Draw weight introspective.

[B.O.D.]

It seems in my case I have been steadily going down in weight.
I used to shoot 80 pounds, to 70 to 60 then to the mid to low 50's.

I'm not old, I'm not too badly injured either.
I just traded for a Howard Hill badger, this bow is 60 pounds at my draw.
It only took about 3 sessions for it to be completely manageable    

Now it feels like butter coming back;)

I have a 66" Big 5 on the way, about 65-66#'s at my draw ( this is a trial to see if I like the bow, if so , I can buy it)
The badger is 58", the Big 5 is 66", I'm guessing it( the big 5) will feel alot smoother, despite being heavier.
Maybe it is all that bamboo? I know my bamboo flyrod casts a lot nicer that my graphites.

My point is, have a lot of you also gone down in weight to pace with the growing trend in lighter bows?? I know I did.      

But now I'm going back up.      
Seems to give me a smoother release with the extra weight, not to mention a bit more OOOMMPPPHHH! Until something makes me go lower, I'm gonna shoot heavier when I can still enjoy it.

I'm liking these Hills though.    
BD

[George D. Stout]

Everyone has different physiology and muscle structure so each has their own ability.  I've shot bows as heavy as 68 pounds, but am currently shooting 52#.  There's much more to weight than what is written on the side of a bow.

A friend of mine shoots a 65+ pound longbow and does so quite well.  My 52# recurve will shoot the same arrow farther, because Scott's draw is 26 and mine is near 28.  Powerstroke...quality of release...type of bow, etc., will affect a bow's efficiency.  So it's best to just shoot what you can comfortably shoot accurately.

[B.O.D.]

yep  

I really do notice a better release with the heavier bow, that being said George, I'm a pull- through shooter.

I don't hold at anchor, if I do, I get the scatter-gun groups!  
BD

[B.O.D.]

George, you think the bamboo makes a difference in the Hill bows?

[BUFF]

I have a soft spot in my heart for heavy bows. I shot a Red deer 2 days ago with my 55# PGA but I really love the way it feels to shoot my 74 pounder. I just like to feel the power building as you slowly pull it back.... It is not needed but I really do like it. I have a 84# Iron wood coming

[Diamond Paul]

I have steadily gone down, over a number of years.  Started at 57#, got as high as 63#, now I'm down to 45#.  In my case, I started shooting bows after I had had (when younger) surgery on my right rotator cuff and a severely separated left shoulder that is now paying dividends.  I simply can't shoot heavy bows without pain now.  But I wish I had started with bows in the 40lb class, so that it would not have taken me all these years to develop good form: if you can get a good release with light bows, you can surely do it on heavier bows.  Also, I now realize that at my draw length, bows in the 40's are more than enough for deer.  However, I don't blame you for shooting heavier bows while you can; I wish I still could!  How does that Toby Keith song go; "I ain't as good as I once was. . ."

[Apex Predator]

I can shoot 70#, but have no reason to for now.  I shoot 45-50# bows for deer and hogs.  It's all I need.  I enjoy shooting every day, and can shoot a long time without fatigue. I do like very heavy arrows though.

[George D. Stout]

I'm not sure what effect bamboo creates in longbows.  It always seemed to pull smoother than other limb materials, but that may have been my imagination 8^).

Heavy weights are great if you can keep your upper body and back in good shooting shape.  They can be a terror on elbows and shoulders if you don't keep in condition.  For most of us, our lifestyles don't help with that 8^).

The main issue is they can tire you out quickly and get you into bad shooting habits, which is much worse than shooting light bows.  You lose an incredible amount of power by short-drawing a heavy bow...that's why my lighter ones will outshoot Scott's heavier bows.  Scott is strong and can draw them okay....he just has a natural short draw, but it does show how much variability is in the draw weight/draw length issue.

Better to use a light bow to at least train for form and accuracy.  You can always build-up to heavier poundage....but should do so only after your form is set and your strength improves.

[Orion]

Been shooting sticks for more than 40 years.  I started dropping down in weight about two years ago when I turned 60.  Used to shoot about 65# on all my bows.  Now, most are 55#-60# with a few at 52# and one at 62#.  I like the feel and performance of heavier bows (and arrows) and will stay with them as long as I can.

[B.O.D.]

George, your friend Scott is like me, I will never have a 28" draw unless I anchor in my ear...

