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Did you lower your draw weight

I dropped down as low as my bow could go a couple years ago because of a tear in my shoulder. After shooting a lot, I got used to the injury, and added a little back on. Probably around 50# right now, and an easy smooth draw back. Shouldn't need any more than that.
 
I shot mine at 50 lbs for a while tonight. Big difference in arrow speed vs the 70lbs I’ve been shooting. A dedicated 50 lb bow would probably be faster than a 70 turned down to 50. It was had a crazy vibration to start with but it was just my draw length module loose. I got that tight and shot it from 5-50 yards. I don’t know that I will leave it that low but I may turn it up to 55 and tune it and shoot it that way a while.
 
I’m staying out at #65 lbs year round. It’s a good mix for me between being able to shoot a heavier arrow fast and quietly and not stretching to pull back. I test by making sure I don’t stress sitting on the ground with my legs extended, pulling back, and letting off.
 
As soon as I sell my 70lb bow I’m going to get a 60# bow. They are just easier to shoot and my shoulder will thank me. I’m at the point I have to do something


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I’m at 70. In my mind it’s just like weight lifting. If you only lift weights once a month it’s gonna be tough. If you rarely draw and shoot it’s gonna be tough. Starting in the summer and throughout the fall I practice drawing and holding at full draw for up to 5 minutes even if I don’t shoot that day. I can barely make a minute the first day I do it, but by hunting season it feels like child’s play. I’m sure I could kill deer just as well at 45lbs but I like every advantage I can get.
 
Iwas at 70 but turned it down to 58-60 because of the saddle....didn't want to have to fight drawing while in awkward positions.
 
I let mine down from 70 to 62 while practicing from the saddle last year. Was very happy with speed and accuracy so I left it there. No reason to crank it up again.
 
heretic said:
At a 27 inch draw length I try to squeeze as much performance out of my bow as I can. I'm sure as I get older and wiser that sentiment may change. Instead of lowering my draw weight I weight train, dumbbell rows work wonders for making a 70 lb bow feel like a 50-60 lb bow. Plus I shoot A LOT (with the exception of these past couple of weeks while my bow is in the shop)
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Totally relatable. I am in between 26.5 and 27 inch draw, so I went with 26.5 and ~70# draw weight. I feel obligated to pull as heavy as I can get away with right now because of how short my draw is. I haven’t been in the saddle long enough to tell if this is best practice or not. What I can say is I have practiced many times and have tried to contort to the point of failure in my form. While keeping the contortion to reasonable levels, there are only a couple positions that really prove difficult. Assuming most weak side shots being the most difficult for most novice saddle hunters.
 
I'm shooting 62lbs out of necessity. I'm also into the saddle out of necessity. About 3.5 yrs ago I had to have 3 disks fused in my neck from a lifetime of trucking. Also 2 months ago we added a heart attack into the mix to add to the fun. I'm hooked into self filming and couldn't carry my lone wolf climber and all the filming gear anymore. This will be my first season trying to saddle hunt and film after the heart attack if I live long enough to try. Been shooting bows since 1972.
 
huck72412 said:
I practice at 70 and hunt at 60. Been doing it for years. I’m pretty sure @ImThere is hunting at 4 lbs this year. Maybe I’m wrong.
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I’m pulling at 12 oz at a time this year from the side lines.
If I get released in time I imagine I will be sending 150gr 308’s down range.
Saddleplooza 2020 may be my first hunt of the year.


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ImThere said:
I’m pulling at 12 oz at a time this year from the side lines.
If I get released in time I imagine I will be sending 150gr 308’s down range.
Saddleplooza 2020 may be my first hunt of the year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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That stinks. I thought you were having shoulder surgery. I would hunt from the ground with a handgun before. Missing the whole season.
 
jabraham63 said:
Do you see a difference in your arrow flight? Do you have to adjust your sight?
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I see a minor difference. But not enough to adjust my pins. I go to the range a week before the season and figure out what compensations I need to make at specific yardages. They are very minor.
 
I will be 69 in August. I may hunt at 50lbs this year but mainly because of the radical draw cycle of the newest bows. I tend to shoot the same bow for 8-9 years at a time. I moved of to a Darton 3800 last season which will still, at 50lbs, out perform my 2006 Darton at 70lbs, but does it at the cost of a nasty draw cycle, especially in let down. It kinda bugs me, but it's just an ego problem. Fact is the Darton 3800 at 50 solidly out performs a 80+lb draw PSE I was shooting in the mid-1990s. So a 40-50 lb Darton Mav2 or a PSE EVO will kill anything in the hemisphere.
 
Bourdeau said:
@flinginairos I've seen your videos, you look like your in pretty top notch shape....can you elaborate on poundage..how much lower do you suggest I go....I have been working out to try to get the weak side better but my weak side form still looks like I'm playing "twister with my sister" very awkward.... and shooting 2-3 inches left on everything......of coarse I'm talking about from a saddle....do people still use tree stands LOL?
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I run 66lbs. I can easily draw 70+ but I don't feel like there's any need. 66lb is still higher than I need but that's what feels comfy to me and I prefer a little more holding weight because I hold steadier, but there draw is very easy and smooth. I can draw straight back with the bow pointed at the target in just about any position.
 
flinginairos said:
I run 66lbs. I can easily draw 70+ but I don't feel like there's any need. 66lb is still higher than I need but that's what feels comfy to me and I prefer a little more holding weight because I hold steadier, but there draw is very easy and smooth. I can draw straight back with the bow pointed at the target in just about any position.
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My current setup is the only 85% let off bow I’ve owned. It seemed I could hold on target a lot better back when I was shooting a 60 percent letoff bow. Of course that was 15 years ago and there were a lot of things I did better back then so who knows.
 
Apex7 said:
I lowered my draw wight to 55 pounds a long time ago but not to shoot out of my saddle l just shoot better and it's easier on my shoulder. It definitely won't hurt to lower your poundage especially in cold weather.
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Same here. Such a better experience now!
 
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