Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Bows for heavy draw wieght ?

I am going to be upgrading my bow, I like a heavy draw wieght. I have and old PSE and had it cranked to 92# I was shooting pretty good but just wanted to check it out, so I went to the local archery shop. They checked the weight at 90+# without breaking. So they set it to 60#. I did not like the feel so the set it to 70#. After resighting my pins I could not get a 15-60 pin. So I turned it back up to about 80# so I could reach 60yds. I would like to get a modern bow but would like to utilize it to its maximum. Any recommendations on the bows that are the best for heavy power?

You're going to have to try what feels best to you. There is no specific brand or model that is deemed to be the best bow for 90 pound limbs. By the way, those limbs will have to be special ordered for every major brand name of which I'm aware. Good luck in your quest.

Just curious but why so much poundage? I shoot 70 pounds and have never had an arrow not blow completely thru any bear, deer and 1 of 2 caribou (broke the off side leg going out). Moose is this weekend.

For caribou I shoot to 50 yards. Black bear is usually 20 yards. Deer have been out to 42 yards.

I think also you are going to have an arrow problem. I have only seen one company make a carbon for up to 100 pounds.

Also, I shoot a lot. Every week, seveal times. At 56 years old the poundage is starting to wear on me a bit. The doc calls it arthritus. I call it time for another Alieve. But at 70 years I should still be able to pull 60 I would hope.

So why so much poundage? Unless you are hunting buffalo or elephants...?

Maybe because he wants it. If he wants to and can handle it why not?

I'm not looking for 90-100 but I don't think I will be happy with anything less than 80#. Shooting with a buddy over the last two years out to 75yds we noticed major difference in trajectory from the 70# to the 80#. If I can find a 90# with a decent let off(mine now is probably 25%) and arrows that can handle it I would probably go for it. But realistically I am looking for the best 80#. Thanks guys

Watch your age and body.. I used to shoot over 90 for years, it has really ruined my back and body.... If I had to start over again I"d shoot no more than 72-75 ever, trajectory doesn't mean a damn thing in archery. If its far enough to question then you need to rangefind it as a yard or two will kill you.

Use heavy enough arrows and a cut on contact type head or one like a Muzzy or SlikTrik chisel point and you'll penetrate more than you ever wished for.

Short of it my wife has a 52 pound bow and has the largest hog we've killed, heavy for weight aluminum shafts and Zwickey heads, broadhead poked out the other side of an over 350 pound boar with 3 inch thick shields on each side....the hole through the heart didn't help him any either....

Stay off that neck and protect your body, after that I'm done preaching....

On bows.... my buddy and I shot PSE for so many years(since 76 for me and to this day) and he swears by his Matthews now. And we both used to think Matthews was an overpriced joke....but you will need to find one that feels right to you!

Jeff

To each his own, if you want 90# great, but for me (and I used to shoot 80# bows also) I've decided to keep my shoulders for a while longer. I now (and have for the last 5 years)shoot 60# from a Hoyt Ultratec with 400gr carbon arrows and muzzy broadheads @ 270fps. I can shoot that setup all day, from any position and still be very accurate. Unless I were going to Africa then 60-70# is plenty. The elk in my freezer from last year at 50 yards is just as dead as any I shot with high poundage bows. As always - shot placement has priority over power.

BroncoLope, I have always enjoyed hunting with and shooting heavier draw weight bows and heavy arrows.
I'm 59 and still routinely shoot longbows and recurves from 77-85#@30 inch draw and have had no problems with shoulders or arms.
The chief difference is that the stickbow is at it's heaviest draw weight at full draw, when the strongest muscles of the back are employed to hold-anchor and release.
The heavy compound bows put a huge strain in arm and shoulder to reach the peak during the draw and so many who shoot compound bows will suffer from problems long before the trained stickbow shooter ever will.
My best longbows and recurves shoot 730 grain arrows with 3 fletch helical point on at the yardage equivalent to their draw weight: IE 77# bow has a point on of 75-78 yards.This is with index finger on drawing hand anchored thru the cheek to the corner of upper and lower jaw.
Chronoed at 190-210 FPS depending on how cleanly and with how good back tension I make the release during testing.

Advantage to have in a flatter shooting bow for the hunter who isn't fiddling with rangefinders or shooting from a stand to know points in the killing field are obvious:
Even with minor miscalculations concerning the distance, the flatter shooting( faster) arrow will still usually make a killing shot on a big game animal.

FWIW, I cannot break a 90# compound bow over without 'hanging ' on the string...:) But I can draw and shoot bows up to 100#s well tho I think there is a law of diminishing returns practically speaking for practical hunting distances of north American big game where more draw weight.speed or heavier arrows don't give any advantage.Jim

Everybody is right on target. I have to pile on, too.
The only reason I see for 90# bow is to shoot heavy arrows, and to me that means a longbow or recurve. The only game that needs such arrows would be big, dangerous game like grizzly bears and buffalo, or men in armor with swords.

My recurves, 65 and 55-lbs, shoot wood arrows that are heavy enough to go through most anything. All arrows have looping trajectories, some just more than others. Once you get used to your bow, it's like throwing a baseball - no calculation necessary.