# How do I know what poundage I can pull?



## 125blackfire (Feb 11, 2009)

Soon I will be looking for my first bow to buy, how do I know how much poundage I should be pulling? I have never shot off a bow be for. I just don't want to buy a bow then have to sell it...


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

Go to an archery range or shop, and try them. I really don't know what to tell you with compounds. I only know trad bows.

With trad bows, start with a bow you can hold at full draw for ten seconds. For most adult males, that's 30-40#. Start light so you can build proper form, and then build up once you've gotten good form and learned how to shoot. You will most likely be getting another bow later for hunting.

But 90% of people just want to shoot compounds anymore, so I could jsut be wasting my breath.


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## DrawAim"Click" (Feb 5, 2009)

hey black 
i would suggest that you should find your strenght first. once you find out what you can pull make sure it isnt so much you stressing to pull it back. if you do this your muscle will get tired and you will shake while aiming. Pick a pundage that you can shoot comfortbly. you will need to practice alot so that when the time comes you can shoot confidently. after serveral weeks once you have become comfortble slowly move up your pundage. make sure to adjust your sites as you move your poundage.


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## DrawAim"Click" (Feb 5, 2009)

the state regs for poundage on a bow for legal hunting is 40 pounds


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## 125blackfire (Feb 11, 2009)

No, your not wasting your breath. I just learned something. I am 14, 5'3", around 130lbs. I don't consider myself an Adult Male? I want to hunt, so I guess a compound is better. Thank you.

I never been to a range befor. Would they have bows to test out?


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## DrawAim"Click" (Feb 5, 2009)

I don't know if a range would have bows for you too try but if you have a bass pro shop around you they normally will have an indoor shooting range but im not sure if you can test them there. srry


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## DrawAim"Click" (Feb 5, 2009)

you are very similair to me im 14 and 5'3 but i weight abit more im shoot around a 27 28 in draw with a realease.


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

125blackfire said:


> No, your not wasting your breath. I just learned something. I am 14, 5'3", around 130lbs. I don't consider myself an Adult Male? I want to hunt, so I guess a compound is better. Thank you.
> 
> I never been to a range befor. Would they have bows to test out?


Compounds are HARDLY better for hunting. That's jsut modern dogma. You just don't need as much strength, practice, or skill to get to the same level.

When I was 12 I started with a 20# bow, then went to a 35# bow (I was 5'6", 160lbs?). Within a year or two I could easily handle a 60-65# longbow. It's not hard to build up weight. I'm only 17 now and a bit on the "scrawny" side (6' 2", but still just shy of 170 lbs), but can easily handle a 75# longbow, when people much larger than me struggle.

I will say this: starting at the legal minimum weight will make you a WORSE hunter with trad gear. You don't learn how to shoot as well, and can develope bad habbits. I don't think the same applies to compounds, because oyu can tune the bow to cover up your mistakes.

Ranges won't have bows- they'll have archers. Some might let you try their bows if you ask.


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## bowhunterjon (Jan 24, 2009)

just go to a bow shop, bass pro shops, or cabela's. and they will most likley let you try out many different bows, and at any poundage. when i went to bass pro shops, they had this thing that would catch the arrow, kind of looked like a target stablizer, and has an arrow in it, so that way you can try any poundage, and it wont affect the bow. and for drawlength, they let me use a recurve with lines every inch, and i pulled it with my release until i got to my anchor point.


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## XCalibre (Aug 31, 2006)

kegan said:


> I will say this: starting at the legal minimum weight will make you a WORSE hunter with trad gear. You don't learn how to shoot as well, and can develope bad habbits.


i'll agree, and i'll add something to that: you could injure yourself if you start too high. i've been there, albeit for me it was a weight jump from 38 to 43 lbs on my recurve back back when i had poor form. if you do go someplace like a bass pro or a cabelas, remember that they just want to sell you their merchandise, unless you manage to find someone who actually knows their stuff. ask questions and go with what your body tells you. if you're really reefing on the bow to get it to full draw, then it's too heavy for you. if you have to draw with a low elbow (drawing arm), it's too heavy for you. you don't want to be drawing with a low elbow because this motion really contorts all the ligaments, tendons and small muscles in your shoulder and you could end up with stuff like tendonitis or even worse, a rotator cuff injury. 

your best bet is to find an actual archery shop, not just a general store like cabelas. they'll know what to recommend, they'll teach you the basics on form, and they'll let you shoot their demo bows. if you can't find anything in town, then keep looking for anything within a two three hour driving radius and make a day of it. it'll help if you post your location, because chances are someone else may be able to point you to a pro shop close to you. 

phil


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## Rory/MO (Jan 13, 2008)

DrawAim"Click" said:


> you are very similair to me im 14 and 5'3 but i weight abit more im shoot around a 27 28 in draw with a realease.



Unless you got freak arms, your draw length is too long.


