type of light weight hunting bow?

[hs6181]

After struggling for near a couple years now I'm going to have to face the truth.
My bow weight has to go down and the style of my bows might have to change. I've always loved the old bears and those beautiful hand made selfbows.

I've already had drastic drops years ago and had been shooting between 50-55#s for a few years.
then it happened, I pulled my shoulder again, I'm thinking I cant go below 50#s and shot and hurt and shot and hurt and, well you get it    

I still couldn't face it when I finally laid my hands on what had always been my 2 dream bows. The most perfect 50# 59 griz I'd ever seen and a 55# handmade osage sinew snakeskin recurve    
Of the 2 the selfbow was my fav so I did get rid of the griz and now I'm thinking about letting go of the other because its just to much now. (pause for a bite of bread to go with all this whine   :(   )

Anyways, my question is, if you had to go with a low 40s# bow, what type would you shoot?
There have been several nice priced, low weight bows here lately, modern, considered high performance.

Would a a low 40s pound selfbow be enough for a good sized buck at near 20 yds?

I like to get as close as I can but if I have to be able to touch him to get the arrow deep enough, I'll have to start hunting with a camera.

[John 4]

Self bow ??? ,"not the way I look at things.
Any of the modern high performace bows,"yes!!
Recurves,,,Martin Mamba,dreamcatcher,Hunter,Hat field,DAS,Tradtech,Hoyt Dorado or Gamemaster.
An just for the record,I do shoot Hoyt recurves,Martin recurves,Samick longbows.
Their all 45lb and they all kill deer without any problems at all.
Good luck with the shoulder.

[laddy]

A Howard Hill Cheetah 36lb. @ 26.5''
with a 5/16 wood and a 125 grizzly has killed a 150 pound doe at 32 yards for us the arrow passed through and was lost. The deer ran about 65 yards with a heavy blood trail.  This bow also killed a buck for me when I hurt my elbow.  At 18 yards I got complete penetration, the buck ran 80 some yards before going down.

[Shawn Leonard]

Yes, the low 40#ish self bow would kill deer at 20 yards with a well placed arrow and sharp heads. I believe ya would be better off with a hard r/d longbow though, like a Treadway, Vortex, Centaur,etc. Shawn

[ks_stickbow]

I just picked up a widow on the TB it's 44lbs at my 26" draw. I was a little worried it would'nt have enough umph.

it hits as hard or harder then my 62# mosshorn using same arrows 10+gpi...all my wories went out the window.

Now mind you I haven't chrono'd the speed, but I can tell the way it makes my bag target wobble when hitting.

This is exactly why I wanted a widow so bad. I wanted to purchase an eficiant bow. I have a short 26" draw and didn't want to pull the high poundages

[John Nail]

I'd find a recurve I liked, and not look back. Maybe a three-piece, so you could buy heavier limbs if something changes.

[hs6181]

Thanks everyone, nice to not have to worry about the weight anymore.

might have to start saving up for a widow, I had thought the mosshorns were fast bows and was thinking about getting one of them. just cant spend that kind of bucks on a bow at christmas time.

I might have a trade for a 45# AMF if it works out I'll carry it this season, I just need that peace of mind that comes when I spend some time outside. I'll put off the serious hunting state of mind this year.

[Big Dave]

I use a 40# selfbow and it kills deer fine  :D    :D

[hs6181]

Im really glad to know about the lower# selfbows cause thats what I really want to hunt with. I'm gonna have to look around and see what I can find. Maybe someone else will be looking to move up in weight, I got the 55#r but I sure hate to lose it, to me its the coolest thing I've ever layed my hands on.
I wonder if I could have someone take the weight down some. Being a selfbow, you just put it on a tiller board and sand the belly until you get the weight you want, right?
Its an older bow and I've been told by several people it has some history so I hate to screw with it.

[JBiorn]

If the selfbow is well built and from a good bow wood, a lower poundage one will shoot just beautifully. I'm a big Hickory or Osage fan. However a good friend and fellow tradganger I know has a sinew-backed yew bow that just zings at 45 lbs. I wouldn't hesitate to hunt bears and lions with it.

[30coupe]

My Kanati longbow is 46# @ 28" and smokes my 500 grain arrows. I think one of Jason's bows in the 40-45 pound range would easily blow arrows through any whitetail on earth! They are also incredibly smooth and have zero hand shock. They are also very affordable @ $480 plus shipping. I would put mine up against ANY bow at any price in the same weight range.

[ks_stickbow]

The mosshorn is fast, hard hitting, and priced right(usualy) used, but the widow blows it away.

[hs6181]

The bow I've got was done by Bill McNeal, when I could pull it, it felt as fast and smooth as any laminated bow I've ever shot.
But I've never shot any of the premier customs or I guess half customs like the widows before.
I've seen 2 nice looking mosshorns real cheap lately, I really wanted to get one of them but couldn't manage it.
spent Ks on plumbing problems this month and with Christmas here, it looks like it will be at least 6 months before I buy another bow, give me plenty of time to find my next dream bow
 

[bayoulongbowman]

Blackwidow....and dont look back!!!  

[Bjorn]

Nothing at all wrong with self bows if they are very well made. I have one by John Strunk that is plenty fast, but speed is only part of the story. Selfbows can be deadly quiet and very joint friendly to boot. But it is a lot easier to just go out and buy one of the many good bows that have already been mentioned by here by others. Whatever bow you decide on it would be a good idea to get a bow that uses a modern non stretch string if you are concerned about any lack in power due to lower weight. Whatever bow you get I would spend more time worrying about the arrows and making sure they fly perfectly. That will do a lot more to helping you attain success than wondering if it should be a Martin or a Lee or a BW.

[BD]

Personally the widow would be WAY at the bottom of the list- I would look at RER, Habu, and Palmer for starters-all will significantly outperform the widow.

BD

[hs6181]

all very nice bows and I'd love to have any of them. honestly the most money I've ever paid for a bow was the 59 grizzly and it was $240 shipped.
lol if I remember right I lost $40 when I sold it, man it sure was pretty.