LBR

Just an observation for anyone interested.

Saturday I shot at a local 3-D tournament (as local as it gets for me anyhow). My buddy was shooting a 35# bow--it's about all he can handle due to arthritus in his wrist. He missed a target--the penetration was something to talk about.

He wasn't shoot 1,000 grain arrows, or single-bevel broadheads, or extrememe FOC. With his 35# bow, he penetrated 4-5" of dirt and another 3" into a tree root with a standard "bullet" point. I don't think he would have any problem shooting clean through a whitetail. The bow had a Trad Tech riser and a set of "Black Max" wood/glass limbs that retail for $130 a set.

Chad

BCRules

I bet that would be close to me shooting deer with my selfbow. And have no doubts, it would penetate a deer as long as there is no shoulder or strange rib deal.

Night Wing

I have two recurves that I bowhunt deer with and one of them is a 37# bow.

Last year, I shot a very heavy 535 grain 2114 aluminum arrow out of it and this year, I'm trying a lighter 2212 aluminum arrow that will weigh somewhere between 471-481 grains after I tweak it a little more. This will give me a heavy 12.72-13.00 GPP arrow.

I plan on bowhunting deer with this lighter arrow setup with my 37# recurve.

burniegoeasily

Heck, I just finished next years hunting bow, it will be pulling 70 lbs at my draw length. The sucker will shoot through my three D. Lol. As for the 35lb draw, I would not use one on an animal. With that said, I have built some, tuned them and they shot well and had great penetration. I just owe it to the animal to use the biggest bow I am proficient shooting. Here in Texas, you cannot hunt with a bow less than 45 lbs for a reason. Not many people take the time to tune a low lb bow to where it will penetrate good enough. Still, I dont know if I would shoot the best tuned 35 lb bow at an animal much larger than a rabbit. Or I would have to be with in 10 yards for something larger.

LBR

You bring up a good point Burnie--tuning makes a big difference in penetration.


That being said, if the arrow is flying sideways, shooting a 100# bow isn't going to get the job done.

KT29

Still shoot my old 35# Tamerlane, mostly at Pdogs anymore. Its still alot of fun, even after many years.

LBR

FWIW, I intend to hunt with the bows I have now (all but one is 60# or more at my draw length), but if the time comes that I have to drop down in weight I know it will do the job as long as I do my part. I've told the story before about my best friend's daughter--we finally measured her draw length and weighed out the bow, and if she came to full draw she was pulling a massive 28# and killed her deer at 26 paces. Would I recommend trying this? Heck no! But I know it can be done--good arrow flight and putting it in the right spot did the job.

Night Wing

Texas has "no" minimum bow poundage for compound bows, longbows or recurves. The only minimum bow poundage is for crossbows and that is 125#. This can be confirmed by TPWD's archery rules.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publicat...al/hunt/means/

I've been bowhunting deer, small feral hogs, javelina with light poundage recurve bows for the last 47 years so I'm no rookie. I wait for a broadside shot at distances around 15 yards or less where my heavy GPP (grains per pound) aluminum arrow can take out both lungs. No animal goes very far without lungs. If I don't get both criteria, I let the animal walk.

burniegoeasily

Thanks nightwing. I have not looked at the laws in a long time. When I started this game, back in the 70s, it was understood that 45# was the minimum. I might have assumed it was the law. I am like you when it comes to hunting, but we have to agree that not everyone does it our way. That is why the compound bow is so popular. Heck, I can remember when people were questioning the use of compounds.

hifinblu

Texas laws on minimum bow weight haven't always been this way. Until a couple years ago there was a minimum of 40#. The minimum # law was changed about the same time squirrels and rabbits were changed to game animals. That made hunting them with an airgun illegal. I'm still trying to figure that one out. You can't hunt squirrels and rabbits with a 1200fps scoped air rifle, but you can hunt them with a 15# bow.
I don't have problem with light bows if a person can shoot accurately. One of my longbows is 37# and I can kill with it. The problem I'm seeing is too many people are not proficient. They buy a light bow, then they bring it out of storage about a month before hunting season when they get hunting fever. Many can't hit a pie plate at 15 yards. Too many dads are taking their kids to the woods with 25# bows. There is a point that a bow becomes too light. That's is a recipe for wounded animals.