45# enough??

[ilhunter1986]

well jimmy this is a controversial question. everyone will give u a diff answer. 45# will kill an animal with a good clean hit, but there is a a better chance for a wounded animal. as to a kill it is not neccesary for a kill but it would make the tracking easier because blood would be out of both sides. gl

[VTbowman]

Re: 45# enough??

Yes 45# is more then enough which is weird for some to hear. It is the minimum for most states hunting regulation for min poundage on bows so check your state.

Years and years thats all anyone shot and hunted with before compounds were invented.. Yes there were higher poundage trad bows but they were shot by few since they took so much effort and strength to shoot them well.

You said it best.

It matter where to place the arrow.

Lungs everytime and you'll kill it.

I have a friend who still hunts with 45# recurve and I have seen pass threw many times but they all were good solid lung hits..

I would limit a 45# bow to whitetail, or less, for game.

Bear, elk, and moose require a bit deeper hit and it would not be very ethical to hunt those sized animals with a 45# bow.

Unless your a pro...

Absolutely go for both lungs as they are the biger target and easier to get an arrow into or threw, vs the heart which is a much small and obscrured target, and a lung hit can take the wind out of an animal fast.

Pun intended. LOL

For years the theory was to stick an arrow and broadhead inside the animals chest, not pass threw, and as it ran, it would mix up the vital thus killing the animal.

This still works.

Complete pass threw puts 2 holes in your game vs 1 which obviously can help with more blood pushed out creating a better blood trail.

Both kill just as fast.

[M00N]

Re: 45# enough??

It's best to shoot your bow at the highest draw weight you can handle shooting. I would check the state you are hunting's game laws. Some states have minimums on draw weight and arrow setups. Personally I set myself a limit of no less than 45# for small and medium game animals (yote and deer) and no less than 50# for large game animals (elk). I intend, however, to hunt all species that I hunt with 50-60# with broadhead and arrow combinations that are suitable for the species I'm hunting.

[Guest BBbuckhunter]

Re: 45# enough??

yeah, my buddy used a 40 # and it still killed deer.so im jus sayin, that most likely a 45 will do a lil better..

[M00N]

Re: 45# enough??

50# should be okay to kill an elk at close range with a well placed shot using proper grain arrows and broadheads. My state has a limit of 45# on a hunting bow.

[buckshot_09]

Re: 45# enough??

45# is enough, but you're limiting yourself to range and effectiveness of the shot. i personally would not hunt whitetail or any other game at less than 55#, but that's my opinion because it is what i feel most confident and comfotable with. keep practicing to develop those back & shoulder muscles, and increase poundage whenever you feel comfortable to do so. it will increase your chances for a cleaner kill, a pass-through, and will give you more confidence for the longer 20yd-35yd shots. all the best and good luck!

[Squirrelhunter91]

Re: 45# enough??

Yes. 45 pounds is enough. I took my first deer with a bow with a 40# draw.. You will be good.

[Guest stsi36]

Re: 45# enough??

i use 60 but 45 will probly work

[VTbowman]

Re: 45# enough??

Unfortunately there is no gym workouts to build your archery muscle. Especially for shooting the higher poundage, at full draw, tradbows.

Remember you MUST shoot 100x more with a trad bow then with a compound as far as muscle conditioning and accuracy is concerned..

Not saying shooting compounds is easy, because I am not, but with let off it can be viewed as easier...at full draw and anchor.

Being a new bowhunter and starting on trad, I personally think you should stick with less dangerous game then those you listed.

Deer are a great place to learn and extremely rewarding...

JMO

[Guest hoyt_vtec_kid]

Re: 45# enough??

when i first started bowhunting i used 45# draw. but my dad would only let me shoot out to 15 yards. i got a doe with the bow but the next year i was bigger and moved to 55#

[rossman]

Re: 45# enough??

If you can kill a deer with a re-curve then I don't see why you couldn't kill a deer with a 45 pound compound bow? All due repect, dude, you need to proof read your posts, very hard to read!!!!

--rossman

[Guest HaDeRonDa]

Re: 45# enough??

Tricker,

45 lbs is plenty! You might want to consider either limiting your distance of shots and/or using a 2 blade broadhead.

Shoot accurately and place your shots well. You'll have a trophy before you in no time.

[arrow32]

Re: 45# enough??

[ QUOTE ]

Yes 45# is more then enough which is weird for some to hear. It is the minimum for most states hunting regulation for min poundage on bows so check your state.

Years and years thats all anyone shot and hunted with before compounds were invented.. Yes there were higher poundage trad bows but they were shot by few since they took so much effort and strength to shoot them well.

You said it best.

It matter where to place the arrow.

Lungs everytime and you'll kill it.

I have a friend who still hunts with 45# recurve and I have seen pass threw many times but they all were good solid lung hits..

I would limit a 45# bow to whitetail, or less, for game.

Bear, elk, and moose require a bit deeper hit and it would not be very ethical to hunt those sized animals with a 45# bow.