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## 125blackfire (Feb 11, 2009)

I called bass pro, asked the man if they had anything to help me know what my poundage is. He said that when I buy a bow they bring you back there and test out until I find one thats right. My area is Stony Creek, Pasadena MD. I would like to go to an archery shop to test out there, and get advice from them. Does anyone know if it is worth it to buy a bow at bass pro at a price range of $100-$200? When I go to an archery shop, will they be any bit mad if I don't buy a bow there the day I test out poundages? ( kind like test driving a car then not buying a car at all) I would like to know what I shoot then take a couple days to make up my mind.


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## XCalibre (Aug 31, 2006)

125blackfire said:


> When I go to an archery shop, will they be any bit mad if I don't buy a bow there the day I test out poundages? ( kind like test driving a car then not buying a car at all) I would like to know what I shoot then take a couple days to make up my mind.


don't worry about that. they're the shop, you're the customer. they don't have any control over what _you_ want. and try as many bows as you can. every model from every make has a different feel to it. eventually, you'll find one that you like more than others


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## Rory/MO (Jan 13, 2008)

125blackfire said:


> I called bass pro, asked the man if they had anything to help me know what my poundage is. He said that when I buy a bow they bring you back there and test out until I find one thats right. My area is Stony Creek, Pasadena MD. I would like to go to an archery shop to test out there, and get advice from them. Does anyone know if it is worth it to buy a bow at bass pro at a price range of $100-$200? When I go to an archery shop, will they be any bit mad if I don't buy a bow there the day I test out poundages? ( kind like test driving a car then not buying a car at all) I would like to know what I shoot then take a couple days to make up my mind.


Just FYI, you're not going to find many new bows for $100-$200.


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## nimbus73 (Jan 28, 2009)

125blackfire said:


> Soon I will be looking for my first bow to buy, how do I know how much poundage I should be pulling? I have never shot off a bow be for. I just don't want to buy a bow then have to sell it...


I'm shopping for my first bow and I'm a 6"11" ex athlete with still fairly good muscle tone. I will probably start off on the low to mid 60's and work up to 70#. One thing I've read and been told by more than one shop is to sit in a chair or on the floor with your legs staight in front of you. Put the bow in front in a shooting position and draw it back. If you struggle in this position then the bow is too heavy. You should be able to pull the weight comfortably in this position. 



125blackfire said:


> I called bass pro, asked the man if they had anything to help me know what my poundage is. He said that when I buy a bow they bring you back there and test out until I find one thats right. My area is Stony Creek, Pasadena MD. I would like to go to an archery shop to test out there, and get advice from them. Does anyone know if it is worth it to buy a bow at bass pro at a price range of $100-$200? When I go to an archery shop, will they be any bit mad if I don't buy a bow there the day I test out poundages? ( kind like test driving a car then not buying a car at all) I would like to know what I shoot then take a couple days to make up my mind.



It's your money and spend it how you wish. I think bow hunting and bow shooting is a niche sport. I prefer to spend my money at an established bow shop instead of a chain such as Bass Pros, Gander Mountain etc. Nothing against these mega outlets, but the level of service and knowledge base in my opinion can't compare. One thing to consider is service after the sale. The small shop owner may make his living by this, but the box store sells a million other things to make their business.

For what it's worth that's my two cents. I'm just a beginner myself, so what do I know.:zip:


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## 125blackfire (Feb 11, 2009)

Rory/MO said:


> Just FYI, you're not going to find many new bows for $100-$200.


Ya I thought that I wouldn't find one that cheap. He said that they have good compound bows for $100-$200. I doubt that what he said was accurate. 

I do like to buy things from smaller stores better then larger stores. I go to anglers instead of bass pro, and boaters world every chance I get even if it is 5 miles farther.


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## Hoyt_man (Feb 2, 2008)

Yea. like they're saying just try them out at a shop. You want to be confortable drawing your bow back or it wont be enjoyable.


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## LooMoo (Jan 30, 2007)

First, I would reccomend you get involved in an archery club, like 4-H or JOAD. Getting instruction right from the start will save you a lot of headache later. Plus, you can use their bows to decide what you'd like to do. It may be that you take a real liking to Olympic style, longbow, recurve, or lick 'em and stick 'em. :wink: You'll meet kids your age that love to shoot, have fun, get good coaching, and shoot your deer faster than you would have without the instruction. And they'll have plenty of bows to try out for weight.
Try http://4-h.org/b/Pages/Layouts/GroupPagecdde.html?SiteId=2843&PersistentTheme=4H (4-H)
or http://www.usaarcheryjoad.org/p9.html (JOAD)

Happy shooting!
Lesli


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## Xcreekarchery1 (Aug 7, 2007)

nothing over 50 lbs. you will build bad habbits to start


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## 125blackfire (Feb 11, 2009)

Theres a club with an archery range 5 miles from my house.
http://www.scfhclub.org/


And then theres an archery shop in Baltimore.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&r...=1&gl=us&view=text&latlng=7669599605648309813
Don't know if its still running though.


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## PA3-DArcher4 (Nov 5, 2008)

pull back a friend's bow.


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## PSE Kid (Nov 22, 2008)

the best way to see is to sit in a chair, with a release and see how much u can pull pointing at something about level with u.


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