Bear with me a minute, this may seem like a long question, or a lot of questions, but it's really not, and your answer can be as short as you want. We talk an awful lot about speed on here, faster and faster bows, arrows, etc..From your personal hunting experiences, (not 3-D), how important is speed to you? If you shoot a relativly "slow" set-up, say 220fps or under, have you been sucessful at taking game? Do you think a faster bow, ie. arrow speed, would improve your game taking? If you shoot a much faster set-up than you used to, has it helped put more game on your table? If so, is it due to the greater speed, or more confidence, experience, or other factors?
Bottom line: I'm not looking for "studies show" answers. Strictly from YOUR personal experience, how important to you has speed been in taking game?

I see no difference in the amont of deer I shoot.I was shooting 226 fps now I shoot 269 fps.It's arrow placement.I think a quite set up is more important then speed.

Edited by - Charlie P on 02/07/2002 08:55:49

I've taken a few deer in several years of bowhunting....<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

I'd honestly have to say that I've never killed a deer with my old &quot;slow&quot; bow. The only deer that I've taken heve been shot with setups over 250fps.

I think the speed factor does give me an extended range though. Only because of the trajectory. JMHO

Ive seen more deer and elk taken from this Family since we switched back to traditional bows..mostly longbows..

Dianna

Nowadays I look for a bow that has the specs I want....axle to axle length, brace height, riser design, cam style, draw cycle, etc.... I set it up with my normal arrows, rest etc....and tune it.

After I am done I send it through the chronograph.

Does that tell you how important speed is to me?....Ofcourse I do have a 31 inch draw length and I do shoot at least 65 lbs so I could probably take most bows and get at least 250-260 out of them.

I bought the bow I wanted, the one that felt good. Oh, and it came with a free hat and keychain!! But I got it last July and I have got it tuned and shooting good with the equipment I feel comfy with. It is accurate as heck, killed my first 2 wallhangers this last year. How fast does my bow shoot?? Heck, I don't know!! I have never put it through a chrono. If I did it would be for curiosity.

Always adding Deer Cam picts. Check often.
www.geocities.com/hfpmad

My answer is no. Actually, it is tough for a tall person like me to find a bow that I want. I am 6'2&quot; with a 33&quot; draw. I honestly like a longer A to A bow that can easily handle my draw. It seem like so many manufacturers are overlooking people like me when they are designing new bows. Usually, a bow that will fit is down further on their bow line and is not one of their best sellers. I don't shoot Hoyt, however I do like their bow designs that are offered with different (longer) limbs. Their longer limb bows won't shoot as fast, but who cares, if it fits better. I don't always think that modules are the way to go. I think that a longer draw person needs more limbs. I will definetely consider Hoyt more for the next bow that I buy.

My fastest compound (I owned two) AMOd 215fps. I shot a 550g arrow with the 70# bow, so doubt I hit that speed. Made meat every year.

After turning in my wheels for a wood bow with curves in the limbs, that just happened to be over 30 years old, I made meat with the bow every year for the 7 years that I hunted it. Now I'm shooting a more or less modern design longbow that will shoot around 180fps, but havn't had the opportunity to blood it yet. No doubt that the bow out performs the old recurve, delivering a heavier arrow faster and harder than the curve and will no doubt make lots of meat for me and the family.

Speed would make the arrow flatter and would probably extend my effective shooting range, but since my enjoyment from hunting comes from getting close in to the animal on foot, I don't need the extended shooting distance. I prefer my bow to be whisper quiet and deliver a heavy arrow with authority over shooting a lite arrow faster but having a bit of noise to it.

[Deleted by Admins]

Speed is of secondary importance. As PAB noted, other specifications take precedence. Of course, human whim lends some bias as does the desire to try something different. If I can shoot acceptably with the bow (which determines whether the bow is sold or not), then a chrony's opinion is sought. I don't think speed put any more deer on mt table this past year (shooting BK2) than the slower bows of previous years. Confidence in my abilities and my equipment plays a far larger role. I still get as close as I can - most times I stillhunt or spot & stalk.
Now I'm in the stickbow experimentation phase and speed is nowhere near the BK2 but the fun is the same - just a very steep learning curve!
Mark
Mark