Question for Heavy Bow guys (or gals)

[longbowman]

I've been and still am shooting bows between 70-80# depending on the day.  My question is, Do any of you ever hunt with little weights?  I have a beautiful 60# bow I just got on this site and I shoot it great but I feel like I could throw the arrows with more "umph" than the 60# gives.  I'm always amazed when I read about the guys shooting deer and even elk and moose with bows below 60# but my brain can't allow me to shoot them at game.
     Just a question I've had in my head for awhile.

[Bill Carlsen]

My  wife shoots 45# and gets two holes on deer and bear everytime.

[mnbwhtr]

I always shot 75# 20 years ago but for the last 10 or so have been shooting 60. The deciding factor for me changing was getting a new set of 55@28 limbs for my takedown. When I shot them they seemed as fast as my heavy limbs(65@28 72-73 @31) so I went to an archery shop with a chronograph and found out the same arrows were shooting only 3-4 feet a second slower than my 65@28 limbs. No brainer I switched and now shoot 62-63 at my draw. Shoot throughs are the norm.

[KyleAllen]

Like mnbwhtr said, run both through a chrono. You will likely see little change. This will build your confidence. Higher poundage bows add more "muscle" than speed. Bow materials will only react so quickly no matter the load they are under. But heavier weight will allow you to shoot a heavier arrow at a similar speed. This may not be the case all the time but has been my experience.

[bornagainbowhunter]

I shot a 67@28 and pull about 29" for many years.  I still shoot it out of love for the bow, but I have bought another one just like it except it is 53@28.  I don't notice any difference in the 2 bows ability to shoot through deer and they shoot about the same to about 25 yards.  I can grab either one and hunt with it.  They feel the same.

God Bless,
Nathan

[rascal]

Two years ago I hunted with a Yew longbow and POC arrows and took an Iowa 7 pointer at 18 yards with almost a complete pass through. I had hit the off side shoulder joint and with his first step he broke my arrow into 3 pieces.  The bow was 38# at 26.5 draw.  The POC arrows were cut to just abotu 28 inches with an eclipse 2 blade single bevel broadhead at 125 grains.

Last year I hunted with a Black Locust longbow and Aluminum Carbon Composite arrows (killed me not to use woodies but they were on order and had not arrived yet) and took an Iowa 14 pointer.  The shot was further back than intended and entered the gut before hitting the off side lung.  The arrow did not even reach the ribs on the off side even though it was from a 78# bow at 26.5 inch draw.  The hit was made at just about 7-8 yards.  The ACC arrows were about 11 grains per inch and cut to just about 28 inches and sported a 3 blade cut on contact head at 125 grains.

I dont think the weight of the bow or the speed of the arrow make as much difference as one might imagine.  I had shot both of the above bows extensively in the year that I hunted with them and both had shown excellent penetration into my targets.  Im buggered as to why the lighter of the two bows seemed to exhibit better penetration on game.

[Sam McMichael]

I used to shoot my 78# bow all the time. Now, my shoulders prefer the 65# bow I most commonly shoot. I ,too, admit that it seems that my  lighter weight bows often feel puny. However, I think that is just because we are accustomed to that solid heavy feel. Since the lighter bows will shoot clean through most game animals we are likely to hunt, then logically, they are just as effective as our heavier bows. It is just a sense of feel on our parts that makes them seem less efficient.

[straitera]

My 63# Hill Wesley hasn't seen hunting action at all. Have way much more confidence in my heavier bows.