# 45# recurve for deer



## maddog20/20 (Oct 13, 2015)

That’s fine for just about anything. A friend of mine shoots elk with a 45# recurve and harvests every year, so you’re fine.

As to arrows and broad heads, you’re opening a real can of worms there. I’ll tell you what I use because they fly so well and penetrate better than any of my friends. Just know that someone will come on and say it’s all wrong and what you need is what THEY shoot.

I’m using the Black Eagle Instincts with the 150gr Strickland Helix single bevel 2 blade head. The arrows have a 100gr outsert, so it’s a lot of weight up front and that really drives it home.

I’ve also used the Gold Tip Trads (which I didn’t like) and the Easton trad carbon (which I do really like).

What you need to do is shoot some to find what’s going to fly the best for you.


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## lunger 66 (Feb 16, 2017)

More than enough for deer. Probably too much for a person to learn on correctly too. Mark


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## kynadog (Nov 3, 2004)

Anything over #40 with a good two blade broadhead is plenty. 


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

Enough for deer but too much to learn with.


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## frydarinj (Oct 16, 2017)

to much to learn with? i know they say a person shouldn't be overbowed but i shoot 55 # on my compound and feel comfortable. thought I'd heard once 10 pounds off what you shoot on a compound is a good rule of thumb for traditional shooting 

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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

Twice the holding weight of your compound is about right.


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## crawford1775 (Sep 29, 2014)

This is just me, but I shoot about 55# on my compound, and I just got a 25# to learn on. I also have a 34# and 2 45#s. the 45's are way too heavy for me to shoot reliably and consistently. Traditional and compound are two different apples, gotta peel and slice them differently. Good luck either way.


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## 123 4/8 P&Y (Jul 10, 2008)

frydarinj said:


> to much to learn with? i know they say a person shouldn't be overbowed but i shoot 55 # on my compound and feel comfortable. thought I'd heard once 10 pounds off what you shoot on a compound is a good rule of thumb for traditional shooting
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


Give her a try and let us know how easy it is to hold at anchor. [emoji48]


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## Kragg (Feb 26, 2018)

What's your draw length? 

I ask because when I was getting back into archery last year I bought a Browning wasp (56" in length) and a cobra 2 @ (58" long). But, I was less informed then and ended up with two bows I can't shoot because I have a 31.5" draw length. My 45 lb Cobra pulls close to 60# at my draw because it's so short (that's what we call stacking). I haven't even bothered putting the wasp on a scale. 

Needless to say that sucks, because I like the Brownings better than similar bows from the 60's and 70's time period, they're sweet shooters by a great designer.

Maybe Viper, or someone else can chime in on the draw length range of your 60" Nomad 2.


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## frydarinj (Oct 16, 2017)

Kragg said:


> What's your draw length?
> 
> I ask because when I was getting back into archery last year I bought a Browning wasp (56" in length) and a cobra 2 @ (58" long). But, I was less informed then and ended up with two bows I can't shoot because I have a 31.5" draw length. My 45 lb Cobra pulls close to 60# at my draw because it's so short (that's what we call stacking). I haven't even bothered putting the wasp on a scale.
> 
> ...


i only have a 28 in draw so should be good there. did my research and for my draw figured 58-60 inch bow is ideal

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## frydarinj (Oct 16, 2017)

123 4/8 P&Y said:


> Give her a try and let us know how easy it is to hold at anchor. [emoji48]
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


im sure lower poundage would be easier to learn on but my thinking was eventually i wanted to hunt with it hopefully 

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## bowman extreme (Sep 22, 2003)

I always get a chuckle out of the answers to this question. I have seen this question asked repeatedly over the years and the answers are ALWAYS misleading. Well, darn near always.
The weight of the bow can be irrelevant (as it is in my case) if the draw length is insufficient. I shot a deer (20 years ago) with a 40# bow and the arrow (magnus head) might as well have bounced off. I ended up shooting that deer later that fall and the wound from that bow was fully healed.

My short draw length (combined with the poor performance of that particular bow) made the bows weight irrelevant. There is no (across the board) answer to the question without more facts.


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## GCook (Aug 22, 2016)

I shoot 60lbs on with my compound. Down from 70 a fee years ago. With 80% let of your only holding about 18lbs or so at full draw.

I started with a Sage that was about 40lbs my draw length. I will say my learning curve may have been shorter with a lighter draw but I will also say I would have never stayed with it had I gotten a lighter bow.
The fact is I can hold my compound at full draw for a long time. I've had to when an animal was moving too much and had to wait for the right shot angle. Light bows, to me, are harder to get a clean release on. One that puts some pressure on my fingers is much easier.
Only you know what your strength capabilities are. But there is a big difference hold 18lbs steady at full draw and doing the same with 40lbs. All while adjusting your form, stabilizing an anchor point, etc.

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## maddog20/20 (Oct 13, 2015)

frydarinj said:


> to much to learn with? i know they say a person shouldn't be overbowed but i shoot 55 # on my compound and feel comfortable. thought I'd heard once 10 pounds off what you shoot on a compound is a good rule of thumb for traditional shooting
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


You don’t shoot a 55# bow, you shoot a bow that peaks at 55# a half second before it drops down to 12# or so. Don’t confuse a training weight with a trained weight. You really need a low weight to learn form because while a compound is mostly about the equipment, traditional is all about form and release.

