Bowhunters unite to abolish 40 lb draw weight

[Sika]

I don't mean to express any opinions on this thread because it's such a sensitive subject for some.

I just want to make two obseverations based on my years of hunting experience...

yes hogs,,does that mean we limit her???She could be the next Mary..Sika..Angie.. I say lets get it changed,,its not ganna hurt its gonna help

First of all...yikes! Do yourself a favor and do whatever it takes to prevent your daugher from ending up like me.

In all seriousness, I started out pulling about 32 lbs on my first compound bow. I didn't hunt any game until I was strong enough to pull the legal minimum and my form and shot sequence were as good and consistent as they could possibly be.

Hunting and bowhunting in particular is my whole world, so I can't say that being restricted by draw weight in the beginning held me back in even the slightest way. I was shooting deer with rifles long before I ever picked up a bow.

Secondly, I have shot a number of hogs over 100 lbs and five South Texas bucks weighing 160 to 180 lbs each (live.) Shot placement was excellent on all bucks except for one - which I hit a little further back than intended. I only got a complete pass through on two of those bucks with my 45# bow and cut-on-contact broadheads...and out of all of them, the longest shot was 30 yards.

On "large" hogs, I almost never get a complete pass through.

I've killed five turkeys with this setup and have yet to get a complete pass through.

I have no problems getting a pass through on small deer (ie: Central Texas deer,) does, javelinas and other small game...even out to 40 yards.

My setup is more than adequate to kill most any animal in the state of Texas, but that's not to say I never have to worry about it. I can imagine that I would have a lot more to worry about with less poundage and even lighter arrows (my current hunting arrows only weigh 300 grains.)

I can't even imagine getting a complete pass through on a 250 - 300 lb pig -- although I am sure one properly placed broadhead could kill him very efficiently and if I ever have the opportunity to shoot a pig of this size I intend to test that theory!
He just better down quick because there would probably be little hope for a good blood trail!

[Cotton]

Here's a couple more but some of them sites you have to have a secret decoder ring!

Missouri: a longbow or compound bow of any draw weight; handheld string releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes and quickpoint sights are allowed

Nevada: A longbow used in hunting a big game mammal must, in the hands of the user, be capable of throwing a 400 grain arrow 150 yards over level terrain. (The term Longbow also includes compounds)

Oklahoma:

Rhode Island: Long bow, recurve, or compound capable of not less than 40 pounds at peak draw weight at peak

South Carolina:

South Dakota:

Tennessee:

Utah:

Vermont: No mention

[hntndawg]

First of all...yikes! Do yourself a favor and do whatever it takes to prevent your daugher from ending up like me.
!

Way to "lighten" up this thread Sika...it was getting rough.

I have never got a chance to shoot a turkey, but that suprised me about you not getting pass thrus. I figured that was a guaranteed pass thru

[Cull]

Very well said Mark!

My wife, Amy, hunts at 44 lbs with her Parker Challenger. It seems that her pass throughs depend on the degree of quarting on the animal at the time of the shot. Broadside, she almost always gets a pass through or at least penetration through the opposite side of the deer. On quartering animals, she rarely gets a pass through and the last two animals she has hit like this had the broadhead just under the hide on the opposite side. As expected, these animals were harder to track but were recovered. Just observations on her harvests.

[Hot4huntin]

Here's a couple more but some of them sites you have to have a secret decoder ring!

Tell me about it, Cotton! That is why it has taken me several weeks, just to get to this point.

Oklahoma: 40 lbs

Utah: 40 lbs

Vermont: Moose--Bows of not less than 60 pound draw weight, based on the archer's normal draw length for traditional bows, and using arrowheads with at least 7/8 of an inch in width with two or more cutting edges.

West Virginia: 40 lbs

[Sika]

I have never got a chance to shoot a turkey, but that suprised me about you not getting pass thrus. I figured that was a guaranteed pass thru

Nosir -- it must have something to do with those feathers being able to absorb so much energy.

