80 vs 70 pounds

[Mtbhikernv]

Hahaha…and go

 

[5MilesBack]

20fps.

 

[Mtbhikernv]

20fps.

Rippin!

 

[BigSky]

Personal choice. If it's easy enough, have at it. I'm to an age where I'm going the other direction from 70 because it's no longer easy enough.

 

[jjschuh]

I think if you can handle the draw smooth and controlled then by all means go 80. Is it needed, no. Is it nice, yes.

 

[Chris in TN]

Sixty is plenty. For anything.

When I was a teenager I had one bow that was 96#.

I'm not a teenager anymore.

 

[KyleR1985]

I had to swallow my pride and ordered 65# modules for my bow. 20 years of 75-80# - still have the strength it’s easy to pull back. It just feels like someone is sticking a gaff in my scapula when I draw. Several years of dancing around it, no longer an option for shooting often.

It’s actually making me shoot more, which I think will still allow me to crank it up for hunting season for a few more years.

But most of my shooting going foward if not all, will be 60-65

 

[5MilesBack]

Rippin!

Well, I shoot 32.5" draw so it's all relative.

 

[bowhuntrben]

Real men use 90 lbs.

 

[S.Clancy]

Well, I shoot 32.5" draw so it's all relative.

I don't even know if you could find arrows if you shot 80lbs. You prob have to source use up telephone poles and just cut the ends off.

 

[Axlrod]

70 was the heaviest recurve I hunted with...

 

[Nate L]

I still have yet to be in a situation where I needed more than 70 so....

 

[Beendare]

I shot 80# for about 2 decades back in the 80's and 90's.
We were seeing poor penetration with other setups and thought, Heavier will solve it. Plus I planned on doing an Aussie buff hunt.

FFWD, now we know that an arrow with perfect flight paired with an efficient BH will pass through just about any animal....even from a light poundage bow.

if you want flat arrow flight, heavier bows is one way to improve trajectory....other wise, its not needed.

 

[insanelupus]

My last bow I maxed at a fiuzz over 70. I'm a short draw, t-rex arms, kinda fella.

I'm leaning 80lb next time around, but only so I can set it about 75 lb and have a little movement up and down in draw weight for additional tuning options.

 

[grandmasboy]

I’m thinking about a Hoyt this year that will split the difference and shoot 75. I like to shoot heavy arrows fast so draw weight is kinda important to me. To each his own though.

 

[dreamingWest]

I bought an 80 lb bow last year for a Musk Ox hunt. I figured if there was ever a time in my life to play around with 80, now's the time (I'm still "youngish").

It's an awesome performing bow (PSE Levitate w/ SE2 Cams). Full passthroughs on Musk Ox. I ended up using it all whitetail season too. No problems drawing it from a cold tree stand. Performance on whitetails with a g5 MegaMeat are about what you would expect. Arrow 6" in the dirt on the other side of the deer.

I shoot better with more holding weight, so 80 lbs has helped there too with the high let-off bows. And yeah, probably 20 fps gained from 70.

I don't see myself shooting 80 long term. I think it's harder on my bow arm elbow than my drawing shoulder during long range sessions. But for now it will be my elk hunting standard. Shooting a 525 grain Axis at 280 fps with a QAD Exodus is hard to beat (I'm a 28" draw).

ETA: Cams matter. 70# on my Bowtech Revolt X in performance is a worse draw than 80# with the PSE SE2. Only the first few inches of draw on the 80# SE2 feels stiffer.

 

[S.Clancy]

I still have yet to be in a situation where I needed more than 70 so....

You've never been asked what your draw weight is.....

70 was the heaviest recurve I hunted with...

Woofta, that's burly.

 

[BucksNBulls]

59 and still shooting 80lb bows. I shoot with guys half my age that can't draw 80lb bows It cracks me up every time.