I shoot a 70# compound and there’s no comparison to my 50# longbow or recurve. They’re both MUCH more work to shoot and I still have to concentrate on clean form and release.

Once you’ve got your form nailed down and a clean release, that IS a good rule of thumb but that takes time to get there. That’s what everyone is saying. That 45# bow is a good hunting weight, but a terrible “learning” weight.


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## lunger 66 (Feb 16, 2017)

Fry, nobody here is trying to pick on you, we're trying to help. Keep that bow for later when you can shoot good. Your 28 inch draw leaves you open to a lot of different bows that can work for you. I went down the same road you are, and didn't really start learning right until I dropped to a 68 inch ilf bow, with 32lb limbs on it. Once you get decent form down and are shooting good, you can creep back up in weight.
Viper used to have a good write-up for beginner bows and equipment. Maybe it'll magically appear? Mark


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## Wooden Hen (Aug 17, 2017)

Should be very effective with a razor sharp cut on contact two blade head on a 580 gr arrow


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## frydarinj (Oct 16, 2017)

no offense taken. im only giving 60$ for the browning. funds are tight so thought i will try it first. if it seems to much for me i will probably get a takedown like the samick with lighter limbs once some funds open up. on a side note i shoot a bowfishing compound set at 45 # that doesnt have cams. 

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## maddog20/20 (Oct 13, 2015)

frydarinj said:


> no offense taken. im only giving 60$ for the browning. funds are tight so thought i will try it first. if it seems to much for me i will probably get a takedown like the samick with lighter limbs once some funds open up. on a side note i shoot a bowfishing compound set at 45 # that doesnt have cams.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


If you really want to jumpstart your progress, go to YouTube and search Jeff Kavenaugh or Merlin’s Archery Adventures. There are TONS of videos for beginners and these guys are my favorite to watch.


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## frydarinj (Oct 16, 2017)

maddog20/20 said:


> If you really want to jumpstart your progress, go to YouTube and search Jeff Kavenaugh or Merlin’s Archery Adventures. There are TONS of videos for beginners and these guys are my favorite to watch.


thanks maddog. will do. shot tradition just a little bit in my youth but been a LONG time lol. could use a refresher for sure

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## 1old buck (Jun 23, 2018)

Unless you're a weenie don't go less than 45 for your draw.
I started shooting bows in 1968-9 at 14yrs old. 45lb Herters Perfection. By the time I was 16-17 my draw increased to 30.25" plus draw weight increased it to about 50+. Oh and I was quite skinny, 6' and 145 wet.
Once those muscles get used to it, 45 is ezpz to shoot. Can't get lazy, got to shoot a lot to keep those muscles strong too.
Just don't get discouraged because your groups suck. They will get better but and a BIG but...your effective hunting range may only be 20yds for quite a while. Not 40+ with a sighted confound bow.
But I love the heart thumping rush from seeing a whitetail so close I can just about count their eyelashes.

Let us know how it goes. Also if you don't have "Shooting the Stickbow" get it.


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## Smokedinpa (Mar 1, 2015)

1oldbuck your funny. The guy who wrote the book “shooting the stickbow“ posts on here as Viper1. He’d be another one of the weenies that would recommend starting at no more than 30 lbs as a beginner.


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## 1old buck (Jun 23, 2018)

Glad to humor you Smoke.
Having been shooting a 55 compound for a while I would hardly call that a true beginner compared to someone whom has never picked up a bow before.
How ever page #9, par.3 says 30# to *40*#. OP is only a tad more.
Would I be correct frydarinj? Please let us know how it goes.

1old fart out!


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## Smokedinpa (Mar 1, 2015)

Fry, a 45 lbs is plenty to get a complete pass through. If that’s what you have to shoot for now by all means shoot and enjoy yourself. Don’t rush the hunting thing. It might be to late in the year to get good enough accept very close range for this year. Only you will know that after shooting a while. Remember though the difference between a compound and a trad bow is your holding all the weight. Were the compound your holding 20 percent or less. 
There is another thread in the tradional archery area right now you might want to read. It’s about starting at 25lbs. 
There is also a very good article in traditional bowhunter right now about form that’s a good read.
If you fall in love with shooting trad bows you might at some time drop weight to work on form as many of the guys on here have done. There is a common theme with that happening. 
Spend some time on here you’ll learn a lot from guys who are very good coaches and competitive archers. 
Enjoy the journey.


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## meichhorn (Dec 6, 2017)

Frydarinj I recently ordered my first trad bow which is a 45# for the same reason. I want to learn as well as shoot deer with it. As I went through this thread I sort of wondered why so many were saying it's all wrong to learn on. I shot a 50# and thought it was easy enough to come to full draw and shoot so I bought a 45 to learn properly on. 1oldbuck, I like your style. If you can't pull 45, put your purse down and work on your muscles until you can.


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## Jrpitdog (Mar 17, 2015)

While form then strength is the 'typical'. Any couldn't someone work on strength and then form?


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## Jrpitdog (Mar 17, 2015)

*why* couldn't


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

You can't learn form with a bow that you can't completely dominate.

