Good draw weight for NA Big Game?
04-01-2007, 11:13 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Rocky Mtns of Colorado
Posts: 20
Good draw weight for NA Big Game?
I'm a newbie to bowhunting and trying to decide what is a good all around draw weight to hunt just about any North American big game with. I was at Bass Pro all morning shooting bows and trying them at different draw weights to see which was most comfortable to shoot over and over. Granted some of my strugglewas learning to use muscles I thoughtI never had or just retraining them to pull some of the heavier draw weights and I'm sure with a lil practice it would be no problem. But anyways, I started shooting @ 75lbs and that got old after a couple pulls. Knocked it down to about 55-60lbs and shot real consistent at that weight. Even if I went down to 55lbs is that sufficient for hunting something as large as an elk if the shot was within 40yds? And secondly, if I bought a bow that a weight range of 60-70lbs and had it @ 55lbs (they actually did that on one of the bows today), how would that affect the bow other than being a lil slower. Could it damage it over time shooting it lower than its specified range? I need to start working out again!!! LOL
04-02-2007, 08:03 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 4,668
RE: Good draw weight for NA Big Game?
Shooting your bow at lower then peak weight will not damage it that I know of.........it just will not perform as well as it would at peak weight.
I would say anything 50lbs+ is plently for deer sized game and 60+ for Elk or Moose sized animals.
Your broadhead choice will be MUCH more of a factor in how well your shot penetrates then your draw weight IMO.
I would say anything 50lbs+ is plently for deer sized game and 60+ for Elk or Moose sized animals.
Your broadhead choice will be MUCH more of a factor in how well your shot penetrates then your draw weight IMO.
04-02-2007, 08:06 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,296
RE: Good draw weight for NA Big Game?
There are a lot of variables in what you want, for draw lbs go with what feels right, you can always bump it up. Then you will have to match arrow (decide if you want to go heavy or light) and broadhead (fix blade or mechanical). Good placement is the most important thing.
04-02-2007, 09:39 AM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Kodiak, AK
Posts: 2,877
RE: Good draw weight for NA Big Game?
Shooting a bow below the minimum factory weight may cause the limb bolts to strip out and have a catastrophic failure of the limb pocket. I say 'may' because it depends on the manufacturer but I feel that most of them engineer in enough safety margin below the minimum that you'd be alright a few pounds lighter, I just wouldn't want to find out the hard way...[:@]
[X(] Don't do it.
As far as minimum weights for all North American game you've got to take into consideration not so much elk but the toughest critters to penetrate in N.A.; moose and mountain goats, or the long 60 yd. shots at caribou... 50# is certainly adequate to kill either in the right situation but once again, it's not the right situation you need to consider but it's the extreme. I hunt moose, mountain goats and brown bear (not that it takes much to penetrate a brown bear) every year with my 70# bow and 500 grain arrows. Sure I could do it with the average 60# bow and 350 grain arrow but I can comfortably shoot 70# so why not have that extra margin of error? However, it does no good to have a 70# bow that you can't shoot... I'd rather hit a critter in the vitals with 60 lb. ft. of KE rather than miss one with 75. Take an honest look at yourself and what you're going to be doing with the rig and consider the extremes of what you might get into. If you've got the extremes covered then you're plenty fine for every day.
[X(] Don't do it.As far as minimum weights for all North American game you've got to take into consideration not so much elk but the toughest critters to penetrate in N.A.; moose and mountain goats, or the long 60 yd. shots at caribou... 50# is certainly adequate to kill either in the right situation but once again, it's not the right situation you need to consider but it's the extreme. I hunt moose, mountain goats and brown bear (not that it takes much to penetrate a brown bear) every year with my 70# bow and 500 grain arrows. Sure I could do it with the average 60# bow and 350 grain arrow but I can comfortably shoot 70# so why not have that extra margin of error? However, it does no good to have a 70# bow that you can't shoot... I'd rather hit a critter in the vitals with 60 lb. ft. of KE rather than miss one with 75. Take an honest look at yourself and what you're going to be doing with the rig and consider the extremes of what you might get into. If you've got the extremes covered then you're plenty fine for every day.
04-02-2007, 10:36 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Cenral Illinois
Posts: 3,180
RE: Good draw weight for NA Big Game?
ORIGINAL: KodiakArcher
Shooting a bow below the minimum factory weight may cause the limb bolts to strip out and have a catastrophic failure of the limb pocket. I say 'may' because it depends on the manufacturer but I feel that most of them engineer in enough safety margin below the minimum that you'd be alright a few pounds lighter, I just wouldn't want to find out the hard way...[:@][X(] Don't do it.
As far as minimum weights for all North American game you've got to take into consideration not so much elk but the toughest critters to penetrate in N.A.; moose and mountain goats, or the long 60 yd. shots at caribou... 50# is certainly adequate to kill either in the right situation but once again, it's not the right situation you need to consider but it's the extreme. I hunt moose, mountain goats and brown bear (not that it takes much to penetrate a brown bear) every year with my 70# bow and 500 grain arrows. Sure I could do it with the average 60# bow and 350 grain arrow but I can comfortably shoot 70# so why not have that extra margin of error? However, it does no good to have a 70# bow that you can't shoot... I'd rather hit a critter in the vitals with 60 lb. ft. of KE rather than miss one with 75. Take an honest look at yourself and what you're going to be doing with the rig and consider the extremes of what you might get into. If you've got the extremes covered then you're plenty fine for every day.
Shooting a bow below the minimum factory weight may cause the limb bolts to strip out and have a catastrophic failure of the limb pocket. I say 'may' because it depends on the manufacturer but I feel that most of them engineer in enough safety margin below the minimum that you'd be alright a few pounds lighter, I just wouldn't want to find out the hard way...[:@]
[X(] Don't do it.As far as minimum weights for all North American game you've got to take into consideration not so much elk but the toughest critters to penetrate in N.A.; moose and mountain goats, or the long 60 yd. shots at caribou... 50# is certainly adequate to kill either in the right situation but once again, it's not the right situation you need to consider but it's the extreme. I hunt moose, mountain goats and brown bear (not that it takes much to penetrate a brown bear) every year with my 70# bow and 500 grain arrows. Sure I could do it with the average 60# bow and 350 grain arrow but I can comfortably shoot 70# so why not have that extra margin of error? However, it does no good to have a 70# bow that you can't shoot... I'd rather hit a critter in the vitals with 60 lb. ft. of KE rather than miss one with 75. Take an honest look at yourself and what you're going to be doing with the rig and consider the extremes of what you might get into. If you've got the extremes covered then you're plenty fine for every day.
