# Finger Shooting and bow poundage



## mattsawyear (Sep 1, 2007)

Hi all,

I'm new to finger shooting with compound bows. I figured if 40-50# with a compound is enough to kill small/medium thin-skinned creatures, then there's no diff shooting that bow/weight either with fingers or mechanical release. But I've noted people here in this forum talking about 100# bows for finger shooting. Can you pros out there please enlighten me as to why such high poundage is required for F/S? Am I underpowered with 40-50# bow shot with fingers?

Thanks,
Matt


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## Harperman (Sep 3, 2006)

Alot of deer and black bears have been killed with 40# and up wooden longbows with string follow, and other more modern glass laminated designs...A 40# to 50# compound with a good set-up and tune , and the proper arrow placed where it belongs will kill any deer, or black bear, or elk...I know folks that have killed deer with low to mid 40# recurves, and the deer died just as fast as they would have if they had been shot with a 70# bow...Get a broadhead into both lungs, and deer die quickly...I hope that this helps....Harperman


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## biblethumpncop (May 14, 2004)

As Jim said, a 40# recurve with the proper weight arrow and placement has killed many deer through the years. Some like heavy weight because they shoot larger game animals. Others prefer the flatter cast of the arrow, so they increase the weight.

In the 80's and early 90's, before the popularity of carbon arrows, people wanting more speed from compounds, were required to shoot either an overdraw, or heavy bow weight, or a combination of both. Now with the advancement in carbon arrows, a person can shoot a medium bow pulling weight, carbon arrow, and get excellent speed. 

Also remember, with today's higher percentage letoff bows means less holding weight on the fingers. A clean release needs "some" weight being held on the fingers. A 40# bow with 75% letoff means you hold only 10#. I would have a hard time letting go of a string with only 10#'s of pressure. 

As you can see, there are many reasons why someone would prefer heavy weight. I only shoot 60#, and have enough energy for kills on elk. With heavier weight comes the potential for shoulder and elbow injuries. I had shoulder surgery last year and don't want to experience it again. I use to shoot a 67# recurve for a couple years. That may have contributed to some of the damage. Pull the weight that feels comfortable for YOU, and don't worry if someone else can "pee" farther than you.

Proper form and proper draw weight will help eleviate future shoulder problems in archery. Just my opinion. Good luck.


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## jcs-bowhunter (Jul 7, 2007)

This is all personal preference. I shoot 70# because I am comfortable with it and it gives me a reasonable arrow trajectory for both hunting and 3D at longer distances. I know that as I am approaching my half century birthday in very few years I am have to begin backing down on the poundage. Shoot whatever feels right to you, if your in the 40-50# range and take the time have a decent tune, sharp broad heads and good shot placement, you can be successfull on deer-size animals


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## ceebee (Dec 3, 2002)

Matt shoot what you like. I shoot with a fifty pound bow, but when I tune to fit my arrows I back off on the weight to fit. I think I am shooting targets now at about fourty two pounds. Thats where my arrows shoot the best. If your wanting to hunt I would stay at fifty - fiftyfive unless your going after big brown bear or moose.
Charlie


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## mattsawyear (Sep 1, 2007)

Guys - thanks a lot for the pointers. I'm really happy that you folks here don't carry such heavy chips on their shoulders and egos the size of trucks, unlike some other forums I've been in.

Here's another point - with a recurve, I can shot 35# ok. Now, if I have a 75% let-off compound bow of say 60#, that's holding only 15#! I'm thinking I can go to a 70# compound bow with 75% let-off (say), and still be comfy to hold it. That way, I can be within my 'strength' limit and still be able to hold steady while waiting for the shot, and, enjoy the benefits of higher arrow speed and flatter trajectory.

Am I grossly mistaken on this thought!!?!?! Please be brutally honest...!


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## elecshoc (Dec 7, 2006)

well you still have to roll the cams over at whatever the bow is set at, that means your still straining you shoulders at the poundage that the bow is set at. If your not use to pulling 60 to 70 pounds there is a chance that you could strain you shoulders too much or you could start bad form habits such as sky drawing your bow.


