Train light/hunt heavy? Train heavy/hunt light?

[Loosenock]

Over the years I have heard two sides of a story.  One side says that during the off season you should shoot and train with a light bow.  You can get more practice on form developement, build confidence etc.  And when hunting season starts up switch over to a heavy bow.

The other side says train with a heavy bow in the off season to build strength etc. and when when hunting season starts up hunt with a lighter bow.

I could see advantages to both sides of the story.  I shoot Hill style longbows and during the year I shoot them all from light to heavy.

I would be interested in hearing if anyone trains in one of these sides.

Your comments would be appreciated, thanks.

[Chuck Hoopes]

Experience has taught me to train w/ the Bow I hunt with.  If I HAD to train w/ diff bows-- I'd definitely train w/the heavier and hunt w/the lighter but I'd want to train w/the lighter one for a few days before hunting--to get accustomed to the releasing cleanly off of a reduced string pressure at the finger tips.

[Talco]

Ihave decided that i will shoot heavier this summer and hunt lighter. There is only five lbs diffrence between the two bows. The heavier is a long bow and the lighter is a recurve.Both have exactly the same grip.Both shoot the same arrow to the smae point of impact.I figure i have a win win situation.
Talco

[Mark P]

Just switched from compound to longbow.  Shot a 70-75 compound for 20 years.  I find that my 55 lb longbow makes it difficult to establish consistent good form.  Since I can't afford to purchase a lighter bow, will I eventually be able to comfortably shoot my longbow by daily practice?

[John-boy]

Mark P when I made the switch from compound to initially a recurve and eventually a longbow and back to a recurve I had the same problem it aint as easy to hold a 50lb trad bow as it is to hold a 70lb compound but I got use to it and love shooting traditional

[Mark P]

John-boy maybe I'll grow into it.  Just ordered a 45# take-down recurve.  Why did you go to a recurve vs longbow?

[Terry Green]

Train Same.

I used to shoot the same weight all year, then, a strange thing happened--I got older, and can’t do it any longer.  I now shoot much lighter in practice sessions and during the summer 3D season. I just make sure my arrows are flying at the same speed (within a couple fps), and my look doesn’t change.  

Having said that, if I could, I’d shoot the same weight all the time.

[Rob Fin]

I would train the same because your trajectory will be different if your train with a different bow from the one you hunt with. When it's crunch time, you may revert aiming based on the trajectory you are most familiar with.

Rob Fin,

Trajectory is not an issue if the arrows are flying at the same fps.  Very easy to do.

[shakeyslim]

train 55 hunt 55

[Rick James]

I too shoot what I hunt with all year...

[Bill Skinner]

I train and hunt with the same bow.  I also have a bow that is 25# lighter that I use when my groups start opening up.  I can concentrate on draw, anchor, sighting, release and follow through in slow motion, without fighting the bow.  I can pause and check something like back tension or where my right thumb is.  Bill

[Rick James]

I too shoot what I hunt with all year...

[graysquirrel]

practice (train) with what you hunt with.  Not only in poundage but also with arrows

[bawana bowman]

I practice with 80#'s and normally hunt with that also. Will drop down to 60# for some hunts, but normally train and hunt with 80#.

[Greg Clark]

I have a set of 60 and 65 lb limbs for my Bob Lee Longbow.  They both shoot an arrow on a similar trajectory at hunting ranges.  I like to practice part of the time with the heavier limbs and hunt most of the time with the lighter.  After shooting the 65s the 60s pull so easy!

Like the "practice the same" responses, I can see how shooting bows that are too different could throw you off but I don't seem to have that problem with my setups.

[Rob DiStefano]

absolutely train with the bow you'll hunt with.  in fact, always shoot just the same one bow and the same arrows you'll use for hunting.  

for my hunting practice, i rove the backyard or the woods with judos.  i take shots from many different positions, postures and angles.  my judo pointed arrows are carefully built to weigh and fly just like my woodsman tipped broadhead arrows.  

i'll rarely ever just stand upright and plunk away at a butt with field points - that ain't practicing for hunting, imo, that's target archery.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

There are a lot of good points for both sides of the discussion. Training with lower poundage than that with which you intend to hunt can allow for longer shooting sessions without fatigue. I know a lot of excellent archers who shoot competitively with lighter poundage than their hunting bows. They don’t seem to have any problem taking game every year in the hunting woods.

On the other hand, training with more poundage can assure that you won’t have problems shooting your hunting bow in cold weather when you’re covered in several layers of clothes. I also know a few folks who follow this path and it works well for them too. Personally, I shoot the same bow all year, mostly because I’m cheap.

In the end, the proper answer is, “whatever works best for you.”

[amar911]

I have lots of bows and like to shoot with various of them, even in the same shooting session. It just adds variety to my practice sessions. I know I would be a better shot if I just shot one, but I don't want to do that. I also shoot different weights of bows from low 40's to about 70 pounds. For months before I go on a hunt, I try to spend most of my time using the equipment I will use on that hunt. So I agree with the statements of others that you should practice with the equipment you will hunt with, but I don't always follow that good advice.

Allan