# Deer Hunting under 60#????



## bigmac (Nov 28, 2000)

Just curious
How many of you bow hunt at a draw weight of 60#? I've always pulled 70-75# but have been thinking of trimming her down a bit...
I never shoot past 40 yds if that, at all
Pros/Cons?


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## Steiny (May 30, 2011)

I shoot 49#. It goes right thru them and sticks in the ground, same as a heavy bow if I do my part.
Only disadvantage would be at longer range, but I never shoot beyond 30 yards.


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## Rasputin (Jan 13, 2009)

I'm down to about 60#. New bow is probably faster than the old bow anyway. I decided to tone it down when I wasn't able to draw quietly on a very cold morning a few years ago. Part of getting older I guess.


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## AaronJohn (Oct 18, 2015)

Ted Nugent always preaches how beneficial low poundage boys for deer hunting.


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## mattawanhunter (Oct 30, 2011)

Ordered my last bow several years ago sixty pounds draw weight,I can draw under any circumstance has plenty of speed and kinetic energy, killed many deer with it. I switched after I sat out in 10 degree weather for 3 hours in the UP and couldn't get drawn on a huge 8-pointer with my 70# bow!



bigmac said:


> Just curious
> How many of you bow hunt at a draw weight of 60#? I've always pulled 70-75# but have been thinking of trimming her down a bit...
> I never shoot past 40 yds if that, at all
> Pros/Cons?


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

When I was still using a vertical bow ,cold weather draw one hunt taking all I had; resulted in dropping to 50 lbs..
20 yard max. shots ,based on dime size target more than energy.


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## mattawanhunter (Oct 30, 2011)

Good point I do use my crossbow in a later season when it's cold but whenever I can I still prefer my solo cam, I feel one with it,the crossbow feels awkward and bulky but you don't have to draw it!




Waif said:


> When I was still using a vertical bow ,cold weather draw one hunt taking all I had; resulted in dropping to 50 lbs..
> 20 yard max. shots ,based on dime size target more than energy.


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## bigmac (Nov 28, 2000)

Thanks guys


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## 454casull (Jan 6, 2005)

I shoot 70+ because I want to and I can. Do you need that with today's equipment...no. 50-60 is fine but you need to have a clean flying arrow (read well tuned bow/arrow shooter) to maximize penetration, applies to ANY set up regardless of DW. At 60# you can still shoot a mechanical just watch cutting diameter, 1 3/8 seems perfect
OP if you are turning down your current setup then you will need to reevaluate your arrow spine and for sure your bow tune same applies to new, do not assume carry over shaft spine. Gives you another excuse to shoot more.


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## bigmac (Nov 28, 2000)

I'm buying a whole new set up. Bow, arrows, field tips, broad heads, release and case......
My current set up is 13 years old
And yes, , I can still pull 70.....just don't know if I need to anymore


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## 454casull (Jan 6, 2005)

You don't. What bows are you looking at?


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## mattawanhunter (Oct 30, 2011)

Good Point, I use rage low KE (or something like that) prior used mussy 100 gr 3 blade, both work good, kill good, the fixed blades sail off target a bit more at longer distances, shoot the rage practice head, shoots identical to the full deployment!





454casull said:


> I shoot 70+ because I want to and I can. Do you need that with today's equipment...no. 50-60 is fine but you need to have a clean flying arrow (read well tuned bow/arrow shooter) to maximize penetration, applies to ANY set up regardless of DW. At 60# you can still shoot a mechanical just watch cutting diameter, 1 3/8 seems perfect
> OP if you are turning down your current setup then you will need to reevaluate your arrow spine and for sure your bow tune same applies to new, do not assume carry over shaft spine. Gives you another excuse to shoot more.


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

I dropped from 65-58# last year my accuracy target shooting improved a lot .Took a 7 pt opening morning on a quartering to shot... the arrow went into one lung and broke rear ham bone before partially exiting .Dead at 50 yds .


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## 454casull (Jan 6, 2005)

mattawanhunter said:


> the fixed blades sail off target a bit more at longer distances


My point exactly, arrow is starting off either left or right and continues as range gets longer, a tune issue. An extra 10# can make up for a less than perfect arrow. Arrows impacting / or \ loose some horsepower at POI. Fix the issue and penetration as well as accuracy will improve. Using a mech does not "fix" this. Matta, using your comment as an example, please do not take it as a "call out".


