Here is something different- Best bow weight for small game?

[nightowl1]

I know most hunt small game with the same bow they use for big game. My question is if you were only going after tree climbing, hole digging and flying critters would you use the same setup?

I'm coming close to getting a 30# bow just to chase these guys. What do you think? I know rabbits and dove should be fine. May have to trial and error my way into the right point for squirrel as they seem to be miniature buffalo sometimes. Would probably have to use a head that has more cutting vs impact killing power.

[Hermon]

With a EFOC arrow, single bevel broadhead and a 2 strand skinny string you will be fine......    Sorry, couldn't resist.

[macbow]

The squirrel's are just too tough for light bows.enough trouble with 50 pounds unless using broadheads.

[frassettor]

I use the same setup for squirrels as I do with deer hunting

[Slickhead]

with most you'll be OK
Rabbits and doves no problem with a blunt
But for squirrels Id use a 2 blade BH

When I was a young boy I killed birds with one of those green longbows(15lbs I think) that shot the suction cup arrows
Just put tips on the arrows and went a hunting.

Pinned birds to the ground many times;)

[Owlmagnet]

Nightowl1, I have thought, long and hard, about the same thing.  Coming back from a stupid, non-archery related, shoulder injury, I had to drop all the way down to 28#, at my draw length, and start over.

Once I worked back up into the mid-thirties, I figured, "Well, I can live with this, if I have to.  I'll just seriously focus on small game, exclusively."  (Up to and including coyotes, but with a primary focus on rabbits.)

The good news is that I am now shooting 45#, pretty well, and have put deer back on the menu, but I still intend to do more small game hunting than anything else.

With the exception of killing feral pigeons in my barn, back in the day, (think: arrows in the ceiling), I haven't used blunts in a long time.  I just haven't found them to be reliable, "one shot fight stoppers" on anything--particularly at the lighter draw weights.  (You have already "broken the code", on squirrels!)  I know other guys have had much better luck with them, but I've gone to broadheads, period, for small game.

A 30-35# bow, set up for small game, sounds very feasible, to me.  If you have an old "stash" of bodkins, razorheads, or MA-3's laying around, all the better!  Sharpen 'em up and bring home the groceries!  Good luck!

[CRS]

The heaviest bow you can shoot accurately.

[nightowl1]

I could care less about shootin heavy bows. I see no benefit especially for what I spend 95% of my time doing. Chasing targets, birds and small furry things.

I'll take your advice and start rounding up some old broadheads to use.

[Pat B]

I like using the same bow for any shooting I do. No need confusing my brain. d;^)

[mike g]

Originally posted by Pat B:
I like using the same bow for any shooting I do. No need confusing my brain. d;^)

I'm with Pat 1 bow for everything..

[Stumpkiller]

Originally posted by frassettor:
I use the same setup for squirrels as I do with deer hunting

Agreed.  The bow you know best will do better, and squirrels are even better able to do the Matrix thing around arrows than deer are.

Though I have a 40# Wing Presentation II that is a dandy small-game bow.

[m midd]

Squirrels dodge my arrows out of a 63# bow. I probably need to hunt them with 80#.

[KenH]

One Bow to rule them all,
One Bow to hunt them,
One Bow to bring them all and in the darkness bind them...

Nah!  

On the other hand, I like 30-35# for almost everything.  Never been a hardcore deer or other big game hunter.  Small game and varmints offer so much more opportunity for such a large part of the year.  Funny, I don't seen to have a problem taking squirrels with .357 Mag blunts (cartridge case tips).  Maybe it's these wussy South Florida squirrels...

[dbd870]

Originally posted by mike g:
 

Originally posted by Pat B:
I like using the same bow for any shooting I do. No need confusing my brain. d;^)

I'm with Pat 1 bow for everything.. [/b]

[wingnut]

I shoot 40 pounds for most of the year and go to my heavier limbs about a month before hunting season.

With the same gpp arrow setup the trajectory and speed should be real close so you don't confuse the computer but take it easy on the body.

Mike

[ChuckC]

Actually, I am a believer that if you are using blunt sorta heads, you need some umph behind it for some small game, skwerls come to mind.  Light bows kill bunnies all the time.  With broadheads, you can get by with less of course.

ChuckC

[kill shot]

I like a light bow for constant shooting. As for the heavier bows, I've stuck judo pointed flu-flu's up in tree limbs. I am going to buy a magnesium handle bow and put a custom paint job on it and use it as my small game only bow. Got to get rid of my browning wasp first as it is a little short for my draw.

[nightowl1]

Very interesting Mr. Mike, I have often thought of doing the same thing and figured I will finally try it.

I have a small game head design in my head and think that was some playing and tinkering at these light weights I may actually try and put something together.

[Boomerang]

I use a 70# bow for cape buffalo, but I step up in weight if I'm going after squirrel.  

[CRS]

Originally posted by nightowl1:
I could care less about shootin heavy bows. I see no benefit especially for what I spend 95% of my time doing. Chasing targets, birds and small furry things.

I'll take your advice and start rounding up some old broadheads to use.

My comment wasn't to suggest a "heavy"
bow.  Just shoot what you normally shoot.  For rabbits the tip does not matter much.  

Squirrels are definitely head shot only for small game tip, or I prefer broadheads myself.