How low will you go?

[Biathlonman]

What's the lightest arrow you'd shoot out of a traditional bow at deer?  I was goofing around in the yard and my bow seems to love 30" 2016s with 125 grain head but that's only a 500 grain arrow.  For some reason I'm stuck thinking my hunting arrows need to weigh at least 550 grains.

I have killed a bunch of deer, and pigs, and various other critters with 2016's and 125gr broadheads. The total arrow weight was 486gr.

You are just fine if your setup is well tuned, your broadheads are scary sharp, and you put the arrow in the right place!

Bisch

[Fletcher]

I like to draw the line at 500 gr.  I prefer even more, but there are things more important than arrow weight.  I'm currently shooting 580 gr from 50 lb at 26" and it seems to be working quite well.

[1/4 away]

Brad, What's the draw weight of your bow? I normally shoot arrows weighing 550- 600gr out of my bows that draw 47-50#'s but I too have been playing around with arrows for my new Whippenstick Phoenix that draws 48# @ 29".  Just today for the fun of it I tried a GT 5575 with standard insert, 175gr field tip and four fletched with 4" feathers for a total weight of 506 gr.  The bow shoots great with that combo and it's got me rethinking my set-up for this season. This arrow gives me a 10.5 GPI which should be plenty for deer hunting. Now I need to find a 175 gr two blade broadhead.

[nineworlds9]

Haven't bagged a deer yet but I don't see any issues with 475g or more.  450 might be my limit.  And with at least a 125g head and 50g insert making up 175g of that weight.  My goal either way is to shoot a bare minimum of 9gpp, 10-11 being better.  My arrows lately are typically 500-600g.

[Skipmaster1]

Before I "knew any better" I killed a 250# whitetail buck and a hog that we didn't weigh but had to be over 300#. Both with a 430 grain arrow out of a 49# longbow. Both shots about 18 yards. The hog was a pass through. The buck was hit in the spine and the follow up shot was through the scapula,into the chest out was sticking out the sternum. Good arrow flight is key.

[KyStickbow]

My arrow setup last season weighed 440 grains...and I shot 5 whitetails with it. Had a sharp 2 blade magnus on the end and no problems with penetration.

[Pheonixarcher]

Most traditional bowyers recommend at least 8gpp of draw weight at your draw length for longevity of the bow. Some bows will tolerate much lighter arrows, but it does put more stress on the bow. I personally don't like to go much lighter than 550g for whitetails, but that doesn't mean that I never would. My hunting bows always seem to fall in at 51#. I will add that imho, the further you draw, the more gpp you should shoot. But the best rule of thumb is: shoot the heaviest arrow that you can accuratly shoot best at hunting distances. If you're strictly shooting targets, then I would personally try to stay above that 8gpp mark, for the bows sake. For what it's worth, a heavier arrow will maintain its energy for a longer distance. A compound buddy and I were at the local 3D range this past weekend. He was shooting 68# with 396 grain arrows from his wheelie bow, and I was shooting 47# and 570 grain arrows from my stalker static tip recurve. We both shot side by side at a long mule deer target of about 50 yards. Our arrows were within one inch of eachother's, and his only out penetrated mine by less than an inch. At the shorter distances, he had me by a solid 3-4"!

[deerhunter_w]

I have been think about this also. Im shooting a 450pm grain arrow out of my new centaur.  Its 50@27 with a 9 grain per pound and 175 grain point. This arrow shoots great out of my bow, but my question is, will it be sufficient for elk? I shot a doe a few years back with this same arrow and it was a pass through.  

Jeff

[dbd870]

I'm pulling 46# and using a 487gr arrow with a FOC of 14.9. Now I buy in to the idea of heavier arrows and high FOC's but a long time longbow shooter at our club told me I should stay with the arrows I'm using, that they would be fine. He didn't think a much heavier arrow would make that much difference for deer and it wasn't worth the change in trajectory. I think we do some reading and listen to discussions and forget we aren't hunting moose or elk.

[Roger Norris]

500 grains isn't light if you are shooting a 45 pound bow.

That said......penetration matters. My arrows are about 640 grains, I'm shooting a 62# Whisper.....but probably only pulling 58#.

Lots of bad things happen during a hunting shot. I'm not going to skimp on weight and compound things.

If my main focus was 3D competition or target archery, I would have a different opinion.

[Biathlonman]

My bow is marked 44@28, but pulls heavier then marked, probably 47.  I then draw it close to 30" so I'm guessing I'm in the neighborhood of #50.  I'M thinking I'll run my 2018s at 570 grains this year.  If things work as planned maybe I'll drop down to the 2016 when I run out of 2018s.

[Jakeemt]

I shoot 9ggp out of my 50 pound hybrid. They bare shaft great, put broad head right with my field points,  and really zip along. I wouldn't hesitate to put on through the biggest whitetail bucks around.

[KYArcher]

I had been shooting well under 500 gr. till this spring, now I have weighted up to a little over 500. Never had any problem with whitetail.

[D. Key]

Just for grins and giggles, shoot your rig into an old 5 gallon bucket filled with water.  This will simulate a deer cavity.  I think you will be surprised at the penetration.  I'd guess you will penetrate thru both sides.

Good luck.

[mangonboat]

I never worry about arrow weight, per se. I experiment until I see what I can shoot accurately and consistently with my bows. I never get tired of seeing a properly matched arrow coming off a 55-60# recurve at over 200fps, sometimes an arrow that is under 9 gpp, and the flatter trajectory at that velocity sure makes instinctive aiming simpler. I have other bows that lob arrows into the target zone, and both are effective.

[Mikewarren33]

I killed multiple deer and hogs with a sub 400 grain arrow back before I knew anything.

[Wannabe1]

My hunting arrows this year are 397 grains and I have no worries.

[Michael Arnette]

With a 30" draw I'd shoot a 450-500 gr arrow out of your set up in a heartbeat. Elk and larger game not really but for whitetail you shouldn't have any problem.

[Danny Rowan]

My arrows are all 750 grains+. I like a heavy arrow. This is out of 55-60# bows.