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

I use to shoot bows in the 90 to 95 lbs when I was younger. Well after having shoulder problems and having surgery on both with the last one being this past Friday. I wouldn't do it again. 60lbs is all you would ever need for hunting. In fact with today's technology 45 lbs would be fine. And that's what I am hoping to be able to shoot when all is said and done.


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## HUBBHUNTER (Aug 8, 2007)

My very first bow, a Martin Lynx maxed out at 40#'s. The salesman assured me it would kill a deer and told me how his wifes bow was set at 40# and she killed deer. I think he was just blowing smoke to make the sale but a correctly placed arrow doesn't need much speed.

Fortunately for the deer I was hunting back then I was pretty harmless in the woods with that bow.

My last few bows have been 60-70#'s but never cranked them down. Always running right around 60#'s and most of the time have a complete pass through.


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## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

I shoot 56, a guy at our archery club , shoots 35, kills 2 deer every year.


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## neazor91 (Aug 4, 2008)

I'm down from 60 to 50. My accuracy has greatly improved. On the last deer I killed, there was no problem with penetration.

Mike


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## bigmac (Nov 28, 2000)

Well I ordered the Cabelas Credence in #70...they didn't have camo in store so it will be in next week.
I really wanted something with split limbs and may have rushed this purchase. They said if I'm not happy when it's all set up I can return it on the spot and buy something different....we'll see what shakes out


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## Jdhunttrapfish (Jan 14, 2016)

Placement over poundage, I remember awhile back a kid in Michigan out of doors shot one with like 25-30 pounds


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## Joe Archer (Mar 29, 2000)

I can still shoot 70#, but purchased my new bow (last year) in the 50 - 60 pound range. I am thinking that it will be the last compound I ever buy. 
Heck! I killed nearly everything I shout at in the early 80's with a 53 pound Darton SL-50. Always had a nice exit hole as well! 
<----<<<


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## TheLionsFan (Dec 20, 2011)

I'm big into weight lifting and can pull a decent amount yet still choose to pull 64#. Heck I might still drop it more yet. I think a lot of people, not all, will shoot over 70 just so they can say they do. Makes them feel cool i guess. Again, not all, but many. I know a few. 

My first deer was shot with 42# draw weight using a 240 fps IBO bow...clean pass through. My Xpedition IBOs at 354 and for some reason I'm still shooting 64#. 

If u want to, by all means. It does have its benefits I suppose. But completely not a requirement. For any game on this continent.


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## bigmac (Nov 28, 2000)

I'm with ya...It's a MAN thing. I will be setting it at 65#. The ol shoulders creak more every year. I'm worried about that noise spooking deer lol!


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## dewy6068 (Jan 5, 2010)

I've never owned a 70 lb bow in my life and have been bow hunting for 22 years and have prob killed 30+ deer over those years with my 60# bows with probably 80% of them being complete pass through shots. Almost all of them have been with a large expandable broad head. No need for a max draw weight higher than 60# in my opinion.


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## triplelunger (Dec 21, 2009)

stickbow shooter said:


> I use to shoot bows in the 90 to 95 lbs when I was younger. Well after having shoulder problems and having surgery on both with the last one being this past Friday. I wouldn't do it again. 60lbs is all you would ever need for hunting. In fact with today's technology 45 lbs would be fine. And that's what I am hoping to be able to shoot when all is said and done.


95 pounds? Were you shooting an old English longbow?


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

Nope , I had several compound bows that were 90# plus. The heaviest recurve I shot was a 80# and the heaviest longbow I "tried" to shoot was 105#. It was owned by Steve Turray of Northermist Longbows.


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## Old Shortstop (Jun 6, 2006)

It is definitely placement over poundage. I have taken dozens of deer, three bears and an antelope with recurves and longbows in the 50-56# range. I will take a quiet bow with relatively heavy arrows that hit where I am looking over speed any day.

D.P.


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## Steiny (May 30, 2011)

Killed my first deer with a 35# recurve. It was just as dead as any other.


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

I liked the higher poundage and heavy arrow combo. Some would ask , why do it. Because I could. It wasn't hard for me and I shot daily. In fact I shot five spot winter leagues with a 85# high country sniper with 2317 w/145 gr. Tips. I shot a 270s average. It was nice to get two holes in any animal from any angle. Like I said before thow, I am now paying the piper.


