advice hunting with 35# for whitetail

[LBR]

Samick Sage does not get a 58" string, unless you want a high brace or the string wasn't pre-stretched.  I've strung up several, have one or two in my shop now, and they get a 58.5" string.  My personal preference is 18-20 strands of BCY-X.

35# is plenty for Southern whitetails.  Unless it's changed, AL has no draw weight restrictions.   https://www.gearheadarchery.com/pages/regulations

I haven't killed a deer with 35#, but I know a young lady (know her very well) who has killed a few pulling around 25@24 on a recurve.  125 grain Ace 2-blade broadhead, Beman ICS Hunter Jr. arrow, total weight just over 400 grains IIRC.  At least one shot was stepped off at approximately 26 yds.

Do the same thing you would do with any other bow.  Very sharp broadhead, tune for perfect flight, wait for a good shot, put it in the right spot.

I don't remember the issue, but Primitive Archer did a story about "bird points" (small stone points).  A fellow took a "poorly made" (his words) osage selfbow that was around 40# draw, cane arrows, and stone points and tested them on a freshly killed whitetail carcass.  He got more than enough penetration for a quick kill.

[ChuckC]

Experience counts ( good and bad).  Cherry, do you ever sharpen the tips on those Grizzlies?  You can easily get them pointy and very sharp, although I agree, they don't come that way.  I don't use them as is either, but I make a few passes with a file and they are now full cut on contact like any other.

[TOEJAMMER]

While it might be legal at 35 pounds, whether of not it is adviseable also depends on your draw length and what the actual weight is that you are drawing.  Most bows are weight marked at 28 inches.  If you draw any less, you are dropping anywhere for 2-3 pounds  per inch generally.  That could be a totally different question.

[2020]

I have witnessed a 35@24" longbow shooting 520 grain gold tip with ace 2 blade heads and Magnus stinger 2 blade take multiple mature whitetail and hog,shot distance were 20 yards and under,all shots broadhead passed thru both sides.Shoot what you can to the best of your ability and shoot straight! Good luck!

[KyStickbow]

Kentucky doesnt have a draw weight minimum.

I have hunted with my 40@28 Bear Montana for the past 3 seasons....and will be hunting with it again this year. I only draw the bow to 27"...so 37-38# on the fingers. This setup has killed 8 whitetails...and everyone of them had two holes in them...most of them pass throughs. My arrow setup was a 29" Easton 1816, with 125 grain Magnus Stinger on the front...and arrow weight is 440 grains.

I will be using a full length .600 spine Gold Tip this season with 200 grains up front. These fly just as well as my aluminums...and are weighing in at 460 grains. I have complete confidence in this setup.

Make sure your arrows are flying like darts...no wobble...and you have a scary sharp 2 blade on the front end....and you will be just fine. Keep your shots fairly close....and take wise shot selections. For me that is broadside or quartering away...at an unalert animal.

[macbow]

Hi Terrible, maybe split the difference and get some 40# limbs.
Use the 35 pound limbs all summer then switch to the 40 for fall practice and shoot less shots but make them hi quality practice shots.

[moebow]

MN has a 30# min bow weight.  It's plenty with a sharp BH!!

Arne

[BOHO]

Swinestalker isn't on here much anymore but he has a couple of bows in the low 40# range and has killed numerous deer and hogs with them. He also shoots some heavier stuff but he's who got me started shooting lighter weights. I have a 45 and just ordered a 37@28 that I will pick up end of the month. I don't take long shots and 15 would prolly be my max. I'm gonna hunt off the ground mostly with them. Much better shot angle. Arrows are 450 grains and I'll shoot 3 or 4 blade heads.

[Holm-Made]

My son killed a doe each year when he was 11 and 12 years old.  He was shooting 34#@24".  Both 8-10 yard shots and both pass through.  Zwickey eskalites and a 1716 aluminum arrow because it out penetrated an 1816 consistently in the target.   I think the sharp broadhead, skinny shaft and good arrow flight were the keys to success here.

[ChuckC]

It is 30# in WI also.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by terrible shot:
can i get some advice on arrow set up and range on hunting whitetail with a 35# bow.... thanks

if you mean to use a bow with 35# holding weight at yer draw length and yer handle here at trad gang is "terrible shot", please just don't.  

put the bow down and reevaluate what yer doing.  

get some local help, perhaps at a trad bowhunting club or anyone with real world trad bowhunting experience.  

thank you ... the deer will thank you, too.

