90 lb bows

[Fowl Play]

That's not what he said at all. He said he doesn't give an f what your opinion is IF you're coming here to tell him why he should stay away from what he is asking for information on. It seems like a fair position to me especially when the counter argument has already been made to exhaustion.

His original comments sounded like the roid rage coming through…. Definitely could have started differently, ignored or answered questions on why he felt he wants to draw that much, then maybe gotten an answer. If he walked into any respectable bow shop in the country and opened with his first lines he would have been laughed out of the building.

I have seen monsters of men draw custom 100+ lb bows like it was nothing. Others that had to point an 80lb bow to the sky to be able to draw it back, but still chose to hunt with it. It’s standard practice to make sure it’s the former rather than the latter before giving any advice. He just didn’t even make it that far.

 

[Will_m]

I’ve found that asking about (or even having) high poundage bows is such an affront to certain people that they simply cannot let the matter go unpunished.

“Who makes a 80+ pound draw?”

Literally everyone:

“YoU’rE gOiNg To RIP yOuR sHoUlDeR oFf”

 

[doc holiday13]

There are ultimately 2 issues with needing/wanting a 90# bow

1. Limited Manufacturers make a 90# bow.. You can always call and request a special made one. Whether or not they'll do it is another issue My guess is that the warranty isn't great because a 90# bow has limited life due to material stresses.

2. 90# bows existed in hunting at one point because efficiency of bows was piss poor back in the 90's. A fast bow back then was 240 fps. Bows are efficient enough these days that heavier arrows are getting a lot more speed out of them. These days arrow weights are components are space age compared to what I shot in 1998. I shot an 80# bow in 2002. Shooting a 550g arrow I was getting 232 fps on a 31" draw. Think about that for a moment. 550g was the lightest arrow I could get at that time. Wanna know how fantastic my arrow penetration was????? on a 40 yard shot, I would still zip through a whitetail and have my broadhead imbed itself into a tree on the other side of the deer. Lost broadhead due to stuck in a log.......... Point blank speed was 232fps...

Now i can shoot a 550g arrow at 285fps with a 75# draw weight. 500g arrow at 303 fps. I can get as light as 450g. There is beyond sufficient data that supports 400g arrows flung from 60# compounds are deadly on all big game animals in North America. Given all the data on hand with people getting elk pass thru's with 50# recurves at 25-30yds, our 60# bows are more than sufficient regardless of draw length. So lets be realistic about what we're asking. "Need" isn't a real part of this conversation. A 70# bow with a shorter draw(28") and sliding sight will get you to 100 yards. "Need" might be a part of the conversation if you're chasing FOC.. Well stop saying need. You don't need 20%+, 18%, or even 14% FOC. You can't claim "long draws can get great FOC". To get 14% FOC my arrows are 590g. To get 20% i'm upwards of 700g because I'd need a 200 spine arrow. There is noooo need for arrow that heavy. I'm not achieving anything beyond what I'm already doing. I'd argue that a 650g arrow out of an 80# bow(all draw lengths) is sufficient for all game animals in Africa. My current FOC is like 10.5%.... Next weekend I'm using a chisel to start digging a broadhead out of a tree root

 

[Beendare]

Right

So if you don’t need it…then why do it?

I think we know the answer to that question…and it has nothing to do with arrow speed or effectiveness.

 

[ThorM465]

Right

So if you don’t need it…then why do it?

I think we know the answer to that question…and it has nothing to do with arrow speed or effectiveness.

So you don't own a rifle? You've got a perfectly adequate bow, so why would you need a rifle?

As a practice across all fields I want the most effective tool I can afford for the job at hand.

To you the point you're alluding to I think you're right, a significant component is psychological. Some men are inclined to push the limits and some are more inclined to enjoy soy lattes back in the rear.

 

[Wilderlife]

I know people like to talk about ego in this sense but I don't really know how much of that comes into play.
I don't tend to concern myself too much with what others are doing either. If it works for them and makes them happy, good on them.

