Where have all the heavy bows gone?

[Terry Green]

A diminishing return is still a return. 

[Bowwild]

From 16 to age 66 none of my recurves drew more than 50 pounds at my draw length. Draw weight of the stuff I've hunted has never been an issue. However, mule, antelope, black bear, and whitetail deer are the biggest I've been able to afford to pursue.

[ShrtRnd]

All four of my Robertsons are in the #60-#65 range, but that is typical of late 80's - early '90's models. I don't have any issues with their draw weights, but I'm not shooting as much as I should which may or maynot be helping my shoulder life... 

[TURKEYFOOTGIRL]

Yes Orion I have posted 2 ads on the classifieds here as well as several FB ads. I'm sure the right thing will pop up I just thought everyone would have one of two to sell.  Heck I had a great 75 pound Hoyt takedown I bought for 35 bucks at a yard sale. Unfortunately I sold it

[jrstegner]

You might try calling some of the shops who sell a lot of bows. Rocky Mountain Specialty Gear, The Footed Shaft, Big Jim. Sometimes they don't get them all listed on the web page.

[stik&string]

My lightest is 83#s, I think if you are wanting strictly 75#s you may struggle as most of the bows I see traded/sold by the heavy crew are 90#s plus. If your parameters go higher I think you could find one cheapish.

[tippit]

All my heavyweight bows have turned into saw dust as I'm still have fun reducing their weights. Turned 75 this week and 40# is as high as I go.

[Terry Green]

Men have always gone down in weight as they got older.  That's naturally normal, common sense,  and understandable nor does it need to be justified... that's not the reason you can't find heavy bows.. 

[Chuck Jones]

I still have several of my heavy weights, from 70-94# in my upstairs. My shoulders quit on me about 20 years ago. Found out I didn’t need the extra weight and shot better and practices more with lighter weight bows. In my experience, few people who shoot heavy bows actually reach a solid anchor and sometimes have several inches of arrow sticking out when they release.

[stykshooter]

I'm pushing 70 & shoot 65# not heavy but no pains either

[SCATTERSHOT]

You could always shoot a buff with a 40# bow and stampede it ff a cliff, like the Indians did.

[George Tsoukalas]

I'm from the "walk in off the street generation and buy a recurve bow at your local department store". In fact my brother, of eternal memory (1955-2012),  and I did that. Those bows were aimed for the bulk of shooters and came in at around 45-50#.

Not many shooters wanted the heavy bows so manufacturers concentrated on the mid range bows.

So where did they go? Not many existed back in the day unless you got some sort of special order custom. We could not afford that.

But that's ok. We had a blast hunting and shooting our 45-50# recurves. Memories from long ago (1976). Gone but not forgotten from a time we will not likely see again.

Thanks for letting me reminisce. His heavenly birthday is coming up on 2/5.

Jawge

[Terry Green]

I'm sure you have Chuck, but the guys I hunt with that shoot heavy bows handle them easily and consistently kill stuff.

If turkeyfoot is going to hunt buff, he's going to need a heavy bow.  Not sure why all the hacking on people that shoot heavy bows is even an issue on this thread. 

[Chuck Jones]

Just making a truthful observation based on almost 60 years behind the bow. I’m sure you and your friends handle heavy bows well. I shot 94#@27” for years. I could hold at full draw for 10 seconds without creeping forward. (won a couple bets for that). However; you and your friends are the exception. Only a small percentage of archers can really handle the heavy bows, and hit what they are aiming at. More power to those that can! I regret, every day, that I ever shot a bow that pulled over 60#. My shoulders let me know about it constantly. Maybe I was doing it wrong?😩

[Wudstix]

Ironmike;
63-67# is good for most of my hunting with the D/R bows I shot and 800-900 grain arrows I'm pushing.  Plenty of juice and penetration potential.  Do have a D-shape Kota at 72#, but heavier than that I have to work too hard at staying in trim to shoot consistently.
 

[Archie]

68# @ 31 still going strong for me, and it's my favorite to shoot.  The key for me is to draw and hold my bow (both right and left handed) for exercise all throughout the year, but especially during my "shooting seasons".

[Terry Green]

I hear ya Chuck... I've seen people you speak of,  believe me, and thanks for not including everyone. I've been shooting since i was 8, 56 now, and shot heavy all my life.  Never an issue.  Just saying one size don't fit all, and not sure why some have such an issue accepting that. Well, actually, I have a pretty good reason as to why.

[Lori]

My husband always hunted with heavy bows, he practiced a lot. One year he tore a muscle in his arm while weight lifting, really ugly lump, he killed a huge doe with my 37 pounds at 26 inches Hill that year. Then one day his super heavy bow pulled a finger out of place, that ended it for him. At 69 now, the guy that he gave his lighter 89 pound Big 5 too stopped by, he got out his fiberglass arrows with wood inside of them. They hit the target really hard, when he shot his old bow. He said, "Gosh I forgot how much fun that was." I said, "Don't you dare."  He now shoots 50 to 55 pounds, sometimes all day. The heaviest draw that I ever got to was 48 pounds at my 26 inch pull. I cannot do that any more.

[pdk25]

Keep looking Chris.  I could loan you something if you were a lefty.  Jerry is going to be borrowing my ILF recurve limbs for the hunt.  Nothing is cheap, but Black Widow could get a set of limbs knocked out for you quickly, and it doesn't seem to bad weighed against the cost of a buff hunt.

[HOOSIERGRIZZ]

Hmmm.  I shot what I consider heavy bows (60#-70#) during my 30s, 40s 50s and into my 60s.  Nearly 75 now, and I'm shooting 45#-50#, not because of any shoulder problems.  Just not as strong as I once was. Never had and still don't have shoulder problems. 

Heavy bows don't cause shoulder problems IMO, unless perhaps one shoots them improperly. A lot of folks injure their shoulders during a lifetime of living, and blame it on shooting heavy bows.  Might be that the heavy bows just alert them to the fact that they already have bad shoulders. 

Turkeyfoot:  Did you place a bows wanted ad?  Most folks don't list heavy bows for sale because there's very little market for them nowadays.  Bet a lot of folks have a bow or two they would sell.

I agree.  My shoulders are also wrecked.  My surgically repaired one is now my "good" one.  But that was caused by my being stupid enough to think it was somehow necessary to bench press a dump truck after age 40.  I don't think shooting had anything to do with it.  Then again I never owned a 70# bow.