considering archery....advice?

[bunnyhunter]

for years i have been thinking of bowhunting, the long season, the quiet, wmu 248 generous archery tags!

every time I have almost gone and bought a bow, I had to have surgery...

I am a woman with a short draw and cant handle a heavy draw bow...however I love the feel of a recurve...

should I purchase a recurve and get a feel for bowhunting chasing wabbits?

or is there a good, youth or womens compound I can start with at min 40 pound draw? and not break the bank

can a 40 pound draw kill a moose? lol just dreaming that one.... keep bumping into them in 248 archery zones.....

[russ]

There's lot's of compound bows that will do the job just fine. As far as draw weight goes, don't let the testosterone cowboys fool you. 40 lbs is plenty enough with a modern compound. After all a recurve is rated @ 28", not the 24-26" that most small framed people are. And yes 40 lbs is plenty for a moose with the right broadhead (cut on contact such as the G5 Montec)

[flatblack]

i agree, its my first year but i was shown what to look for in a bow by a woman with almost the same discription as you. she can only draw 24" @ 40 lbs. her bow isnt the greatest but shes gone hunting for some nice game with it. its an older pse and she loves it. look around local archery shops and see what would fit you best and go from there

[Rackmastr]

You best bet is to go to a good archery centre near you and go have a talk with the staff there and let them fit you to the right bow.

Yes...you can kill a bow with a 40lb draw and you can do it confidently.

Best bet though is to go talk to the pro's and let them fit you and show you some different options. If you ever get to Calgary the Calgary Archery Centre is far and away the best place to start IMO....

[CNP]

Persons hunting big game must use an authorized bow and an authorized arrow. An authorized bow is one that is held, drawn and released by muscular power and has a draw weight of not less than 18 kg (40 lb.). This is the number of kilograms (pounds) required to draw an arrow of 71 cm (28 in.) to its head. An authorized arrow is one that is not less than 61 cm (24 in.) in length that has a tip that bears a head that is not intentionally designed to resist being withdrawn after it has penetrated an object. Furthermore, it must either have a solid, sharp cutting head of at least 7/8 inch in width, or a head that, when the arrow impacts, opens to present sharp cutting edges at least 7/8 inch in width

Yes 40# is the min for all big game animals (incl moose and grizzly bear if there was a season). Notice that the regs say that 40# is the number of pounds required to draw an arrow 28 in. That provides what is thought to be a satisfactory albeit minimum safe killing combination. You say your draw length is short. How short is it? If you've got a draw length of say 24 inches or less, I wouldn't recommend flinging an arrow at a moose with that bow. I'll go out on a limb and say that a properly weighted arrow for moose, a 40# bow and a 22 inch draw length would propel an arrow maybe in the 110 fps range with a corresponding arc (a trajectory that more resembles the arc of a thrown rock). Drawing a 40# bow to 22 inches probably provides an actual draw weight of 30ish lbs. In my opinion the regs are a litle short in what should constitute an authorized bow and arrow combination. Hunting may be your objective but start small. I recommend that start with a 40# or preferably even less recurve or longbow and shoot just for the fun of it. Shooting a trad bow is a lot more fun than shooting a compound. Build up your strength and confidence for a year and then try going for a heavier weight compound (or trad bow). Strength you can overcome, it's your (short) draw length that is the most limiting factor in your situation.....so in order to bring about a more lethal killing combination the best thing you can do is workout. Not trying to discourage you......archery is pure joy (or hell lol). On the contrary, you should know your equipment limitations, your limitations, change what you can and accept the rest.........so start shooting. Hoyt seems to cater to women more than other companies (Saphire, Selena, Kobalt).

[mathewsmomma]

Have to disagree with you ehntr on your 22 inch draw 40 lb at 110 fps. My son has a 22 inch draw shoots a 24 inch arrow at 40 lbs and is getting 235 fps. Shot his deer this year while it was quartering away went through the back side of the front shoulder and took out both lungs. Deer didn't even go 15 yards before it dropped. So I think if bunnyhunter is set up properly she should have no problems.

