your correct drawlength is closer to 24-26 inches.

RE: Need help pulling back compound bow.
 

Well the bow is my brothers, and he couldnt pull it back until he got 14. He shot just fine and aimed fine when he was 14. So I dont get it...

RE: Need help pulling back compound bow.
 

You should really get a bow that fits you in order to enjoy bow hunting.

RE: Need help pulling back compound bow.
 

I had the same problm when i was your age. i could pull back my 35# bow but not my dads 45#er. my draw length was also too long and i couldnt shoot very good groups at all. now im 15 and i can easily shoot my 60# bear bow a friend gave me. I still cant shoot good groups cause the drawlength is still too long (if anyone remembers my post a while backcalledaccuracy rate).but this year im lookin to buy a new bow. Ifound thatlifting didnt ever help me pull a heavier draw weight,so what i did wasstart off with the small 35# bow and when i gotgood at that,change to a 40# bowect ect. nowthat i can draw 60 - 70#s im gonna gobuy a bow that fits me. thats what idrecomend u do.just workyour way up.

RE: Need help pulling back compound bow.
 

It is much harder to draw a bow that is too long. Peak draw weight is not the only factor in how hard a bow is draw. Go to a local shop and have them let you draw a bow in your draw length. I'm going to guess it will be around 25 or 26 inches. It will be much easier for you draw I am sure of it. Your current bow is WAAAAY to long, if it is indeed set at 30 inches. How do you know for sure it is set at 45 lbs?

How the bow draws and what the let off is makes a difference as well. I have a martin cheeta that is set at 55 lbs and it is a bit stiff for me, where my bowtech and darton I can draw easily at 60 lbs or more.

Also if you are having propblems drawing the bow practicing there is no way you will be able to do it after sitting in a stand for hours when actually hunting.

And there is no way you are going to grow into a 30 inch draw length in the next few years, so you might as well look at getting something that fits you, or possibly having that one modified if you can. If it's an older bow I doubt you are going to be able to get it that short without some serious monkeying with it.

Paul