Who hunts with

[daveycrockett]

Bows under 50lbs. at their draw? Been thinking of a weight drop for health reasons. Looking at recurve that is 45@30, my draw. But have no experience shooting game with under 55 at my draw. Deer and hogs primary targets here in TX.

[wingnut]

With a 30 inch draw and a good bow, you will have no trouble with anything here in Texas. I hunt with 50 at my draw for everything including moose and elk.

Mike

[TealCoin]

I have yet to harvest an animal with my longbow, but I can't imagine that the 45# @28" I'm shooting would have any problem taking a life.  Sharp broadhead and good shot placement, one would be surprised how little speed is needed to penetrate an animal.

[dbd870]

46# at my draw for me.

[Alexander Traditional]

I killed my first two animals with a 45 pound bow.

[Zradix]

You'll be in great shape for deer and smaller.
..probably fine for many bigger game animals as well..I just don't have experience hunting them so I don't want to say.

[KyStickbow]

I shoot a 40@28 longbow...and draw 27". This weight has been very effective on whitetails around my place.

No experience with hogs though.

[awbowman]

I shoot a 47#s at 25-1/2" bow drawn to 26".  I thought I had shot below the coyote it went through him so fast at 22 yards.  Not a deer but it put my fears to rest.

Good shot at a good angle is the key.  You may have to pass on some shots you might taken.  But we don't hunt to survive, we hunt to feel alive

[mangonboat]

45# and a sharp broadhead go through both sides of an eastern whitetail with no difficulty.

[Msturm]

I hunt with a 45# bow. It kills Goats pretty well.

[Blackhawk]

If 40# was not adequate then more states would not allow it.

[hitman]

47#@28" for me will kill any animal in North America.

[troubldstranger]

I have killed several hogs with a 40#@28 recurve in years past.  Limited my shots to 30 yards, and still had a double lung kill at that mark (though it did not pass through the far side shoulder).  45#@30 should be plenty for hogs or whitetail.

[Butch Speer]

When I started bow hunting in 1970, it was hard to find a bow that drew over 45@28. A bunch of game was killed too.

[tracker12]

There have been a lot of threads on the effectiveness of bows in the 40's for hunting.  I have had 4 shoulder surgeries and started using a bow that I draw about 45# for practice.  I shot the bow so well I just ended up hunting with it.  I have had very good results on both deer and pigs the last two years.   I'll move up in weight for elk but for deer I staying low.

[KSshrewman]

47# no issues so far.

[modr]

Shoot 8 to 10 deer a year, have shot moose and hogs, all with 52 @ 28" long bows and recurves.
At your draw you have more then enough for hogs and deer.

[myshootinstinks]

A 45# bow was standard back in the day...late '60s-early '70s. No one thought anything of it. A sharp BH will go clean through a deer at 25 yards w/ a 45# bow.

[widow sax]

I am hitting 49lbs at my short draw of 26.5" with a 517gr arrow tipped with a 125gr Woodsman Elite the last buck I shot I got 18.5" of penetration I hunt everything from elk on down with it and I will take that all day long.   Widow

[Stump73]

53# @28 Thunderchild and 54# @28 Dryad Orion. My draw is  24 7/8"