# Bow hunting



## J_marx22 (Sep 14, 2015)

So this fall is my first fall ever hunting big game. I have always thought I would never find something that brought me more joy than fly fishing but bow hunting has become special. Even though I have yet to harvest an animal this has been a great fall. I'm not really sure what it is but there really is something special about wandering the mountains with my bow in pursuit of some amazing animals.


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## kailey29us (May 26, 2011)

I will bow hunt as long as my shoulder will allow me to draw a bow. It is an amazing experience to be in the woods with a bow and arrow trying to harvest an animal. While I love deer hunting with a bow nothing compares to elk hunting with a bow. When you call in a bull screaming to bow range it is truly an unforgettable experience.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Same here Kailey,

Fighting shoulder problems myself.

Really sucks, might only have a year or two more before it go's.:x


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

That is the main reason I went archery this year goofy. I am not sure how longer my shoulders are
Going to hold out. The doc won't give me any more shots. Have had to drop to 65 lbs on the draw. 
Shot 73 lbs for years. 
Will miss it.


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## Old Fudd (Nov 24, 2007)

52 years of it.. and yes my shoulders are all but done.


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## phorisc (Feb 2, 2011)

goofy elk said:


> Same here Kailey,
> 
> Fighting shoulder problems myself.
> 
> Really sucks, might only have a year or two more before it go's.:x


hopefully by then you can get your robot arm implant


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## Cazador (Sep 4, 2014)

You could always get yourself a crossbow or a drawlok and keep hunting archery. My dad has been hunting with a crossbow for four years now and he loves it.


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## bow_dude (Aug 20, 2009)

Advise I have always heard is to turn your bow poundage down before you ruin your shoulders. Good advise. 60 lbs is more than enough poundage. I shot 70 for years but turned my bow down a couple of years ago. I am 61 and expect to shoot for many more years to come. I think learning how to draw a bow using the right muscles is also a shoulder saver. I was always taught that if you sit and can't draw your bow, you are over bowed for your strength. Another test is if you can't keep the bow plumb and level and draw back without "sky" drawing, you are over bowed. Save your shoulders and keep the poundage manageable. I expect to be able to draw a bow at 70 years of age. The desire will be the thing that finally stops me from hunting.


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## c3hammer (Nov 1, 2009)

I've been shooting low 60's poundage since 2010. My current bow is 60 lbs peak. I plan on shooting just fine for another 25 years until I'm 80. Even 45 lbs bows now a days send an arrow right through deer and antelope. I think you can get away with a modern 50 lbs bow even on elk.

As bow_dude says, turn the **** poundage down and go have some fun.

Cheers,
Pete


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

I've been bow hunting since I was old enough to do it. It's my favorite hunt by far. I guess if I get to a point where I cannot draw my bow, I'll just carry it with me for the sake of nostalgia!


for those of you talking about turning your poundage down -- why do you have it cranked up so high in the first place? I thought those high-poundage bows were for the rifle hunters with a dedicated hunter tag that thought they'd hunt the archery...


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Haha that's a good one pbh. After seeing what my wife's little "girl bow" can do to deer sending a 360 grain arrow (finished weight) at a paltry 217 fps I have realized a 70 pound bow just isnt necessary for most practical archery shots. My next bow will have 50-60 lb limbs and I might not even max it out! Shooting your bow is a much more pleasurable experience when you aren't sucking up a nut with every draw. When I was shooting really often and had my drawing muscles in good shape 70 didn't feel too bad to pull back, but then there is still the whole wear and tear thing. I dont want to have a toasted shoulder by the time I'm 50.


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