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Draw weight?

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Draw weight?

Postby Lefty » 06 14, 2021 •  [Post 1]

Why are you shooting the draw weight on your bow? Why are you shooting that weight
My first recurve bow meet the minimum Minnesota draw weight for big game 43#.As a 13 year old I could shoot hundreds of arrows a day and be good, and I was under 100 lb bean pole.
When I first bought my Switchback I shot and hunted with 45 lb draw weight. My shoulder just couldn't take much more. I now have my bow set all the weight up to 71 lbs. With a compound that gives me plenty of time

My daughter has her bow set up at 47 lbs. Shooting a doe she shot dropped in its tracks, her moose a few years back she got great pentation. She will only shoot under 30 yards

2016-10-08 09-14-22.jpg
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Re: Draw weight?

Postby Swede » 06 14, 2021 •  [Post 2]

For years I shot 70#, then I dropped it to 67# to ensure my shoulder did not suffer. Now I shoot 63#. I can draw it 10 times in quick succession without damage to my shoulder. I feel confident that 60# is plenty for deer or elk. I don't shoot past 40 yards regardless of draw weight. The 63# set on my bow will send an arrow completely through an elk.
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Re: Draw weight?

Postby Tigger » 06 15, 2021 •  [Post 3]

Coming from a guy who could draw maybe 10 lbs max right now, please take care of your shoulders. But in good times, I was drawing 67 lbs. None of my arrows went through a bull, but they died!
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Re: Draw weight?

Postby Elkhunttoo » 06 16, 2021 •  [Post 4]

I liked to keep mine right around the 60’s usually…I shot 58 for several years with my old bow until it broke. When I got it I thought I would turn it up for the next season but it was shooting so good I didn’t want to mess with it that first year. Then I shot a little 2 point mule deer that season and the arrow blew through that thing so easy I just left it where it was.

Last year I had mine at 60 and turned it up to 67-68 and it still felt super comfortable so I left it there. Imo I don’t really care if I’m pulling a lot of weight or shooting a super fast bow. I want to pull back easy no matter the situation or predicament im in. And also save on the wear and tear on the shoulders.
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Re: Draw weight?

Postby Lefty » 06 16, 2021 •  [Post 5]

Tigger wrote:Coming from a guy who could draw maybe 10 lbs max right now, please take care of your shoulders. But in good times, I was drawing 67 lbs. None of my arrows went through a bull, but they died!

Pounding nails, ripping off shingles, demo work, digging pocket sets for mink and an outboard with a warped head took me down. Off and on from the time I was 30-55 I tried shooting my recurve.
I bought my buddies new Switchback in 2009 because I could draw the bow, . but until my shoulder was worked on I had my bow as low as it would go 37# I think. couldn't shoot much, turned it up for season,..only shot 3-4 arrows a week during season.
Sold my 10 ga BPS and bought a 20 ga Benelli. I realized I was passing on geese , not shouldering with the bigger gun
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Re: Draw weight?

Postby JJ Overkill » 07 15, 2021 •  [Post 6]

I’m running 75# 30” draw. I didn’t order a 75. Wanted 70 but all the bows I’ve gotten from last year are 3-5 lbs heavy. I’m not complaining though. With the cams and new limb pockets on PSEs top bows it feels like 65-70# bows from years past. The reason I’m shooting this weight is I bumped up my arrow weight to 513grs and I want my arrows in the 280-300fps range and I’ve achieved that.
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Re: Draw weight?

Postby Swede » 07 15, 2021 •  [Post 7]

JJ, how are things going for PSE? Is Pete still there? I went to their dealers school and their shooting school years ago. I have always liked dealing with PSE. They were a top drawer operation 25 years ago and I had a good time there with them in Tucson.
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Re: Draw weight?

Postby JJ Overkill » 07 15, 2021 •  [Post 8]

Swede, it’s been a good run so far. I’m honestly not sure how active Pete is. This year PSE decided to go a different direction with the district reps, most of them were let go but some stayed in different role. Now it’s a different company running the pro staffers so we’ll see how it goes from here. I love the new bows though. Only time will tell.
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Re: Draw weight?

Postby ishy » 07 21, 2021 •  [Post 9]

I had the speed bug for a few years and shot 80 lbs. By the end of a 3D shoot I really felt it. Then I had belly crawled in the snow for 1.5 hours after a white tail buck in a wheat field, well I couldn't get it back from my knees. So I went to 60 lbs and have shot better, shoulder never hurts, and still blown through a moose at 53 yards...think I'm staying.
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Re: Draw weight?

Postby GoGriz1234 » 07 22, 2021 •  [Post 10]

I shoot 62# cause that’s what I started at and I have never felt the need to increase it. Only time will tell, but it seems to shoot as fast as I could want and I appreciate the 8-10#s less on each draw than what it could be I guess.
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Re: Draw weight?

Postby Swede » 07 22, 2021 •  [Post 11]

You guys that have reduced your draw weight have experienced some of the same things I have. The draw weight of 63 pounds feel like all I want and I shoot it more accurately than I did 70 pounds.
The only time I remember not being able to draw my bow was on a "Freeze Your Buns" 3D shoot. Standing around waiting, I got cold and could not get the bow drawn. I went in and warmed up so I could finish the shoot. Sitting in a tree stand I have had a couple of experiences where I struggled to draw my bow. I believe I lose 7-8 pound of draw strength with the cold.
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