[Cotton]

Lighter body weight has more to do with it. I don't get a pass-through shooting 70 pounds on a squirrel when there's nothing on the other side to stop my arrow.

[Sika]

I don't get pass throughs on squirrels either when they're pinned to the tree

[Hot4huntin]

With Cotton's help, here is everything, but Tennessee and South Carolina.

Alabama: 35 lbs.

Alaska: 40 pounds peak draw weight when hunting black-tailed deer, wolf, wolverine, black bear, Dall Sheep and caribou

50 pounds peak draw weight when hunting mountain goat, moose, elk, brown/grizzly bear, musk ox, and bison

Arizona: 40 lbs

Arkansas: 40 lbs

California: All bows used for big game in California have to be able to cast a legal hunting arrow horizontally at least 130 yards.

Colorado: 35 lbs.

Connecticut: 40 lbs

Delaware: No minimum limit

Florida: 35 lbs

Georgia: No minimum limit

Hawaii: (A) Long bows with less than forty pounds of drawing tension at a twenty-eight inch draw;

(B) Recurved bows with less than thirty-five pounds of drawing tension; or

(C) Compound bows with less than thirty pounds of drawing tension.

Idaho: 40 lbs

Illinois: 40 lbs

Indiana: 35 lbs

Iowa: No minimum limit

Kansas: No minimum limit

Kentucky: No minimum draw weight

Louisiana: 30 lbs

Maine: 35 lbs

Maryland: 30 lbs

Massachusetts: 40 lbs

Michigan: 40 lbs

Minnesota: 40 lbs

Mississippi: No minimum

Missouri: a longbow or compound bow of any draw weight; handheld string releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes and quickpoint sights are allowed

Montana: No minimum

Nebraska: 40 lbs.

Nevada: A longbow used in hunting a big game mammal must, in the hands of the user, be capable of throwing a 400 grain arrow 150 yards over level terrain. (The term Longbow also includes compounds)

New Hampshire: 40 lbs

New Jersey: 35 lbs

New Mexico: 40 lbs

New York: 35 lbs

North Carolina: 35 lbs

North Dakota: 35 lbs

Ohio: 40 lbs

Oklahoma: 40 lbs

Oregon: 40 lbs deer/50 lbs elk

Pennsylvania: 35 lbs

Rhode Island: Long bow, recurve, or compound capable of not less than 40 pounds at peak draw weight at peak

South Carolina:

South Dakota: 40 lbs

Tennessee:

Texas: 40 lbs

Utah: 40 lbs

Vermont: Moose--Bows of not less than 60 pound draw weight,
based on the archer's normal draw length for traditional
bows, and using arrowheads with at least 7/8 of an inch
in width with two or more cutting edges.

Virginia: Bow must be capable of casting an arrow with broadhead
at least 7/8 inch diameter (or expandable to that size), minimum of 125 yards

Washington: 40 lbs

West Virginia: 40 lbs

Wisconsin: 30 lbs

Wyoming: 40# or have the ability to cast a 400 grain arrows 160
yards for antelope,deer,sheep,mtn goat.

50# or have the ability to cast a 500 grain arrow 160
yards to hunt

[Swat791]

We all should come together to take this idea and make it a positive opportunity, an opportunity to keep and bring in people to our sport that we are so passionate about.
Also, lets try not to bash each other and groups that have a track record of doing something for our sport. Good discussion is one thing, but to bash a group or an individual for what they feel is not fair.

Giving a kid a head start in bowhunting, increasing our numbers as bowhunters, bring in more money for TP&W, and giving a older person or a person with a disability the ability to hunt with a bow is what this is all about. If you say you’re against lowering the minimum draw weight then you are against the above.
When I first brought this question to the forum I was targeting kids 9-12 year old, and people with upper limb disabilities/limitations to extend opportunities to people that want to bowhunt or continue to hunt after an injury.

