# Is a 45# recurve enough to hunt deer?



## manowar669 (Apr 8, 2009)

Typical range under 25 yards, with a cut on contact head. I'm just curious if it's enough. I'm thinking of trying a traditional bow next season, and looking at bows that are out there. I'm a pretty strong guy, so I'm not worried about being able to hold the weight. I was shooting a 40lb recurve when I was 14. I shot a 92lb compound in college with 50% letoff, and I can dumbell row 140lb dumbell in each hand, so with a year training, if I'm good enough in the accuracy department, I'll give it a go. I really don't want to buy several bows. I've read a lot of the advice here about getting an ILF bow, so I'll probably go that route, but there are plenty of second-hand bows out there, and I see recurves at yard sales even, for almost nothing.


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## guyver (Jan 3, 2012)

With well designed limbs, 45 is plenty. The above was shot with a 45# at 29" and the arrow passed through completely with a big 175gr sniffer 3 blade.

I think 45 is a good balance of power and ability to use good form (not having to fight the bow) for me at least. Now if I could handle 55 or 60 as easily as 45, then it a no brainer, but I can't.


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## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

Is 45lbs. enough?

ABSOLUTELY....especially with any well made bow.

Guyver...NICE deer! :thumbs_up

Ray :shade:

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## SonnyJ (Sep 2, 2012)

45 is more than enough...accurate placement is more important than weight, imo. Once you get over 40 lbs you're good in most states I believe.


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## MacIndust (Feb 7, 2012)

I sure hope so because that is what I am using


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## concept (Aug 27, 2003)

SonnyJ said:


> 45 is more than enough...accurate placement is more important than weight, imo. Once you get over 40 lbs you're good in most states I believe.


Yes 45 pounds is enough to take a deer.I killed my first deer with a 25 pound bear recurve at 12 yards.


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## dougedwards (Sep 5, 2010)

Yes....It's enough to kill a deer and the one behind it.

Doug


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## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

In a word Yes


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## Chupacabras (Feb 10, 2006)

dougedwards said:


> Yes....It's enough to kill a deer and the one behind it.
> 
> Doug


That's a good line I will have to remember. Nice buck Gyver. That Titan riser sure looks sweet!


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## keb (Jul 17, 2007)

Killed with a 40lb recurve, 500grain 11/32 cedar, 15 yards complete pass thru, deer weighed 275 field dressed so well over 300 on the hoof.


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## MacIndust (Feb 7, 2012)

No way, keb .....

Awesome buck. I love how tip curls down.


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## Tiggie_00 (Jul 18, 2009)

I think it would be cool to hunt with a recurve but my luck a big old 200+ buck would walk by me and the arrow would just bounce off his think ribs.. LOL


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## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

keb said:


> View attachment 1774820
> 
> 
> Killed with a 40lb recurve, 500grain 11/32 cedar, 15 yards complete pass thru, deer weighed 275 field dressed so well over 300 on the hoof.


Very nice


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## Thansen (Sep 23, 2009)

Not only yes but h... yes Keb nice deer


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

Tiggie_00 said:


> I think it would be cool to hunt with a recurve but my luck a big old 200+ buck would walk by me and the arrow would just bounce off his think ribs.. LOL


Huh?

A good bow, well tuned arrow, and sharp coc head will give you good penetration no matter what the draw weight. More critters have been killed with bent pieces of wood than fiberglass composites or compound bows.


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## keb (Jul 17, 2007)

Kind of subject, but I had to watch that buck walk by at 30 yards, my heart sank, but about 8 minutes later, he was 75 yards heading away he stopped, I let out a snort wheeze with my mouth the rest is history, turned and came to 15ish yards and I let the air out of him.

I love sharing that story public hunting lands too.


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## MacIndust (Feb 7, 2012)

keb said:


> Kind of subject, but I had to watch that buck walk by at 30 yards, my heart sank, but about 8 minutes later, he was 75 yards heading away he stopped, I let out a snort wheeze with my mouth the rest is history, turned and came to 15ish yards and I let the air out of him.
> 
> I love sharing that story public hunting lands too.


Even better. I hunt public land as well although I don't have a deer like that under my belt!


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## Destroyer (Sep 11, 2009)

manowar669 said:


> I've read a lot of the advice here about getting an ILF bow, so I'll probably go that route, but there are plenty of second-hand bows out there, and I see recurves at yard sales even, for almost nothing.


A 45# ILF will do the job fine. Plus if you want to go for a higher weight then its a pretty easy limb swap.



keb said:


> 500grain 11/32 cedar.


:thumbs_up


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## George D. Stout (May 11, 2005)

To ask that question shows we need to publicize our history somehow and find out why sixty percent of all of Bear's bows in the 60's were 45#. I'm always amazed that this question keeps coming up. You can kill moose with 45 pound bows if you hit them in the chest....and you will get complete penetration. My goodness, I've been there and done that on whitetails since the mid 60's....most of mine were taken with sub fifty pound bows...the first one with a 40 pounder that was a near pass through. I'm hunting with a 45 pound again this 48th year of bowhunting for me.


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## sharpbroadhead (Feb 19, 2004)

dougedwards said:


> Yes....It's enough to kill a deer and the one behind it.
> 
> Doug


exactly


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