Minimum Poundage to Ethically Kill Deer

[redfish76]

Started thinking about this after seeing something on another forum. My son has been shooting a compound since I bought him a Diamond Nuclear Ice a few years ago. Started low, but it's now cranked up to the max, 29 lbs.

I always figured that was too light to hunt deer and he needs a new bow (actually I'm sure he could pull back a bigger bow) but I saw where another guy's son shot and killed a doe with a 30 lb. bow.

What say ye? (I know Texas doesn't have a legal minimum.)

[Puggy625]

I would say it would be "best" to start at around 40lbs. I know that you can kill one with 30ish, but that's just too much margin for error.

[jbarr]

My son shot one with a Mission Craze at 32 lbs. Depends on shot placement has to be good on. Low poundage and a good cut on contact broadhead.

[jbarr]

My son had been shooting at least 3 times a week since he got his bow last Christmas. And he was limited to 15 yds max.

[Huggybear]

45 plus is my vote

[jbarr]

I would agree with the higher poundage guys as well my son will hopefully be pulling back around 40 next year and i will feel alot better.

[pyhunter]

Use a crossbow. .

I would say the kids heart might be broken if 30 lbs doesn't do the job and you lose the deer. This happened to me a long long time ago when I was young with 40lbs draw. We Found the deer four days later when it started smelling. it ran over 1000 yards and was hit in the lung, Just not deep enough cut.

Technically a sling shot can kill a deer if you hit them in the right spot, but your probably not going to use that just because you can.

Think about ethics for you and the deer.

[SwampRabbit]

Ethically?

I've flubbed a few shots out of a 50lb bow at 27" draw that an extra 10lbs wouldn't have helped me miss any better.

In my opinion, accuracy, range, along with equipment (fixed blade, balanced cutting diameter), and draw weight/draw length matched against the size of the deer you green light, all play an important factor. I don't beleive a magical draw weight number exists that covers all the possibilities. If my kid could pull 30lbs at 24" draw and group 5 arrows at 2-3" at 15 yards, I'd let him take a shot on a 80lb hill country doe at 10 yards with a fixed, 2 blade, Magnus.

[jason.dickens]

My first bow kill was with a 25-30 lb bow, 25 yd shot, complete pass through and the deer went 100 yds, may of just been lucky though haha

[tsu1998]

My wife shoots 35lbs at 24in draw. Killed everything she's shot at. I keep all her setups at 15 yards or less.

[Bisch]

You should hunt with the most draw weight that you can shoot accurately. If you son can handle more draw weight, you should get him a bow with more draw weight. If everything is perfect, a razor sharp broadhead thru both lungs from a 29# bow will kill a deer dead as a doornail! If something is amiss, it could turn out to be a horrible experience for your son!

Bisch

[redfish76]

Just to be clear, I wasn't considering taking him hunting with the 29 lb bow. (It might could get the job done, but like was mentioned, a lot of room for heartache.) Like I said, I will get him a new bow (and have him practice with it), so we are talking next year. The other post I saw just got me thinking--more about what I need to get him to to let him hunt deer. 30 pounds was a lot lighter than I expected.

[whitetailfanatic]

Your correct there is no rule of thumb anymore, as stated above, lots of practice, steady aim, at looking away deer and it'll get it done. have him practice on some little piggies 1st

[Buff]

He can get to 40 in a hurry.
40 is good

[tazhunter0]

Daughter shot her first deer last year, a freak spike. She was shooting 31#, 25" draw, and BuzzCut Stingers. She has a 20yd limit unless I tell her to shoot out to 25yd. The spike was shot at 19-20yds quartering away. He only ran about 35yds before hitting the ground. She did get thru both sides with the broadhead. She is hunting with the same set up again this year. ( heart/lung hit )
Target Tease shot a cow elk a few years back with 41#,25.5" draw and BuzzCut Stingers. If I remember right it was a 32-35yd shot that had a complete pass thru and recovered in about 100yds. ( double lung hit )

Shot placement and broadhead choice is a big part of a clean harvest.