Am I too heavy?

[PigOPs]

If you watched the buck duck my arrow the other day you may know where this is going already. My setup is flinging a 585 grain arrow at 160 fps. The RDLB is right at 40# at my DL.

Would the deer have had less time to duck if I could lighten my arrow and get to say 170-175 fps? (Would the FPS difference make a difference? I know the arrow would technically get there faster.)

Was is just the situation and not my bow's speed?

I'm concerned about taking another shot a deer and having the same thing happen.

[cbd10pt]

Get them close enough to tickle their ribs or speed your bow up. Like compound 250 fps ish.

15 yards should work

[DRT]

20fps is NOT gonna be a make or break on a deer ducking. 120fps would.
Will it flatten your trajectory? Yes. But that is an aiming advantage not how fast a deer reacts advantage.
I was shooting a 180+fps arrow at a doe 12 yards out and she ducked it. Sill and quiet and alert . . . Arrow sailed right over her back.
Honestly we have chosen a harder way. We have to learn to limit shots, reset our set ups and pick quality shots.
Do all that and sometimes you'll still come up short. But you'll give yourself the best chance of success.
Is your arrow well tuned, your broadhead razor sharp and your bow as quiet as possible?
Those factors trump a few feet per second.

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[tradtiger]

I can tell you that I like a heavy arrow and high FOC; mine are about 600 grains total, with 300 grain heads. I've shot almost that same weight arrow over several years with some modifications. Now, I started with a 50-lb bow, then went to a 55-lber, and now feel like the 67-lb Weathers recurve flings that heavy arrow plenty quick. So, yes, something may need to give to get what you consider acceptable speed on your arrow.

[tradtiger]

Just read DRT's comment, and agree that the advantage of a lighter arrow or a heavier bow will be somewhat marginal on speed. It mainly helps with aiming, by taking a bit of the "arch" out of the flight. Hard to beat the speed of a deer dodging an arrow, but every little bit of extra arrow speed doesn't hurt either. Plus, the heavier arrow quietens the bow.

[BernieH]

I would lighten up to about 10 grains per pound of draw weight to get a good balance of speed and trajectory. Will deer still be able to jump the string? Yes. But things will be easier to hit with a flatter trajectory and probably the biggest benefit is you'll feel better about the set up.

You can still make a high FOC arrow with a lower overall weight.

[PigOPs]

I would lighten up to about 10 grains per pound of draw weight to get a good balance of speed and trajectory. Will deer still be able to jump the string? Yes. But things will be easier to hit with a flatter trajectory and probably the biggest benefit is you'll feel better about the set up.

You can still make a high FOC arrow with a lower overall weight.

will a 400 grain arrow out of a 40# bow be sufficient? I've always run heavy arrows...

[Lone_Wolf]

I think it's more about learning when to take the shot. Reading the deer's body language and being able to tell if they're more laid back or on high alert. And you got to get them close with what you're using, in my opinion. Some deer, just won't move at the sound of the shot, and some will turn inside out. It helps to have your bow shooting as quiet as possible. Those heavier arrows probably help keep your bow quiet. And always aim low. Top of the heart.

[Bisch]

Am I too heavy?

I would lighten up to about 10 grains per pound of draw weight to get a good balance of speed and trajectory. Will deer still be able to jump the string? Yes. But things will be easier to hit with a flatter trajectory and probably the biggest benefit is you'll feel better about the set up.

You can still make a high FOC arrow with a lower overall weight.

I shoot for 11-12gpp out of my bows. That just seems to create a good trajectory for me. PigOps, you are over 14gpp if your actual draw weight is 40# at your DL. If that is the case, have you shot your arrows thru a chronograph to verify the speed? I’ve never seen a 14gpp arrow from a 40# actual weight bow reach 160fps.

Either way, I would drop some arrow weight, but not all the way back to 10gpp (400gr).

Bisch


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[PigOPs]

I shoot for 11-12gpp out of my bows. That just seems to create a good trajectory for me. PigOps, you are over 14gpp if your actual draw weight is 40# at your DL. If that is the case, have you shot your arrows thru a chronograph to verify the speed? I’ve never seen a 14gpp arrow from a 40# actual weight bow reach 160fps.

Either way, I would drop some arrow weight, but not all the way back to 10gpp (400gr).

Bisch


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I think I got my setup wrong. I think it is 535 which is 13.3 gpp.

I do have a chrono and it consistently reads 160. I’m not saying it’s right but that’s what it says.


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[12ring]

I logged on to inquire about this very thing.

Weighed my arrow and chronographed the bow yesterday.

Don't really know where I should be to be successful. I shot through a couple pigs with the same arrow with 50gr lighter heads. Don't know what speed then.

Now my arrow weighs 500gr and chronographed at 176 fps. 34# K.E.
Shooting a 175gr CoC 2 blade.

I'm thinking it'll work if I can put it where it needs to be.

???

[Trumpkin]

I logged on to inquire about this very thing.

Weighed my arrow and chronographed the bow yesterday.

Don't really know where I should be to be successful. I shot through a couple pigs with the same arrow with 50gr lighter heads. Don't know what speed then.

Now my arrow weighs 500gr and chronographed at 176 fps. 34# K.E.
Shooting a 175gr CoC 2 blade.

I'm thinking it'll work if I can put it where it needs to be.

???

That's a dang good setup right there!

[12ring]

Once I get more "used to" traditional, I think I can speed it up.
But it's shooting like I've used a recurve my whole life somehow, lol. So I'm leaving it be, for now.

Eventually I'm taking off the flipper and going off the shelf. Plus with more practice I think I can get a better/longer anchor point.

I haven't shot this thing much (enough) at all.

I surprised both my compound buddy, and myself yesterday.

He had chrono set up when I arrived.
Pulled bow out, strung it, nocked an arrow, and shot over chrono. Target was 20 yds. I haven't shot this thing in over a month. Bullseye! 176 fps. 2 more shots (175, 176) were within 3-4" of 1st.

Swapped over to BHs and moved to 15 yds. Shot about a dz arrows. None were outside a 6" group.

With that said, I'll prob miss the whole target this eve, and a deer tomorrow!

I really need to shoot more!

[Bisch]

Am I too heavy?

I logged on to inquire about this very thing.

Weighed my arrow and chronographed the bow yesterday.

Don't really know where I should be to be successful. I shot through a couple pigs with the same arrow with 50gr lighter heads. Don't know what speed then.

Now my arrow weighs 500gr and chronographed at 176 fps. 34# K.E.
Shooting a 175gr CoC 2 blade.

I'm thinking it'll work if I can put it where it needs to be.

???

You don’t need to change a thing with your setup!!!!! Those are great numbers.

The practice thing you need to do though!

Good luck on the critters!

Bisch


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[Gunnyart]

Grant Woods did a good video testing deer drop speed.
Head up they can only accelerate at 9.8m/² Head down they can use the leverage of whipping their head up to drop much faster.