[tracker12]

Two years ago I killed a nice buck with my TT Titan with a set of 35# limbs cranked done which gave me around 38-39#.  The deer was broadside and shot with a Easton FMJ with a 150 grain VPA 3 blade.  Total arrow weight was 505 grains.   Right at 18 yards I got a complete pass thru and the deer barely made it 60 yards.   This was shortly after arm surgery and would not hesitate to use that setup again if I had to.  I did set a 20 yard maximum on myself but i rally shoot farther anyway.

[Boognish]

hey rob, i am working on my shot everyday almost. i don't plan on hunting until i am confident enough to do so. I'm trying to figure out what aiming method and equipment i want to use. if I'm not ready by hunting season i simply won't go. I'm a bit of a tree hugger and have never been interested in hunting until now at the age of 40. I'm new to all of this so thats why I'm asking a ton of questions. i don't want to wound any animals. i feel like if i do then it will keep me from continuing to hunt. I've been watching a ton of videos and i cringe when i see someone make a bad shot on an animal. I'm prob just going to buy some 45# limbs since they are fairly cheap for my samick sage. I'm just worried about my shoulders and neck since I've had surgery on both.

[ChuckC]

Well done Rob.

[the rifleman]

Id rather see you shoot well with the lighter weight (which is plenty for deer with a sharp two blade and well placed shot) than injure yourself and maybe a deer with too much weight.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by the rifleman:
Id rather see you shoot well with the lighter weight (which is plenty for deer with a sharp two blade and well placed shot) than injure yourself and maybe a deer with too much weight.

that is a very important point.  too many shooters are "overbowed".  this leads to short drawing, loss of arrow speed, bad aiming, bad consistent accuracy, and the wrong kind of snap shooting.  overbowing is to be avoided like the plague it is.

with that said, that doesn't give one the ethical right to hunt medium sized game with *perhaps* less than adequate tackle, poor shooting abilities and less than desirable hunting woodsmanship.  i'm NOT attributing any of this to the OP as i don't know a thing about him other than what he's posted so far.  typing words online is the poorest form of communications as compared to the spoken word, or best yet, one-on-one up front and personal dialogue.  this is why the OP should be seeking out qualified in-person assistance, besides the advice rendered here at trad gang.

the OP should be congratulated for at least posting for guidance.  how many weekend warriors saddle up with the wrong gear, poor shooting skills, and poorer yet woodsmanship and set out to whack a deer?  even one is too many.

seek help.  seek guidance.  learn.  practice.  get ready.  hunting is not unlike a military mission.  be fully prepared.  we owe that to the game we seek to harvest and eat.

[Jayrod]

Words of wisdom and truth there rob! Very well said  

[Wheels2]

Just because it can be done....
I would prefer to see you build up to higher poundage.

I have to say-- I have been on the verge of giving up my stickbows since shoulder replacement in 2014 left me with a weak bow arm. For me, this would be an enormously painful loss as I have devoted every waking free moment to stickbow shooting/hunting/experimenting for the past almost 40 years. At this point, I can handle bows in the 35-37# range and have gotten myself a couple of stellar performers at these weights-- bought an A&H ACS CX and had the weight reduced on a Shrew L'il Favorite I got from Crash. (I guess one of the benefits of getting older is more discretionary income, vs. the downside of slower,weaker etc.)

Anyway, when I look at the performance of these bows with well-thought-out arrow choices, I do believe they are efficient enough and will do the job on whitetails at reasonable ranges, say 15 yards or less which is what most of us shoot anyway.

My point is: there are those of us who cannot for whatever reason shoot what we have in the past considered acceptable shooting weights of 45-55#. If we go about it responsibly, and can get the job done with a 35# bow, we sure do want to continue carrying a stickbow into the woods!

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by huntryx:
.... If we go about it responsibly, and can get the job done with a 35# bow, we sure do want to continue carrying a stickbow into the woods!

no truer words have been posted.  they reflect a hunter who already has the knowledge of the bow, the hunt venue, and the game pursued.  it all comes down to the hunter's abilities and logical common sense.