# Hunting with a 45# recurve



## drenalinhunter1 (Feb 6, 2009)

Just curious as to who hunts with a 45lb set up? I have a 55# bow right now and i can shoot decently with it, but as a beginner it is just too much bow to be consistent and confident enough to hunt with. i love shooting traditional and was thinking about picking up a 45lb bow so i can get a little better and more consistent at it, but would also like to know i could hunt with the bow if i chose to try. For those of you who do, what arrow set up do you shoot, how much penetration do you get. Depending on how it goes i would more than likely limit myself to 15 yards or under. Just a newbie here looking for a little advice from some more experienced shooters! 

PS I would LOVE to see some pics of 45# trad kills too!


----------



## Roughrider (Oct 19, 2012)

A well tuned arrow and a SHARP broadhead will do the job, check out the vid posted today by Jinkster on a stone head.


----------



## drenalinhunter1 (Feb 6, 2009)

Ive got a couple packs of the fred eichler muzzy phantoms, they seem to be wicked sharp. That video makes me even consider a 40# bow an option! My 55# bow is nice but kicks my ass after a dozen shots or so.


----------



## Big Country (Apr 25, 2003)

More than likely your 45# bow is more than enough for deer/black bear sized critters. Just make sure to use razor sharp heads.


----------



## bowhuntrmaniac (Jan 22, 2012)

Have a TradTech Titan 43# at my dl last year shot a 100" 10 pt. (first trad deer) at 15yards with 1916 arrow and Zwickey Eskilite 2-blade. pass thru went down in 50 or so yards. this year, 45# limbs with GT1535's and 20 grn. weights with Eskilites. Make sure arrows shoot straight, BH's sharp, and you won't have a problem. good luck!!


----------



## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

drenalinhunter1 said:


> Just curious as to who hunts with a 45lb set up? I have a 55# bow right now and i can shoot decently with it, but as a beginner it is just too much bow to be consistent and confident enough to hunt with. i love shooting traditional and was thinking about picking up a 45lb bow so i can get a little better and more consistent at it, but would also like to know i could hunt with the bow if i chose to try. For those of you who do, what arrow set up do you shoot, how much penetration do you get. Depending on how it goes i would more than likely limit myself to 15 yards or under. Just a newbie here looking for a little advice from some more experienced shooters!
> 
> PS I would LOVE to see some pics of 45# trad kills too!


45# is more than adequate for hunting anything.... except maybe over in Africa.


----------



## BigPapaGuss (Aug 24, 2013)

got a Ben Pearson Spectre 45# recurve with Allen three blade broadheads ( grizzlies, I think they are called) and some zwickey eskimoes. I've passed through coyotes at 30 yards ( longest shot I'll take at a living breathing critter) and put an arrow in up to the feathers of a mountain lion that was about twenty yards or so away facing me. ( learned that coyotes aren't eh only things listening for hurt rabbits... DX ) so, my blanket and walls say that the 45# bow is quite effective.


----------



## Stone Bridge (May 20, 2013)

I've killed every deer I've taken with 40-41# ILF limbs. (41# OTF)


----------



## Jim Casto Jr (Aug 20, 2002)

I started bowhunting in 1969. Most guys at that time were shooting 45# bows; the rare occasion was someone shooting 40# or 50#. I didn't realize 45# wasn't enough weight until I started visiting the boards. All those dead deer didn't Know we weren't shooting enough weight. :^)

A 45# modern recurve or longbow with properly tuned arrows and sharp broadheads will take any critter in North America. You just have to know your limitations.


----------



## Matt_Potter (Apr 13, 2010)

45 for years - deer - elk & bear

Hey Jim - your old - LOL


----------



## Jim Casto Jr (Aug 20, 2002)

Naw.... I just started real young. lol lol


----------



## drenalinhunter1 (Feb 6, 2009)

thank you for all the help! im sold on a 45# bow, now i gotta find one, off to the classifieds i go


----------



## Curve1 (Nov 25, 2009)

Jim Casto Jr said:


> I started bowhunting in 1969. Most guys at that time were shooting 45# bows; the rare occasion was someone shooting 40# or 50#. I didn't realize 45# wasn't enough weight until I started visiting the boards. All those dead deer didn't Know we weren't shooting enough weight. :^)
> 
> A 45# modern recurve or longbow with properly tuned arrows and sharp broadheads will take any critter in North America. You just have to know your limitations.



My thoughts exactly...I started a little latter though..1975.:smile: We thought a 50-55 lb bow was a BIG bow.


----------



## BigPapaGuss (Aug 24, 2013)

oh! and my son's bow is a 35# recurve. She takes out varmints all the time. mostly pigeons, ground squirells, skunks and the like. the small stuff. meh. But he can't wait to earn nough money to get a "real bow" and try for some tags next year. and next year will be the first year I can try for tags too!


