Hunting Elk& Moose under 50lbs

[Gordon martiniuk]

Was wondering how many are going to hunt moose & Elk with Bows under 50lbs and why?

[Bjorn]

My son is 15 and can't draw any more than that; but he knows exactly where to put it and how to get it there!

[momo-t]

Two years ago, just before elk season, a pinched nerve in my neck[compressed disk]sapped all the strength out of me. Try as I might all I could draw was a measly 47#. So I tuned my daala to a set of 700grain arrows and promised my self no more than 15 yards.Well I almost pulled it off on a smallish 5 point that came in downwind.  This year I'm back with a vengence with my 63# Kwyk-Styk.It's going to be a blast.Can't wait. Mo.

[wtpops]

Hey Bjorn you better take a camera, i have a funny feeling that boy of yours is going to show use all how to elk hunt. Good luck, be safe.

[Canadabowyer]

Will be hunting Moose and Mule deer with my 48# @ 28" longbow. I only draw 27" so its really about 45#.550 grain arrows with KME sharp broadheads. I shoot that weight because I can be accurate with it. If I try to shoot more weight my accuracy gets erratic. Bob

[PAPA BEAR]

i wouldnt reccomend goin after a moose shootin under 50 he may take it as a personal insult and toss yer arrow back at ya then chase ya out of the county lickity split.  :D        :D

[PAPA BEAR]

seriously i think you need more but thats just me,i can pull 90 if i want too but i hunt at 60.check the regulations where you'll be and make sure of minimum poundages for specific game animals.as long as you get the projectile to the landing pad and you have a razor sharp head to plow the way in then go for it.key being shot placement of course.good luck......larry  

[Bill Carlsen]

It is really all about shot placement. i saw a pic of a guy in Canada with a very short bow I believe was 43#. He killed the moose with a pass thru.

[d. ward]

Well said Bill shot placement is the key.One other thing lots of old timers believed.Was sometimes you are better off not passing thru big game like elk and moose.Sometimes far more damage is done inside the critter as the beast is running full tilt thru the thicket and doing open heart surgery on itself with your well place shot and sharp broadhead.bd

[northern fisher]

Here in Ontario you have to have 48.5lbs @27.6" or less.So I'm thinking a sharp broadhead and the right placement and you got 1200 lbs of moose on the ground.Hope you got a lot of friends and a SHARP knife.      

[Gordon martiniuk]

Thank for your  thoughts , I was just cheaking what others thought as I have heard from locals about the same that Elk & moose require more than 50lbs and I agree, we have some self professed expert Bow testers and trad guy telling people that 40ish lbs is enough and while you may get lucky once in a while with low poundage I  think that if you can pull more than 50lbs you owe it to the game you hunt to try for a clean harvest rather than make game suffer. so when I go after Moose and Elk it will be with my 61lb Kwyk Styk, or 60lb Little Grizzly.

[straitera]

There should be imposed minimum regs in place for those intent upon challenging borderline equipment. I'd never do it.

[Ray Hammond]

I've got an old Herter's longbow...24#@30".

I'm going to give it a try. Wish me luck.

[Gehrke145]

50 would be as low as I would go with my 28 inch draw length

[Richie Nell]

Yea I have one of those no shelf high school archery 25# bows I believe I will try.  I think I can kill one with the right shot placement right behind the ear.  Not.

Of course shot placement is the key. That is a given.  
The problem is shot placement is determined by factors other than you or your weapon.  A moving target in the wild has a lot to do with your shot placement and you can't control that. However, you CAN control the lethality of your weapon when things go wrong.  So I think a hunter should use the heaviest bow and arrow he can accurately shoot leaving nothing on the table.

[buckeye_hunter]

I believe Fred Eicher has killed everything in North America with a 52 lb recurve. does that mean anything? Don't know, but I was going to try and start shooting around that weight to see if my elbow/shoulders can handle it.

-Charlie

[Guru]

Can it be done with everything going perfect? Of course...

Is it an optimum set-up? Not really.....

Gotta remember draw length has a lot to do with it too....

Fred's a big guy with a fairly long draw, and shoots a fast bow.....

On the other end would be a guy shooting a self bow, or older d-shaped longbow with a 25" draw....

Big difference in those two set-ups.....

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Ray Hammond:
I've got an old Herter's longbow...24#@30".

I'm going to give it a try. Wish me luck.

you won't need luck, but you will need the following ...

* bail money for when ya gets locked up 'cause ya didn't meet the official bow draw weight requirement

* good health insurance to patch up the antler/hoof holes in yer bod from a ticked off elk/moose

* a lifetime investment in a shrink, 'cause bud, you done got yerself some mental issues that do need a fixin' pronto

good one, ray!  :D

[Biggie Hoffman]

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Ray, Richie and Rob: You're not being very politically correct! You've given me a good laugh     - thanks, fellows!