• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Trad guys.

ImThere

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2015
Messages
6,591
Location
Lewisburg, TN
I really wanting to kill a deer with my Bear Grizzly recurve. It’s 45# bow and I have owned it sine I was young and my father owned it before me. I am very confident shooting the bow have taken many small game animals/ birds with it.
So guys will it get the job done?
If so Recommend me some arrows and broadheads.
I need the full gauntlet of what I will need this will be a very new adventure to me. Meaning taking a whitetail deer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I really wanting to kill a deer with my Bear Grizzly recurve. It’s 45# bow and I have owned it sine I was young and my father owned it before me. I am very confident shooting the bow have taken many small game animals/ birds with it.
So guys will it get the job done?
If so Recommend me some arrows and broadheads.
I need the full gauntlet of what I will need this will be a very new adventure to me. Meaning taking a whitetail deer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Oh heck yeah it's good enough man. I have a whole list of deer and turkey I've killed with 43 pound bows...

Keep your arrows heavy 10-13 grains per pound of draw and you will be good to go.
 
I really wanting to kill a deer with my Bear Grizzly recurve. It’s 45# bow and I have owned it sine I was young and my father owned it before me. I am very confident shooting the bow have taken many small game animals/ birds with it.
So guys will it get the job done?
If so Recommend me some arrows and broadheads.
I need the full gauntlet of what I will need this will be a very new adventure to me. Meaning taking a whitetail deer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You bet it will.
What draw length are you pulling?
Guys with longer draws get more performance out of trad bows than us guys with short draws.

What string is on it? Flemish twist strings allow the brace to be adjusted better. The bow will be more efficient, it will shoot an arrow straighter, and will penetrate better.
I would shoot arrows in the 500 grain range with 2 blade heads. There are a ton of good heads on the market. Some are quite expensive...over $30 per head for some of them.
Arrow choice is broad as well. Wood, aluminum, carbon...they all work.
I like Alaska Bowhunting Grizzly sticks. Its a tapered carbon with high foc%, which aids in penetration.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
I’m 27.5 draw on my current compound.
I will start looking in to a new string. I have a cheap string I bought at a gun/ bow store in Murfreesboro on it now. I have been shooting aluminum arrows on it in the past. I will probably look in to something better.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Go simple man. Shoot POC and some zwickies or bear greenies out of that thing. It's what it's meant for. Order a hunter test kit from 3 rivers, cut to length(have a friend mark 3 times on same arrow before cutting, add1.5" then cut and taper) and throw 125g field points on them. Order a dozen whichever shoots best from the kit. Done :)
 
I killed my first deer with a Grizzly when I was a sophomore in high school. My recommendation would be to keep it simple and affordable. What works well for me at that poundage are 2016 aluminums with 150 grain Stinger buzzcut broadheads. The aluminum’s are fairly heaving so you don’t have to go crazy with broadhead weight. My last 3 kills with my 41# bow have all been pass throughs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Come to the house. I make my own strings and have a bag full of strings that I made too big or too small. I might have one to fit your bow or I’ll make one while you are here. I may have arrows that will work also or at least give you a better idea of what you need to buy. And I’ll help you get tuned up.
 
Oh, and there's ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with aluminum and they're shooting well for ya...I mean, you're hitting small game! Stick with who works. I shoot a lot of aluminum and wood outbof my trad gear.
 
Hey,
Been a bowyer and hunter for 40 years. Wood bows, glass bows. Your bow is fine. I started with zwickies and have landed with Wensel woodsman glue on. Cedar safts no less than 10 grains per. Buy them or make them. Enjoy and get close.
 
Tom is most definitely right about the power stroke and draw length. Mine is 30 inches...LOL

My buddy on here @keb is the one that got me going in traditional back in 2015. He is a straight killer with the trad bow and has a draw atleast 1-1.5 inches less than mine and shoots right around 40 pounds even. Shoots big snuffers too!
 
I am no expert but I dove into the trad world head first a few years back and I am loving it! I now fletch my own arrows, make my own bowstrings, quivers, fletching, tabs, armguards and I have one Osage longbow under my belt. Trad hunting and trad DIY is addicting! Anyways, here are my thoughts.

