Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Bow Upgrade?

There is definately a skill and aquired ability to drawing a bow smoothly. I know big strong guys that will struggle to draw my bow, yet I must appear as a circus freak to them smoothly drawing back my puny 62 lbs.

Most any adult man can handle 55 lbs. maybe even 60lbs. The 65lb mark is the line in the sand for the majority to draw with the calm slow smoothness that is required. There are many who believe that 70 is easy and are fooling themselves. Not sure how 70lbs became the "industry standard". I think most manufactures make bows in 10lb increments. 50-60 60-70 My opinion has always been that it should have been 45-55 and 55-65. Bows will in almost all cases draw 2-3 lbs heavier then listed. That puts the 55-65lb draw up near 68.

I had a Martin Archery bow custom made for me. They made it 50-65lbs and it will draw just a hair over 68lbs. Although I have it set for 65. There is nothing wrong with shooting 70 plus lbs. I've had a number of guys shoot them. I had a couple brothers hunt with me that were using High country archery bows. They were both shooting 80lbs. Within our normal archery distances those two brothers shot through everything, but then so did the petite little woman golf Pro I took and she was shooting 45lbs. Everyone believes they have this smooth effortless draw. Then in the lodge we watch the videos of the hunt. Unconsciously the hunters draws the bow and you see the bow rise above his head on the draw. Sometimes the shot is still okay and other times that movement spooks game.

There is a huge difference between drawing the bow at or below shoulder level and drawing it up over your head. I've been the one watching these activities with a lot of hunters over the years. Much like having them draw and unable to get past the let off while sitting in a blind. That I've seen dozens of times!

Even though in pre hunt phone conversations I will have told them point blank, shoot a bow you can draw while seated without going above your head. There is no over head space in the blinds to swing the bow up for your draw.

I like more power whenever possible, but never at the cost of sacrificing that effortless smooth draw that lets you make the shot bundled up with lots of warm clothing, or after sitting in the tree for 4 hours in 20 deg weather. Kneeling, sitting, or quickly drawing to make the shot with a minimal time to settle on target.

After a while you begin to realize that past 50-60 pounds in draw, and with great broadheads ( slicktricks) your close range skills far outweigh your draw weight and speed.

For those with both great skills and 70 plus draw weights ............ well those are elite men of Archery. I have not had the pleasure to meet very many of them in my career.