Lady shooters please

[TooManyHobbies]

I want to get my wife into shooting a bow. She's 5'2, 105-110 lbs and has a 24" draw (if I measured right). Can any of you give some advice on style of bow, poundage, etc. for a girl of her stature? My dream would be to get her hunting, but she doesn't like sitting in the cold. Maybe a Sept squirrel hunt, eventually.

Thanks, Brian

[Ryan Sanpei]

Brian,
My wife is very similar in height and weight.  She is currently shooting a Stalker Stickbows Bobcat.  It's a 56" static recurve that's design for women and children.  It's 36lbs at her draw.  South has a "grow with your bow" program for the Bobcat.  As your wife moves up in bow weight, she can trade in limbs for heavier ones in the future.  That way, she can begin at a low comfortable poundage and work her way up.

   


Ryan

[gregg dudley]

I would look hard for a long limbed recurve of the 1970s variety.  Those old bear target takedowns are hard to beat.   In my mind you want to start real light.  Something like 25  or 30 @ 28" would be real nice @24.

[CKeth]

My wife expressed an interest in shooting with me. Is there's a ladies' forum here? That might be a nice addition if there's not.

[b.glass]

I try to say "Hey" to the ladies that join. It's kinda lonely out here.    I would like to hunt with some of the other ladies sometime. Katie tried to get something going once but it didn't pan out. We should try again.

No matter what the averages are, some bows shoot more effiently at shorter draws than others.  My wife's NAT is very quick with her under 27" draw. As far as recurves go she has had smooth drawing fancy recurves that did not come close to her Darton for arrow speed at her draw.  I wish that bowyers would work more bows that are more effcient at shorter draws with the lighter poundages in moderately priced bows. Quite often the ladies that are interested in trying it, don't want to jump in with heafty takedowns that cost over $1000.  Physical weight in the hand does not impress them.

[old_goat2]

About the size of my daughter, we got her a 25# samick sage, think she is ready to move up a little, have to remember she will be pulling less than what the bow is marked so plan accordingly. Good thing about the sages is you can put fast flight on them and limbs are fairly cheap so you can step it up in weight.

[Nathan Killen]

Originally posted by TooManyHobbies:
I want to get my wife into shooting a bow. She's 5'2, 105-110 lbs and has a 24" draw (if I measured right). Can any of you give some advice on style of bow, poundage, etc. for a girl of her stature? My dream would be to get her hunting, but she doesn't like sitting in the cold. Maybe a Sept squirrel hunt, eventually.

Thanks, Brian

My wife's stature is exactly as you just described yours and I plan to buy her a Stalker bobcat like Ryan's wife shoots. I think South has a great program for youths and lady archers !

[Matty]

Excellent post, lets keep it up top. A few years back  I bought Julie a dryad Phoenix lite, which she shoots well and has grown with, but @32# it doesn't have hard hitting hunting power past 10 or 15 yards.
This year I bought her a stalker with 47# limbs @28". As she had no trouble with the draw weight. Prob 40@her draw She didn't like the MASS weight of the bow and the larger grip.
I however LOVE the bow and have kept it for myself
Anyway she's really taken to the kanatis as they are light to carry and they have a ton of *snap*  50@28 puts her right about 42# and this seems to be the ticket she's 5'4" 105lbs

[wislnwings]

My wife shoots a Crow Creek Blackfeather longbow.  It's a three-piece bow and shee likes the extra weight in the riser area as opposed to a one-piece bow.  Her draw is 26" and she shoots mid 30's poundage.  She does not hunt, just 3D shoots.  I started her off with an inexpensive 3-pc recurve to try out.  She liked it and we found her the current bow.  The recurve was moved to the bowfishing rack.

[Shawn Leonard]

Brian and Nathan have it right, great deal for the ladies and Souths bows are great shooters. Shawn

[Fanto]

Mine wields a 30@28" Ragim Taiga! nice little bow for 25-27" draw archer-ess. it casts a 200gr arrow nicely with a 6 strand FF string.

for those unfamiliar its a reflex/deflex horsebow style bow. the string only touches at the nock.

really pretty, fun, affordable bow.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

My wife shoots 35 lbs comfortably.  she draws 28 inches but her arrows fly good.

[JJB]

My wife also shoots a 35# bow and is comfortable with it.
-Jay

[BCWV]

My wife only has a 22.5" draw. She started with a Samick Sage and was pulling 25# at her draw. She tried different bows but liked my PTF. I ordered her one a few years ago. I planned on getting her a shorter one but Vernon talked me into a 60". She only pulls 29# on it. I still don't know if I made the right choice but she does well shooting 3D and has taken 3 hogs with it.

[b.glass]

I shoot a 47#@26" Fox custom longbow about the best of any bow I have ever owned since I used O.L.Adcocks way of tuning arrow and bow setup.

[Phrogdrvr]

My wife is very similar ht/wt to yours. She is shooting a Leon Stewart longbow at 34#.  She loves that bow, and does quite well with it- I might add.  Not legal weight for hunting deer in PA, though.

Tom

[Ed Frye]

yes I believe this is a good thread to keep going. I too am trying to get my wife to start shooting with me. I have a #30 browning mohawk that I believe will be a good bow for her to start with. Hopefully I will get her in the backyard next week to try it out.

[ripforce56]

just got my wife into shooting about 2 months ago she loves it and is shooting real good for just starting! I traded a one my Rover quivers for a Bear Tigercat 35@28 got her some Beman MFX arrows she started with a glove but likes a tab much better! I all ready have a Bama Expi R/D with a Canary wood riser on order! Go figure!
 

[TooManyHobbies]

Thank you all for the replies. Now, we have some research to do of the bows mentioned. Looks like a Samick Sage and Stalker Bobcat will be the first to look at.
Thanks again.