[el sparko]

starting out bowhunting is never an easy task, everyone you talk to will have a different opinion. there are folks who truly believe that you have to have the perfect rig and would only shoot at the perfect target. these folks talk a lot and have a lot of experiance with their equipment but the bulk of them have never had what they deemed to be the perfect shot and have therefore never taken many animals.
i have been at this since the early seventies and the gear we were able to use was extremely primative by today's standards but we hunted and we had a decent amount of success.
there is no perfect set-up, there is no perfect shot, you get what you get and you live with it.
will a 40 lb bow with a short draw work on our varitey of big game animals? of course it will. the "experts" can drone on and on about what is what but the fact is all you need is confidance and lots of practice. know what your equipment will do and learn how to judge distances, and for god's sake do not be afraid to shoot!!!
you can't get good at bowhunting going on therory.

[CNP]

Originally Posted by mathewsmomma

Have to disagree with you ehntr on your 22 inch draw 40 lb at 110 fps. My son has a 22 inch draw shoots a 24 inch arrow at 40 lbs and is getting 235 fps. Shot his deer this year while it was quartering away went through the back side of the front shoulder and took out both lungs. Deer didn't even go 15 yards before it dropped. So I think if bunnyhunter is set up properly she should have no problems.

Congrats on the deer! No 40# trad bow in existance (none) will propel a suitable hunting weight arrow drawn 22 inches to even close to 200 fps. I stand by my 110 fps example. My example was to illustrate the shortcomings of the regs where they establish the minimum FOR ALL BIG GAME. I wouldn't hunt elk, moose or grizzly with a 40# bow drawn to 22 inches. Here is an actual example of how a 45# modern longbow performs at various draw lengths and arrow weights...notice there are no fps stats for draw lengths under 26 inches. The 45# bow becomes a 31# bow when drawn to 22 inches and if you extrapolate from the 452 gr arrow column, at 22 inches the arrow will have a velocity in the range of 111 fps. This isn't made up stuff it's actual performance. I hope the table doesn't get corrupted when I past in in....

62" 45# "A D M longbow" CHRONO RESULTS.
Draw length
Draw weight
Arrow
404gr
FPS
Arrow
452gr
FPS
Arrow
552gr
FPS


0









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7 1/4
brace height








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3








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6








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26
39
404
170
452
159
552
147


27
42
404
177
452
167
552
154


28
45
404
184
452
176
552
164

[CNP]

Yikes....the table didn't work out and the "edit" feature isn't working right now. So can't fix it.

This is a link to the table if you care to see the physics of how a trad bow works...

[JohnS]

There are lots of different opinions here and all good ones indeed. But if your new to Archery and want to get into it. I would go to a local shoot or club when they have shoot night, and talk with some different archers and look at some different set-ups they have, maybe there might even be a willing archer to let you shoot, after that I would get a Friend that is expierenced in Archery and Bowhunting to go with you to the Pro Shop to look at bows, its always good to have the second person there to have feedback to the sales rep. just so they out fit you right and you aren't stuck with something you can not shoot. I have heard way to many horror stories from guys and gals that didn't get out fitted right. But make sure the bow is for you.

Then after your set up and ready to go, Shoot and shoot till you have a good form and the arrows are hitting where you want them. It maybe frustrating at first but it all comes together and when it does its a sweet feeling.

As for a 40# draw wieght and a short draw and a Good Broadhead Fixed Blade would be best, would be good for hunting Deer and bigger game for sure not Grizzly though, all shot placement and knowing where the arrow will hit, this comes from Practice and more Practice, shoot 3D it helps with yards judged and will come into play when you are Bowhunting.

Good Luck and keep us posted on what you decide.

[CNP]

Some more to ponder...

A 40# compound proven to be 40# is 40# when you draw it to it's set draw length. You can't draw it less or more than it's set draw length. If the draw length is 22 inches you get 40# out of it.

A 40# trad bow is proven to be 40# when you draw it to 28 inches. In some instances a bowyer will custom build you a bow that deviates from that...say 40# @ 27 or 29 inches. However, the AMO standard is a 28 in measurement. You can draw a trad bow as little or as much as you can (within limits). If you draw a 40# @ 28 in trad bow to 22 inches...........you are now shooting a draw weight of say 30#. If you draw it to 30 inches you are shooting a draw weight of roughly 45#.

