will my bow kill?

[petew]

This young lad of 12 years seems to be able to pull a Caribow Longbow and hunt. The boy looks pretty small framed. I am betting he isn't drawing big weight and power at his draw length. I will try to find out his actual draw weight and length.

So people how much draw weight do we actualy need??

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by petew

This young lad of 12 years seems to be able to pull a Caribow Longbow and hunt. The boy looks pretty small framed. I am betting he isn't drawing big weight and power at his draw length. I will try to find out his actual draw weight and length.

So people how much draw weight do we actualy need??

Legally 40 lbs....but in some cases and with proper equipment I imagine in close range under 40 would do....it just isn't legal to try

LC

[petew]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Legally 40 lbs....but in some cases and with proper equipment I imagine in close range under 40 would do....it just isn't legal to try

LC

Legaly 40# at 28" is needed in Alberta , but not 40# at your draw length. So a 40 drawn to 26" would be about 35/36# and be legal. But a 36# at 28" drawn to 32" would not be legal, yet it would be pulling about 46# , and have a lot more power both from the draw weight and length of the power stroke.
Pete

[trapshooter]

I was 14 when I shot this bear. My bow is a samick 44# at 28".
I wouldn't say I am weak but I am certainly not super duper muscular or anything.

[petew]

Originally Posted by trapshooter

I was 14 when I shot this bear. My bow is a samick 44# at 28".
I wouldn't say I am weak but I am certainly not super duper muscular or anything.

fantastic, You did good.
Out of curiosity how long is your draw length?

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

Outstanding ...nice to see..

I watched this video of an African hunt where two guys had there bows cranked up to 80 plus pounds...that sounded like shotguns going off when they shot ...I actually laughed at the ammount of dust that the bows stirred up on shot..
a lady with them had a bow @ 43 lbs ..she shot all the same species and a matter of fact she had the biggest in most species they took...

We had a young shooter that had a Mathews Genesis that maxed out 35 lbs we never saw him for a couple years and when he came of legal hunting age he bought a hunting licence and shot the biggest whitetail buck in the area with it...no one told him he couldnt so he did...
point is the right arrow, head .. in the right spot..

Neil

[trapshooter]

Originally Posted by petew

fantastic, You did good.
Out of curiosity how long is your draw length?

My draw length is just over 27"

[Dog hunter]

I weigh 140 lbs and pull my 70lbs bow all day long standing or sitting

[ESOXangler]

Originally Posted by Dog hunter

I weigh 140 lbs and pull my 70lbs bow all day long standing or sitting

A trad bow? If so you should change your name to the Two Legged Tow Truck!

[Dog hunter]

Originally Posted by ESOXangler

A trad bow? If so you should change your name to the Two Legged Tow Truck!

Compound,haven't tried too many taditionals

[trapshooter]

Originally Posted by Dog hunter

Compound,haven't tried too many taditionals

And that's exactly why you can pull 70lbs no way you could ever do that with a trad bow.

[normanrd]

To the OP, I don't know how much we need. Probably a lot less than the "modern" traditionals make on average. Thousands of years ago the native North Americans were killing stuff like Buffalo and Elk to survive with much more primitive "traditional" gear.

[catnthehat]

Howard Hill was consulted by the State of California way back when they were looking at their first bow season.
He stated with that a 40# bow would shoot right through a black tail at 20 yards with no problem.

IIRC my first bear was killed with a bow I pulled at less than 40# at my draw length.
Cat

[het4human]

Originally Posted by trapshooter

And that's exactly why you can pull 70lbs no way you could ever do that with a trad bow.

Lol no kidding I am 6'1" and 265lbs and my 55# @ 28" is exhausting after about 15 draws (my draw length is 29).

[Pudelpointer]

Last year (2012) a fellow from Picture Butte F&G (IIRC) had a resolution at AFGA conference to change the minimum draw weight to, I think, #35 for the exact reasons stated above. It was voted down by the largely non-bowhunting group of delegates.

IMO, a well tuned modern compound at 30lbs is likely more than enough to cleanly harvest any AB big game animal. I will qualify that somewhat by saying that I think mechanical broadheads of almost any style would be inappropriate at this draw weight....

[GillieSuit]

folks the legal hunting weight is stated as 40lbs at 28 inches. Seems pretty black and white to me. Just like the minimum hunting caliber is .243 or larger for big game.

[Pudelpointer]

Originally Posted by GillieSuit

folks the legal hunting weight is stated as 40lbs at 28 inches. Seems pretty black and white to me. Just like the minimum hunting caliber is .243 or larger for big game.

The question Pete asked was "how much draw weight do we actually need?". I can't speak for Pete (though I am 126% sure I am interpreting his question correctly) but I don't think he is asking about the legal requirement, he is asking about the REAL WORLD requirement.


