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60# or 70# ?
I have both poundagebows and my Bowtech Tribute is peaked at 60# while my Hoyt Vectrix is peaked at 70#. The lesser pound Bowtech is a dream to shoot and I really wonder why anybody, including myself is buying 70# bows. You basically gain nothingwith the70# bow,except for more kinetic energy which means the arrow sticks in the dirt 3" after it blows through a deer compared, to 2 1/2" in the dirt with the 60# setup. The lesser the poundage, the quieter the bow; that is a known fact. When we step up to a higher poundage bow,most of us know that we are then required to step up to a heavier spined arrow, which in turn keeps the speed out of both bows relativelythe same.My wife and boy shoot 45# and 50# bows and their bows are quieter than mine. My boy at 11 was blowing arrows cleanly through deer at 20 yds with a 40# bow. I really have the 70# setup for elk and moose but in real honesty, how often do most of us hunt these big animals? My wife put an arrow cleanly through a bear last fall with a 45# setup. Is it machoism, ignorance, or do we buy 70# and heavier poundage bows because that is whatour friends, piers, or the pro shops tell us to do? If you are shooting a 70# instead of a 60#, WHY? Just curious if others here are seeing that there is no need to be shooting these 70# bows.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
I'm thinking the same thing, especially since just turning 53 yrs. old. Strange as it may sound, my next bow will most likely be a 60 lber set at 65% letoff just to keep a little more holding weight, yet I won't have to worry about pulling so much unneeded peak weight.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
From what I noticed most of proshops in this area only stock the 70# models, I had to order my bow because i wanted 60# peak wt. the guy at the shop said just crank down the poundage I belive that the top end is where you want to be with any bow if want to get the most out of it..
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
Mostly for hogs. If I get a shot at a 250-300lb boar and I have to shoot through his shield I want to make sure the KE is there. That said I didn't know any better when I got started. People told me that at 6'2" 205 Lbs I needed at least a 60-70# bow. when it is time to replace it I will get the same.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
Correct me if Im wrong but even though the poundages on the same bow might shoot at the same speed. The higher poundage bow will hold that speed longer due to the heavier arrow and inertia. In simpler terms the arrow from the 60lb bow will drop faster than the one from the 70lb bow. Thus you can have a slightly larger margin of error inrange estimation on the 70lb bow.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
I have no problem drawing 70# bows but actually have my bow set at 56# so that I can drawwith the bow slightly canted off my lap. Less movement and I can hold it forever. My buddies draw 70# and have to draw over. I laugh.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
At 70lbs I sighted the bow in at 25yds, it shot 4" low at 40yds its nice to use just 1 pin.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
The noise between my bow at 63 and 72.5 is pretty much the same. My Ally is as quiet as my buddies 60 lb Matthews. I will turn it down5lbsbefore season starts if I can't draw it back sitting in a chair and drawing at an odd angle. Once at full draw it is only 17 lbs. So, I can hold it allday.
And the heavier draw weight will hold the KE, momentum, etc longer than the lower poundage bow. Which means if for some reason you do not hit the animal square you have a better chance of a good shot through vitals. At with that a heavier arrow and you have even more KE & momentum. You can find higher spined arrows with the same weight as the lower spined arrows. So, that's a mute point. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
I guess I just always think of it in these terms.....
Unless my bow's max'd out.....I don't think I'm getting the mfg's ultimate performance from my bow. Plus...it's not an issue to pull at the higher poundage. I shoot a heavy arrow, though. So I hope this helps quieten my bow. Would it kill deer just as well at a lower poundage? I suppose. But....I don't know why I WOULDN'T try to optimize my bow's capabilities. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
Why even use 60#? If 40-45# will kill deer and bear why not just use a 50# bow?
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
Although I can still pull a 70 lb. bow, at age 55 it is something that I pay for if I do it more than three or four times in a row. Yes, there is a some KE loss and trajectory sacrifice shooting a 50/60 instead of a 60/70. But I can shoot a couple hundred arrows a week with the lower poundage bow . . . .
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
I shoot at 70lbs and I am loving every second.
1. I am not louder than I was at 60lbs. I shoot a Mathews. :D 2. It's all about shot placement not the poundage you shoot for a pass through. 3. At 70lbs, I am better off than a 60lbs bow if I hit a deer in the shoulder. (more KE) 4. 70lbs allows me to shoot farther and flatter. Something that 60lbs will not allow you to do. Everybody is different. Shoot the bow that fits you best regardless of the poundage. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
I got my largest buck with a 63# bow at extended range.
So, why at age 65 do I choose to shoot 75#? Because I have to stay in shape for customers who bring 70-100# bows into the shop to be tuned. [:@]:D |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
I shoot 71# not for the perfect shot, but for the shot that may be slightly off andneed to bust thrua bone. Or for that quartering away shot where I might have to blow thru the stomack and liver. The same reason I shoot 2" mechanicals. It gives me a little more margin for error. It also gives me a pass thru on almost every shot, so my arrow isn't clogging up the hole and reducing the blood flow.
