Hunting Draw Weight

[Bowguy67]

Good luck buddy

[Deertaker]

Nice to have another Canadian on here! Good luck with your Trad journey!

[Mark R]

Alot of States have similar Regulations, simply put, it states the (Bow) has to meet the specs of weight and length limits it says nothing about the persons draw weight at there draw length operating the Bow.

[Bowguy67]

Alot of States have similar Regulations, simply put, it states the (Bow) has to meet the specs of weight and length limits it says nothing about the persons draw weight at there draw length operating the Bow.

What states are they?

[Bowguy67]

NY simply states it’s illegal to hunt with a bow less than 35lbs draw weight. No length, not saying where it needs to hit that weight.

NJ is a little more descript but their law is easily understandable as well

[Rob DiStefano]

A totally dumb trad bowhunting tackle law created by people who don't know squat about archery, bowhunting, and probably too many other things in life, and yet they seem to get voted into office annually, much to smart people's dismay.

If there needs to be a minimum "hunting bow weight", it should not be the bow's labeled weight (which we all know is usually not all that accurate anyway), it should be the measured holding weight at the archer's full draw length. 

Or heck, just remove the current bow's labeled weight and write on yer own - I doubt any official in the field will do more than look at the bow, let alone have the smarts or equipment or the want to check further.

[JohnV]

Refinish the handle and mark it 43# @ 31”.  Problem solved.

[Rob DiStefano]

Refinish the handle and mark it 43# @ 31”.  Problem solved.

No, I'd label it 40@28 - labeling it 43@31 would probably create more of a problem to simple minds.

[wood carver 2]

The last three posts nailed it. The regs were written by people who don’t know bows and, knowing our government, don’t even know anything about hunting.
The regs could have been written more clearly.
You are legal. My friends and I, who bowhunt meet c o’s while moose hunting and they check our licences, but they have never even looked at or bows.
Welcome, by the way!
Dave.

[Sam McMichael]

Just how is the exact wording on that Canadian law? It seems that the requirement, as stated, is that the bow must be able to reach 40# pull at 28". It doesn't seem to say that the archer must actually be pulling it 28". The restriction is on the bow not the pull of the archer. Thusly, a 40# bow pulled less than 28" still meets the stated law. Of course, this is a facetious statement, but it does suggest that trad bowhunting organizations should press for clearer and better written laws.

[Rob DiStefano]

What really matters, if there are to be bowhunting laws, is the holding weight at the archer's full draw.  This would require field officials to at least carry a proper and calibrated bow scale. 

The fallacy of such "draw weight" laws is that the bowhunter can short draw, which negates any bow draw weight label, and even field testing by officials. 

To me, it's all nonsense, and the reality of hunting ethics always has and always will be with the hunter.

[Bowguy67]

Just how is the exact wording on that Canadian law? It seems that the requirement, as stated, is that the bow must be able to reach 40# pull at 28". It doesn't seem to say that the archer must actually be pulling it 28". The restriction is on the bow not the pull of the archer. Thusly, a 40# bow pulled less than 28" still meets the stated law. Of course, this is a facetious statement, but it does suggest that trad bowhunting organizations should press for clearer and better written laws.

Sam he’s not legal. Refer to my pic of the way it’s actually worded. It’s dumb but he’s not. Sorry bud at the end of your quote it seems you understand the law as written. It’s really worded bad

[Bowguy67]

Guys I’ll say and I don’t know exactly how Canada works. Don’t claim to either but as a hunter ed instructor I’ve seen things didn’t make sense. Each time I’ve presented them to our state biologist in charge of hunter ed. Be it a hunter ed question, policy or an improperly written or confusing law, most times we get it resolved and that’s just one guy pointing it out. Perhaps the op could try and talk to someone and explain the issue to them?