You would be better off not trying rather than starting too heavy.


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## emrah (Aug 28, 2012)

I love how a lot of the old timers in the trad world love to talk about how heavy their bows are and how they learned to shoot on a 55# bow and blah blah blah.

Well I've seen a lot of these old timers shoot and let me tell you, it's not impressive. I'm generalizing here, but I've witnessed the following:

1. They snap shoot.
2. They could not hold at anchor if they tried.
3. Their accuracy is atrocious.
4. They really can't pull back that manly 60# bow like they think they can. They pull haphazardly to about 23 5/8" ish and when their hand kinda sorta gets close-ish to their face the fling their fingers off lest they start shaking like a dog *****ting a peach pit.

Don't learn 10, 15, 25 years of bad form. Start low. I made the same mistake.

Emrah 


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## Jrpitdog (Mar 17, 2015)

Maybe the op can dominate 45#


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## GVDocHoliday (Jan 20, 2003)

Jrpitdog said:


> Maybe the op can dominate 45#


Based on a 55lb compound?

Probably shouldn't start on anything more 35lbs. 
I'd wager even with that he'd struggle to get to full draw.


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## wetdog2 (May 25, 2018)

I have to chime in here. All I read in this forum is start low and stay low on bow weight. I'm 55 years old and started trad with 45# draw. Moved up to 60# but like 50#. Ive bowhunted for 35 years with compounds so I'm not new to hunting. Just because some say 40# pounds is enough to get a pass through and shot placement is what counts doesn't mean success.There are too many unknowns when drawing back on an animal.They move, brush gets in the way, you hit solid into bone. I've killed enough animals to believe in heavy arrows, sharp heads with as much energy as you can handle is what gets it done. Yes a bad hit will still kill if enough damage is done.
Pull as much as you can and still shoot a 6" group at 20 -30 yards. If You're hunting you're not target shooting. You don't need to hold more then 3 seconds and you're only shooting one arrow, not 60.


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## maddog20/20 (Oct 13, 2015)

frydarinj said:


> thanks maddog. will do. shot tradition just a little bit in my youth but been a LONG time lol. could use a refresher for sure
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


You’ll like these guys. They’re thorough,but likable so it’s not a chore to watch.

Another thing I’d do is get a tripod for your phone and video your shooting. Things to watch for:

1). Full draw. Make sure you’re pulling all the way to your anchor point and holding for a sec before you release. I see guys all the time that think Bette getting a full draw, but are pulling to to about 85% and then just releasing, so they never get the full draw weight and never get a stable set up for release.

2). Back tension. You should be drawing more with your back than arms. Some guys say that at full draw, you should feel like you’re squeezing the muscles between your shoulder blades together, but I find it more helpful to think of it as feeling like someone is slightly pushing your draw arm back at the elbow at full draw.

3). Release. You want to release with your draw hand pulling back in a STRAIGHT LINE to the target. It keeps the trajectory where you intend it to go, helps avoid plucking AND makes sure you don’t creep forward on your release. I always tell people to pretend they’re smearing ketchup from the corner of their mouth to their ear. With my students, I beat it into their heads because I constantly say “ok, smear the ketchup” before they release. It annoys the hell out of them, but it gets the point across.

4). Consisted shot cycle. I tell people to come to full draw and silently count 1-2 and THEN release. It helps make sure you’re at full draw (and not snap shooting, which is a pet peeve of mine) and set up, but also builds a repeatable, consistent draw habit. Muscle memory is everything and bad habits are a mother to break (speaking from experience).

Watching yourself on video can be one of the best teachers...for example, it reminds me to make sure that I don’t pluck AND that I need to drop about 30 pounds around the midsection.


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## maddog20/20 (Oct 13, 2015)

wetdog2 said:


> I have to chime in here. All I read in this forum is start low and stay low on bow weight. I'm 55 years old and started trad with 45# draw. Moved up to 60# but like 50#. Ive bowhunted for 35 years with compounds so I'm not new to hunting. Just because some say 40# pounds is enough to get a pass through and shot placement is what counts doesn't mean success.There are too many unknowns when drawing back on an animal.They move, brush gets in the way, you hit solid into bone. I've killed enough animals to believe in heavy arrows, sharp heads with as much energy as you can handle is what gets it done. Yes a bad hit will still kill if enough damage is done.
> Pull as much as you can and still shoot a 6" group at 20 -30 yards. If You're hunting you're not target shooting. You don't need to hold more then 3 seconds and you're only shooting one arrow, not 60.


Agreed. Hunting isn’t target shooting. Like you, I’ve settled at 50# because to me, it’s a good hunting weight. Fast enough, but not a lot of work to pull cleanly for a good shot.

To add to your point, I’d encourage people to practice the way they hunt. They’re not going to most likely get to shoot standing exactly at 20yds with an open broadside perfectly still target making all kinds of noise wearing shorts, a t shirt and flip flops.

When I practice, I’ll periodically put on my camp gear and shoot from my balcony, from a kneeling position, through brush and seated just so when those shots present themselves, it won’t be the first time I’ve done it. Shooting from a chair presents a particular mental challenge for me for some reason, so generally speaking, I’ll just move off of the chair to a kneeling position to shoot...but I wouldn’t know that if I didn’t practice it.

