How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

Thinking of getting a longbow. How many of you guys kill deer with a 45# bow? I see some of you all have longbows cranked up to 65#.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

I know guys that shoot 45 and kill deer...... I believe it's on the very edge of being exceptable...... If you can hit exactly where you're looking, you will be fine......

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

A longbow at 45 pounds will kill any deer. You have to be a bit more selective about what shots you take. You'll need to be close enough so you can place your arrow 'right there.'I'd question penetrationpower past 25 yards or so anyway. You'll have to put just a little more thought into your broadhead selection... And for hog hunting,I'd probably let a larger boar - say, bigger than 250 pounds -walk rather than risk a shot. I'd set my sights on smaller boars and sows.

A heavier bow's extra power opens up a few less than ideal shot angles, makes broadhead selection less critical and lets you hunt bigger animals andstretch out as far as your effective accuracy distance allows. It also helps guys with a less than ideal release get off the string cleaner, but that's a whole 'nuther issue.

After many years and many injuries, along with the onset of arthritis,my shoulders have forced me back to 45 pounds. I'm making a serious evaluation of my broadhead inventory.Dr. Ashby's reports on his broadhead effectiveness studies have me thinking seriously about changing from Magnus II tothe 100 gn Grizzly.I've already got all the other stuff taken care of. ;)

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

I know a lady in PA (actually know her and her husband, and hope to visit with them some this summer) who killed a nice water buck and a record book gemsbok with her 47@26 longbow. Both of these animals are way bigger than a whitetail. I don't remember on the waterbuck, but I know on the gemsbok her broadhead was sticking out the far side.

It's second hand info, but I know guys in AK and Canada and they have told be about guys there killing moose with 45# trad bows. I'd have to get a few under my belt before I tried that though!

Consider arrow flight, shot placement, and broadhead--get these right and you should do fine even on those monster MD whitetails.

Chad

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

took a doe this yr at 15yds with my recurve , which is #45.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

Hmm, kinda concerned. I figure everybody would jump on here and say 45 would be perfect. But I feel I need to start out that low. Maybe 50#.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

Don't be concerned like that. 50 pounds might be perfect for one guy. 75 might be perfect for another. It could be that 45 pounds is perfect for you.A45 pound bow that you can handle easily and shoot well is a lot more deadly than a 65 pound bow that you struggle with. It's just that whenyou're on the lower end of the power scale, you have to hunt a little smarter, be a little more careful with broadhead selection and rely more on finesse. ;)

You also have to keep in mind that not all bows are created equal. A good, snappy45 pounder can throw the same arrow with more force and speed than adog of a 55 pounder.

I failed to mention in my other post that 45 pounds was a very popular draw weight for deer bows back in the 60's.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

Well, I am buying something soon. I would just like to not buy something to learn onand then have to buy something else later. And these badboys are so expensive. I figured I would have all year to work on it. And if I am not ready by fall, just go back to my training wheels.

I want something very traditional. Not a modern recurve which I have shot.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

I've been shooting my #45 for about a yr now. I am currently looking for a new bow , which will be #55. There is no "let off" on a traditional ( as I'm sure you know ) so when you pull #45 or #55 its really that weight. I was surprised by how long you don't/can't hold your draw on a trad.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

Since I doubt there are any shops around you that carry a good selection of traditional bows, I'd suggest going to an all-traditional shoot. Let it be known you're considering trying traditional and would like to try your hand with a longbow. Guys will be practically lining up to let you shoot their bows. You'll be able to try a lot of different draw weights and bow styles in a very short time. That way you'll have a better idea of what draw weight will be best for you to start with. You might very well be able to handle a 50 pounder, or even more.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

where in MD are you from BC ? I know of a shop in DE that is good with traditional bows.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

I am in Westminster. Where at in DE?

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

I agree Arther, thats exactly what i am looking for.There is alot of bowgroups around here. I might contact them. I about laid down 400 big ones and more on a MartinSavannah at Len's shop, (macrotech), but really want to look around more and shooting would be aplus.

Thanks guys.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

John @ shooters supply in New Castle. He is the owner and an avid long bow hunter. He helped me out when I first started. He can order most bows and usually knows someone selling one. You might want to check out some sportsman shows as well. A guy in harrisburg had at least 10 long bows and another 20 recurves.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

Of the several bows I have, most are in the 45-47 lbs, I have shot boars up to 400 lBS with a 45 recurve and recently a 1400 Bison with a 51 # self longbow. It is all shot placement, good and balance arrows and very very sharp broadheads.

I have also shot many exotics and even a leopard with a #47.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

Goodness gracious alex. Quite a collection of animals. Do you guys usually get a pass thru?

I have more than once blown thru a shoulder with a wheelie, not that I wanted to hit it in the shoulder. Once however it broke the broadhead completely off and didn't penetrate far enough. Fortunately it was a deer, a friend of mine over a hill hit and radio'd me to take another shot. It fell down and started blowin and yelping like a banshie, so I only had a 30 yard shot to hit the shoulder. Didn't want you guys to think I was doing this on purpose.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

I rarely Get a pass thru thru, although the arrow sticks out the other side, except with the Bison, the arrow went in behind the front legs in a forward angle, when we opened it the arrow was 90% inside and ha taken the lung and heart arteries.
so pass thru might be nice but not necessary to kill.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

Wow, Alex...thats amazing...
Bigcountry, Im in your exact situation (my Mom got me the bow 5 pounds to light) so Im in the same boat. But, this past season I got a clean pass thru on a quartering away spike (46# Recurve) so Im not terribly worried. I've also heard/seen pictures of a female bowhunter who took a bull MOOSE with a 41# Recurve. Then of course there is Alex...
With proper arrows, hair splitting accuracy, and shaving sharp broadheads, a whitetail shouldn't be any problem for either of us...

Westminster eh? I've got family over there. Over on the other side of the bay in Chestertown...

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

In my home office hangs the last recurve my grandfather hunted with before he passed away in 1989. It's an early 60's Root Game-Master, 45# @ 28", although with only a 26" draw length, he pulled around 42#. The man sure killed a lot of whitetails with that bow.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

:)I have been hunting with 45 pound recurve for several years and have taken deer, coyote,ground hogs and a 300+boar. Out to 30 yards if you practice and have good shot placement it is more then capable of doing the job. practice practice practice.

RE: How many of you kill with a 45# bow?
 

I am hoping to take my first deer with my 45# Gamemaster this Sept.15th:D:D