Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Low poundage setup

Wife is interested in trying archery, so planning to get her set up for this spring/summer and see if she's ready for fall. She's only got about a 24.5" DL, no idea what she'll pull but confident she can get over 40lb before long. Local shop has a Bear Cruzer Lite for a good deal, but it's a 45lb max. She's set on getting a moose, and I can probably get her a shot if she sticks with it for a few seasons. Think that'll be enough bow, and if so how would you set it up arrow-wise?

Take her to a shop let her shoot as many bows as she can. Let her decide what feels right to her. By the way Why wait for spring or summer. Start shooting arrows now.

Contrary to popular opinion arrow speed is not as important as using the right broad head on a heavy arrow shot into the right place, for a bow in the sub 50 lb range even more so.

Ed Ashby has probably done more penetration tests for archery equipment than anyone on earth.

https://tradgang.com/ashby/

https://www.grizzlystik.com/Top-12-Arrow-Penetration-Enhancing-Factors.aspx

https://www.grizzlystik.com/Dr.-Ed-Ashby-Reports.aspx

My wife is 25.5 inch draw 40 lbs draw weight, treat their bows like a recurve heavy arrows all the way. I built her a Easton ion 500 spine with 75 grain brass insert wiith a 100 grain head. Total arrow weight 389 grains she has no problem on deer getting pass thrus. we limit her shots to 25 yards and down.we tried shooting typical weight arrows for her set up and let’s just say we were not happy with the performance on game.

I'd have her try a Mission Craze - it's adjustable from 10 pounds up to 70, draw lengths from 19-30 inches, and the price point on the Craze is similar to the Cruzer.

I've seen several junior archer grow with this bow and do well.

My daughter has one as well, but she's not a die-hard - yet.

I think Ted Nugent uses a bow a little over 40 lbs on stuff larger than deer. I say get her shooting now and use proper arrows and broadheads and she should be fine

This was Nugent's set up a few years ago:

Mathews Creed bow at 45# draw weight
GoldTip Nuge zebra arrows in 5575 spine
Muzzy 85-grain two-blade and 100-grain four-blade 1-inch broadheads

Killed a lot of stuff with it

And an excerpt from an article Ted wrote about his wife hunting in Africa:

"It is important to note that Shemane’s pretty pink camo Martin Leopard bow draws a dainty 40#, her pink Victory arrows and Magnus two blade BuzzCut broadheads, Lumenok and three 4” white TruFlight feathers weighs in at a kinetic energy generating 400 grains. This petite lady’s rig has killed many a large, tough big game like this 600 pound kudu, tenacious wildebeest, hard zebra and more. Shot placement and a razorsharp two blade, cut on impact broadhead is her proven backstrap setup, and if more guys would learn this simple, surefire formula for the women in their life, I do believe women bowhunter numbers would double lickety split as fast as it is implemented. Why it hasn’t yet remains a mystery to us. We hope that everybody reading this helps to spread the word as far and wide as possible. The joy Shemane experiences needs to be experienced by a few million more woman ASAP. Spread it!"



This is not for praising Ted (I like the guy but I know some don't) but to show what a low poundage bow is capable of with practice.

I used a #45 Ben Pearson recurve for years with aluminum arrows. No issues with these new fangled fancy bows. Should work just fine.

When I got my son into hunting he was pretty small so his first bow was set up at 37 lbs, got him 125 grain cut on contact 2 blades with small bleeders broadheads.
Opening day of youth season second year out for him we took his gun and bow Incase he got an easy shot.
Anyways, he ended up killing a mature doe with his gun so as an experiment I set the doe up and had him shoot her behind the shoulder at 25 yds.
To my surprise the arrow blew all the way through her and was laying on the offside.
I was impressed as it was traveling real slow.

Another good bow to check out is the PSE Stinger.

I can't speak on killing a Moose but me and my daughter both shoot low poundage set-ups and have no problems what so ever with complete pass thrus on deer. I shoot a Bowtech Allegiance set at 50lbs, 28.5" Goldtip 3555's and 100gr Thunderheads. She shoots a Bowtech Heartbreaker set at 42lbs, 26" Goldtip 3555's and 100gr Thunderheads. Both these set-ups zip through deer like butter and are very comfortable for us to shoot. I would think if I were going for Moose i'd maybe beef up the total arrow weight a little. Mike

Well I picked up a Diamond Edge off a coworker for her to start with, will build her some arrows from my .500 spine recurve stock. She can draw it with some effort at about 36lb, so with a little work she'll be ok, 40lb is legal minimum here. Unfortunately no place to shoot right now, she is however incorporating things into her workout routine to build her bow muscles. I'll let her shoot the Edge for a year, if she sticks with it and enjoys it we'll get her a new upgraded bow.

Shoot in the house. Set up a good backstop and put up a target. She can work on getting her release perfect. If you have a basement shoot down there. It can be a close target doesn't matter. Work on the release.

I got my daugther into a Mission Craze a number of years ago. She's tiny. I don't recall the current draw length but I can't imagine it's more than 25-26". It's set at 30 pounds.

The Craze can be set from 19-29" DL and 20-60# DW. She's set for life unless she wants a different bow...which she can buy on her own.

About 20 years ago, I got my son into bowhunting. His bow was 40 pounds. Can’t remember arrow weight. I sharpened Bear razor heads razor sharp on a Lansky.
He killed a deer his first two times in a stand. Both were pass through with short tracking jobs.
He was hooked on bowhunting and I was as excited as him.
We still bowhunt together.

Check out. Stick bow leatherwall II

Many threads on "Is 35#. /. 40# recurve enough for deer?"

35 pounds with the right arrow and broadhead and placed where it needs to be will kill deer all day long everyday!