I like every advantage I can get against these critters. And like to make sure when I release my arrow it will make it thru everything it needs to. Plus I have no problem pulling back 70# even when sitting or with many layers on. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
Something else I forgot to mention is that I have read thatmost deer are killed at 15 yds or less. All of my 30years of bowhunting have pretty well seen this figure true. I have always owned and shot 70# bows all of my life. This 60# Tribute is my 1st 60# bow and it is more than enough for any whitetail. My 70# Vectrix is easy for me to pull and shoot, but it just seems way overkill IMO. My buddy that works at a proshop says it blows him away when guys walk in and want 80-90# limbs on a bow. Until I got into these forums, I thought that a 70# bow was WAY faster than a 60#er, I learned different.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
Here is another thing to think of....
If I make a marginal shot at 15 yds on a whitetail and it runs out to 55 yds, having a 70lb flatter tragectory bow that I can take an accurate second shot on that whitetail vs. a 60lb bow that might not have enough power to get out that far......well, that is important to me. I would rather have a follow up shot than a 3 hour wait and a6 mile tracking job. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
I get it for the resale. It seems to get more looks at the 60 to 70 instead of 50 to 60 in my experiences that being said i am (was) shooting 70 and you just brought up a good point think ill go get it turned down a lil bit
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
The woods I hunt have no clear shots after 25 yds anyway. If I can't hit it at 15 -20 yds in the vitals there is probably no way in hell that I can expect a followup at50 yds. 50 ydsof free shooting for a followup in my woods is dreaming. Midwest timbers have a stick or twig somewhere out to ruin any thoughts of that. Western hunters taking 50 yd shots and fighting wind, the 70#er witht the heavier arrowwould probably shine. 15 yds in a midwest timber, I can't see an advantage IMO.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
ORIGINAL: Oneshot7 I get it for the resale. It seems to get more looks at the 60 to 70 instead of 50 to 60 in my experiences that being said i am (was) shooting 70 and you just brought up a good point think ill go get it turned down a lil bit |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
HCH
For guys with short DL the extra # help IMO, I agree if I had a 29'' + DL I would buy a 60# bow and max it out. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
I completely understand that Hardcorehunter. I hunt in Sauk County, Wisconsin for one week a year. I grew up there and my family has land.
I typically hunt 10-20 yds from the edge of a soy bean or corn field. So longer shots are definitely realistic in my situation. I have hunted in swamps/river bottoms where my only shots were at 10yds! Everybody is different. Regardless of what weight you shoot....shot placement/accuracy is the most important aspect. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
Thats me Germ, 29". This is my 1st 60#er and it really performs. In really cold weather in an awkward position with a stiff,cold body; it may come in handy.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
I agree with your thoughts 100% hardcore. My next bow is going to be a 60 lber. It's just so much nicer to shoot for longer periods of time around 60 lbs compared to 70 lbs for me.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
It makes no sense to use anything larger than a .243 either. But people still hunt with 30/06's and larger. To each their own.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
If I had no problems pulling a 70# bow at all angles, could minimize my movement, and hold it a long time, I would have gotten a 70#, but I can't, so I have the exact same bow - a 60# Tribute and love it.
I have it maxed out and sometimes wish I could crank it up a notch, but right now it doesn't wear out my shoulder and will be great to pull back in the stand. I think there are plenty of guys who can and should shoot a #70, but I think it is pretty well known (especially with new archers like myself who almost got a 70), that people buy more than they should be pulling. Like Dave said, why not shoot a .243 at deer? I shoot a 270WSM even though I know it's more rifle than I need for deer. Overbowing is a problem, but the solution is not to say that 60# is better than #70, because I don't think it is. According to my manual, it appears to be better to shoot a bow at max or close poundage. That makes sense, if you are going to shoot 61-62, go ahead and get a 60#, don't get a 70# and crank it down that much (at least not all season). It probably won't perform as well and you have a bigger chance of stripping screws, mismatched tension, etc. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
That's a good point Will. If you do not plan on shooting near or at max then buy the next weight down. Shooting at max weight is recommended by everyone I know.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
I'll second that. My 70lb bow will be staying at max.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
After calling in a nice buck and not being able to get the bow back at 70# because of being off balence for the shot 2 years agoI elected to buy a 60# bow and never looked back. Being an Allegence also helps:D.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
50,60,70 or 100 pounds it all comes down to 1 thing. Can you draw the bow back when it matters most. You just better be able to pull it back when the moment of truth comes. IfI can do that comfortably at 70 I'm going to do it. When I get older I'll reduce the weight or buy a bow with a lower draw weight.
