60lb pull good or go bigger?
 

I have heard that people shoot deer with less but just really getting in to bow hunting and wanted to know if a 60lb pull is enough.

RE: 60lb pull good or go bigger?
 

Well seeing that many, many traditional guys are shooting animals all the time with their setups, 60lbs will work just fine on your compound. Your only drawback is that your shooting distances will be less than if you were pulling 65-70.

You can always set the bow up at 60, shoot that for a few months to get your "bow" shooting muscles strengthened up and then dial her up a bit. No reason why you can't work up to 65-70lbs by next hunting season with ease. If that's where you'd like to be at.

RE: 60lb pull good or go bigger?
 

What type bow are you talking about. There are so many differences in "60 lb. bows". For example I started off shooting a P.S.E. Thunderflight that I was pulling 72 lbs. with and getting 228 ft. per sec. which is pretty slow, and that was with an overdraw. Today I'm shooting a new P.S.E. and pulling about 62 lbs. and getting around 275-278 ft. per sec. Just because a bow has alot of pull weight doesn't mean it is any better than a bow with lesser weight. Also your limbs may be rated at 60 lbs. but you can probally get a little more out of them if you crank it up if needed. Just make sure that whatever you end up doing that you are not struggling to draw your bow. You can get into some very different situations while hunting that you won't in your back yard.

RE: 60lb pull good or go bigger?
 

It's all about getting a matched set. 60 pounds is fine. If you have the wrong arrow, questionable broadheads etc etc... 70 could suck. IT's not so much about speed as it is practice, knowing your limitations and having all your equipment tuned(including the arrows). Don't get caught up in someone elses stories and preferences. Get your advice from a knowledgeable person who's been around the block a few times and tried all the gadgets. Your profile doesn't state your location. If you let us know where you live there is probably someone around here that can steer you toward a reputable proshop. For example, I use Macrotech Archery in Glen Burnie, Md. They carry about 15 manufacturers, have a super knowledgeable staff and will walk and talk you through everything. They'll set up and let you shoot any bow in the store to get you the right fit. They have all the tools and know how to use them. Len gets bows sent to him from as far away as California and Florida for service and tuning. He's not a mail order place, but for his customers he'll do whatever it takes to make you happy. I'm sure there are such places around the country. HE's the best I've found in 35 years of shooting bows in a half dozen states.

RE: 60lb pull good or go bigger?
 

I agree David. 60lbs is plenty of pull for hunting whitetails. The key is to get a weight that is comfortable for you. The last thing you want is to be over bowed and not be able to draw on an animal after sitting in the cold for a couple of hours or have to "draw on the sky" to get it back when an animal is infront of you.

If you're comfortable with 60lbs now I would get a bow rated 55-65 or 60-70 lbs. the more you shoot the toner your mussles will get and if you feel you need to bump it up you'll be able to. Bows tend to shoot better near the top of their weight rating IME.

Good luck!

RE: 60lb pull good or go bigger?
 

Is 60lb enough yes BUT only if you can draw it with ease & then hold your draw for 5 to 15 seconds.
I don't know how many hunters try to work with more draw weight than they can draw easly.
If you can do it easly then try it from a stand it will be diff.
If you can draw 60 lb with ease then try more lb.
I know guys that only draw 50 lb & get their deer every year.
Speed & draw weight are way over rated.
People are trying to do bigger & bigger to off set lack of skill (practice)
and not having bow set up right & tuned for aroww there their using.

Not just shooting off here used to work in a shop & saw this all the time .
If we could get guys turned down to a weight they draw easy & tuned there bow to it they never looked back.

RE: 60lb pull good or go bigger?
 

People get way to caught up in draw weight. Fact is that bows have been kiling deer for MANY years and modern compounds are way more powerfull than they use to be. People take deer and bigger game every year with 45-50 pound recurves and even under 40 lbs compounds (where legal).

Match the bow to YOU, then match the arrow and BH to the bow and you will have a whitetail killing machine as long as you do your part and only take shots in your effective range and hit where you need to hit!

I hunt with 63 lbs and in Sept shot it through about 3-4 feet of elk, through a rib and found the arrow 30 yards on the other side of the elk laying in the grass. For whitetails it has never failed to pass through, usually burying 8-12 inches into the ground.

Take good shots, with a SHARP broadhead and you will be all set.

--Bob

RE: 60lb pull good or go bigger?
 

Douglas, This is more than enough draw weight for whitetail deer. A tuned bow with matching arrows and sharp broadheads is MORE than enough set at 60 lbs. ;)

RE: 60lb pull good or go bigger?
 

Indiana will let you shoot whitetails with a minimum 35# draw weight ,
if your broadheads are sharp and the KE is there you'll be fine .

RE: 60lb pull good or go bigger?
 

60lb is plenty if you tune it right and get your arrows flying true. You have to be comfortable and smooth drawing at whatever weight you choose. I am a big guy 6'3" 280lbs and I hunt with 65lbs. I used to shoot 72lbs, but with the lighter weight I am able to draw smooth in cold weather and I can hold it back for 1min and 30 sec without shaking which is beneficial when I draw and a deer decides to take more time than I expected to enter a lane I can shoot.