What is the Lighest weight YOU would.....

[cedar swampman]

Iwill be drawing 49-50lbs in high performance hybrid and the arrow I choose will be the one that I get the absolute best arrow flight.Right now that moght be 8-9grns/lb but it will kill deer when placed in the boiler.Passthroughs are overated as far as I am concerned- when an arrow is half way through a deer and it runs or rubs up against trees what do you think that broadhead is doing inside? Back when 45lb was the norm for recuves and we were shooting cedar arrows that didn't weigh all that much plenty of deer fell to that combo. Now bigger game I would venture to go to 10grns/lb again according to great arrow flight and trajectory.

[BD]

I don't think passthroughs are over-rated. 2 holes= more blood, especially when hunting from a treestand with the exit hole being lower. I'll take a pass through every time. I got 2 pass through's on does this weekend with my 49 lb habu, with 485 grain goldtips and woodsmans- both arrows were sticking well into the ground after passing through. I used to shoot 60-70# bows, but after multiple neck and shoulder surgeries, I keep it around 50#@29 now.

[TonyW]

"Ishi's bows were under 50 pounds."
 
Ishi was the last of his tribe.

(I couldn't help myself on that one, even though I think 45 pound bows can get it done.)

[James Wrenn]

I like passthroughs but don't need a lot of bow to get them on the things I shoot.

[30coupe]

What I have listed in my signature will kill anything I am likely to hunt. As George L. Herter liked to say, "It kills them dead, and you can't get deader than dead!"

Where you put the arrow is more important than anything else in this discussion. Shoot what you can shoot best. I am shooting 48 pounds this year because I can shoot it more without wearing out my joints (old sucks!). More practice means cleaner kills...for me at least.

[longbowman]

I wouldn't hunt deer with anything less than what I would hunt moose with.  I couldn't make myself go into the woods with anything under 70# but obviously people do it all the time.  I like the extra confidence the added weight gives me.  Also, I've shot the moderate weight bows for so long that I shake like a dog and the razor blade thing with anything much under 65#.

[eagle24]

Depends on the efficiency of the bow IMO.

[ChuckC]

For me,   I think the lightest weight I would use for all of the above is 61#.  COurse, that is what I shoot.
ChuckC

[Van/TX]

I recommend 40#'s, light arrows and a .50 cal handgun for big bears.  After the bear has been blown away with the handgun you can use the carcuss for penetration testing  :p  ....Van

[Shaun]

My two lowest poundage hunting bows are each 47@28, a MOAB and a 1955 Kodiak. Sometimes it feels better to shoot these light bows and they have plenty of zip for anything in the US - well for Griz I'd carry a knife for back up.

[TimDougan]

I think todays bows perform better than bows made in the 50s and 60s. I think you owe it to the game you hunt to shoot as much weight as you can shoot easily. I would rather have to much than not enough not every shot is perfect. To many variables age, strength, etc.Shoot what you can handle and shoot straight. TD.

[JEFF B]

#45 ridge runner at 26 1/2" draw for what ever gets in the way. and F.O.A.K for back up in case ya dont know what a foack is its the farther of all knives  :D    

[MI_Bowhunter]

Originally posted by Van/TX:
I recommend 40#'s, light arrows and a .50 cal handgun for big bears.  After the bear has been blown away with the handgun you can use the carcuss for penetration testing   :p   ....Van

   

Last year I hunted with a 45# bow, this year I am hunting with a 50# bow because thats what I'm comfortible/confident with.

But I agree with Ray, you just need to shoot whatever you are comfortibe with and is legal in your area.

[WildmanSC]

My right shoulder limits me as to what draw weight I can shoot.  This year I will be carrying a 45#@28" longbowbow with arrows in the 10-12 gr/pdf range and a 48#@28" longbow using the same arrows as backup/ for the second deer!    

Bill

[bkupris]

45#-47# is all I can handle comfortably so that's my limit. Don't think I would go below 40# for whitetails which is what I hunt for.

[Clay Hills Bill]

I will be using my Super Shrew Deluxe 43# at 25" and Hex shafts from Bob Burton. That bow draws easy for my 54 yr old joints on cold days and is plenty for the Whitetails and Grey Squirrels I tend to hunt.

Bill

[Chortdraw]

Shot my javie last year with a 42# @ 24" draw with a arrow at 395gr. about 18yds... passthrough.
 Had a 20yd passthrough on a deer. Keep sharp broadheads, good FOC and place that arrow in the right spot. Good preforming limbs are a must for us short draw old farts.  :D