Hunting with a 38 # longbow is it enough? Now with video clip!

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by RLA:
Why don't we say you need an arrow weighing x... And traveling at x... FPS  and forget this bow# crap! So many factors and all bows arn't born equal!

but who's gonna enforce such rules?  there's enuf government in our lives already and it still comes down to your personal ethics and smarts.

yes, not all stickbows of the same holding weight are equal, but those are the exception rather than the rule.

[Bob Macioch]

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
 

Originally posted by Bob Macioch:
Rob
I dont understand your and Tradgang's view on light poundage bows......most states have limits so if it legal why should you and Tradgang take such a harsh stance??????

most states don't know squat about trad bowhunting and have less than realistic stickbow weight rules that are probably not effectively enforced.

but more importantly, hunt with as much bow holding weight as you can consistently/accurately control

threads like this can easily become a mantra for folks to hunt the wrong game with the wrong stickbow holding weight, and does a disservice to newbies. [/b]

Ok but shouldnt your concern be with a persons choice of shot (too far,bad angle and not enough practice) instead of a bows poundage.An arrow shot from a 40lb bow in the boiler room will kill quickly every time.

[RLA]

Just so we can learn something here Rob, how many FPS would a 600gr. Arrow need to be shot to be worthy of using on big game? Not trying to be a smart a-- here. Just asking to get an idea of what people think out there.

[Margly]

As long as you get good fps, good arrow flight and use enough weight the # of bow should not be the biggest issue.

It is a big difference in drawing 31" and 27"

In my opinion the trad bowhunting is also about getting close enough to get a clean kill. If that means that I have to be inside 15 yards with a light bow..well then that is what that's going to happen.
The same with a heavy bow, I know that I have higher fps etc with that, but I also know that the heavier then more difficult it is for at least me to shoot it accurate.

But I`m also agreeing with Rob DiStefano that if you can shoot heavier so do it.

But that was not the issue here, we tested several bows and to both Nathan and my surprise this went real good with light poundage and heavy arrows.

That you are "throwing potatoes" with low # and heavy arrows that is possible correct but inside 20 yards that might not be the biggest challenge!

BTW the fps I got from my 38 # longbow was an average of 158 fps with the 544 grain arrow.

I`m not sure what you think about that but for me that might do the trick.

For the record I`m not recommending anybody to go out hunting big game with low bow-weight and light arrows, I`m just presenting the facts from what Buejeger and I did find out today!

If this would make other people use this as a truth for hunting...well hopefully people have places like this to ask questions before they go out in the woods. And they should also do testing with their equipment and train properly first

But in my opinion I would rather be a little to light than to heavy, you gotta control the equipment you are using from guns to bows!
(just my humble opinion)

Margly

[Night Wing]

Since someone asked for fps speed.

My 66", 42# @ 30" recurve bow with a 12 strand Dyna97 bowstring shoots a 32" BOP 2117 aluminum arrow weighing 637 grains at an initial speed of 153 fps.

My 66", 37# @ 30" recurve bow with a 13 strand Dyna97 bowstring shoots a 32" BOP 2114 aluminum arrow weighing 550 grains at an initial speed of 155 fps.

[Mudd]

As I see the original poster isn't doing anything more than trying to satisfy himself as to whether something would work or not.

For him the answer is moot if I understand his situation as the bowhunting red deer or any other animal is out of the question since bowhunting is not allowed in his country.

I find no fault at his asking himself the question then trying to prove whether or not it would work.

Maybe he will prove it would be unethical to use a light weight bow, maybe not.

I personally want to use as much draw weight as I can handle. I'd never go after whitetail deer with anything less than 40@28 but that's my personal decision.

I may be short sighted but I don't see the harm in asking the question then trying to test the hypothesis.

Just one more persons take(opinion)

God bless,Mudd

My wife's NAT broke 170 fps three shots in a row with her shooting it, such a weenie little speed demon bow.  Kind of made me mad because my heavy pignut hickory would not put out the same arrows that fast, but it did blow a 460 grain arrow through a deer like it was not there.  Education and common sense can be preached to and ignored by beginners and experienced alike.  I would advocate using a heavier bow weight if the person can manage it of course, I have seen experts with lighter bows, 38 to 42 pounds, have numerous efficient kills on their success list. However, I have seen many more folks totally over bowed that could not possibly consider themselves efficient hunters.  Knowledge and skill come together to make a setup work for the individual.  It is up to the experienced to share their knowledge and up to the beginner to learn what will work for them.  It is not up to me to judge by arbitrary guide lines other than to make a suggestion or two. If it is a dead slow solid fiberglass that is 35 pounds, I would advise against using it.  If it is a 38 pound speed demon, I try to find the best arrow for it, if it is an 80  pound longbow that the owner cannot pull very far or control, it takes diplomacy and a couple of sessions to find out what the person should be using instead.  I knew a man that bought a 100 pound bow because he was bigger than me and I was shooting hundreds of arrows a day with a 90 pounder.  If he would have been nicer about it I would have gladly let him use one of my 50 pound bows, but then I warned him as much as possible about not getting a bow that he could not pull.  Some people will not listen, they start out this hunting the hard way by learning the hard way.
  then there was the compound shooter that walked in with us.  he constantly was going on how my wife should be shooting a bow like his.  when we got near (24 yards) a fresh round bale he unscrewed his mechanical broadhead and put on a target point, declared his mark and half a life time later released and missed it by a couple of inches.  He said "there that is what this bow will do."  My wife then shot her three blunts in about 12 seconds on top of his arrow and said "that is what this bow will do".  I expect one day he will be joining our ranks, I have never had anyone badger me with as many questions as he has since that day.

[Rob DiStefano]

hunt with whatever holding bow weight you feel most accurate, most comfortable shooting, and most ethical for the kind of game you hunt.