----------



## catboat (Aug 9, 2013)

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=112539


Good reading on tradgang for deer/bear/hunting with "low poundage" (40-45# draw weight) bows.


----------



## Desertlifter (Jul 10, 2012)

Reminds me of motorcycles and the same discussion, more or less. I'm always hearing from riders that they HAVE to ride a liter bike because they are too big for a 600. My 600 puts over 90hp to the ground at the rear wheel, over twice the gumption of any large displacement bike that I rode back in the 70's. Apparently all of those years back then I couldn't ride and didn't know it. 

It still bears discussion, of course. I would say that a 45# bow that shoots very well for a hunter would always be a better bet than sacrificing consistency for a bigger number on the lower limb.


----------



## GEREP (May 6, 2003)

I'm pretty sure the minimum draw weight for deer in NY is 35lbs. That should tell you something.

If you hit them where you are supposed to, 45lbs will be more than adequate. Very seldom does extra weight make a bad shot good. If you miss them clean, a cruise missile is no more effective than a pea shooter.

KPC


----------



## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

A good 45# bow is only putting out about 36 ft-lbs of KE. Some sixty or so years ago folks were only getting 36 ft-lbs of KE out of 65-70# longbows made of wood. If you WANT to shoot a heavy bow, that's fine, but there is no NEED to do so. People get so wrapped up with the idea of "power" that they forget the basics- a razor sharp broadhead, solid accuracy, and good hunting practices. You don't need a ton of power to make a good shot through the vitals. Deer don't wear armor.


----------



## Beendare (Jan 31, 2006)

*45# kill*

Had to turn my ILF down to 45# due to elbow problems last year, 488gr arrow with the big Snuffer head [if I ever shoot low # again it will be with a 2 blade Buzzcut]

15 yd shot, he went maybe 50yds. He was walking, hit off side leg with small hole on off side but no complete pass through


----------



## BarneySlayer (Feb 28, 2009)

Is 46# close enough?


----------



## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

BarneySlayer said:


> Is 46# close enough?


Geeze, really? What are you doing, trying to show off? Lighten up Hercules! :wink:


----------



## BarneySlayer (Feb 28, 2009)

kegan said:


> Geeze, really? What are you doing, trying to show off? Lighten up Hercules! :wink:


Fine...

Be that way.

I'm going to go sulk now and comfort my ego with a protein shake.


----------



## Matt_Potter (Apr 13, 2010)

BarneySlayer said:


> Fine...
> 
> Be that way.
> 
> I'm going to go sulk now and comfort my ego with a protein shake.


You know if you lifted weights and maybe took up wrestling you might man up to a real bow ;-)

Matt


----------



## BarneySlayer (Feb 28, 2009)

Matt_Potter said:


> You know if you lifted weights and maybe took up wrestling you might man up to a real bow ;-)
> 
> Matt


*having been dressed down by his former Hero, Colin plods back to the locker room, wistfully hoping for some has been football player to offer him a sweaty towel in exchange for some liver-killing syrup beverage, because that would fix everything.*


----------



## reddogge (Jul 21, 2009)

BarneySlayer said:


> Is 46# close enough?



Watch out! You don't want to overbow yourself. Be safe and drop down to 45#.


----------



## BarneySlayer (Feb 28, 2009)

reddogge said:


> Watch out! You don't want to overbow yourself. Be safe and drop down to 45#.


Okay, I'll just drop my draw length a bit.


----------



## 4 Fletch (Jan 25, 2014)

Desertlifter said:


> Reminds me of motorcycles and the same discussion, more or less. I'm always hearing from riders that they HAVE to ride a liter bike because they are too big for a 600. My 600 puts over 90hp to the ground at the rear wheel, over twice the gumption of any large displacement bike that I rode back in the 70's. Apparently all of those years back then I couldn't ride and didn't know it.
> 
> It still bears discussion, of course. I would say that a 45# bow that shoots very well for a hunter would always be a better bet than sacrificing consistency for a bigger number on the lower limb.


I've a good friend who used to build 900 Kawasakis that did close to 200mph. One day some guy on a 650 Yamaha left my friend at a stoplight. When he finally caught up to the guy on the 650, it turned out it wasn't really a 650. Well, it might have_ started_ life as a 650... the guy was a machinist, who'd made all the parts so it _looked_ like it was a stock 650. 

FWIW a friend took three deer on opening day a couple years ago with the same recurve I have, which is 38# @ 26". His compound DL was 29", so technically he was legal. I don't think those Bambis and their mother knew he'd left his 100# Howard Hill at home, or how light his bow was. Altho not having been there and without the ability to speak Deer, I might be wrong.


----------

