my dad works at an archery shop and he said a lot of people are ordering 60# limbs now a days because thats all they really need with the speed of modern compounds.

I agree, but it's a very small minority. There are people who hunt elephants, rhinos, hippos and such. Other than that there isn't a thing in the world that 70# won't handle.

NOW, if we keep our thoughts to the North American continent there isn't an animal walking that 55# or so won't dispatch. It's proven year in and year out by people shooting elk, moose and such with 55# recurves and longbows, which produce about the same a mount of energy as a compound drawing maybe 10# less.

High poundage might seem good, but that's only if you can draw it and then be able to control it well enough to shoot accurately-----every time.

which should gets injured the most the drawing or the holding cause a doctor told me that the holding shoulder gets alot of abuse. been through one surgery but that was job related throwing tires all day long will do it to it .

I injured my shoulder when I first got into archery around age 14. I wanted a higher draw weight/faster arrow and would not settle for it to be to low. Deer came in and I could not get the bow back it was probably around 30 deg out. I kept trying and ended up injuring my shoulder pretty bad. The adrenaline was running pretty good and I did not know I had injured it until later that night.

Ever since then I stay within a reasonable bow poundage for what I can handle. My shoulder has never been the same since that day and still bothers me on occasion.

It took me over 20 years to injure my shoulders. My right shoulder is hurt now. I still shoot 70lbs, but don't shoot 500 arrows a week any more.

The trad bows seem to work easier on the shoulders. I hear folks say they would like to shoot trad but have to shoot wheels due to hurt shoulders. But if they tried they would find that with a wheel bow you are holding more wieght half way thru the draw than any tradbow. And this is a critical place to hurt the shoulders. By the time I get to full draw all the weight is on my back with a longbow.

Yep. I played baseball in highschool and am right handed, but competitive archery has made my left shoulder have occassional pain.

Holding up a 9# bow for 60 perfect shots, plus 10 for practice really takes a toll on the inner shoulder.

I shoot a relatively high DW for most people who compete regularly, bu my stature really needs it. 55#'s indoors for me doesn't yield enough holding weight even with 65% letoff.

Most people are overbowed tho... Good thread

I'm 77 and had to go to a release a few years ago. I now shoot at about 55lbs with my Mathews but you still have to work at it.

This is exactly why i only shoot 60lbs. Ive played baseball ever since i was 7 and was a pitcher. So my shoulder is completly shot. When i move it it pops and cracks and makes all kinds of weird noises. I just hope i never have to go to a x bow.

At 74 yrs of age I have had 4 right shoulder rotator cuff ops followed finally by a complete right shoulder reverse replacement. I used to do the 65# plus stuff but I find (for me) the lower poundage of 53 PDF is more than adequate for pass throughs and most enjoyable for lots of backyard shooting.

I have one bow set at 70# and another at 62# . I am 68 years old so in the next few years , I might have to lower my draw weight . So far it hasn't been a problem .