33# enough for deer???

[Danny Roberts]

Sharp broadhead and good placement... 33# ... easy kill.
DR

[Plywood Bender-laptop]

BJK-

BUT, those same people would probably come to full draw if they were shooting 33#.  Maybe end up with a faster arrow too.

I didn't want to make this an easy decision. :^)

Carl

[jojotater]

Let me say up front--I'm not being a smart aleck. But I'm not understanding some of these answers. I don't know if 30# bows are enough bow or not myself. I haven't tested.

What I don't understand is all this "If you make a well place shot" stuff. You have to make a well placed shot with a 50 or 70 pound bow. What are we saying here? Shoulder blade?

You should have razor sharp broadheads with anything you shoot. You should make the best shot at your game as you possible can with any bow.

I see these guys on Videos shooting elk and moose with traditional bows, and a lot of the times the arrow doesn't pass all the way through. I'm sure they are heavy bows. I've never hunted eld or moose.

Are y'all suggesting a 30# bow with razor sharp broadheads will not punch through a deer's chest cavity? Are you saying you can be a little more sloppy with a heavy bow?

I had a fellow tell me that no recurve was enough. He said they just didn't shoot fast enough. ????

I would like to ask that y'all explain your reasoning, because I sincerely--sincerely don't get it.

I do know that since the mid seventies, I've killed a good many whitetails with my old bear compound at 50# without complete pass throughs. And to be honest, I've had a few get away with pass throughs and not that I don't know what happened.

Again, I don't know the answer; I just don't understand how we know it's not enough bow.

[James Wrenn]

I think an experianced bowhunter could certainly kill a deer with a 33lb bow.Since your wife is new she is subject to make the same mistakes as most bowunters starting out on picking the wrong shots.We have all done it and might still screw up at times.Personally if she wants to bow hunt and can not pull more weight I would set her up with a nice light weight compound bow to hunt with.She can shoot and have fun with the stickbow but get some experiance under her belt before hunting with it. jmho

[bjk]

Hey Carl,

I agree with you, most guys I see who use 40-60Lb bows and have a 28-30 inch draw would likely get to full draw with a 33# bow, even in a hunting situation (if they haven't already gotten too accustomed to shooting low weight).  

My guess is this nice lady is shooting less poundage than she/we believe, but it is all speculation really.  Checking it during a practice session, then monitoring over hours, days, weeks will show you the real deal.  

If it were me making the decision, I would look at this aspect carefully and make my decision based on what is actually happening, not what I think might be happening.  Fact is, this is on the low range when discussing poundage...we wouldn't be talking about it if it weren't.    


Brian

[Mr.Magoo]

+1 on the compound.

[Arwin]

My daughter killed a doe with a 28# compound last year and had no problem. Michigan doesn't have a weight minimum. I've thoroughly checked the regs.

[Bonebuster]

There is merit to the question of whether or not she is actually getting 33lbs of draw weight.
If she is, a close range, broadside shot
will not be a problem.

I would stick to a two edge head, and practice, practice, practice. Real hunting situations.

Thin hide and ribs are all that seperates her broadhead from the lungs. As we all know, get both lungs and the deer WILL NOT go far.
Shot placement is the key, whether she draws 33
or 65 lbs.

I pray she gets a bunch of point blank, in your face, encounters with deer. Wait till you see her face when some old doe snorts at her from ten yards.  

[pete p]

might do the trick but might not be legal in your state. in any case you wil need a cut on contact

[Ray Hammond]

jojatater,

Plan for the worst- practice for the best. The worst that can happen is to hit the shoulder joint with a broadhead.

I have blown completely through both shoulder blades with MY setup, but NEVER through a joint. I shoot considerably more weight than 33 lbs at my draw, and I shoot very heavy arrows.

Momentum - the resistance of an object to stopping, is greater, with more poundage and weight. Think of it this way- throw a brick and an angel food cake the same size at a snowbank. Which one will penetrate farther into the snow?

