Why do trick shots use heavier weight bows?

[nightowl1]

Simple question. Not loaded or looking to start a debate just wondering why people like Ferguson and others use 60+ lbs weight bows.

I have theories but thats it.

[Arwin]

My guess is that it has to do with flatter trajectory and a quicker arrow for moving targets.

[Brently]

Ferguson in his book (Become the Arrow) he states that he is a hunter and likes to use a hunting weight bow to shoot so all his shots feel the same.

[nightowl1]

That is what I was thinking.

They seem to shoot wood arrows which ( I'm not an expert on wood arrows) I believe it would be harder to get in a real light weight. So they shoot a stronger bow to increase speed in trajectory for the different range shots.

My guess is if you were to shoot a really light carbon you could get away with the same thing with a  really light bow, since your just punching holes and balloons.

You would might loose showmanship points though. It definitely more interesting to me to watch a guy shoot an arrow out of a bow capable of taking any game animal on the planet, and hit stuff I might miss with a 12 gauge!

Just some thoughts, love this stuff!

[Ragnarok Forge]

Byron Ferguson uses aluminum arrows form Easton.  His book calls this out and if you watch impossible shots on TV you can tell they are aluminums.

[LKH]

I would speculate that since he does and has shot so much, what we consider heavy weight is not to him.  

Until the last couple years I didn't consider my 75# recurve that difficult to shoot.  Now I do.  Time wins all battles.

[rickshot]

It’s all relative. I shot a 76# recurve for years and shot often, which was great preparation for shooting my 84#. By comparison, shooting one of my bows in the mid 60’s was its own kind of fun.

Byron states he shoots 10’s of thousands of shots a year. At that rate you’d probably be surprised how little work it becomes…and how you might no longer see 60# as a heavy weight bow. Rick.

[Don Stokes]

Many people shoot better with a heavy bow, because the release tends to be better. It's hard not to release a heavy bow smoothly. I shot much better when I could still handle 65# with ease. In those days I shot around 100 arrows a day.

[Jesse Peltan]

A heavier bow is more forgiving of a sloppy release.  A light bow is very critical of a sloppy release.  Trajectory is not a big deal for close range trick shots.

[George D. Stout]

You folks probably never hear of Bob Markworth, probably the greatest so-called trick shot of the 60's and 70's.  He used bows in the high 30's and low 40's.   Frank Addington doesn't use heavy bows, but I guess you never heard of him either.   Stacy Groscup used a 55 pound bow but only drew about 26 1/2 inches....hard to top Stacy's record either.  Byron is the only one I know of note that shoots a heavy bow, and he was born with one in his crib 8^).

[sswv]

hey George!  I know Frank and saw Stacy shoot many years ago. His passing was a great loss to archery. I agree about Byron being the only 'trick shooter' using a heavy bow. there's a young and upcoming shooter named Chris Hurt from PA that's gonna be talked about like these other fellows in years to come and, Chris dosen't shoot the big weights either.

[Gapmaster]

Bob Marksworth was great !! He just never got the TV exposure Ferguson got. Media exposure works wonders even if your not all that good.

[riivioristo]

About heavy bows and trick shooters - didnt Howard Hill use quite heavy bows all the time ?

[joe ashton]

'cuz he is stronger than me....way stronger.

[Mark 507]

I don't remember if it was durring one of his live shows or on a video but Byron Ferguson says he gets a cleaner release shooting a heavy draw weight bow.

[pdk25]

Originally posted by Gapmaster:
Bob Marksworth was great !! He just never got the TV exposure Ferguson got. Media exposure works wonders even if your not all that good.

I doubt that it was your intention, but this post comes across to me as saying that Byron Ferguson isn't that good of a shot.  At least to me it reads that way.

[LCH]

Doesn't Byron Tabor shoot over 65lbs.?LCH

[outbackbob48]

I saw Stacy Groscup shoot an I ,m pretty sure they said he was shooting 29 # at the time. He was getting up in years when I saw him. Oh he layed on the ground with both moccasins in the air an shot better than I will ever shoot standing or any other way, He was a great shot an a true spokesman. Bob

[tradtusker]

Ron La Clair also used to shoot pretty heavy bows.

[woodchucker]

I watched Byron Ferguson "ricochette" an arrow off of 4 plywood panels and break a balloon. I would think that after bouncing off 2 pieces of plywood the arrow would have pretty much "run out of gas"..... BUT 4!!!!!