For those who decreased draw weight..........

[M60gunner]

This weight issue has been going on for dogs years. My main concern is that a lighter bow weight  will not kill as well and leave a bunch of wounded critters for the anti's to find out about. We do not always get that perfect shot and critters can move just as we release.
Yes, I have seen the pictures of the kills with lighter weight bows (under 50lbs)and I know we have better materials but I also know "things happen" and at 10 degrees F one may not get full draw etc., etc.
Do not mean to stir the pot and cause trouble but this subject of bow weight for hunting is a "button" with me.
 Tom

[Quill Flinger]

Well, I love flinging quills & I love bows. So I have lighter weight fun shooting type bows that I picked up mostly to re-hab myself, (back & shoulder injury).

   I also have heavier weight bows mostly for hunting bigger game (like elk). I've also drawn & held on elk in freezing cold weather, I'm in B.C.!...LOL. I can tell you that when that big bull elk is 14 yards away & you can hear him beathing & see his breathe & your hearts pounding up in your throat it's no problem pulling back a heavy weight bow! I tend to over-draw slightly in these situations & a heavy bow helps prevent me from over-drawing too much.

   At my age with past injuries & the love of flinging quills, I'm not always looking for a "workout" with my heavy bows. So I'll pick up the lighter ones & go have fun, or work on form etc. & I can shoot 'em all day long.

So go forth with a dandy excuse to have more bows!

[Swamp Pygmy]

a bad shot is a bad shot and ten more lbs isn't going to do anything. 70lb compounds leave arrows in spines and scapulas all the time

IMHO you're alot more likely to NEED that heavy weight if you should CHOOSE to go with it. If you know what I'm saying. I think alot of people miss and crack a spine and think "I'm glad I had this heavier bow." Rather than thinking "With I lighter bow I could've held for the perfect shot."

@moose. whether you chose that weight because of it or not it doesn't matter. You don't have a clean release and you use high weights to get over it. Yes you can work out more to shoot an even higher bow and treat the symptom and not the problem like that as well. But you'll still have a sloppy draw under all that weight. It doesn't change you're treating the symptom and not the problem.

If you don't want to go down in weight than you are right it doesn't matter. But don't go thinking you have a clean release.

[mooseman76]

Wow, amazes me that someone who has never seen me shoot can analyze me like that.  Thank you Swamp Pygmy, I'll work on my release...Mike

[Doc Nock]

To address the original question: Yes, dropping six pounds in weight made me shoot better...

Simply because now I can concentrate on doing the right things right order...before, if I did it right..it hurt! Now it doesn't hurt. Makes me shoot better.

BTW, Arty Ritis is my shooting partner!  

[Swamp Pygmy]

moose you have some kinda attitude man. From your very fist post. Chill.

by your own admission you can shoot heavier bows with a clean release and lighter bows without one. This doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what your flaw might be.

Sorry I'm such an awful person for trying to help you shoot better. Never read my posts again and both our problems are solved.

just don't talk to me. how's that? BTW don't bother answering.

I'm just trying to help you diagnose form flaws addressed to dropping draw weight, as this thread implies. Sorry to offend you so much.

[RLA]

I dropped from a 60lb. BW to a 46lb.ACS CX, both shooting 9 gpp. I gained speed accuracy and my shoulder don't hurt as bad. I will say my shooting form is much more important at the lighter draw weight

[Swamp Pygmy]

It truly is RLA you're right. What I was surprised about is that there is practice advantages to going back up in draw weight too. Don't forget to do that.

It's odd but different shooting errors in form show themselves at different poundages.