Errors are common with bowhunters just starting out- I've had guys who were experienced tell me they shot something "right behind the right shoulder, or the left shoulder" I can't tell you how many times, and they ended up having shot it in the butt, on the opposite side, as an example.

Things happen...plan for the worst, practice for the best.

A new hunter, with a 30 or 33 lb bow or whatever, if they make a mistake, might get soured on the sport if their first shot is a bad one. I would not want to take a chance were it my wife, that she would make a bad shot...because I know she would not handle that well.

Anyone can build muscle, technique, and increase their weight to a higher level. I think 33 lbs is too low a bow weight for the taking of game in a quick clean manner, because everything has to work PERFECTLY every time you shoot, or you end up in trouble.

You don't have to be involved in many late night, flashlight, hands and knees woods walking expeditions to get fed up with marginal hits and no deer at the other end of that trail to decide that you need to execute better to stop it from happening again....there's plenty of reasons to have a sleepless night...worrying over a deer you made a marginal shot on is not a reason you want your wife sitting up at night for.

[gregg dudley]

jojotater

Most people that make the comments that you ask about understand that while we strive for perfection, stuff happens.  In the event of a marginal shot, they want to tip the odds in their favor as much as possible.  Thus they argue for higher draw weights and more mass weight.  It is pretty sound logic to my thinking except...

...Many people are overconfidant about the performance capabilities of their high draw weight bows and this line of thinking actually can contribute to the decision to take lower percentage shots.  Some of these folks will end up with a higher wounding loss percentage than if they lowered their draw weight, improved their shooting form, and excercised some restraint.

If I could only pull 33 pounds, I would hunt deer sized game or smaller and limit my shot distance to 12-15 yards or less.  I would go home without loosing an arrow even more than I do now, but when I did, I would have confidence in cleanly killing what I shot at.

[Woodduck]

In NC the minimum is 35# for compounds and 40# for traditional.
So she would legally have to hunt with a compound.

[stagetek]

Check your game laws. WI. has a 35# min. But, I have no idea if thats actual draw weight, or whats on the bow. I'd be more comfortable with at least 40#'s, a 2 blade head, and shots at or under 20 yds. IMO.

[Quill Flinger]

Gotta have confidence. Why don't you just ask her if she feels ready to kill a living creature so close you see the whites of their eyes. May as well learn from the start ya gotta be honest to yourself about ethics & everything else. We bowhunt to accept it's challenge.

It's not the poundage, it's feeling ready.

The only way to get experience, is to do it,....when you're ready to.

bjk;
I'm the opposite! Heart pounding, big buck standing there, draw back slowly,....right past my anchor!....LOL

Good hunting

[Bjorn]

Your wife may well have a blast hunting without ever unleashing an arrow; ground hunting and stalking is a real rush! Set a shot distance goal with her, and let's face it the worst that can happen is the same regardless of #.

[Bill Turner]

Might be enough but is it legal in your state . In Texas the minimum is 40# at your draw length.

[Steve P]

No draw weight restrictions in Mi. Whether you decide to or not, on the deer, don't rule out the rabbits/small game. Plenty of shooting, lots of fun and good times.


Steve

[Biggie Hoffman]

[Shawn Leonard]

It also depends a lot on the bow. An old hill style bow, maybe, maybe not. A Black Swan or ACSCX than yes, both would need good shot placement, see what I mean! Shawn

[Stone Knife]

In New York you must pull 35# at your draw to be legal. Lets say it is legal were you hunt, and for the sake of argument that is the max this person can pull. your options are hunt with it or don't hunt at all. I would choose hunt with it and no matter what people will say now, i would think that given the choice of hunt or don't hunt they would pick hunt. With that said, I would be very picky about yardage and also would take nothing but  a quartering away shot that would miss the ribs all together. Just my opinion to be taken for what it's worth.