Compound bow lethal draw weight

[Blue bio balls]

When I was a kid, I was in an archery club and we couldn’t go deer hunting until we could pull a 40# draw weight and shoot accurately but that was with a recurve bow.

I took archery too, ..funny how things change.

 

[drewga11]

I dont think draw weight has as much to do with it as velocity(fps) and kinectic energy. I would think arrow weight and broadhead selection would be the most critical aspect.

That being said, I dont think I would be comfortable letting someone hunt with 30lb draw. On the other hand, I'm not really an expert so I may be wrong on all counts.

 

[24on48hunting]

I would think arrow weight and broadhead selection would be the most critical aspect.

Get a good, two-blade cut on contact broadhead with a 3:1 ratio on a small diameter arrow and I bet she could get it done. I’d keep the total weight of the arrow and broadhead together in the 10 grains of finished arrow weight per pound of draw. A 30# draw would equate to a minimum of a 300 grain arrow. I shoot a 58# recurve and have a total arrow weight of 630+ grains, which equates to about 10.86 grains of arrow weight per pound of draw. I have gotten pass through shots with 45# before and that’s the lightest weight I ever shot.
Keep the shots close and put it in the boiler room. Don’t exceed the capabilities of the weapon and risk crippling game. My only apprehension would be the concern for a lack of penetration on the arrow’s behalf. Lighter poundage will contribute to that. Deer bleed more and are easier to find when there are two holes in them.

Also, get her one of the Bowfit archery exercisers and let her use that to build strength.

 

[Pholley526]

That draw weight is fine, definitely want a fixed broadhead and fairly heavy arrow as stated above. Friends daughter just had a pass through on a 50# pig and a doe on sappelo and she is only pulling something like 35.

 

[jeep78]

First deer I killed was with a 45 pound bow. Was a thru and thru shot, longway through the deer.

If you can put a sharp broadhead through the ribs with a 30 pounder, it will do the job.

 

[24on48hunting]

Magnus, Zwickey and Simmons makes some good 2 blade, cut on contact heads.

 

[24on48hunting]

First deer I killed was with a 45 pound bow. Was a thru and thru shot, longway through the deer.

If you can put a sharp broadhead through the ribs with a 30 pounder, it will do the job.

My first kill with a recurve was made with a 45# bow. I centered the off-side shoulder of a big nanny doe and still got a pass through. My arrow weight was around 525 grains.

 

[JSoko]

Ha does not have a minimum draw weight. I thought back in the day I’d seen it as well. But looked last night and it’s not regulated.

for many years Georgia Regs. used to list 45# as minimum

 

[ckarr]

I’m late to this thread but I’ve always heard a minimum of 35# whether it was a recurve or compound. As stated above the biggest thing is arrow weight, broadhead, and nowadays you can tune it and play with all that to get the speeds you want. As always the biggest thing is shot placement and practice. I’m sure 30 would get the job done though.

 

[A-Aron]

I’d say 35-40 lb minimum. the kinetic energy of today’s bows make make them equal to 60 plus on recurve. This si also assuming you don’t have a genesis bow