Effectiveness on Whitetails (again)?

[Doublegun]

Ok, I am sure this has been ask many times before but I want to ask because I am thinking about ordering a custom bow.  Here goes: with a draw length of 29", what is the lowest draw weight that would confidently take a mature whitetail (assuming I do my part)?  I want to be comfortable shooting a lot throughout the year without putting any unnecessary stress on my left shoulder and an injured labrium.

Thanks

[mnxs54]

Check with your DNR. Whatever is your state's minimum poundage will be more than adequate. Deer aren't that hard to kill if you do your part.

[twistedlim]

With a well placed shot, tuned heavy arrow and sharp 2 blade head I am sure you could kill a deer with 35 lbs provided you stay at 20 yard or less.  But as mnxs54 said you have to check with your local  wildlife department to see if there is defined minimum poundage.  The deer I shot this year was with a 48 lb bow, 650 gr arrow and it zipped right through as did my hunting partners with basically the same set up.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

[Doublegun]

Thanks, gentlemen.  I believe the MI DNR requires 35# and I am not planning to go quite that low. I'm thinking around 43# but I want to try as many bows as possible before settling on a weight. I want to be able to enjoy shooting throughout the year and the more I shoot the more effective I will be in the woods.

[Doublegun]

I know this horse has probably been beaten to death and I appreciate the willingness to answer again.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

Sorry if I came across as annoyed. I just love that emote! I would personally say 42-45 lbs at your draw should do the trick. Especially with a top notch bow.

[twistedlim]

I don't know where you are in Michigan or what your budget is but Jerry at Great Northern in Nashville Michigan has a great Ghost Recurve right about at your weight.  It is 44 @28 with an index riser and a really cool all green glass finish.  I shot this bow at the Kalamazoo Expo and it was my favorite. Paired with an arrow similar to my arrow dynamic lives and 100 grain brass insert, 225 grain head the arrow would fly perfect and you would have 650 grains of killing power.  But all of that is a bit pricy.  Where are you in Michigan?

[Bob Stager]

With a 29" draw length, anything from 40lbs up should work.As long as it is tuned and use a heavy enough arrow.

[Mojostick]

It's not a dead horse as long as some continue to ask for help and education on the subject. Keep in mind, new traditional hunters come to this site everyday.

Michigan has no minimum poundage requirement.

My guess is, as compounds get more advanced and since most still use compounds, all states will eventually drop minimum rules, except for dangerous game. Todays 30lb compound is better than the 50lb compound of yesteryear.

To answer the main question, anything around 35lbs and up is just fine, if you limit the range.

For most Midwest deer hunters and hunting situations, I'd say around 40-45lbs is just perfect. Most bowhunters, traditional and compound, are about 10-15lbs over-bowed.

I've yet to get anything but complete passthru's with 40lbs. Before I had my rotator cuff surgery, I was going to use my 28lb Bear Kodiak Special, with a 2 blade, and keep my shots to about 10 yards and under. While I decided on a 35lb 1959 Kodiak, I have no doubt that I could have cleanly killed a deer at 10 yards, with the 28lb bow, matched with a hair shaving 2 blade and a shot in the lungs.

[Doublegun]

I'm in SE Michigan, about a 30-minutes north of Detroit.  In addition to hunting in Michigan I hunt in NW Ohio as well as EC Indiana.  In fact most of my bow hunting is in OH and IN and I believe there is a 35-lb restriction in Indiana.

As for being over-bowed, I would probably not have the problems today if I had not been shooting a 67-lb compound.  Unfortunately  my injury happened last August and I just never got to  the point with any of my recurves that I felt confident hunting with one. (I went to 50-lb limbs on my compound and actually my compound performed MUCH better).

An other issue I struggle with (and I am just being honest here) is after spending $150 to hunt in Ohio and $150 to hunt in Indiana I have wanted to maximize my odds of taking a buck and that has always meant using a compound.  However, with practice and a well tuned rig, I am pretty confident that with practice I can be successful with a recurve, if I just do my part.  All of the deer I could have shot this year came within 20-yards of my stand.  Again, it comes down to practice, woodsmanship, and confidence - which is what I want to achieve wigh a recurve.

[Dendy Cromer]

doublegun, find a bow that is comfortable for you to shoot. 40# is plenty. What's more important is the arrow. Shoot a heavy arrow and tune it well.

[Kris]

43# @ 29" should work just fine.  You'll likely shoot this bow better than most, making you a deer killer aficionado !

Best of luck!

Kris

[Doublegun]

Thinking about shooting and the weather motivated me to pull out my 50# Kodiak Hunter and throw a few arrows.  Shot three groups at 10-yards, all pretty much like this one.  Not too bad, especially since I hadn't shot that bow since early October, but I am not sure I have enough speed to hunt with (can't remember the arrow weight).  Shoulder feels good - that's a REAL positive.

   

[njloco]

I have found less strain put on my bow shoulder with a low grip, the higher the grip, the more it adversely effects my shoulder. I consider myself lucky though, at my age (63) I can still workout and am able to pull more weight and hold it longer.

Good luck with the shoulder.

[Bladepeek]

I'm not sure speed has much to do with killing a deer unless we're talking about trajectory and ability to hit at whatever range you are willing to shoot from. There aren't any bows out there breaking the sound barrier, so the deer can hear the bow before the arrow gets there. And a deer's hearing is so good, he (or she) WILL hear the bow and probably the arrow. The only question is whether they react to it.

I just picked up a new bow that is 49#@28" and around 54# at my draw length. I will probably hunt with it this year. But, that's because it's my NEW bow and pretty and..etc, etc.  I also have a 38# 1956 Kodiak that I would have no reservations in using. As others have said, a razor sharp 2-blade on a fairly heavy arrow and I will have a pass through at the short distances at which I shoot.

[Jeff Strubberg]

That 50# Bear will kill deer from now until doomsday.  There have been thousands of whitetails killed with 40 and 45 pound Kodiaks.

[Bowwild]

I hunt white-tails with 46-49 pounds. Five of seven in 3 three years have been pass throughs.

I wouldn't be afraid of hunting with 40 pounds if I needed too.

[Ulysseys]

I'm way against the grain here but I personally don't like anything under 50# but accuracy is the main consideration.  If you can't handle that much weight then you can legally hunt, and kill, with less.  I just feel like going with the "minimum" doesn't leave much room for error, so I say 50#