Buckless1

Doegirl75 none taken. I know that there are more effiecant setups out there but I shoot well with it and just can't affored the more expensive setups.

Bigcountry I tried some arrows that were between 500 and 600g. My buddies hade some of there old arrows that they let cut, which I had to leave a little long in order to get the weight. I may as well just hand through them. It is impossible to get much from that heavy an arrow.

Arthur P

My first 'real' bow kill - excluding rabbits, squirrels and assorted other small game and varmints - was a large feral hog. Don't know the weight of the beast because in the early 60's we didn't generally gage our success by which numbers showed up on the scales or the tape. All I know for certain is my grampa had to bring the tractor to drag it back to the barn.

I shot that pig with a 45 lb solid fiberglass Bear recurve, cedar arrow with a Pearson Deadhead broadhead. There is no way that bow would've generated more than 30 ft lbs of KE, it certainly didn't shoot over 150 fps -probably didn't even do that much - and the cedar arrow had to weigh closer to 600 grains than to 500.

All in all, that heavy arrow darn sure worked a lot better than if I'd hand thrown it. The difference was I was constantly practicing on sneaking up on animals. I watched cats hunting birds in the yard and mimicked them. I learned how to HUNT, not just shoot. I got close to my game before I shot.

Isn't it something that a 12-year old kid could be a successful hunter with equipment that most folks these days think is far too underpowered, far too slow... and far beyond their own capabilities?

LKNCHOPPERS

Those really heavy 500-600 grain arrows do not give you much more KE (only 5% more on average). Shoot what you want, buta heavy arrow is overrated if you do the calculations. Not too heavy, not too light will serve you best.

Buckless1

Ok, I know that animals have been taken with wood arrows for centuries. But don't start with the hunting skills i've hunted for many years here in the state of New Mexico with a traditional muzzle loader, not easy. My deal is I need more of a challange because of my skills of stocking. We don't havedeer running around like rodents or locked up in some stupid ranch where the animals are tended like cattle. No here for me it's all public land and 100% wild fare chase. I have been shooting my Browning for about2 years just never put in for a bow hunt until now.Icame acrossa KE chart and asked the question

Arthur P

My post was directed mostly at Doegirl and her calling bull on heavy arrows, but if you want to get personal about it there, newbie, so be it. I don't have the money to get onto on of those nice ranches with the deer running around like rodents and penned up like you're talking about. All my hunting, all my life has been 100% fair chase, nimrod, and I really don't appreciate your insinuation. Just because someone lives in Texas doesn't mean he hunts behind hi-fence and over feeders, so you can blow that BS out yer piehole.

I'd also tell you if you don't want to hear the answer, then don't ask the question. Light arrows are good for speed and you don't gain much of nothing with heavier arrows in terms of KE. What you DO gain with increased arrow weight is momentum and penetration potential.

If you really have spent time hunting with traditional muzzleloaders, you know you can do the job without all the KE that modern cartridge rifle hunters feel is necessary. You probably wonder who the hell decided to take it on themselves to make up such silly rules. Same with bowhunting. If anyone needs to call BULL on anything, it's those stupid KE charts. Bowhunting has gotten beset with the same magnum-itis that's been plaguing firearms hunters for years.

People are shooting bows for deer and elk now that are putting out more KE than bowhunters of years past used for hunting ELEPHANTS! And it's all because of those ultra-light arrows they're using. They've GOT to generate a lot of KE and speed for them to work. If you don't have a rig that can give it that much boost, then you should go heavier on arrow weight, and get close enough that the trajectory isn't a problem. I would go further and say you've got to go heavier on arrow weight but, like you said, I don't want to get into that KE/momentum BS all over again.

If you want to hear the real answer, then read LKNCHOPPERS' post again. Not too heavy, not too light. At 323 grains, in my opinion, you're way too light for elk with your bow.

Just so you'll know, I've put you on my ignore list. That way I won't see any more of your questions and won't ever burden you with any more of my advice. Have fun.

Brett/IL

All of you who think there is nothing to gain by shooting a heavier arrow need to tell that to a little bowhunter named Chuck Adams. He took all 28 species of North American big game with a heavy aluminum arrow appropriately dubbed the "Super Slam". Fast has it's benefits as does mass, it is up to the archer to decide what kind of a blend of the two best suits his/her needs. I am with Bigcountry, I have blown through three adult, Illinois deer, with a 52# recurve shooting a 575 gr. arrow. Heavier arrow=quieter at the shot, better arrow flight, and devestating when used with a super sharp cut on contact head. Assuming the arrow was placed where in needed to go in the animal being hunted.

bigcountry

You have site pins don't ya? Are you planning on shooting over 30 yards? Why does trajectory need consideration?

Itsyour guys business, but I wouldn't go elk hunting with anything less than450gr out of my compound at 70lbs, and 600gr out of my recurve.

Paul L Mohr

Ke doesn't really mean much, momentum is the much more important factor when considering penetration. And heavier arrows have more momentum, period.

Doegirl, your shooting a bowtech at 50 lbs with probably 25-26 inches of draw. That is a fairly efficient set up, I still think your arrows are a tad light but they work as you know. Moving to 400-450 grn arrows would give you just that much more umph when the arrow strikes the target and at 20 yards it wouldn't do much to your trajectory at all. I shoot a similar set as you and I have played with the different weights. I shoot 450 grn aluminum arrows. And my bow is actually a tad more efficient that yours I think. With those arrows I get around 200 fps and I have no trouble hitting targets out to 60 yards as long as I know the distance.

As far as yours being more efficient that others here? Most on here shoot bowtechs as well, but big boy bowtechs with more speed and and higher draw weights and longer draw lengths. Your set up is probably border line with someone shooting a heavy recurve, like say 70 lbs or so. And most of them would be shooting 500 grn arrows because they know they work better with that set up.

It's not bull, a heavier arrow with more FOC is ALWAYS better, you just sacrifice trajectory is all. And if your a youth archer you shouldn't be shooting farther than 20 yards anyway. There is point of diminishing returns though and need to sort of play to find out what it is. Chances are for that kind of set up though you won't find an arrow that heavy to work with it anyway.

Paul

bigcountry

And I like 20% FOC. Lets hear the compounders gasp. I know I would have 5 years ago.

Paul L Mohr

15% is minum for me now unless they are target arrows.

Paul