I killed two deer last year with a 38 pound recurve and one with a 40 pound longbow. All three had exit holes. With your draw length (which is probably around 27 since you are 27.5 with a compound) you are probably shooting around 42.5 pounds. In my opinion, that is a great hunting draw weight.

If you are looking for regular carbon arrows or shafts, Lancaster sells the Gold Tip Warrior. It is a good inexpensive shaft. If you are looking for a carbon that is imitation wood, the Gold Tip Traditional are a good option. Wood and aluminum arrows can work great as well, but I have limited experience with them. If you settle on carbon, I would recommend starting with a 600 spine, but 500 might work. I would use a 100 grain brass insert and a two blade broadhead of your choice. I would recommend the Magnus Stinger unless you enjoy sharpening things then a Zwicky, Bear or Grizzly. Start with a bare shaft and cut the nock end down until its flying straight. Then fletch it up or have it fletched. I like to end up with an arrow that lands between 10 to 12 grains per pound so in your case 425 to 500 ish total grain weight. The MOST IMPORTANT thing is that you get your arrow tuned to your bow and flying really straight.

With that much draw weight you will need to limit your range. With my 40 lb longbow I keep it under 20 and prefer to set up for a 12 yard shot. With Trad equipment your shot angle becomes more important, so try not to hunt too high in the tree. I like to sit between 12 to 17 feet depending on cover. If you need a quiver I recommend Big Jims bow quivers. Since you already shoot the bow well you are way ahead of the game. Enjoy the challenge and good luck!
 
use the same aluminums your shooting now, since your a killer with those. just get a broadhead that matches weight and your set.
 
I really wanting to kill a deer with my Bear Grizzly recurve. It’s 45# bow and I have owned it sine I was young and my father owned it before me. I am very confident shooting the bow have taken many small game animals/ birds with it.
So guys will it get the job done?
If so Recommend me some arrows and broadheads.
I need the full gauntlet of what I will need this will be a very new adventure to me. Meaning taking a whitetail deer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Most definitely will be adequate for deer....All have given good advice...I am a big advocate of bare shaft tuning...Look on youtube and there should be some videos explaining if it is new to you...If not we can help you with your questions....I like the Wensel Woodsman with a steel adaptor or VPA 200 grain 3 blade heads but others have given Broadhead advice that is good....Keep your shots close(as all trad hunters should do) and take broadside or very slightly quartering away shots and you will do good...
 
One more thing. There is a lot of debate on this topic, but many claim that those older recurves should not be shot with fast-flight type bowstrings. Many say it can damage the bow. So I would go the safe route and buy a Dacron string or something equivalent like BCY- B55. Just FYI
 
Last edited:
One more thing. There is a lot of debate on this topic, but many claim that those older recurves should not be shot with fast-flight type bowstrings. Many say it can damage the bow. So I would go the safe route and buy a Dacron string or something equivalent like BCY- B55. Just FYI
Yep, I was going to add that to my original advice. You beat me to it.
No fast flight on older bows.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
Come to the house. I make my own strings and have a bag full of strings that I made too big or too small. I might have one to fit your bow or I’ll make one while you are here. I may have arrows that will work also or at least give you a better idea of what you need to buy. And I’ll help you get tuned up.

I might take you up on this. Can you set it up even though I cannot draw it back? Or would it be better after I can? Not sure when I will be able to draw it back since this surgery. I figured this one would be a marathon not a dash


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thank you all for the advice. I’m sure I will come up with more questions as this progresses.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I've taken many deer and turkey with my Bear Kodiak Magnum 45#. One thing I guess I'll say is that it didn't like shooting a 2 blade Zwickey for some reason (always seemed to plane). I switched to the same grain 3 blade broadhead and all else the same and it shoots great. I guess what I'm saying is be prepared to try a decent amount of combinations of arrows, broadheads, fletching, etc. There are plenty of resources out there for arrow tuning. 3 Rivers Archery is an invaluable resource.
 
Back
Top