[dagwood64]

I dropped 3 pounds and my accuracy greatly improved. Just made it easier to get to my anchor. Duane

[Rocky Reimer]

advancing age has me ordering a set of 45# limbs for my Morrison Cheyenne.....kind of has me worried about arrow weight.....hoping that a 540 - 580 arrow will be heavy enough for whitetails at my draw length...27".....and which brodhead to use....leaning towards a 2 blade Magnus

[kctreeman]

Due to my stroke in january this year I am dropping from the mid 60's @28" to the low 50's @26".  NOt sure why the draw length srortened but just not strong enough for the heavy poundage.  Getting alot of bad habits trying to muscle myself back into my old bow.  HAving the bow problem resolved by Wingnut who is fixiing me up with a new dryad bow in my poundage and draw length.  can't wait for mOjam to pick it up.  any  tips orideas about the conversion to lighter and shorter would be greatly appreciated.

[Jedimaster]

Well John, when it comes to lighter and shorter you have already made the best decision by dealing with Mike down at Dryad.  He'll fix you up with a bow that will take away any fears you might have of going down in weight.  Secondly just take your time and don't get frustrated.  Shooting light bows isn't as easy as it sounds, give it some time and have fun with it.

[kctreeman]

Jedi, thank you for the encouragement and tips.  I do feel fortunate to be able to shoot again.  Will a tab help smooth my release better than the glove that I,ve been using?  I am having fun.  This will be my first ever custom built bow.GOT to shoot it at COmpton's, Cant wait to own it.

[BobT]

I think I shoot a little better with a tab than with a glove but that is just me. I have seen some phenomenal shooters that used a glove. As for lighter draw weights my current bow inventory goes from 43 to 56 lbs. I find myself shooting the 56lb. bow more than the others but I can't see any appreciable difference in accuracy. It just feels a little better to me.

kctreeman, Good luck with your rehab, I'm sure you will be back up to par in no time!

Bob

[George D. Stout]

Well, m60gunner, what ticks me is people who think light bows wound more deer than heavy bows.  Just ain't so.  Bad shooting creates issues.  I've been doing this for five decades and know from experience what makes a bad shot.
It's not the bow weight...it's the bow shooter.  
And...I'll add this.  I've watched guys shooting those 65 and 70 pounders, pulling to maybe 25 or 26 inches and killing any extra power they may have...as well as accuracy.  A 45 pound bow drawn to 28 or 29 will equal or surpass a 60 pounder drawn to 25 or 26 in most cases.  Power stroke comes from utilizing the full power of each bow by drawing it to your full draw.  And....yes, good form will build good release on lighter bows...it's all about form.

[pdk25]

Swamp pygmy.  Maybe if didn't use such inflammatory language people would be more receptive to your advice.  Something to consider.

[Larry247]

I've dropped my bow wieght down from 60#s to 45#s due to a bad back.
I've taken several deer with 45#s and a 400-450grn arrow. I even killed a boar with a 400grn G/T tipped with a snuffer in March from 30yds or so.

I shoot just as good with 45# as i did with 60#s. I can even hold my bow a little longer if i have too.

[jacobsladder]

George D...well said! ... shot placement is key...no matter how much draw weight!  Its 20yds and in for me..i'd rather shoot a bow in the mid 40s that i know i can draw comfortably in the cold michigan winters...45#s and a sharp two blade in the vitals = dead deer.

[Biggie Hoffman]

C'mon Rocky, that's plenty of killin power for an ol bowhunter like you. I killed a bunch of deer with a 45# bow and 500 grain arrows. Stick with your 3 blades, you'll be fine!!

[Swamp Pygmy]

pdk I didn't think I did. If it came off like that I didn't meant it to. Well alright the second time I meant it to. But not the first. If you look at it he clearly told me "your idea is out the window" when I still feel it's correct. High sting tension pulls your fingers out of the way giving a clean release and low weights don't. It wasn't until that I got angry with him. Anyway... it was a misunderstanding and we talked it out. So it's all good.

kctree. one thing I would mention is it does seem easier to have a static release than a dynamic release. The tension from the string I think aids in it being pulled away so forcefully which kinda naturally pull your draw hand away. With lighter bows it seems to make it wanna pluck rather than slide back to touch your shoulder. I have better luck trying to hold my hand still. just my .02. Your miles may vary.