Draw length vs anchor vs Draw weight

[ibehiking]

I have bows ranging from 45#@28" to 62#@28". I am finding that even using the same anchor point (index finger to corner of mouth) that my actual draw length changes as the bow weight changes. I think everyting is staying in alignment; my bow hand is not coming out of line with my shoulders. I can't detect any "hunching forward" or leaning my neck forward. My accuracy with the different weights does not seem affected. I first noticed it when I paid attention to the different amount of arrow sticking out it front of the bow.

Using an arrow with marked lengths on it, I find a 1" - 1.5" difference between 45# and 55# using the same anchor point. I can try to "stretch" everything as much as possible with my anchor point and I can not draw as much arrow length with 55# as I can with 45#.

Just drawing an arrow across my outstretched hand to my anchor point (without a bow), shows 3-4 inches of difference in draw length.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is there that much compression of the body, the joints, the soft tissue, under the load of the draw weight?

[Stumpkiller]

Compressability.  Twenty pounds additional weight will force you together more than the lighter one.  Just the way humans is.  At one point I was shooting a 70# bow but could not get "unscrunched" and never enjoyed it.  I now have seven bows varying in weight from 43# up to 55# at 28" (I draw just a tad under 30") and I use the same arrow length for all and pull them all all the way.

But at the end of the day if I have lobbed 60 arrows with the heavier ones I notice my arrows have grown an inch or so.  My neck seems to migrate towards the bow as I get tired.  Like one of those Tai dancers whose heads slide side-to-side.

[McDave]

I also think that your draw length will increase some as you practice with a particular bow.  I usually shoot a 46# bow, but 4-6 weeks before I hunt, I switch to my 55# hunting bow.  I notice that right before the hunt, my draw length has increased to about where it is with the 46# bow, and it doesn't feel like I'm pulling much if any extra pounds at that point (although I'm sure it would after I shot 40-50 arrows).

[AKmud]

Think about how much movement there is simply in your stance (shoulders particularly).  With the lighter bows it is easier to have your shoulders more perpendicular to the target.  As you move up in draw weight, your shoulders may fudge a little under the extra weight which could easily make 1"-3" difference and would be hard to recognize.  

Have someone watch you draw both (high and low #)bows and see if there is a difference in your stance.

[reddogge]

I draw my 30# Browning farther than my 50# hunting bows but never worried about it too much.

[bobman]

My draw length varies a little because of twisting around practicing odd angle shots it never seems to hurt my accuracy

If your shoulders are collapsing with a heavy bow, you are probably over bowing yourself.  If the bow weight drives your bow arm shoulder around, up or back that is a break sown in form and possibly could result in an injury.