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## ceebee (Dec 3, 2002)

Matt, ....IF you go to a seventy pound compound you still have to pull the seventy pounds. It's not the hold that gets you. It's the pull to get it over the hump. The other thing you will get into is the arrow. The heaver the bow the heaver the arrow, although with the carbon arrows being so light it's not as noticeable. Are you going to do targets ( indoor and outdoor?) 3-D or hunt?


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## mitchell (Mar 5, 2005)

Some guys really, really like low let off, and shoot better with them. Others seem to be fine with the high let off. Same for hard wall, vs valleys. So don't assume you will have to accept the low let off.

Also, the cams make a difference, at least to me. The Mathews Conquest and Apex cams are so smooth it does not bother my shoulders (rotator issues). The Constitution (which I otherwise really like) is more testy. The Martin Razor seems to be closer to the Mathews to me. I feel sure much of this is personal. But the bottom line is that the cam choice may also affect the max poundage you feel comfortable with.

A few years back I was shooting 49# recurves with carbons weighing around 425g and killed a number of deer and a couple of really big pigs. Almost any compound at 40#+ is adequate on deer sized animals, in the opinion of most.


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## Harperman (Sep 3, 2006)

Mitchell, thats another reason that I am liking the Martin Nitrous cams....they feel very smooth to Me, and have lower let-off than alot of cams, and the short valley/hard wall is nice to pull into...I have My SlayR cranked out to 55#, and I'm still holding around 19 pounds or so...at 63#, I am holding about 23#....clean release, and with good back tension, the release hand comes back real nice...I can shoot 6 arrows through a chrono, and stay within + or - 1 f.p.s....Did You get a Razor X yet??..I have an older Scepter coming in the mail, with Fury X cams on it...I'll probably put Nitrous X cams on it this winter....Take Care..Harperman


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## Harperman (Sep 3, 2006)

mattsawyear said:


> Guys - thanks a lot for the pointers. I'm really happy that you folks here don't carry such heavy chips on their shoulders and egos the size of trucks, unlike some other forums I've been in.
> 
> Here's another point - with a recurve, I can shot 35# ok. Now, if I have a 75% let-off compound bow of say 60#, that's holding only 15#! I'm thinking I can go to a 70# compound bow with 75% let-off (say), and still be comfy to hold it. That way, I can be within my 'strength' limit and still be able to hold steady while waiting for the shot, and, enjoy the benefits of higher arrow speed and flatter trajectory.
> 
> Am I grossly mistaken on this thought!!?!?! Please be brutally honest...!


......Matt...try this test, it works for Me....Hold the bow out in front of You, like Your gonna shoot it....Draw it straight back to Your anchor....using Your back muscles...If You can do this without ANY bobbling or strain, the bow is light enough....In the deer woods, the less movement the better...it will also keep You from having to draw the bow out of alignment, then getting back into alignment, and establishing proper back tension...A fairly young person, with healthy joints can add bow weight pretty quickly, as long as they dont over-do the amount of time that They shoot....At 75% let-off, the holding weight difference between 60#, and 70#, is approx. 2 1/2#...not enough difference to justify pulling the extra 10 pounds, unless the 70# is easily pulled...My UltraTec is a 70# bow, with 75% let-off...I shoot it at 63#, and draw the bow with 3 fingers, and drop a finger at anchor, I can also shoot it with one finger holding the string...In the I.B.O., most of the better shooters that I have watched shoot, and talked to, shoot with either 2, or one finger holding the string at anchor...and most of them shoot high let-off, and light arrows...What brand of compound are You shooting??...Some have draw stops that allow for let-off percentage adjustment...Most will shoot faster at lower let-off, and that will then allow You to draw less weight, by a few pounds at least...I hope that this helps out....Take care...Harperman


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## biblethumpncop (May 14, 2004)

In a similar manner to what Jim just said, I have a person sit on a chair and draw the bow. If you can do that with pulling it back, slowly and straight as if you were in a blind or tree stand, then you can handle the weight. The key is to do it while sitting, and draw back straight and SLOWLY!

