Total arrow weight.....what's your min. for whitetails?

[threeunder]

I understand the desire to stay at a certain gpp.  My question is total arrow weight though.

All my bows are much more quiet at 10 gpp or above.  But there is a lot of difference in a 420 gr arrow and a 540 gr arrow.

[BAK]

Ya Know, I used to think 500 would be about minimum, but I've seen so many pictures on line of little  50-60 pound deer killed I don't think it likely matters much.

[last arrow]

My minimum from any bow would 500 grains.  Since dropping to 45 lbs due to an elbow injury I have been in the 550-575 grain range out of a 45 lb bow, using carbon and wood. I have gotten pass  throughs on the few deer I have shot since making the change.  

When I was younger I was shooting 60 lbs with al arrows in the 500 grain range. Generally had two holes but rarely had the arrow go though and into the ground.  That is expected with the heavier arrows and lighter bow based on my experience so far.

[beaunaro]

My bows are 48-53# and the arrows are 570grn.

Seems to work well for me.

[tarponnut]

I'm getting really good arrow flight with 520 grains. I used to shoot over 600 grains (since I mostly hunt pigs) but I'm going to give this a try this season on pigs and hopefully deer.

[frassettor]

700 gr minimum

[Michael Arnette]

700 grains?!??! Holy cow...that would drop like a rock from a
40# bow

[Guru]

Never even thought about it....but I will leave this to chew on for a while...

When Cade was 12, he killed his first 2 deer with a little 48" longbow that was only #37 at his measly 24" draw, I believe his little .800 spine arrows weighed in at only about 450 grains...

Not exactly a tank killer....but it did the job!

Lets remember....we're talking deer here...it doesn't take much    

[old_goat2]

At the distances we all profess to not shoot farther than,i don't feel it matters for deer, quiet is probably more important. With my ultra long draw I'm always well North of 500gr anyways though.

[tracker12]

All my hunting arrows now come in at least 500 grains.  That being said I find it hard to believe that that there would be a difference between 450 and 500 grains.  That's half of a little 100 grain FP.

[ChuckC]

I do the 10 gpp thing most generally, because I feel it keeps the bow quieter ( which to me means it is better for the bow).  

I won't go below about 450 as a general thing (I shoot heavier bows so that is not yet an issue but I have doctored up some arrows for a friend to use with a 45# bow so they met that goal).  

Not sure why I chose 450, but I did.  I agree with Guru on this, if you keep it close and the shots right it don't take that much on a deer.

CHuckC

[Bowwild]

9-10 GPP for me. This puts my arrows 414-475.  I don't think I've ever shot an arrow, in 46 years that weighed more than 550. My arrows are 27".  Even with a 200 grain broadhead I didn't achieve an arrow heavier than 550 grains.

8-21 yard shots on 6 deer, all were pass-throughs the past 6 years. 16 yard shot on black bear, exit hole but arrow didn't pass through...he broke it falling within sight at 40 yards. Shot choice, impact location, and 2-blade single bevel sharp broadhead were more important than the arrow weight.

[SteveB]

Minimum about 400. Around 450 these days is my average set up. 50 to 53# bows.

[screamin]

570 to 650 for everything, from a 53@29 bow

[Producer]

I like the 10 grain per pound rule. Good for the bow, quiet, relatively flat trajectory. I use the same arrow for hunting and 3-D. Over 10 gpp is a disadvantage in 3-d when you are trying to hit a circle the size of a silver dollar at unknown distances. I think for hunting at 20 yards or less 12 grains pp will not hurt.

[Sawpilot 75]

A minimum of 10-10.5 gpp for me seems to be my sweet spot for Whitetail over the years.

[Sawpilot 75]

To answer the question more accurately this seems to be in the 550-580 grain range.

[KAZ]

Simple answer for me is 500 Grain minimum, though I "prefer" more...

[jonsimoneau]

450 to 550 for me. The higher you are up in a tree the more important the weight becomes if you want a complete pass through. Especially with big broadheads. On the ground it's pretty easy to push all the way through both sides on a broadside shot with lighter weight. I've killed deer with arrows that only weighed 380 but out of a treestand it's really asking for trouble.

[OkieBowHunter11]

Are these numbers including broadheads or just the arrow itself 500-600