Low poundage hunting Q?

[Bob B.]

I am looking at a used Hill bow (Cheetah) that is about 44 pounds at my 30 inch draw.  I will use it for the joy of shooting mostly, but may take it to the deer woods.  I shoot woodies and to be long enough for me they get a bit heavy.  My question is, will a Hill bow - 68 inches long and pulling about 44 pounds with a 590 - 600 grain wood arrow have enough energy to be an effective deer weapon at ranges up to 25 yards on deer between 100 - 250 pounds?

Bob.

[Drake 15]

I would say yes out to 15-20 yards. Also good shot placement is key.

[Stone Knife]

Yep, it will get the job done.

[JimB]

Absolutely.That long draw counts for a lot and that arrow weight helps too.

[Rob W.]

Killed my first two trad deer with and old darton ranger that I was pulling to about 40#. At the time my broadheads were questionably sharp also.

Razor sharp broadheads and accuracy will do the trick.

[shadman]

No problem!

[Lone Ranger]

I am shooting 41#'s at a 29" draw. I have NO doubts.

you shouldn't either.


L.R.    

[Downtime]

Harvest my first deer at a young age with a 35lb Ben Person Fiberglass bow with a bear broadhead.  I now shoot a 47lb bow at my draw, and have harvest all sizes of deer out to 35 yards.  My normal harvest range is 20 yards and under.  If the right situation happened again, I would throw an arrow to that deer, for a harvested aminal.  The key is practice, practice, practice, practice.

[Night Wing]

I killed my first deer (doe) with a 36# target bow. It was a complete pass through shot where the arrow, after it exited through both lungs, was still flying in the air. The shot was around 15 yards, broadside.

If you look at my signature, I still shoot low poundage bows for deer.

[Bob B.]

Night wing, I have read many - many of your posts and was hoping you would respond.  I think if I get the bow, I will be fine, but my big question is basically not the poundage only, but the heavy arrow as well.  The arrow will be pretty slow being it is like 13.5 grains per pound of draw or more.  I know it would be excellent shooting carbons, but I don't wish to shoot them out of a hill, (just the way i feel).

Bob.

[JimB]

Bob,I shoot 13 gpp on most of my bows and love them.My lightest bow uses 14 gpp.The weight just increases penetration.The difference in trajectory out to 20 yds is hardly noticeable.Just try them and you will see.

[straitera]

Yes. Good ? & concern Bob. Experienced hunters using lighter weight equipment know when/where to drop the string taking into account all the speed/movement/penetration variables. Learn from them. You're good to go partner. Suggest 2-blades razor sharp.

[LEWIS VADEN]

Hildebrand has sitka spruce shafts that you can get barrel tapered.  I have some 50-55#, 30" long to bop that come in under 450 with 125 grain point.  They fly great and seem durable.  Look at their target shaft section.  They pick the lighter ones for the target shooters.  Out of 14 shafts 11 of them spined 51, two 52, and one 53#.  from lightest to heaviest there was 5 grains difference.  Best shafts I have ever purchased.

[Don Stokes]

I've just finished tuning up a set of broadhead arrows for a 40# recurve that I plan to hunt with this year. The arrows weight 560-570 grains, around 14 gpp. I'm completely confident they will do the job on deer. Make sure your arrows fly perfectly and you'll be pulling them out of the ground after a pass-through.

[kpete]

A year or so ago  there was a short articlde in TBM about a guy who shot a doe with 40 lb bow with heavy shaft and two blade(Grizzly).  Picture showed a nice slice through the scapula.
You will be in good shape.
Good luck

[cbCrow]

Bob, I shoot a Harrelson 38# longbow with a 1716 arrow thats 10.8gpp with a 125gr. snuffer head and have had pass thru s on my shots. If you know your range and your limits, that poundage will easily blow thru a deer.

[toddster]

The past few years I have been shooting a wesley special 66" long 45# at 27.5" draw.  I have shot 5 deer with it.  Last year I was hunting on the ground, had a Doe come in and she was quartered away from me, shot her with a heavy arrow and razor sharp zwickey eskimo that went completely through her.  Her is the best part I couldn't believe, after she ran, I stepped it off and was 30 yards.  Arrow placement, heavy arrow, and sharp broadhead- Howard Hill was onto something

[Bob B.]

Excellent info, I appreciate all the responses.

Bob.

[Night Wing]

Bob,

I know it's probably too late now since bowhunting for deer is right around the corner, but next year (January 2012), try to find a moderately heavy arrow GPP (grains per pound) wise.

If you look at my signature, you can see the GPP (grains per pound) of my size 2212, 421 grain aluminum arrows I shoot out of both of my recurves and they're not that light at 10.02 GPP and 11.37 GPP.

[Bob B.]

Nightwing,

I appreciate the responce. If I shoot my 590 grain arrows out of the Hill I am looking at, 44 pounds at my draw-that is 13.4 GPP - that coupled with the slower speed of the Hill, I woundered if that is too much weight to be effiecient-is it enough to kill deer ethically if I chose to hunt with it?  After all the Cheeta is only 4 lams, but I think the 2 boo cores are doing all the work and the juniper on back and belly are verneers only?  No matter, I think I will look into lighter weight woodies for the Hill should I pull the trigger and get it.

That said, I do appreciate your reply and do not shoot light arrows as I am a hunter first and a target shooter ... well, all my practice is for hunting, not target scores.

Bob.