I think we are forgetting that you are only hunting deer sized game. Your draw weight is plenty for that. Keep the broadheads sharp and you'll be fine.


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## mitchell (Mar 5, 2005)

Jim,

I'm sending you a PM on the razor deal. Check em will you.

I'm having more tuning issues with the Matthews, and for the life of me cannot figure out why. But the dual cams seem pretty easy. I'm sure its probably something I'm doing wrong, but the dual cams seem so easy to tune. And for me, the roll over on the Martin is pretty darn smooth.


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## Karoojager (Dec 20, 2005)

Matt,

I shot in the last seven years a Conquest II with 75# by my African hunts. This bow was good enough for all the plains game and deer, elk, moose and black / brown bear. Now I practice with a Mathews Safari by 85# and will push him up in to the next couple of month to 95# for a giraffe next year in Africa.
For cape buff, giraffe, elephant and hippo you need more than 65# because the hunting regulations in Africa want this.
I have no shoulder or finger problems to pull this poundage, but only because I increased the poundage slowly step by step.


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## nickorette (Dec 25, 2006)

I say shoot as much as your comfortable with. There's no point in getting yourself injured just to match up in poundage with archers that have been shooting every day for 30 years. 

Yeah alot of people talk out of their @$$. 100lbs -it's possible they pulled back 100 lbs once, but I'd like to see someone pull back 100 lbs on a hard cam for a regular shooting session; a good 50-100 shots. If they can do that I'm sure they're also in the iron man competition.


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## Karoojager (Dec 20, 2005)

nickorette said:


> I say shoot as much as your comfortable with. There's no point in getting yourself injured just to match up in poundage with archers that have been shooting every day for 30 years.
> 
> Yeah alot of people talk out of their @$$. 100lbs -it's possible they pulled back 100 lbs once, but I'd like to see someone pull back 100 lbs on a hard cam for a regular shooting session; a good 50-100 shots. If they can do that I'm sure they're also in the iron man competition.


Hi Nick,

I agree with you completely, a tournament with 100lbs bow is impossible ( exept for Chuck Norris:wink: ). This kind of bows is only conceive for one or two shoots at big game. I am happy if I can pull my bow five times in a row and hit the target center at 20 yard. Normally one shoot must be enough for a giraffe, and only for this hunt I use the Safari with 95lbs. By my normally hunt at planes game I use my bow with 75lbs set up.


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## Bowdon (Aug 17, 2004)

Back in the 60's must bowhunter I knew shot 55 to 65 lbs recurves and shot 35 to 45 lbs target with clickers, 35 Lb mostly indoors and 40 to 45 outdoors. When a lot of use went to the compound we shot as heavy as we could to get off the string good. The lighter weight was hard to get a good release. I know I had a hard time shooting a compound. You need to remember the first compound where only about 10 to 15 % reduction. A string you should have as much weight as you can on you fingers, so your finger can get away from the string. I won a lot of state and national shoots back than with my recuve sights, had a 300 average indoors and shot in the 280s to 290 indoors with my 65 Lb recurve barebow and shot a tons of deer. Overdrew are not that new we had them back then too a lot built right in to the handle of the recurve not for shooting shorter arrows, but for getting the braking point over your wrist for archer who shot high wrist. You have two pivot points your hand contact on the bow handle and your wrist. Thats way now days we shot with a low wrist grip. By putting the butt of your hand on the bow you don't have a pivot point over your wrist. I don't shoot finger any more and don't do as well at shoots, in the top, but not winning like back in the old days, but also I'm a old man now


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## bowjunkie2 (Dec 12, 2004)

I'm just a bowhunter and not at all interested in the 3d circuit sytle bow equipment. I want a comfortable pulling, quiet shooting , heavy, momentum carring arrow that wiil take down game out to my 40yd.limit. Thats why I shoot xx78 2117's with buzzcut heads for a total wt of 545gr. My draw wt. is set to 57#'s. This setup works great for me!


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