Practice light - Hunt Heavy???

[eagle24]

Gimme a call, I've got several different carbon arrows I can send you to try.

[kawika b]

limiting your training limits your sucess. when the moment comes you will be glad you have intimate knowledge of the equipment you will be using when taking the "once in a lifetime shot",,,,because you have trained with and have gotten to know your equipment thru countless practice sessions simulating that exact moment with that exact bow. just my 2cents(it's all i've got cuz i've lost the rest,lol).

[Jason Lester]

Ok its probably been said but I figured I'd add my opinion on this.

If you want to hunt with 60# then thats fine seems like you can work up to it with the two bows you have already. Just like with any workout its better to be used to the weight your going to be pull. For example if you were used to bench press 150 lbs you wouldn't just start pressing 200. I think that is why people get hurt on heavier bows. They aren't used to the weight and don't warm up. I hunt with a 70lbs selfbow. I shoot it alot an am used to the weight. Lighter feels realy light to me. Do I need that much? No not realy but I don't mind it so I use it. 60 lbs is not to much if your comfortable with it.

Now as far as practicing light and hunting heavy. I would say see my above example. What I generaly do if I haven't been shooting in a month or two is grab my lighter bows and shoot for a while then go up in weight. You'll notice when you get tired. Always stretch if you haven't shot it a while before just shooting. Your shoulders are important and taking care of them is important.

Like others said the more time with you intended weapon the better you'll do come crunch time. Just be carefull getting up to that weight.

Again just my opinions on the matter.

[sswv]

same bow weight and arrow weight year around.  

[Danny Rowan]

All of my bows are 60-63# and they all shoot the same arrow. I shoot them year round,target and hunting. As has been stated, shoot the weight that you can control your shot with.

Danny

[John Nail]

I hunt squirrels and small game all season. For that, 3D, and practice, I shoot 50lbs. For serious hunting, I use 55lbs, and it only takes one evening of shooting to come into it just fine.

[George D. Stout]

I will tell you this....past history.  I know...I'm always spouting history 8^).

It was common for us to shoot field ranges all spring and summer, then switch to our hunting equipment about a month or so prior to the season.   We shot target bows in the 35 to 45 pound range and they helped develop quality, repeatable form that carried over to the heavier hunting bows with little effort.

Once the bow pulling muscles are trained in proper form, stepping up a few pounds isn't that difficult...especially for the younger folks.
You'll always have those that tell you not to change weights, but my experience is quite the opposite.  Shooting those target bows all spring and summer made me a better hunting shot.  I still used the hunting bow from time to time during the summer on groundhogs, etc.

[Matty]

I have to add my 2C too.
I shoot lots of bows in lots of different weight ranges, I also hunt out west here  Elk and Mulies etc. During the winter I shoot almost every day for SEVERAL hours 1000+ arrows and My fingers take a beating with my heavier bows and the cold. So during this time I shoot 20 yds or less and like the 45/50 lb bows. with a 500gr arrow. pre season and during the season I use the 55-60# range cause i TRULY believe the heavier faster bow is MUCH MORE forgiving at 30 yds plus A distance of which I shoot alot. I dont see much arrow drop till 40 yards and the compensation is minimal at best.  However with the 45/50 #ers the drop, compensation and error.  are MUCH greater.  IN short if you are shooting at animals 20yds or less or targets keep it light, your form will not suffer and nor will your body.  if your going to be shooting long and Possibly at Bigger game: Heavy arrow, and heavier weight....Just my 2C

[sonofabuck]

What George said!

[Woodduck]

Originally posted by Black Gold:
I have what I call my "workout bow"....it is 12 pounds heavier than my hunting bow.  I shoot it once a week to strengthen my muscles.  Think of it as a weight workout.  My shooting with my hunting bow has improved since doing this.

I believe it...good tip.

I like to shoot three bows a day. And end up with the strong bow.

Hey, I'm retired. Gotta do something.  

Deer season is Sept.8 and I'm thinking of just shooting my heavy bow...the one in my avatar.