At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. What's important is someone has a bow they enjoy shooting, can shoot accurately, consistently, and without injury.

There are plenty of people who can shoot heavy bows extremely comfortably, and there are plenty of people who struggle to shoot moderate bows comfortably as well.

I do agree with points that Beendare brings up in a sense that you don't need that much power to kill something, but I will also stand by other comments I've made that more power isn't necessarily a bad thing. I think it's difficult to argue that a little more arrow weight and FPS isn't beneficial in some shot situations that may be marginal, but at the same time, others will argue that they'd never take a marginal shot.

Horses for courses.

I will say that if I had to 'pick a hunting partner', and I was forced to choose between two people, I would choose the dedicated hunter who shoots an 80# bow and practices correct technique year round, as opposed to the casual hunter who picks up their 65# bow a week before season because "that'll do the job fine".

It comes down to how much you shoot and how proficient you are, for me personally. As long as someone is proficient, good on them.

 

[Beendare]

So you don't own a rifle? You've got a perfectly adequate bow, so why would you need a rifle?

As a practice across all fields I want the most effective tool I can afford for the job at hand.

To you the point you're alluding to I think you're right, a significant component is psychological. Some men are inclined to push the limits and some are more inclined to enjoy soy lattes back in the rear.

Not sure if that was a backhanded slap…no worries. I’m confident In my skin. I’ve shot 85# coumpounds back in the day when bows were less efficient. Even then it was not much of an advantage except for my Aussie Water buff.

Most of the 90# guys cannot shoot my bow at all.…so theres that. ( a 55# Lefty recurve- Grin)

The 90# compound thing is much like guys buying .338 magnums to hunt with.….absolutely some equipment is overkill and at some point the choice is more about ego, “Look at me” stuff than hunting effectiveness. Killing is all about the wound channel.
Even the rifle guys are coming around to that (See the .223 thread in the Firearms section here)

I’ve guided guys showing off their $18,000 long range rifle but couldn’t shoot it well in a 15mph cross wind. I’ve also seen guys showing off their custom longbow and Badger skin quiver….and they are ricocheting arrows all over the woods of a 3 D course.

Anyway, its not a big deal either way- shoot what makes you happy. I was trying to point out to everyone considering this;

Ask yourself does going up to a 90# bow ( or whatever equipment ) make me a better hunter?

.

 

[Wilderlife]

Not even close.

And yeh, it's always good to watch someone who shoots a heavy compound thinking a trad bow is easy until they pull one back and try to hold at full draw for a few moments.
It goes the other way to my analogy about a dedicated 90# shooter and a casual 65# shooter. The poundage is less of a concern to me and the dedication to their craft is much more important. I just see the dedication required to handle a 90# effectively as pretty cool.

 

[roosiebull]

His original comments sounded like the roid rage coming through…. Definitely could have started differently, ignored or answered questions on why he felt he wants to draw that much, then maybe gotten an answer. If he walked into any respectable bow shop in the country and opened with his first lines he would have been laughed out of the building.

I have seen monsters of men draw custom 100+ lb bows like it was nothing. Others that had to point an 80lb bow to the sky to be able to draw it back, but still chose to hunt with it. It’s standard practice to make sure it’s the former rather than the latter before giving any advice. He just didn’t even make it that far.

I pictured him crying and slamming every key like they owed him money while typing out the thread

I don’t care what people shoot for draw weight, but I have been trending the opposite direction, I enjoy drawing a bow that feels like a toy, and it still has enough steam to push a fairly large head through the biggest of elk… beyond that, I don’t care

Funny how we often come around full circle

If someone wants to shoot 100+#, more power to them… better pick very strong components and heads, or the perceived benefit will be a non starter

 

[Bigborealaska]

For me it would come down to what draw weight can I pull in a kneeling, sitting configuration well. If you cant you may miss some good animals. I have found your not always standing straight up for a shot. I've leaned away from branches and shot from a kneeling position and I can draw a 70 pound bow confidently, and smoothly in all sorts of positions and environments. If you cant I would stay with a weight you can do so confidently with.