I have a question that has probably been asked many times. I apoligize if that's the case.
Here in Oregon were are required to hunt with no more than 65% leftoff. There are alot of bow manufactures that offer 80% let-off on their bows and shops usally have them set that way. I shot a Liberty and Pat SC and both were set at 80% let-off.
Does it make sense to have them turned down to 65% let-off and shoot them before buying. My current bow a Martin Pantera has always been set @ 65%.
What characteristics change going from 80% to 65%? Besides holding more weight, is the draw cycle the same? Does anything else change.

Thanks in advance, Camo

Well with 80% let off your holding less poundage back, but 80% also slows your arrowspeed out of the bow.

65% you hold more poundage back and the arrow speed is faster.

hope this helps

Archer18.. I'd normally agree w/ you.

But on the Bowtechs Icam... the same cam is used to go from 65-80% letoff... you just lengthen the draw stop for the higher letoff.. which means that the cam has to go past the 65% mark... so would the arrow actually fly faster due to the slightly longer power stroke?

A bow set at 65% letoff is a bit less inclined to torque than the same bow at higher letoff and, I think, is more consistently accurate because of that.

Frankly, I don't think it makes a bit of sense for a pro shop in a state with a legally mandated 65% letoff to be offering any bows in their shop at 80% (of course, I don't think any letoff over 65% makes a lick of sense anyway). The vast majority of their customers are going to be hunters and not strictly 3D'ers. I hope the shops inform their customers the bows are illegal for hunting until the letoff is changed?

Most of the shops here have the 65% cams on their bows. The ones I go to you would have to ask for the 80%. I do agree, I don't know why you would want to. When I moved to Oregon, I had to get a new cam for my bow. I always thought I had the 65, but when I really dug into it, I did not. Why would you want to have more than 65% before this year? What if you lucked out, and arrowed a buck for the book? Sure would suck to not put it in theh book because you wanted to hold a few less pounds.

JMAC

Here in Idaho I know they are trying to get it legal to hunt with 80% let off, haven't heard if it passed yet. I think that if it's going to help make an accurate shot on an animal verses a bad shot they should make it legal. For instance elk hunting you have got to get the bow pulled back before the bull sees you, and alot of times you are holding your bow back anywhere say from 15-30 seconds to a minute, waiting for the perfect broadside shot, and with 80% let off I feel will help on more accurately placed shots on game and less wounded game.

I don't know how many times I have walked into a pro shop and the owners "pushed" a bow at me set at 80% letoff. I almost got into an argument at one shop when I told the owner I wanted to pull a Hoyt set at 65%. He told me I would like the higher letoff better. I said no, I've shot bows for many years and if its not 65% I am not interested. Needless to say, he finally found one on his rack that was set at 65%. I didn't buy the bow, but he was almost astounded that I preferred 65%. Same thing happened in another shop with a Matthews LX. It was set at 30"/80% so I pulled it. Although it felt nice I told the shop I needed it adjusted to the 29.5"/65% mode. Too busy at the time with other customers I never got to feel it or shoot it at my normal draw length and letoff. But this is another story about Matthews I will bring up in another topic.

Take a new bow in the rack, a guy already looking to buy or trade, set it at 80% and the hook is set![>:]

Just be aware, the greater the 'let offs' the 'easier' it is to distort the bow string and the 'easier' to torque the bow left or right.

Robinhood, I disagree with the entire premise of your post. 80% letoff makes a bow more critical to shoot, more sensitive to form errors and that makes it less accurate in hunting conditions, in my estimation. You do NOT have to have the bow predrawn to shoot an elk, or any other animal. You do not HAVE to wait at full draw 15 seconds to one minute to get a broadside shot. You can wait until that broadside shot is there and then draw and shoot. A great many traditional shooters get their elk each year doing exactly that.

And having high letoff that you can hold forever means you can get tired holding that draw wich can cause you to have an increased chance of making a bad shot. Or you can get the old buck fever anxiety, sweats and shakes while waiting and wind up punching the trigger at the first glimmer of a shot. Another good chance for a bad shot.

Thanks for the response guys.
I am headed out right now to shoot the Liberty & Pat S/C again. I will find out for sure what they are set at and if they will set them up @ 65% let-off. When I get back I may be the proud owner of a new bow