Drawing with winter gear is also a whole different experience. I live in Texas, so it’s always hot and if you wear more than a t shirt, you’re likely to burst into flames...but I have a hunt in WI later this year where it’ll be cold as hell and I’ll have layers including a coat, so you have to shoot that way to get used to it and see where the noise making parts are (like the left chest for me).

Just two cents from a guy trying to learn from his screw ups.


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## lunger 66 (Feb 16, 2017)

I agree with you about being able to maintain a 6 inhgroup between 20-30 yards for hunting. Accurate should trump energy, or a bow that can't be dominated by the shooter. An archer that can hold full draw for 30 secs, and still make an accurate shot, has a huge advantage over one that can't. If you find sticks/brush in your way, it's probably a no shoot situation. What's wrong with letting the animal walk away? I do think a hunter would do better if he was able to shoot from several positions if possible. Point I'm making is we don't teach our kids to shoot a 300 win mag for a 150lb whitetail. We start them off with a 22 rimfire at paper, then on to positions, then small game. When they're old enough to hunt deer, we go with something like a 243. They learn right, and are accurate and successful. They may even realize they don't need or want a cannon for that 150 lb deer. Mark


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## Smokedinpa (Mar 1, 2015)

All you have to do is read this thread and everyone that either just go back in to trad shooting after shooting a compound for years or is totally brand new think it’s ok to try and learn with with 45 lbs or heavier. All have 50 posts or less. 
While I agree that the more weight the better for hunting. Also, yes things can happen when hunting. Heck they happen when gun hunting as well. We are talking about learning to shoot with proper form to improve consistency. Let’s be realistic beginners (especially over bowed beginners) are not consistently shooting six inch groups even at 20 yards. Yea you might get one every once in awhile.
Think about this . What bow is more powerful for hunting a [email protected] bow or a [email protected] bow. The 40 pound is shot but a guy with good form which enables him to reach full expansion and has a 29 inch draw and because his form is good he’s able to properly tune his arrows. Archer with the [email protected] bow should also have a 29 inch draw but can’t reach full expansion and short draws to 27 inches but doesn’t know it. Form is bad, fore arm is not in line with arrow, draw length is not consistent which makes it impossible to tune his arrows. That’s right the arrow shot from [email protected] pound bow is more suitable even though the bows will be draw to nearly the same weight.
Guys I was the archer shooting [email protected] 4 years ago. I argued this point as well. You can shoot with bad form consistently and enough to hunt out to 20. Chances are you’ll never shoot as well as you could with good consistency. Do what you can to grab a friend or range light bow get in the right position then see if you get there with your hunting bow. If not keep messing with the the light bow till you can. Watch some of Joe Parnee videos or Arne’s videos and Kegan. These guys are a couple that seem to have great form and you can watch them shoot on video.


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## Jrpitdog (Mar 17, 2015)

Smokedinpa said:


> All you have to do is read this thread and everyone that either just go back in to trad shooting after shooting a compound for years or is totally brand new think it’s ok to try and learn with with 45 lbs or heavier. All have 50 posts or less.
> While I agree that the more weight the better for hunting. Also, yes things can happen when hunting. Heck they happen when gun hunting as well. We are talking about learning to shoot with proper form to improve consistency. Let’s be realistic beginners (especially over bowed beginners) are not consistently shooting six inch groups even at 20 yards. Yea you might get one every once in awhile.
> Think about this . What bow is more powerful for hunting a [email protected] bow or a [email protected] bow. The 40 pound is shot but a guy with good form which enables him to reach full expansion and has a 29 inch draw and because his form is good he’s able to properly tune his arrows. Archer with the [email protected] bow should also have a 29 inch draw but can’t reach full expansion and short draws to 27 inches but doesn’t know it. Form is bad, fore arm is not in line with arrow, draw length is not consistent which makes it impossible to tune his arrows. That’s right the arrow shot from [email protected] pound bow is more suitable even though the bows will be draw to nearly the same weight.
> Guys I was the archer shooting [email protected] 4 years ago. I argued this point as well. You can shoot with bad form consistently and enough to hunt out to 20. Chances are you’ll never shoot as well as you could with good consistency. Do what you can to grab a friend or range light bow get in the right position then see if you get there with your hunting bow. If not keep messing with the the light bow till you can. Watch some of Joe Parnee videos or Arne’s videos and Kegan. These guys are a couple that seem to have great form and you can watch them shoot on video.


So the number of posts you have on an online forum is somehow related to how experienced you are as an archer. 🤔


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## Smokedinpa (Mar 1, 2015)

Did you read the whole post or just pick that one line out? 

I don’t have many posts and have only been shooting a trad bow for 4 years. Kinda like some of the other guys also saying start light and try to get your form right. Many just trying to keep guys from making the same mistakes we have. We were told the same by more experienced guys than us.

Jrpitdog sorry if I offended you. See you have a low post count. If your an experienced trad archer that statement was not ment for you.


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## GCook (Aug 22, 2016)

I think that a lot of information is generalized. I think no one here knows enough about a shooter to tell them they cant handle a bow. I can shoot a 70lb recurve fairly well. I choose to shot 50. I started at 40. I think the OP should try the bow. If it's a struggle he'll know.