Unless your a pro...

Absolutely go for both lungs as they are the biger target and easier to get an arrow into or threw, vs the heart which is a much small and obscrured target, and a lung hit can take the wind out of an animal fast.

Pun intended. LOL

For years the theory was to stick an arrow and broadhead inside the animals chest, not pass threw, and as it ran, it would mix up the vital thus killing the animal.

This still works.

Complete pass threw puts 2 holes in your game vs 1 which obviously can help with more blood pushed out creating a better blood trail.

Both kill just as fast.

[/ QUOTE ]

What he said.

[Cutter]

Re: 45# enough??

45# bows have killed a pile of game over the years as long as you put the arrow where it counts. I still think that you should hunt with what ever weight that your comfortable with.

[atthewall]

Re: 45# enough??

#45 will work but your range is limited due to less energy. I wouldn't recommend shots beyond 20 max and limit the size game targeted to whitetail or less.

Something to consider when drawing a lower poundage recurve, think big 2 blade broadheads. They penetrate deeper than 3 or 4 blade designs. I started bowhunting whitetails with a #45 Blackwidow recurve. It's put a lot of critters down but you have to practice and limit your shots to no more than 20. Better at 15 or less.

If you do decide to go up to #55. Make sure you get the body conditioned and slowly build up strength. Too much too early is not good for the shoulders. Keep the practice sessions down to a few shots and rest. Give your body a day or two to fully recover and come back and continue. Increase your sessions over time till you build up. It's better to shoot a few good shots for quality than shoot a ton and wearing youself out, losing form and potentially damaging your shoulders.

[BowJoe]

Re: 45# enough??

I didn't see the part about him shooting a recurve. He never said that from what I read. I think 45# is sufficient for N. American big game. Sharp broadheads, good arrows and tons of practice in the lungs is a great combo. You will have drawbacks if you have a hard time judging distance since your arrows will arch more than a faster bow. With today's technology though, you should have some speeds in the lower 200's still. Aim for the lungs everytime. Get some pro advice from your local shop and make sure you start out with a tuned bow. Trust me, an out of tune bow makes for a long day of frustration at the target range. Good luck. Lung's lung's lung's!!!

[Guest Finn]

Re: 45# enough??

First of all, welcome to realtree.com and bowhunting!

My son shot his first doe with a 40# Browning Micro Adrenaline this past season. Beman ICS arrows and Muzzy 100 grain 4 blade broadheads. This worked great. Although not a complete pass through, the broadhead came out the far side just behind the leg.

Arrow placement is always the key. I like to aim for the lungs...gives the biggest target and is very lethal.

Keep shooting and you'll be able to build up to higher poundage bows.

[wtnhunt]

Re: 45# enough??

Some good advise in here.

Ted Nugent hunts a pretty wide variety of game with a bow he claims to be set at I think 47 lb draw weight. With practice and the right equipment I would think a 45 pound bow should be quite effective for whitetail and smaller game.

[Guest PAT_PATTERSON]

Re: 45# enough??

[ QUOTE ]

Hi

I wonder how far a 45# bow will last? What games can you hunt with a 45# bow? Deer, elk, moose, bear, hog? Im curious sins Im new to bowhunting. Or is it as I think not the poundage thats important but where the arrow hit!? Is it neccesary that the arrow goes straight thrue the game for a fast kill? Is a lung shoot more effective than a heart shoot? The theori is that if the arrow hits the heart it stops and the animal will not blead as much compared to a luch shot and having a heart keep beating, pumping blood. Looking forward to hear from you guys!

Jimmy

[/ QUOTE ]

Jimmy,

There is a young man who is not even a teenager yet and has taken over 70 big game animals with a bow 45 pounds and under. He is quiet a remarkable hunter. Heck he has even hunted with Old Uncle Ted in Africa. So yes it can be done.

Now, compound bows today shoot their best with the limbs turned all the way down or maxed out if you will, so it's important to buy a bow with this in mind. Proper arrow sizing and broad head weights are very important too. As someone else said 2 blade heads for less poundage bows are your best bet. Try to find someone close to you who bow hunts or is into archery to help you out. Ask questions, even if you think they may be dumb, because really they're not.

Shot placement is key with any bow no matter what poundage you shoot, any bow hunter will tell you that. Lung shots, I prefer over heart shots, 1 because they are a larger target and 2 an animal can run a long ways before he pumps out enough blood to stop him. But if he can't breath then he will not go as far due to the lack of oxygen getting in his system and to his brain.

Penetration, we all want a pass through on our arrows but it's completely necessary. Here again with a lower poundage bow smaller 2 blade broad heads and proper sized arrows are key. Most important thing I can say is use only very sharp broad heads when hunting and practice and become very proficient with your bow. Learn what the limitations are for you and your equipment. Lastly get signed up for your bow hunter education class, here you will learn a lot of very useful information.

Good luck to you...