My take is either you are a bowhunter or you are not. If you are most likely your child will be if they hunt. We as professional bowhunters are going to teach our kids how to bowhunt, the importance of tuned equipment, sharp broadheads, sighting in, practice and shot placement. The minimum draw weight is not as crucial as is the above mentioned; a 30# bow will kill just like a 80# bow, wait it is not the bow that kills it is the broadhead, the bow just delivers the arrow that it is attached to.
If you’re not a bowhunter after a few failed hunts you will go back to the gun and leave the bow hanging in the garage, sell it or give it away.

Some feel that if you ask for an inch others will want a mile...

And after you drop it to 35#, who is gonna come along next and want it to 30# for the same reason.

To ease your fear let's just drop it to 30# since that poundage is enough to do the job!
Again the target group is 9-12 yr old kids, upper limb disabled/ limited use and older folks.

I started collecting some data back in Feb. of other states draw weight. When I was gathering it I could see that many more states had less than a 40# min. and shocked to see some states that didn’t have any requirement. There have been some of us that has witnessed and or documented bow kills with bows less than 40# and it has been very effective in taking many different game animals.

I feel that lowering the minimum draw weight will be good for many people, not just kids. This is not something to rush into trying to change over night; good data needs to be collected first.

[Africanbowhunter]

North Carolina went from 45# to 35# Recently

North Carolina went from 45# draw weight to 35# draw weight due tothe fact few women and youand any many old men coudl not hold aaimand shoot 45# bow.

Here is a pix I got from Ty Weavers father of his first bow kill when TY was six years old

Bow was 26# Martin Tiger & Gold tip 45/55 carbon arrows & 100 grain Magnus Stinger BH= Dead ram

[howie1968]

Wow

When i started this post i never thought it would go this far. i appreciate everyones response we all have our views. my daughter is pulling 36 lbs at 11 ys old doing well and hunting daily. i have no doubt she will be pulling 40 lbs shortly, u still believe in a lighter minimum so we can get our children and elderly active. I limit jasmines shots to no more than 16 yards and she has shot hogs weiging up to 160 lbs! with complete pass throughs havent even had to track one. watched them drop. i9 can tell there is a wealth of knowledge on this board and am glad to be a part of it. i have letters and pictures sent out to TDPW asking to lower the poundage along with a few stories jasmine has wrote on her success and what being able to hunt deer means to her. once again thanks to all!!!
Howie

[tinman]

Hawaii: (A) Long bows with less than forty pounds of drawing tension at a twenty-eight inch draw;

(B) Recurved bows with less than thirty-five pounds of drawing tension; or

(C) Compound bows with less than thirty pounds of drawing tension.

I like this separation concept. I'm still not sure that any and every 30# compound is capable of consistantly (ethically) harvesting game...but, I am willing to listen to opinions and look at data on the subject. This, to me, makes more sense than just lowering (or abolishing) the minimum across the board.

They are not a dozen superheros out fighting all the bowhunting enemies while everyone else sleeps. They are merely volunteers trying to represent, and be the combined voice, of the membership.

We're not??? Then why do you & Buff wear those matching tights?

While I agree with you Mark, there are no Dark Archers on the EC...I can only vote in good conscience based my beliefs. I try to maintain an open mind on any subject that is brought before the council and respectfully listen to all opinions which are presented with some level of respect. But in the end, I do vote as I feel best for bowhunting and the bowhunters of Texas.

Howie, thanks for starting this thread...it obviously needed to be discussed.

[Devin]

there are no Dark Archers on the EC...I can only vote in good conscience based my beliefs.

Howie, thanks for starting this thread...it obviously needed to be discussed.

Have you looked at your avatar lately, Joey?

BTW, I'm glad those beliefs are open to "adjustment" just as you've said your view's on crossbows (however misguided they currently may be) have changed since you began posting on bowhunting websites (and luckily shed telemarketer influence). I know the truth will eventually set you free. Keep keeping that open mind DESPITE your "beliefs".

[tinman]

So...now what?

You wanna start another crossbow thread?!?!