[hockeyref]

George,
Did you shoot arrows with the same grains per pound weight? I have found that I get similar velocities and trajectories if I keep everything at 10-12 GPP in all of my bows..... This would make shooitng most of the summer with a lighter bow useful as long as you can safely make the jump in weight to your hunting rig...

[JImmyDee]

Black Gold said, "I [shoot] my 'workout bow' once a week to strengthen my muscles."

eagle24 said, "the lighter #'s... [have] helped my shooting tremendously."

matty said, "the heavier ... bow is MUCH MORE forgiving."

hockeyref said, "I get similar velocities and trajectories if I keep everything at 10-12 GPP in all of my bows."

I agree with them.  Heavier bows deliver heavier arrows more reliably.  Shooting lighter bows improves form.  Matching arrows to the bow makes for virtually identical trajectories -- I can't tell a difference out to 20 yards.

But, unlike what you referred to in your post, I wouldn't hunt with a bow I hadn't practiced with.  A lot.

[pseman]

Good advice from everyone. I think the variety of answers show just how "individual" trad shooting is. No "one size fits all approach".

For a guy who's just making the switch to trad, the information on this site is priceless.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Good post here....and lots of good info....hunt safe all....Kirk

[eagle24]

Originally posted by pseman:
Good advice from everyone. I think the variety of answers show just how "individual" trad shooting is. No "one size fits all approach".

I think you nailed it right there Mark.  What works for one person may not be agreed on by the entire crowd.  You will find out what works best for you.  I've had the pleasure of shooting with you......I can see that you have the talent and ability to be an exceptional traditional shooter.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

I always like George's posts about stuff like this, since his advice mimicks a lot of what I was raised with.

However, the lightest legal draw weight for whitetails here in IL is 40# @ 28", which at my 32" draw length puts be at about a 52# minimum. With that in mind, I like to shoot mid-upper 50's.

Several years ago I got the bug to get back into paper shooting. So I bought a nice target bow that pulled mid-40's at my draw length. Nice bow, and I really enjoyed shooting it. But what I found when hunting season rolled around was that shooting the relatively light target bow had deconditiond me. I had problems controlling my heavier hunting bows after shooting 10# lighter for so long.

I sold the target bow that fall. These days if want to shoot a target round, I use the same weight as my hunting bows, maybe even a little heavier. Sure, my paper and 3D scores aren't as good as they'd be with lighter target equipment. But now I don't have a problem putting my first shot of the day where it counts after sitting in a cold treestand all day.

[George D. Stout]

Jason....there is always exceptions to the rule.  Your long draw probably didn't help any I would surmise.  

Actually, I shot a 35 pound target bow from around March through August...when the State Shoot was held.  Then I would go to my hunting bow.  I was hunting with a 49 pound bow at the time, and it wasn't a big deal; however, as you go higher in weight, the difference would be greater.  The form should still be there though and it should only need tweaked with practice.

I like to experience all bows...target, longbows, hybrids, recurves, light to heavy (my heavy).  And,  as I said,  I hunted groundhogs in the summer, so my layoff time wouldn't be as significant as someone who didn't touch their hunting bow at all for several months.  

A lighter bow is great for redescovering form that has went haywire, or simply experiencing another aspect of the sport.  There's nothing that says you can't shoot them all at least a few times each week or month.  Common sense helps here.

[sonofabuck]

I like to shoot them all. It doesn't matter if it's 40# or 60# all it takes is some adjustment on your part. If you can shoot, you can shoot that's all their is to it. Have fun and shoot them all. On the lightest draw weight for deer it doesn't have to be 40#@28". As long as it's 40#'s at your draw length, is all that matters.

[pseman]

"I like to experience all bows...target, longbows, hybrids, recurves, light to heavy (my heavy)."

I think George said much what I was thinking when I started this thread. I like the idea of shooting different weight bows. I may change my mind after I try it, have to wait and see, but I like the idea of having a light, medium, and heavy setup for hunting and being able to shoot all of them effectively. I am glad to hear that some other people have been able to do this with sucess.

Mark

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Absolutely George. It probably wouldn't have been an issue in my case if I weren't shooting toward the upper end of what I can comfortably control. Being 6'4" and built like a anorexic scarecrow probably doesn't help things much.