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## grapestomper (Jan 9, 2012)

stickbow shooter said:


> Nope , I had several compound bows that were 90# plus. The heaviest recurve I shot was a 80# and the heaviest longbow I "tried" to shoot was 105#. It was owned by Steve Turray of Northermist Longbows.


I own one of his longbows. Shoots pretty well and looks fine.


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## U of M Fan (May 8, 2005)

stickbow shooter said:


> I liked the higher poundage and heavy arrow combo. Some would ask , why do it. Because I could. It wasn't hard for me and I shot daily. In fact I shot five spot winter leagues with a 85# high country sniper with 2317 w/145 gr. Tips. I shot a 270s average. It was nice to get two holes in any animal from any angle. Like I said before thow, I am now paying the piper.


Ever have problem pulling that much back on one of them cold U.P. hunts?


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

Not really, I ain't going to lye. There were a couple times I had issues. But for the most part no.


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

I blew through my buck last season pulling 55#... I always assumed my bow was maxed out @ 60lbs. @454casull confirmed that it wasn't when we put it on the draw board before the season last year. Bit of an eye opener, though it was a little late to change anything else in my setup. Was still in the sweet spot for the heavy 540gr arrows i was pushing.

540gr arrow tipped w/ rage hypodermic
55# prime rival @ 30" DL

Complete pass through, blew through opposite side shoulder blade.

The one thing I will say, that doesn't get mentioned much when talking about these kind of heavy arrow/low poundage setups, is your trajectory arc moves in a lot closer to the the shooter. I used to shoot -dead flat- out to 20 yards and now i have drop from 10-20 that i need to be aware of.


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## 454casull (Jan 6, 2005)

d_rek said:


> I blew through my buck last season pulling 55#... I always assumed my bow was maxed out @ 60lbs. @454casull confirmed that it wasn't when we put it on the draw board before the season last year. Bit of an eye opener, though it was a little late to change anything else in my setup. Was still in the sweet spot for the heavy 540gr arrows i was pushing.
> 
> 540gr arrow tipped w/ rage hypodermic
> 55# prime rival @ 30" DL
> ...


And with that 30" DL one can get by with a little less DW, longer powerstroke will yield more speed all else being equal


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## Joe Archer (Mar 29, 2000)

454casull said:


> And with that 30" DL one can get by with a little less DW, longer powerstroke will yield more speed all else being equal


..... and substantially demonstrates the benefit of increased weight on KE. 
Heck I thought I was a touch heavy shooting just over 400 gr at 57 pounds..
<----<<<


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## GVDocHoliday (Sep 5, 2003)

I shoot a 50lb longbow. Blow through deer.


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

That's all you need.


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## otcarcher (Dec 11, 2015)

I wouldn't be concerned in the least using any modern compound 50# or more. Plenty of power.


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## FullQuiver (May 2, 2006)

I hunted with a vertical bow for 35 years and killed 100+ deer with my bows and never hunted with a bow that was even 60lbs.

The last 15 years I hunted with my vertical bow I shot around 40lbs. It killed deer very well and still put 90% of the arrows I shot at deer clean through and into the dirt. 

Finally I couldn't even shoot that anymore because of health issues. I then reluctantly went to a crossbow 5 years ago.


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## stebo (Jun 5, 2006)

I've always been in the 58-62lb range. Never wanted to be in the situation where I've been sitting all day with bulky clothes on, cold and stiff and not be able to draw back. If I pulled anything higher, I may have missed the 164" deer that I took last year. Had been on stand for 12hrs when he came in and shot him at 32yds, quartering to. I was cold and a bit stiff, but was able to draw back on him no problem and got the job done. Had I been pulling more weight, the results might not have been the same.


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## 12970 (Apr 19, 2005)

Some States and possible Michigan Require a Minimum 40 Lbs Draw weight... As for Each person has their Idea what is best for them, the issue is that some have never Hunted in cold weather and have had an issue glad some think higher is better that is they think it is all about Speed... Speed is not for most Archers it is hitting the target Consistently and when some cannot it is not the draw weight when it could be... I would never fight to draw my Bow and I do hunt in late December and with added clothes it takes a lot more but then I sit for hours in my ladder stand... Where this can be an issue... But I shoot 60 lbs...

each Archer has their Idea what is best for them and no 2 archers have the same muscle make up to say all can shoot a given draw weight...

So Test it and once you have test it out in cold weather to confirm it after sitting for a period...
You might have a good buck come in and cannot draw the bow and make the Shot!

Newaygo1


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