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## frydarinj (Oct 16, 2017)

GCook said:


> I think that a lot of information is generalized. I think no one here knows enough about a shooter to tell them they cant handle a bow. I can shoot a 70lb recurve fairly well. I choose to shot 50. I started at 40. I think the OP should try the bow. If it's a struggle he'll know.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk


as luck would have it the local archery shop had a 40# browning nomad 1 (im getting a nomad stalker 2). i felt fairly comfortable shooting it. although im starting at 45# the nomad 2 is considerably longer than the 1 so shouldnt be to much worse to draw. i feel i could maintain good form as long as i keep my practice sessions short 

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## ibboone (Nov 10, 2015)

I started with a 45# @ 28” recurve but didn’t take in to consideration that I have over a 30” draw length. That put me at about 50#’s or shade more. I could tell as soon as I started shooting it that it was going to be to much to properly learn on. 
My go to bow now is a 35# recurve which puts me at close to 40#’s. 

Last year was my first year bow hunting with my recurve. I did make it in the woods a couple times ,but that work thing got in the way of me getting in the woods as much as I wanted. This year I will be hunting with my 45# recurve and I am really looking forward to it. I need some meat in the freezer. 

Welcome to the trad side of archery. Enjoy the experience and the wealth of knowledge that you accumulate along the way. 

Dan


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## moosehunter1 (Jun 26, 2015)

What is your draw length? Most likely that bow and those heads will be sufficient! Good luck! 


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## twigzz88 (Jul 17, 2006)

Since switching to trad archery 3 years ago every bow I've had has been in the 40 to 43lb range at my draw length. 3 deer from 15-21 yards every one was a pass thru. Shot what you can be comfortable an accurate with. Is far as I'm concerned accuracy trumps ALMOST all


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## TGbow (Jun 24, 2016)

If you can physically handle 45 lbs starting out that is fine but if you cant control the shot, 45lbs is too much.
Some people may have to start out with less.

As far as hunting goes, I seen deer killed in the 70s with 35 to 45 lb bows .
All my bows for the last 43 yrs have been from the low 40 to high 40s.
A sharp broadhead and shot placement is key.
If you have a bad hit, its a bad hit regardless if you're shooting 40lbs or 60lbs.


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## emrah (Aug 28, 2012)

twigzz88 said:


> Since switching to trad archery 3 years ago every bow I've had has been in the 40 to 43lb range at my draw length. 3 deer from 15-21 yards every one was a pass thru. Shot what you can be comfortable an accurate with. Is far as I'm concerned accuracy trumps ALMOST all


What weight arrow, just out of curiosity?

Emrah 


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## 1old buck (Jun 23, 2018)

Hey TG your avatar has me reading you text and hearing the Dukes voice and drawn out cowboy style of talk.
"Texas ain't biganuff for the both of us kid"

Soory, got off track.


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## TGbow (Jun 24, 2016)

1old buck said:


> Hey TG your avatar has me reading you text and hearing the Dukes voice and drawn out cowboy style of talk.
> "Texas ain't biganuff for the both of us kid"
> 
> Soory, got off track.


LOL. yea, I'm a big Duke fan.


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## twigzz88 (Jul 17, 2006)

emrah said:


> What weight arrow, just out of curiosity?
> 
> Emrah
> 
> ...


This past season around 517-520 grains if I remember right .that was micro diameter arrows with 225 grains up front.

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## irishhacker (Sep 4, 2011)

grantmac said:


> Twice the holding weight of your compound is about right.


Which is 18-20 pounds for him.. depending on let off percentage..


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## irishhacker (Sep 4, 2011)

emrah said:


> I love how a lot of the old timers in the trad world love to talk about how heavy their bows are and how they learned to shoot on a 55# bow and blah blah blah.
> 
> Well I've seen a lot of these old timers shoot and let me tell you, it's not impressive. I'm generalizing here, but I've witnessed the following:
> 
> ...


Where is the like button?


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## FLS (Apr 8, 2018)

About 20 years ago I went from a compound to a 45 lb recurve and had no problem with the transition. I shot for a summer and then proceeded to kill the first 6 deer I shot at that fall. I used 2016s tipped with Bear Razorheads. I was an experienced bowhunter and target shooter who understood the importance of proper form. It was an easy transition for me.


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## wetdog2 (May 25, 2018)

irishhacker said:


> Where is the like button?


I wouldn't say snap shooting is a bad word and 3 seconds is more then enough time to aim. I would agree an old man no longer can handle 60# and his bowhunting days are coming to an end. 40 is a min hunting weight. We need a min that doesn't exclude woman and children from the sport. Any man who has done a days work in their life can easily do better. To each their own but 40 pounds is setting your sites pretty low.


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## lunger 66 (Feb 16, 2017)

Look Pa, that 338 sure put the go in that coyote! Evidently a buck isn't just as dead with a lung shot passthough with a 40 lb bow folks. Mark


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## MOBIGBUCKS (Aug 12, 2006)

I currently shoot a 43# bow at 30" of draw and have killed two big bucks, a doe, and two gobblers since September 2016. A low to mid 40's bow is all you need for hunting IMO.


