Long range compound bow

[Mr. Ten-X]

My 2 cents from 53 years of deer-killing with a bow (and a dozen years as a factory archery sales rep in 6 states).

Any bow will kill any deer or elk that you can get close enough to and that is the bigger point: Do you have the skill as a woodsman to get REALLY CLOSE??

My first bow was a 41# recurve of 66" overall length that I only drew 26 inches. Do the math on how powerful that long-range bow really was and you will see how little speed and KE has to do with killing animals. It shot a perfectly straight-flying arrow, with a hand-honed Bear head and killed the first buck it shot at, my first day hunting with it....and I GOT CLOSE.

Though I had won my share of tourney's and did my share of NFAA shooting to 80yds, I always fell back on knowing the animal, knowing his terrain as well as he did and putting in whatever time was required to be successful.

Don't get so wrapped up on gear. Hone your woodsmanship skills and your shooting skills.

 

[Mr. Ten-X]

Sadly, I cannot consider drawing a bow until I have surgery on my left shoulder and that will come after the VA does back surgery #2 on 26 Aug. So, this year's hunting is kaput.

 

[284winner]

My 2 cents from 53 years of deer-killing with a bow (and a dozen years as a factory archery sales rep in 6 states).

Any bow will kill any deer or elk that you can get close enough to and that is the bigger point: Do you have the skill as a woodsman to get REALLY CLOSE??

My first bow was a 41# recurve of 66" overall length that I only drew 26 inches. Do the math on how powerful that long-range bow really was and you will see how little speed and KE has to do with killing animals. It shot a perfectly straight-flying arrow, with a hand-honed Bear head and killed the first buck it shot at, my first day hunting with it....and I GOT CLOSE.

Though I had won my share of tourney's and did my share of NFAA shooting to 80yds, I always fell back on knowing the animal, knowing his terrain as well as he did and putting in whatever time was required to be successful.

Don't get so wrapped up on gear. Hone your woodsmanship skills and your shooting skills.

Funny how we gravitate to the newest, fastest and most accurate products as hunters. It's pretty normal I suppose as we all want to make quick clean kills. Actually commendable. I started out like yourself with a low weight recurve/selfbow. Stepped up to a compound when they began making them. Mine was a Darton trailmaster. Then upgraded continually thru the Darton lineup as they were made faster and faster. Later years Oneida Eagle came along and I jumped ship and shot them until Pollington sold out to Bass Pro, where customer service took a turn for the worse as they catered to bowfishing more than game hunting bows. Elite archery is my latest and probably my last compound bow. I placed an order of a custom longbow in 45#. Seems I'm going backwards as it just seems like the challenge isn't there anymore with the compound bows. Shots at 30,40,50 yards seem too easy. Now I can get back to up close and personal. Shots will NEED to be at or under 18 yards to be effective with my newest weapon. I can hardly wait till it's finished. Hoping soon as I have a bear hunt in September.