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Recurve arrow speeds......

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    Recurve arrow speeds......

    Ok, now, I AM going to blame my bow. Seriously!

    What is a "normal" arrow speed out of a recurve? 54#s at 28"s

    I missed 4 times this weekend and finally hit a doe and she went unrecovered because of poor arrow penetration is all I can figure. Shot looked good. the other misses were high and misses by a good 3 to 4 inches (ducking the arrow). I even shot between the knuckle and the first joint on a doe at 20 yards and SHE got under my arrow. I am shooting 440 grain arrows.

    #2
    where the deer around corn, because if they are around corn usually the know who put it there and will be highly alerted to danger. a doe looking at you at 20 yards can duck an arrow from the fastest compound. i have seen vidoes and i think someone on here had a vidoe of a doe that ducked his arrow. and buffs videos are good examples. i get about 200 fps out of my 58 lb. recurve with a 450 grain arrow. now this is plus or minus 5 fps. because i changed strings and lowered the arrow weight to get it spined.
    now most of the time if the deer is unalerted they will not duck an arrow. plenty of deer are killed with a recurve, longbow or self bow to say that the are unefficent. a good 2 coc broadhead will cut right threw any deer if put in the right spot.
    this probably isn't much help but i am kinda new and still learning myself.

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      #3
      Danny, I don't think it has anything to do with the speed of your bow. I know you already know this but check your bow and make sure it's not making any noise- limb slap on the riser where the string grove is, if it is put some mole skin on it and check your puffs or string silencers, you mite try some beaver balls. Deer will jump the string on bows that shot 300+fps if they make a noise, they will also jump the string on a 180-200 fps trad bow if it makes enough noise.

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        #4
        Man that's some tuff luck. It amazes me that anybody ever kills one of the darn things with a bow. I have killed a train load of them over the years but I still think they are by far the hardest animal to get to run into an Arrow. Don't give up it will happen.

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          #5
          I shot at a couple deer this year with a #46(twice)and a #57. The #46 I lead to far and then hit the arm rest on my climber. The first shot didn't faze the 5 deer that was there, the second somewhat spooked them. The #57 struck the deer about 2 inches low(I know because I just shot it with a 12 ga.). It didn't frighten the four other deer with him. I would use a heavier arrow, lots of times that will make it a little quieter, I think that is what your problem is, not arrow speed or anything. You are talking less than a blink of an eye at reasonable archery range. It doesn't really matter too much how fast an arrow is going, it is how quiet it is. Try some limbsavers, another set of string silencers, move your string silencers up or down your string, or if you can, I have a poly cord in my shafts. Makes my shafts around 550 grains after it is said and done.

          Chris Kiefner

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            #6
            Yep a quiet bow is a deadly bow, I have missed deer and they ran towards me cause of the noise the arrow made behind them, some times they react to a small noise and don't know why. So quiet is the best along with a sharp broadhead in the vitails

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              #7
              Wildman, on average the 50# to 55# recurves shoot 175 fps..
              I tend to agree you need a little heavier arrow, about 550 grains.

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                #8
                To answer your question. All my recurves shoot between 160 and 200 fps with arrows that match and are of good weight. I would guess Royal Fox is right, in the 170 to 180 or so on your speed. A few feet per second makes no difference if the deer has decided to load up and leave the scene.

                As for shooting deer, it is my opinion, that you have to learn and watch the deer (body language) and get a feel for the time to shoot. I know lots of guys who have their theories, when the tail wags, when the head is up, etc. The bottom line is, there are times when the deer may look like it is in the perfect postion and the perfect distance...but it on full alert an ready to bolt at the slightest noise or movement. At that time, none of us could shoot that deer. I don't know if this was the case in your difficulties, just something to think about.

                As far as penetration goes, I shoot a heavy arrow 600 grs and 2 blade heads for those less than perfect hits. Even with this set up, if you hit at just the wrong place on the shoulder, spine, or other big bone you will probably have poor penetration, this just gives you the best chance. Sometimes an inch is the difference in recovery or not.

                The guys are right about having a quiet bow, it could be the problem or part of it. Hope this helps, we feel your frustration and hope you won't give up.

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                  #9
                  It's been my experience that when hunting deer over corn that they have a greater tendency to duck than when hunting them in other situations. I agree with the others that a quiet bow is more important than worrying about arrow speed since you have a good weight on the bow. I personally would try to get my arrow weight up to at least 500 gr.
                  My personal setup is 57 @ 28" with 525 gr. = approx. 184 fps

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                    #10
                    I'd also look at in-flight arrow noise, some arrows are really loud.
                    Last edited by Thumper; 11-27-2006, 09:01 PM.

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                      #11
                      My widow throws a 570gr arrow 185fps sometimes

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                        #12
                        Well, I am guessing the bow to be in the 180 fps mark. I just didn't have this problem with my longbow.

                        The bow is quiet as all the deer I missed came right back to the hand thrown corn. Hell, the misses I had were shooting at the same deer, AGAIN, only on different days.

                        I just don't get it. I have NEVER had this much of an issue with deer ducking on me. I willl be back at it next weekend I guess.

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                          #13
                          Danny:

                          I feel your pain. I've had the same problem over the years and my only solution is to have the deer closer than 20 yds. When they get within 8-15 yds. your success will definately increase. Just look/aim lower. My first trad kill was a spike I had shot at twice before (both shots over his back). I shot him with a Black Widow LAG Longbow 58# @ 28" but at my 26" draw was only about 52# and probably less than 170 fps. I was about 12 feet up in an oak and shot him at 10 yds. while looking at his kneecap and spined him. He dropped that much in a fraction of a second.

                          Looking at the math, sound travels at 1085 fps (roughly), therefore an arrow shot at 175 fps will be traveling 6.2 times slower than sound. Thus, allowing ample time for the deer to react.

                          I had a doe last year on alert at 12 yds when I shot. I thought she had ducked as far as possible but at my shot, she ducked a bit more. I hit her in the backstrap and thus no recovery. My nephew shot her a couple of days later and my cedar shaft and Grizzly BH was still in the backstrap. They are amazing animals, for sure.

                          Best of luck to ya.

                          Doug Key

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                            #14
                            I'm shooting 52lbs @ 28 inches.
                            My arrows are 541 grains.
                            I'm shooting about 175 fps out of a Bob Lee micarta classic "elite"
                            (That's from an indoor shooting system called techno hunt that measures every arrow you shoot throughout the program, then it gives you an average at the end.)

                            I haven't shot at a deer yet but I've shot thru 2 of the four hogs I've shot with it and the other 2 burried to the fletching.

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                              #15
                              Recurve, by design will be louder than a longbow.

                              A heavier arrow will absorb noise.

                              Longbows are cool.

                              Sharp broadhead.

                              Quartering away shots preferred.

                              Heart shots only.

                              And last but not least; LONGBOWS ROCK!!!!!!!!!

                              Oops, sorry, got carried away.

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