Im thinking about getting myself a recurve to shoot for fun and for small game hunting, however if im going to buy a bow i would like something i could deer hunt with later on. So my question is, what do you think the ideal draw weight is for deer? I was thinking of getting a 50 or 55lb, but i also have to consider that i have a 30-31inch draw when shooting fingers so i would probably be pulling much more. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks in advance
I just recently bought a used 60 lb recurve. I'm having more fun shooting it right now than my compound. I know here in Mn minimum bow draw weight for deer is I think 45 pounds. Check with the regs where you live and see what your min is. I've seen online people taking all kinds of big game with recurve bows from mid forties on up. I also plan to deer hunt with my recurve next season.
Cool thanks for sharing! IL is 40lbs but i can comfortably shoot more. I made a 65lb flat limbed pvc pipe recurve and can shoot it no problem, but id rather not shoot any more weight than necessary when it will be used for smaller stuff most of the time
Just getting into trad, i would suggest 45#. If you go to heavy you will have problems learning too shoot. 45# is also enough for deer as well. Provided it is set up correctly. You can move up weight as you get use to it. All my hunting bows are 65+# but i started over 25 years ago.
What would you consider a correct setup Burnie? Right now my idea is to possibly getting a Fuse Intrepid recurve, X draw weight, beman ics hunter 400's or 340's depending, 100-125gr field points and small game points and later on 100-125gr Magnus Stingers for bigger stuff. Im not going full blown trad, hence the cheaper bow, carbon arrows and standard broadheads. i just want something fun to shoot and hunt with when i want to switch things up a little bit.
Right setup is relative to bow weight, arrow spine, head weight, and foc. Whatever bow you choose, the correctly tuned arrow is a must. You want more foc, arrow weight, and head weight for big game. 125 grain heads and up would be best. 100 grain will give you to little foc and require to light of arrow. Jmo. This year i hunted with a 68# @ 28" with a 620+ grain arrow with a 145 grain magnus 2 blade.
Great advice....I shoot a 610 grain arrow out of my bows. Plus with a heavier arrow you get better performance out of you bow!
Nice thanks for the tips. What do you guys think of the bow?? It runs about $200, the quality seems good for the price. Figured its a good entry level bow. Any others to look into?
I shoot and started with Longbows. Some great deals can be had from the link below. If it was me knowing what I know now, I would look into a Older Graying made Bear Grizzly, the ole tried and true, a lot of big game animals have fallen to the Grizzly. Also, if you think you will only buy one bow, you are mistaken, its too much fun to own just one! Your first bow might not be your go to bow in 4 or 5 months from now once you start shooting! http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=5
If you are just starting out with trad gear I would suggest getting something more like 45 lbs, 50 lbs max. A 30 lb bow is more than enough to hunt small game and I wouldn't hesitate letting my wife hunt deer with a 40 lb bow. Generally you want to drop about 15 lbs from your compund weight. I made the mistake of getting a 55 lb bow when I switched from compound and ended up hurting my shoulder and my form. You will appreciate the lighter weight while learning. I hunt with a 45 lb bow and super sharp two blade broadheads and never have to worry :D Hope this helps!
If you plan on hunting deer with this bow, I suggest you contact your states fish and wildlife dept. Many states have minimum requirements for bows used to hunt big game. Use this as your baseline then read the forums etc. to learn about specific models. In Washington State for instance the requirement (as of this writing) a recurve bow used for hunting deer must be able to produce 40 lbs. of draw weight at 28 inches draw length.
I think the Min in Indiana is actully 37#. I know I was shooting a 55# 28 recurve yesterday and I probably only put 30 arrows through it and it kicked my ***. My mathews is set at 67# and that no problem but that recurve after that few of arrows I was done.
this video really opened up my eyes in terms of poundage. i would say if you can shoot 50 go for it but this vid shows it isn't really necessary. Stone point penetration test on a deer (HD) - YouTube
I suggest you find someone near you that has a recurve/longbow that you can shoot. You need an idea of what your actual draw length will be. It's important because it will effect what length bow bow you need. It's likely that your draw length will be shorter than your compound, but if your draw turns out to be greater than 28" you will need to consider a bow that's 60" or greater in length.. Everyone is different and finding a bow that FITS YOU is very important. Having an opportunity to try a bow before buying is a good idea. It's fun.. enjoy Chris
Start low. 30 pounds will kill a deer with the right arrow set up. Is it recommended, no. I shoot 44 lbs and my wife shoots 36 lbs and have no problems with deer. Generally you should strive to shoot as much weight as you can comfortably. I can pull back 70lbs but I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with it.