So, he may well be better off with the heavier weight to compensate somewhat. Can you imagine how much more he would lose with a bow 10-15 pounds lighter at his same 26" draw?

food for thought.

And George, yeah, I have shot dozens and dozens of different bows, the 2 smoothest had bamboo cores.  

BD

[George D. Stout]

I already thought about that...many times big dog.  Scott also knows that.

Yeah...that bamboo has some magical powers I'm thinkin'.    

[scriv]

I started out with a 20# glass bow back in the 60's Went to a 45# Ben pearson in the 70's.  Shot a 70# Martin long bow in the 80's Had a 52# Black widow in the 90's to see what I really wanted.  Had them build me a 45#.  Bought a 36# Bob Lee last month.  Can't wait until my 37# ACS CX arrives.  I'm 6'2" 260 lbs and 45 years old.  No injuries that matter.  I draw 31" so I tend to like the light bow.  Here in the north the cold is a factor when you are on stand.  I also would like to shoot over 100 arrows a day without fatigue.

[GroundHunter]

I'm with Big Dog on heavy bows. I find my release much better with less focus on the release. My new 85# Wesley Special arrived and I find it a smooth, quiet, sweet shooting bow. On my second time shooting it, i mistook it for my 70# bow (same limb/riser wood/glass) and shoot it three times before i realized it was the heavier bow - I hadn't yet installed the string silencres. It's that smooth and quiet.

Good release is even easier than with my 70# Wesley Special. No surprise. What did surprise me was this bow seems to have less handshock potential than the 70# bow, and it is just as quiet.

The 85# bow has all the handy accuracy of the 70# bow, and it really likes heavy arrows.

So, I'm a heavy bow fan.

Regular workouts with attention to back muscles are a must, as is warming up before practicing with the heavy bow. Shooting the bow alone is not enough as little ancillary muscles in the shoulders and back need to be strengthened to keep you from pulling something.

[Dick in Seattle]

I've recently had to drop back, from bows in the low 50's to bows in the mid 30's to just over 40.... shoulder problems showing up with aging.  Also, I have a short draw at 25".    I was bummed at first, but the truth is I'm having  ball.   I started exploring ways to compensate... lighter arrows, going from my preferred large helical fletching to small vanes and even experimenting with higher tech bows with all the adjustments.   It's all been fun, and I've found that I'm now shooting the lighter arrows comfortably at longer distances than I was willing to try with heavier bow weight and heavier arrows.   I'm not a hunter, so the arrow weight isn't critical for me.   If I were to hunt, i'd stick to 45 pounds, which I can still pull as long as it isn't for an extended shooting session.

I'm another lover of Hill bows, and rounded up a few lower weight ones, so I can still enjoy them, too, though they do like a heavier arrow and I have to stay within my shorter comfort range for distance.   However, it's all shooting and therefore all fun.

[mnbwhtr]

I've gone down as my shooting time has. Shot as high as 88# in the mid 70's(shooting nearly every day for 1 or more hrs) to my heavy weights now going 67#. I shoot a 300 round once a week now with about 55#. Tried 47# but couldn't do as well, mainly release problems.

[Dave Lay]

I have been kinda beat up over the years just livin and playin to hard        But I started shootin trad in the early 80's and shot 65 lbs, (you know like fred bear.) I am not a big guy 5'10 and 210, but I have kept that weight up and even with a current injury and surgery from falling, have no plans on dropping weight. I have several friends who followed others advise that because they were shootin what that other person considered a heavy bow, dropped poundage,(the words overbowed are way to over used)  they found that thier heavy huntin arrows lost that "thump" that only a heavy bow can develop. When they decieded to again increase thier poundage they had a heck of a time. due to thier muscles being out of shape or whatever. I think if you have a strong enough desire and are willing to put the work in, you can shoot a heavier weight bow, heck look at Paul Brunner he is a little guy and is shootin in the 70's because he wants to, and puts in the effort.

[B.O.D.]

Well, I have had the badger for about 2 weeks and it feels like a kid's bow now, even pulled to 28"( my ear...LOL), that is about 67#'s or so pulled to there.

I'm not sure if it is the bamboo, or if I was just not applying what I have and pulling the weight I'm capable of before?    

I pick up my 65 pound 66" big 5 tomorrow from the PO, I'm betting after a bit, it will be a real sweet puller and shooter.

I'm going to enjoy these bigger bows until I can't, my release is soooo smooth.
I'm liking this!  
BD