If an arrow from a #40 longbow in Howard Hill's era can zip clean through a deer, how much weight is required to perform similarly with modern materials and technology?

A *sharp* broadhead cuts through living animal tissue with horrific efficiency. IMO (again) a modern bow of #30 at the archers draw, is plenty to allow the clean kill of all of Alberta's big game.

This isn't a discussion like .243 vs 22-250 vs .338 big game where bullet placement is critical in the suitability of the firearm; in bow hunting arrow placement is critical NO MATTER HOW HEAVY A DRAW WEIGHT one is using - shot placement IS everything.

[petew]

The point is we are over bowed for the job at hand in most cases. Marketing has done a great job. Look at the 2 lads above, the success they had. It should make you think, next time you tell someone they need the latest 70# super performer.
Shanon shot this moose pulling 27" / 39# with a 500 gr arrow traveling 140 FPS. Yes the little bow is legal, it scales over 40# at 28".
.The secons pic shows the broadhead after hitting the far shoulder bones.

A more powerfull bow would have bent the broadhead even more.

[Bigwoodsman]

Originally Posted by petew

The point is we are over bowed for the job at hand in most cases. Marketing has done a great job. Look at the 2 lads above, the success they had. It should make you think, next time you tell someone they need the latest 70# super performer.
Shanon shot this moose pulling 27" / 39# with a 500 gr arrow traveling 140 FPS. Yes the little bow is legal, it scales over 40# at 28".
.The secons pic shows the broadhead after hitting the far shoulder bones.

A more powerfull bow would have bent the broadhead even more.

Well said. Point made.

BW

[Grouse Hunter]

I would have to say that as long as the person shooting the bow is confident with the set up any weight over the Minuit 40# at 28". Personally I set all three of my bows at 50#. I know I can draw it when I'm cold, in tight areas, or the when famous big buck fever hits. It all comes down to personal preference and the amount of practice.

[petew]

How often do we see shooters busting a gut trying to draw to much weight.Trad shooters end up short drawing 3 or 4 inches, and compound guys looking like a chinese contorsionist strugling to get over the hill on the cams.
Macho might pull big weight, but smart pulls comforatable weight easily, which might be big weight or not. So often people are convinced and told they need big weight and performance, and they strugle to try to manage it.
We don't need it guys. These Lads above are proof.
Pete

[sinawalli]

Originally Posted by petew

How often do we see shooters busting a gut trying to draw to much weight.Trad shooters end up short drawing 3 or 4 inches, and compound guys looking like a chinese contorsionist strugling to get over the hill on the cams.
Macho might pull big weight, but smart pulls comforatable weight easily, which might be big weight or not. So often people are convinced and told they need big weight and performance, and they strugle to try to manage it.
We don't need it guys. These Lads above are proof.
Pete

Same applies to "magnumitis" in firearms as well! Good point!

[normanrd]

As much as I agree with the point you are making, I still have to advocate shooting as much weight or as big of a gun that you can comfortably and efficiently handle.

No one ever complains about over penetration, too much blood on a blood trail or stuff being too dead in general. Let's not lose focus of what's important here, that being a clean and efficient kill, for the animals sake. If you can shoot 80 lbs efficiently and accurately then go for it! If you can shoot 40 lbs efficiently and accurately then go for it!

I see no need to persecute anyone for their ability to shoot heavy weight, low weight, or big guns or little guns. If you can get it done humanely and legally that's all that counts in the end. It all boils down to the individual and his or her decisions and judgements any way. If you make poor shot selections or shoot poorly tuned equipment or dont practice enough, you are missing the boat anyway.

No?

Norm

[Cowtown guy]

Originally Posted by petew

Macho might pull big weight, but smart pulls comforatable weight easily, which might be big weight or not.
Pete

Also allows us to pull that weight in crazy weird positions too.
I recently cut down to a 50-60 bow from the 60-70. Just don't need it IMO.
I should also say that my new bow at 60 is only a few fps slower than the old one at 70.

[Alberta Bigbore]

Originally Posted by petew

The point is we are over bowed for the job at hand in most cases. Marketing has done a great job. Look at the 2 lads above, the success they had. It should make you think, next time you tell someone they need the latest 70# super performer.
Shanon shot this moose pulling 27" / 39# with a 500 gr arrow traveling 140 FPS. Yes the little bow is legal, it scales over 40# at 28".
.The secons pic shows the broadhead after hitting the far shoulder bones.

A more powerfull bow would have bent the broadhead even more.

I have seen this pic before... nice moose, cant recall where though.

[petew]

That is Shanon Kuzic . He helped me with the review I was doing on that bow. It is a rodney Wright 46" Recurve called the Stalker. The review is on my site in the trad reviews.