Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Whats your draw weight?

Ha! My first "hunting bow" was a Martin Bobcat. Damned near triangular cams, harsh draw, and LOUD!

70-72 lbs depending on the string/cable I`m running.

2014 obsession evolution 29/70
2015 obsession addiction 29/65
2008 bowtech 82nd airborne 29/70 (I don't shoot anymore draw cycle is bad compared to my newer bows)
2006 bowtech allegiance 29/70 with fast mods. I pull this one out to remind how far technology has come 😁

I've got (3) 58" Schafer Silvertips that range from 72# to 76# at my 27.5 draw length.

I started my bow hunting in the early 70's at 70 lb pull and tried 80 lb's but realized over the years a 60 lb pull will shoot through any big game animal if you use a razor sharp broadhead. I have no use with any bow over 60 lb pull these days.

In reading this thread and the seemingly honest replies it looks like a majority of guys are around the 60 lb range. It's only a few that go beyond 70.

I think this is a typical cross section of bow hunters here. I'm not sure that anything over 60-65 is needed to kill anything but the big thick skinned game of Africa.

I know for certain that 55-60 will kill all the thin skinned game of the world with a good broad head.

I do prefer 60 plus for the rage hypodermics though.

Hypodermics?

Injecting those critters with something fatal!

I was cautious and very conservative to even consider mechanicals. Having quite a few of my bow hunting clients use the hypo's I saw the light

Since using them myself I've had 100% success with the added benefit of astonishing blood trails.

I strongly prefer heavier arrows 450ish and 65 lbs or more. Those with lighter gear seem to be the ones with issues on performance using them.

JJ,

just curious, on your website...

Is that a picture of you with your dik dik?

It's me, but that's a steenbok

For the past 14 years I shoot 53 pounds with an older Browning compound set up with a single pin sight.

Ultra light Easton camo-hunter aluminum arrows tipped with 100 gr slick tricks.

-Ken

Yep.

I started shooting as a youth - Darton Trailmaster - don't remember what poundage but at that time an Easton XX75 aluminum arrow was IT.

Graduated to a Mathews SQ2 at 72lbs and carbon arrows.

I now shoot an older Reflex Growler (Hoyt bargain brand) at 70lbs.

My first bow was a darton lightning, xx75's and xx78's we're the schitt, 2213's and 2413's is what I ran for bucks and bulls. Moved up to a Pearson spoiler @84 lbs, overdraw etc, then onto mathews. Technology today 70lbs is all a guy needs.

I shoot 70#. When I'm practicing a lot, I drop it down to 55# so I can shoot a lot for an extended period of time. I hate 70#.

Just shoot 55#-60#. With the efficiency of the modern bows (upgrade, if you haven't), there's really no need to shoot 70#.

Hoyt 2010 carbon matrix 50-60lb. limbs -on two different scales it pulls only 58lbs.
So ? 58 lbs. at 29 inchs 454 gr. arrow .

I have a 60-70 hoyt powerhawk backed off to 64lbs. -at 72 lbs. I was never real accurate with it.

I'm 56 years old in pretty good shape but don't want to chance a shoulder injury.
I wish the carbon matrix pulled about 63-64 lbs. that would be great for some of the bigger hogs at my hunting lease.

Prime Alloy @60lbs. Prior to getting it a two months ago my old Browning deluxe bushmaster @ 50 lbs that I shot fingers with finally bit the dust. Might have to get a recurve for still hunting big woods and leave the Prime to stand hunting as it gets awkward to carry.

Edit....draw length 30"

There's no such thing as "just a cow" when it comes to elk hunting, especially when using a bow.

I've shot at 70 pounds for over 30 years and just switched to 65 this year.

I started with a Martin Warthog - Wood riser and heavy gold colored cams - I liked it, did not know any different back then. After that I shot a PSE Vector II - that was a pretty decent bow. Moved on to a Hoyt Ram Hunter (just before the Rambo) and have been shooting mainly hoyts ever since. Probably a dozen or so in the last 20 years mostly Protecs and Ultratecs - a Charger for about 3 years and now shooting a 2016 Defiant 30 and can say it is easily the best hunting bow I have ever shot - not bad as a target bow either. I won our winter leagues and shot the high qualifying round of a local tourney in the BHFS class with it.