To arbitrarily say that a 40# bow is good enough for big game makes me think that the regs are being applied and not any knowledge of how a bow performs. Thats my kick at it..................Show of hands how many people are shooting at moose with 40# trad bows drawing 22 inches (in reality a 30# draw with a puny power stroke to back it up).

In the end a 40# compound bow will actually give you 10# more than a 40# trad bow when you draw to 22 inches.

Thats the long and the short of it lol.........yep, go to the pro shops and have some fun.

[JohnS]

Don't forget to Practice, and to hunt with a 40#Trad. Bow for moose thats crazy LOL!!! maybe rabbits.

[nicholal]

There are even special bows made for short draw length archers. As well im told that a short draw archer can shoot a smaller brace height with out the same impact in form as a long draw ( dont know for sure but be told)

But You should go to a archery shop and try a few bows out. I bet you will be surprised to see that you can draw back a bow with more weight then you think. It just bepends on the draw force curve.

Good luck and tell us what you deside to get. Archery is a fun sport and great past time to spend with family and friends


AL

[bunnyhunter]

I am still uncertain as to what to start with....theres no way I will ever pull a traditional recurve thats 40 pounds......I wouldnt hunt anything other than rabbits with a recurve I can handle.

I will go to some archery stores after the holidays and get advice....the worst feeling trying out a bow was one thats too powerful and you shake. I understand you need to build up....but I have never had amazing arm strength.

I thought the whole point of a compound was that it helps you get more draw weight? theres nothing I can do about my short draw length tho!

thanks
Jenn

[CNP]

You can hunt rabbits and birds with trad bows under 40# and have a blast while you're at it. Sherwood Park Archery Lanes or Trophy Book in Spruce are the closest places to Edmonton. Yes your right......the compound will allow you to hold and aim longer than would a trad bow.

[PSE_Girl]

Originally Posted by bunnyhunter

I am a woman with a short draw and cant handle a heavy draw bow........

I am also a woman and very short statured 5'2ish, I recently dislocated and tore a bunch of muscles in my shoulder and am just getting back into shooting. There are lots of bows out there that are around 40# the trick is going into a pro shop and getting someone who knows alot about bows to help you find one that works for you.
Good luck!

[Mountain Guy]

My advice would be to go straight to the compound. Learning curve is shorter and with a properly tuned bow you will be shooting good in no time.
Saying that , be prepared for some frustration , ie: paper tuning, broadhead tuning etc.
Go for it...you won't regret it

[petew]

Jen/ Bunnyhunter
Contact me and we can bring some light weight Trad bows to a range and let you try them and see just what your draw length actualy is pulling a trad bow and get you off on the right foot. {I do not sell bows but I do have demonstrator bows from the reviews for you to try}
It is not as hard as many think to learn to shoot traditional.
As for a 40#Trad bow killing a moose, it definately will. More is better, but to much is not good if it makes you shake, and short draw. There is a weight that is just right for everyone. Read the Rodney Wright Stalker review on my site. http://peteward.com/test.stalker.html
Shanon was drawing 27" and pulling 39# at this draw length.Look at the bent broadhead from the far side shoulder ! A more powerfull bow would have just bent it more. Bows don't shoot thru the large bones on moose. Choose your shots wisely and let low percentage shots walk.

Don't get hung up on speed and tarjectory , this is a learned thing , and hunting with the bow is about getting close, not shooting far. I shot my deer this year at 15 yards, with a heavy 740 grain arrow traveling 135 FPS.
I have a lot of Trad bows reviews on my site that may be of interest to you. Feel free to contact us if we can help out in any way.
It is entirly possible that hunting with a Traditional bow at your draw, and strength limitations is not a good choice, however you may be capable of more than you think. A 22" draw is very short , and very few adults , even small women, draw that short with a weight they can handle.

Pete

[cardiacphil]

If your looking at hunting with your first purchase I would say look at the Diamond Edge...Pretty quick, decent price, exceptional quality...My friend picked one up and has it set at 50 which is max for that bow. He likes it And I bought the same model/package for my nephew and he loves it you can get it in many configurations....It would be a suitable hunting bow for you..

Check it out online..

Phil

[moosemad]

Best advice I can give you is get a divorce first, that way it won't screw up your season.