draw weight for deer

[Chub]

my pals and i have talked about min poundage and i was looking for some thought on what would be the lowest weight draw u would consider for deer

[robtattoo]

Has this not been done to death already?

[sendero25]

Chub,
What is PA minimal legal weight?
I would say 35-40lbs minimum for deer with a well tuned arrow and any sharp broadhead.2, 3 or 4 blade, as long as it is sharp.
This question has been asked alot but I don't mind answering and I hope this helps a little.
Feel free to ask again or PM me if you need any more info.
John

[sendero25]

By the way, my go to bow is a Black Widow PLV longbow, 46# @ my draw and it is PLENTY of draw weight! I get pass through shots on hogs and deer and don't feel a need for a "mega bow".
I shoot Woodsman broadheads or Grizzly's.

[elbow]

Shot one last night, 120 lb doe, first trad deer with a 49lb Black Widow, Bear Razorhead, 2117, complete pass through, dead in 30 yards.

[BOWMARKS]

Chub   Pa. limit is 35#.

[Arwin]

Seen it done with 30#'s and read Fred Bears father killed one with a low 30's bow. Super sharp heads and a heavy shaft.
 My daughters first deer was killed with a 28# compound, shot instinctively and 1716's with Magnus 125 two blades up front. Not sure what poundage that would equal to a recurve?

[Curtiss Cardinal]

Draw weight is only one part of the equation that equal lethality. Draw length[power stroke], arrow weight, FOC/point weight,arrow tuning,even smoothness of release.
All those go into the science that is an arrows flight and impact. KE,Momentum,cross sectional density, etc. ad nauseum.
You have to shoot the state weight limit.That is the lowest weight you can shoot.
Shoot an arrow weight of at least 10 grains per pound of draw weight, with the heaviest point that you can tune to shoot as close to perfect as you can get and you'll kill what you shoot if the arrow is properly placed.

[vtmtnman]

Originally posted by robtattoo:
Has this not been done to death already?

x2

To answer the question,IMO..40#.Compound or trad bow.

[James Wrenn]

Most States take your choice out of the equation and give you a number to hunt with.Check the game laws for where you are and hunt legal.If you do that you can kill them. jmo

[George D. Stout]

The game laws are explicit in Pennsylvania.  A minimum weight of 35# is required.  Those weights were well thought-out over the years and will work fine.

X 10

[newtradgreenwood]

Haven't checked recently, but IL used to be 40 lbs. somewhere within a 28 inch draw.  

To me this meant that someone with a shorter draw could shoot say 26 inches at 36 lbs. if the bow draw was 40 lbs. at 28 in.  The converse would be that someone with a longer draw say 30 in. would have to have an effective draw at their length of about 44 lbs.

[dragonheart]

Pull as much weight as you can shoot accurately.  

You are testing limits with a 35 pound bow, if you hit bone and you have a 50% chance of doing that, you may not find the animal due to only one entrance hole and no exit and limited penetration.  

Punching a hole through the other side of the animal will double your chances of recovering the animal.  

This is not just my opinion, and I agree with this based on personal bowhunting experience, it is based on a study that Lone Star Bowhunters did on the wounding loss rate for whitetails.  Ref: (Author: Roy Marlow bowhunting).  The study also looked at trad hunters vs. compound shooters and found that the rate of wounding/ loss was the same.  

Wheel shooters tend to attempt shots a longer distance than trad and increase the deer they loose, vs trad that take closer shots.  

Bow weight:  As stated as much as you can shoot accurately
BH:  Sharp, sharp, sharp, no bullet point or wide, 3:1.
Arrow:  10-14 Grains per pound of bow weight.

You are always better off to get too much penetration than too little.