Why not practice at a higher poundage and then hunt with the bow turned down a little? Even a few pounds makes a big difference. Even 60#'s can be hard for someone to draw back if that's the only way they shoot and have a tough draw angle. It's all about how well conditioned you are. there's people that have atough time drawing back 60#. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
Many of you are likely more knowledgeable than I about this,but I made the transition to 50 to 60 a few years ago and have never looked back.I have had injuries and physical therapy to both shoulders andit no longer made sense tobe at 60 to 70.
Anarchery instructor once told me that if the expression on your face changes when you draw your bow you are drawing to much weight,he also suggested sitting on the ground and attempting to draw your bow to see if you are over bowed. I understand matching your physical ability to your hunting conditions and everybody should do whats right for themselves.There are a lot of accomplished hunters who kill all kinds of big game at draw weights in the 50's. I had a completepass through on a black bear a couple of years ago at 56 pounds.The bear was 225 pounds,not a monster but a better than average bear for the catskill mountains here in NYS.I was also using mechanical heads. I don't think KE is an issue. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
Itotally agree with what you are saying. Physical abilities should set your draw weight. If you have bad shoulders or back it is very hard to draw back heavier weight and should stay lighter in order to enjoy shooting and not injure yourself.
However,I also believe that many people do not want to stay in shape that are perfectly healthy and therefore go lower on the weight and their excuse is they do not need to use a heavier weight. If you are healthy i think you should use the weight that you can use sitting down and draw straight back. Not using the point to the sky method. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
I've been thinking about this one for a while.
I shoot 3D with guys who shoot anywhere from 55 to 80#'s. Everybody seems to be at a draw weight that they can handle except the 80# shooter. For 3D.....I just don't get it. Our indoor range will ONLY accomodate a 43 yd. shot. For hunting......I don't guess it would be an issue.....BUT.... Randy Uhlmer (sp?) says......if you can't put your sight pin on your target......and draw your bow straight back.....you're over-bowed. The 80# shooter does the "point the bow at the sky" thing when he draws. "I" would imagine that the disadvantage of the extra movement required would off-set any advantage the performance of the 80# bow could give THAT archer. As long as I have no issues with the above scenario, though......I'll max my bow out, performance-wise (for deer). But would I have ANY issues (confidence-wise) taking a 60# bow in to the woods, hunting? Nope. None, whatsoever. Don....you make me think. I think I might try a 60# bow for the next one. In fact.....the Guardian at 60#'s isn't a bad draw cycle. You may have just got something brewing. Thanks:eek::D |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
The point to the sky method usually results in 2 things.Torn muscles or ligaments followed by surgery. IfI can't draw straight backI won't shoot the poundage. I'll add a 3rd. Everyone else looking at you like you are a dumba$$ for shooting a bow too heavy for you.
A 45# bow will work on deer. And the latest bows at 60 are better and faster than my old bow at 70. I just prefer shooting the highestI can in caseI would ever get the chance to hunt something a lot bigger than a deer. AndI know that lighter weight will work onbigger gametoo. It's a confidence factor. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
If you can pull it, shoot it.
Although you strive for it, not every shot ends up being a double lung that only needs to bustsome ribs at max. I am a firm believer in shooting as much Ke as you can handle. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
I have both poundagebows and my Bowtech Tribute is peaked at 60# while my Hoyt Vectrix is peaked at 70#. The lesser pound Bowtech is a dream to shoot and I really wonder why anybody, including myself is buying 70# bows. You basically gain nothingwith the70# bow,except for more kinetic energy which means the arrow sticks in the dirt 3" after it blows through a deer compared, to 2 1/2" in the dirt with the 60# setup. The lesser the poundage, the quieter the bow; that is a known fact. When we step up to a higher poundage bow,most of us know that we are then required to step up to a heavier spined arrow, which in turn keeps the speed out of both bows relativelythe same.My wife and boy shoot 45# and 50# bows and their bows are quieter than mine. My boy at 11 was blowing arrows cleanly through deer at 20 yds with a 40# bow. I really have the 70# setup for elk and moose but in real honesty, how often do most of us hunt these big animals? My wife put an arrow cleanly through a bear last fall with a 45# setup. Is it machoism, ignorance, or do we buy 70# and heavier poundage bows because that is whatour friends, piers, or the pro shops tell us to do? If you are shooting a 70# instead of a 60#, WHY? Just curious if others here are seeing that there is no need to be shooting these 70# bows. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
All back and no brains. I have shot a 70 lb bow my whole life, all set at 60-65 lb. Dumb! I can draw the 70 lb no prob, its holding there for the minute or two that royaly sucks! My next Mathews will be a 60 lber. With out a doubt!
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
My Vectrix is a 70 #'er.......Set on 69.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
ORIGINAL: mobowhuntr My Vectrix is a 70 #'er.......Set on 69. |
RE: 60# or 70# ?
This is an argument I have with myself all the time. I have gone between 62 and 72 pounds back and forth for 10 years. I still don't know the "right" answer.
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RE: 60# or 70# ?
ORIGINAL: Germ ORIGINAL: mobowhuntr My Vectrix is a 70 #'er.......Set on 69. |
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