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## maddog20/20 (Oct 13, 2015)

wetdog2 said:


> We need a min that doesn't exclude woman and children from the sport.


That doesn’t have any real relevance to a “minimum.” The minimum should be set by lethality, not how many can participate in it.


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## 1old buck (Jun 23, 2018)

New limb technologies are making recurve bows much faster ( & lethal ) than their early counterparts from 40-50 years ago when most bow weight minimums were established for hunting bows. Other than hitting big bones or trying to take down a 200+ pound hog a 40lb should be plenty to kill a deer for those who need to shoot lighter.

The post "Birthday present to me" shows some amazing speeds from light limbs. I do think heavier arrows might be better for animals.


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

Results speak for themselves.

If the bow is too heavy to learn, you won't have much luck learning to shoot well. If the bow is too light, you won't fair so well once you do connect. Not every bowhunter or every rig is the same. Different situations, different experiences, different mentalities, different styles of execution. For $60 it's hard to pass up on a set up like that. Personally, I like 45# at 31" lately but my draw adds some extra zip. Also have several friends who consistently get kills on good animals with lighter bows and shorter draw lengths. Your mileage may vary.


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## Yooper-travler (Feb 28, 2011)

32-34#. His sister took her first deer with roughly the same poundage. Both pass through shots. After a shoulder injury I had to hunt under 45 (about 36#) for several years. Hell when I was a kid I used my dads old 1960s bows to hunt with all the time. One was 45# the other was 40#. I guess I didn’t realize I couldn’t hunt deer with them. 

This was 36#. The opposing shoulder stopped what would have been a pass through. 








I’m all for shooting whatever poundage you like, but too many folks who have never hunted with “light” bows always pick some magical weight to harvest deer with. I think last year alone I took three does with bows at about 43#. 

If you do your part (actually tune your bow/arrows and hit where you should a 45# bow is fine.


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## wetdog2 (May 25, 2018)

Yes everyone, you can kill with 40#. young deer go down fairly easy. I've seen plenty of deer that didn't go down and never recovered before. 
Yooper traver. nice buck and to make my point. "The opposing shoulder stopped what would have been a pass through". Deer hit like that can be lost but good job on recovery. An heavy arrow from a bow that will push it would have passed through that bone. I don't understand why people get told there trying to shoot too much weight on this forum.There is no down side to a harder hitting heaver arrow. You hear a lot of success story's but one of the things that seldom get talked about is how many they shot but never recovered.


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## emrah (Aug 28, 2012)

wetdog2 said:


> . Any man who has done a days work in their life can easily do better. To each their own but 40 pounds is setting your sites pretty low.


See that's just it. I have no problem pulling heavier poundage. But I also shoot a lot. As in up to 1.5 to 2 hours in the morning before work and then almost another hour at lunch. My draw arm shoulder feels it but my bow arm elbow REALLY feels it. I'm way more comfortable and accurate with my 42# bow than something in the 50's.

Emrah 


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## Yooper-travler (Feb 28, 2011)

wetdog2 said:


> Yes everyone, you can kill with 40#. young deer go down fairly easy. I've seen plenty of deer that didn't go down and never recovered before.
> Yooper traver. nice buck and to make my point. "The opposing shoulder stopped what would have been a pass through". Deer hit like that can be lost but good job on recovery. An heavy arrow from a bow that will push it would have passed through that bone. I don't understand why people get told there trying to shoot too much weight on this forum.There is no down side to a harder hitting heaver arrow. You hear a lot of success story's but one of the things that seldom get talked about is how many they shot but never recovered.



No. The opposing shoulder stopped an arrow. Nothing more. It was a double lung and the buck went about 75 yards. Ive shot deer with 65# longbows and recurves that shoulders have stopped. My heaviest bow was 70#. I can still remember the sound of a shoulder shot when I hit too far forward and got about 2” of penetration. Bad shots happen. That buck is one of probably 40 or more deer taken with bows under 45 pounds. 

Again, I don’t care what a mans or woman shoots, but I also have a lot of experience hunting this way. Bad shots are bad shots. Extra weight won’t help that.


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## CAPTJJ (Dec 24, 2007)

wetdog2 said:


> I've seen plenty of deer that didn't go down and never recovered before.


Sounds like you need to work on your shot placement and not worry about what poundage others are hunting with. 

How many deer have you killed with a single string bow? Yooper knows what he is talking about and has plenty of success stories from what I have seen... and not on young deer.

There definitely is a downside, it's not putting and arrow though the vitals because you can't control a bow that is too heavy for you.


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## ahunter55 (Aug 17, 2009)

If you have been shooting a compound you already have those "archery" muscles pretty much.. I shot 20 years b/4 compounds then switched. In 2014 I rekindled my traditional interest & bought a 50# Longbow. My compound was 60#s. I had no problems shooting the 50#s & 25 or 30 arrows in the yard. I shot all summer & worked up to 112 (the number in a 28 field round). In 2015 I shot that same bow in the 5 day NFAA Nationals (112 x 4 days & minimum 28 last day). I faired very well. I continue to shoot my Longbow & my compound. It's all archery. When you 1st start, keep it close until you get anchor firm (15 yds). Enjoy, good luck. I took my 1st Deer in 1958 with a 45# bow & 3 blade head at 35 yds & had a complete pass thru.. I continue to shoot 3 blade heads.


