stickum

I have noticed alot that most every body here is worried about speed.You only need about 40pds. of energy to pass threw a deer.And with todays bows I dont think that there is one bow out there that is not capable of that.and I wont to belive that bowhunters have some way of marking yardage weather it be a range finder or a peace of organge tape in a tree that has been steped off.You can shoot 215fps with a 400 grain arrow and have eneff energy to kill a whitetail with.I reliy on how shooter frendly the bow is and how accurate i can get whith it. You have to agree if you cant hit what you are aming at it doesnt matter how fast you get there.i belive that speed is just a ego thing.and yes I know I have just opened up pandoras box.Please tell me why speed is so important.

Kanga

This is gonna be interesting.

I better go put some beer on ice and get the pop corn ready

ewolf

Yeap. Thats a can of worms. I do agree speed means little. It's because people spend spend spend so they can have the best. Good archers don't need 300 fps because they have skill.

TeeJay

Sticum do ya gun hunt? If the answer was yes im assuming that you use a .410 single shot with a scope. Because you know speed just doesnt matter just accuracy right. Get a grip

ewolf

Apples to apples. You are talking of a lighter slower bullet Let me think, I think with an arrow you would have to go heavier to slow it down.

Hey how about this. i will use a .22 because its fast and has more energy than a bow.

gselkhunter

Who do you guys think is pushing the speed thing? If it is faster, better and costs more it has to be good right? That is a manufactures game of getting you to spend money and be one up on your buddies. Need has nothing to do with it. If you buy this and that you will be so good you won't have to practice. Then next year when your limbs are going and you have eaten strings and cables and can't tune the thing. You are back in the pro shop and they say yeah that was an OK bow, but you should see the changes we made for this year and suck you in all over again. Have at it boys I like my money and my old reliable bow. It is slow and kills elk clean and it shoots real broadheads and I can tune it. But it has a draw back, I have to practice. OH wait a minute, I like to shoot my bow.
Gselkhunter

mobow

IMO there is a delicate balance when talking about KE and speed. If the arrow is too light and fast, yes, flatter the trajectory, but less KE. On the other end, if the arrow is too heavy, the speed is too slow, and less KE. KE=speed x velocity2. They both relate directly to the other. The trick is to find the best set up of speed and weight, giving the best KE. But, then on the other hand, not much KE is needed to blow through a deer, so what the heck, go for all out speed.
Yet another side, the faster the arrow, the less consistent the shot. At high speeds, every little thing we do is amplified by like 6". So, if you are shooting 300 fps but can't hit water standing on the Arc, what good is it. On the flip side, if you are shooting a heavy arrow at 220 fps, but can judge distance and hit a quarter at 50 yards......hmmmmm.....let me see...

bigbulls

IMO speed is a good thing because it allows me to shoot ever heavier arrows and make more energy and momentum. Besides not everyone hunts only whitetail deer. Some of us hunt bigger animals such as elk and moose and a heavier arrow at a faster speed is a good thing.

Take two bows. Assume that they are equal in every aspect except for the speed rating. One is rated at 320 fps IBO and the other is rated at 290 fps IBO.

Bow #1 will launch a 500 grain arrow at about 268 fps and make 79 foot pounds of energy.
At 20 yards the arrow would be 10 inches low with 74 lbs of KE, at 30 yards 23 inches low with 71 lbs of KE, and at 40 yards 43 inches low with 68 lbs of KE.

Bow #2 will launch a 500 grain arrow at about 243 fps and make only 65 foot pound of energy.
At 20 yards the arrow would be 13 inches low with 60 lbs of KE, at 30 yards 29 inches low with 58 lbs of KE, and at 40 yards 53 inches low with 56 lbs of KE.


Even with bow #2 shooting a 410 grain arrow making equal launch speeds the heavier arrow will retain its energy and momentum to greater distances which will still offer a flatter trajectory.


So at 40 yards bow number 1 has more remaining energy than bow number 2 does at the bow. There is also a 10 inch differance in trajectory at 40 yards making range estemation ever more critical.


That's why I would rather have a faster bow provided it is still a very shootable bow to begin with. Some fast bows I would never consider hunting with. Example... the Hoyt turbo tec. Harsh draw cycle, extremely short valley, and a 6" brace height. To me this is not a fast bow designed with the hunter in mind.

Swamp Dawg

Very good point bigbulls. Although I don't currently hunt big game, I do plan to one day. It would be senseless for me to buy a less efficient bow when I will eventually need a higher KE output for elk, bear, moose, etc.

Not only that, but I gain confidence in knowing that my bow is producing enough KE if my arrow placement is less than perfect (Shoulder hit, bone etc.) to finish the deal. Although perfect arrow placement is key, buck fever has been known to give one the shakes! Just my 2 cents.

Bigpapascout

the faster I can get an arrow to go the better I like it

shooting flat is where its at