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## Stub (Aug 13, 2013)

I dont have much hunting experience. But for what it's worth. The 2 deer I Killed was with 45# longbow. One being a short draw maybe 41 to 43#. Also used a wide cut 2 blade Zwickey Delta Broadhead. Both complete passes.


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## frydarinj (Oct 16, 2017)

thanks everyone for your comments and advice. eager to get my bow and try it out

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## 1old buck (Jun 23, 2018)

ahunter55 I was only four when you shot that first deer. Got my first bow at 14 but took me 8 years to shoot my first deer with it while in the Army at Ft. Stewart.
Seven pointer on the run heading away. All my arrows were in the bow quiver when he erupted from a bush about 30 feet away and had to grab one, nock it and launch.
At 64 now it's encouraging to hear that I should have many more years with the bow as long as take care of myself.


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## grander (Mar 19, 2009)

I get the point of starting low poundage but don't believe that type blanket statement. Everyone is different and just because someone writes it in a book doesn't make it fact. 
Wise choice on going trad OP and that's a great starting point for you that should bring a whole new level of fun.


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## ember (Jul 23, 2004)

45 pounds will kill cleanly with a well tuned bow, a razor sharp head and in the hands of a proficient archer.

Work hard on that last one and you will be fine.


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## maddog20/20 (Oct 13, 2015)

wetdog2 said:


> Yes everyone, you can kill with 40#. young deer go down fairly easy. I've seen plenty of deer that didn't go down and never recovered before.
> Yooper traver. nice buck and to make my point. "The opposing shoulder stopped what would have been a pass through". Deer hit like that can be lost but good job on recovery. An heavy arrow from a bow that will push it would have passed through that bone. I don't understand why people get told there trying to shoot too much weight on this forum.There is no down side to a harder hitting heaver arrow. You hear a lot of success story's but one of the things that seldom get talked about is how many they shot but never recovered.


A few points (because this post was full of stuff I don’t agree with):

1). While heavier and more weight in THEORY is better, bad placement is bad placement. A stick bow just isn’t going to deal with a double shoulder shot well regardless of the weight (and that’s just a bad shot, not a symptom of a bad bow)

2). Have you spent a lot of time around trad shooters? Because I’ve really started paying attention. A big chunk of folks, ESPECIALLY those heavy bow guys, never come to full draw and snap shoot. So, while their BOW may be 70#, not only are they really drawing around 50#, but have terrible form doing it.

3). A responsible hunter should never be able to say they’ve shot a lot of deer that’ve never been recovered. We’ve all lost game, but that should be a rare thing.

4). Nobody said he should hunt with less weight. What everyone has said is that 45# is adequate, but would be better served by learning on 30ish because bad form habits are hard to break.

5). Many trad shooters think they’re better than they are because they never see themselves shoot. They go to shoots and say their score is low because they’re having a bad day, but you watch them from draw to release and you can see EXACTLY what they’re doing and why they’re hitting all over the place. Personally, I video myself all the time to make sure I’m coming to full draw, keeping my release in a line and not creeping...hell, just he other day I noticed that my bow arm was collapsing slightly when I released, not dropping, just collapsing at the elbow a bit. I had no idea and would have told you I WASN’T doing it, but there it was.

6). If you put a sharp broadhead in the vitals, even 40# is enough PARTICULARLY with the newer recurves. My 50# Buffalo shoots a 585gr arrow right at 185 and that’s WAY faster than any recurve I had as a kid or my dad shot.

Because of those things, it always makes me skeptical when people come on talking about their prowess with a 60# or 70# recurve/longbow. I’d bet dollars to donuts they’re not getting all the way back and on the off chance they ARE, they’re snap shooting. Maybe they’ve managed to develop a form around that, but it means they’re not really shooting 60-70# and it’s definitely not the best way to learn.


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## ahunter55 (Aug 17, 2009)

maddog2020-ALL good points & agree with you. I attend several different tournaments (field, target & 3-Ds). 3-Ds are where you get to see a lot of bowhunters per say & yes, some should "never" enter the woods after any animal. In my 1st 20 years of recurves b/4 compounds I was fortunate to arrow Black Bear, Hog, Whitetail & Elk. The majority of my animals were taken with 55#s & less. I have shot 60#s but never anything heavier in a recurve & 53-55#s was my ideal hunting weight. Yes, I could shoot more but accuracy makes up that difference. In my younger years I competed very heavy indoor & out & My 2 Target bows were 70" & 1, 38#s & the other 40#s. Lots of Field rounds in those days & that's 112 arrows. I figure if you can shoot 30-40 arrows "at full draw" & anchor for at least a few seconds with out tiring you should be able to bowhunt. That being said, I also think those 30 shots should be kept consistently in a 9 to 12" tgt too at 20 yds. If you shot gun scatter your arrows at that distance barebow, put a pin sight on it, it's not a sin. I've known many archers that could never shoot barebow well & did just that.. 3 fingers under can help many shooting barebow also.. Good luck.


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## maddog20/20 (Oct 13, 2015)

ahunter55 said:


> maddog2020-ALL good points & agree with you. I attend several different tournaments (field, target & 3-Ds). 3-Ds are where you get to see a lot of bowhunters per say & yes, some should "never" enter the woods after any animal. In my 1st 20 years of recurves b/4 compounds I was fortunate to arrow Black Bear, Hog, Whitetail & Elk. The majority of my animals were taken with 55#s & less. I have shot 60#s but never anything heavier in a recurve & 53-55#s was my ideal hunting weight. Yes, I could shoot more but accuracy makes up that difference. In my younger years I competed very heavy indoor & out & My 2 Target bows were 70" & 1, 38#s & the other 40#s. Lots of Field rounds in those days & that's 112 arrows. I figure if you can shoot 30-40 arrows "at full draw" & anchor for at least a few seconds with out tiring you should be able to bowhunt. That being said, I also think those 30 shots should be kept consistently in a 9 to 12" tgt too at 20 yds. If you shot gun scatter your arrows at that distance barebow, put a pin sight on it, it's not a sin. I've known many archers that could never shoot barebow well & did just that.. 3 fingers under can help many shooting barebow also.. Good luck.


You bring up an excellent point. If you’re shooting targets or 3D and you don’t hit well, no big deal...but you shouldn’t be willing to take that same approach with an animal. Maybe someone needs a pin this year or even forever, there’s no shame in it. The shame is in going out and sloppily throwing arrows all over the place and a LOT of guys shoot barebow out of ego rather than skill.

We booted a guy from our lease because he earned the nickname “the butcher” because he’d HIT animals all the time, but it was never a clean shot and he’d lose more than he found. It pissed all of us off so badly he was voted off the island.

I have a lot more respect for someone who respects their limitations and plans accordingly than someone who lets their ego do their thinking for them. I didn’t even hunt with my recurve the first year I had it because I just didn’t feel like I was “in the zone,” so I try to practice what I preach.


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## frydarinj (Oct 16, 2017)

no worries here. ive always wanted to take up traditional archery and would love to get good enough to hunt with one but if i dont ever become proficient enough with one it will stay a hobby for the backyard

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## sirgilbert357 (Jun 13, 2018)

I'm honestly surprised at anyone disagreeing with starting with a low poundage to help the shooter perfect form. I'm still less than 6 months into archery, but I bought a 45 pound bow that I was overdrawing and pulling close to 48, maybe 50 lbs. I wasn't anywhere near accurate with it and was getting frustrated. I got some good advice and sent that bow back, got a 30 lb that fits my longish draw and have seen my groups shrink dramatically. I'm not fighting the bow to hold at full draw and it's easy to zone out and ignore the draw weight entirely and focus only on my shot process.

This is the same mentality we have in the motorcycle world, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. I just didn't do my research first with archery. When I started getting into motorcycles, I took my MSF course on a 250cc 25 hp bike. Then I bought a 650cc 65 hp parallel twin and rode that for about 2 years and 16,500 miles. Finally ended up on my dream bike: an inline four 600cc 123 hp sport bike. I would have killed myself that first week if I hadn't started small. The smaller bikes are way more forgiving with throttle and brake inputs. I would imagine all of this to be similar to archery in concept...


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## emrah (Aug 28, 2012)

Maddog20/20,

You said exactly what I was trying to say but you said it better lol.

Emrah 


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## maddog20/20 (Oct 13, 2015)

emrah said:


> Maddog20/20,
> 
> You said exactly what I was trying to say but you said it better lol.
> 
> ...


Lol...I have my moments!


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## frydarinj (Oct 16, 2017)

so after shooting a 45# bow at the local bass pro today i decided to start with a 35# fleetwood monarch takedown. i started the day off shooting well and was pretty proud of myself but after time my arm wore down and my arrows went everywhere lol. will give my arm a rest and give it a go again tomorrow

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## GCook (Aug 22, 2016)

I'm not a heavy bow guy. Age and injuries have taken their toll. But plenty of guys shoot well with 60+lb bows. Some at 70+. Y'all whom cannot handle the weight bemoaning guys who can is silly. Guys like Buff or Rick Barbee shoot heavy bows like the hobby archers shoot 30lb bows. 
For me 50 to 55lbs is all I want to deal with even though I can shoot heavier. 
But a heavy bow with a heavy arrow will break bone. I've seen the proof.

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## Smokedinpa (Mar 1, 2015)

frydarinj- absolutely no one is saying don’t shoot a heavier bow. Starting lower allows you strength wise to get in the right position, develop the muscles in your back and shoot a lot more. Work yourself up in time to 60 lbs. just make sure to pm Viper for free advice. Lol

Enjoy yourself man. It’s addictive! 
Good thread by the way.


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## keb (Jul 17, 2007)

I’ve shot allot of deer with 40lb bows my draw is 28”, some deer where 300lb plus, I’ve shot them with 11/32 wood arrows 2 blade heads, 5/16 wood arrows, normal carbon arrows, skinny carbon arrows and big 150 grain 3 blade snuffers all pass thru out to 20 plus yards.

Get the weight u can shot the most accurate. I have had some 40lb bows that shot 10 grains per pound 180fps, that’s more KE than some 50lb bows 

So learn to shot pic a good preforming bow, tune that arrow, choose a good broad head get it sharp and forget about it and HUNT


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