I was out sighting in the bow today at fifty yards. I lost an arrow man that's not fun! I think fifty is about all it's good for the way I have it set up. I have it cranked down as light as it will go-60#. The 20,30,40 yard pins are all on top of each other so I tried that with the fifty. Needless to say I needed to drop that pin a bunch more to get on target. Once I got it sighted in I never missed the old deercoy. I'm not saying they were all in the vitals but I was pretty happy due to my novice skill level. At the end I thought I'd run it through the chrony. 233.1 fps. Browning F-5 Tornado shooting a Carbon Express Terminator 100gr field tip. Maybe next year I'll crank it up to 70# to see what she can do. I'm happy for now since I don't know any better.

DD

Keep practicing. Are you hunting deer or other things too?

I haven't made a lot of shots on game. My personal limit is 30 yards unless like last year I think I need another arrow in them to do the job. It sounds like you're good to go if you don't plan on lobbing arrows really far.

I'm setting up for deer only. I would take about 8-10 shots at 50yds then move back up to 20 or 30 for one or two, sure made the shorter ones seem easy. It was real still out tonight and it's the first time I noticed how loud the thing is. Is 233 fast enough for 50 yards or are they going to drop to their knees when they hear the string?

DD

I don't know. I only hunt elk and the 50 yard shot I made on one of those was on a bull with my other arrow in both lungs already.

It seems far to me but lots of people do it.

233 is not very fast these days. With my first bow, (a Bear Whitetail II) I got about 225 with heavy arrows. I only killed one deer with it but it was at 35 yards, which is about the max range for that setup. If the deer is clueless, it won't react to the string. If it is alert, aim at the bottom of the heart and you should be safe.

With today's bows you should be getting >260, especially with 100 gr. tips.

Just thoughts,

60# from a compound and 233fps will kill deer dead every time with proper shot placement.  Most guys shoot more than they can hold, magnumitis.

In all hunting shot placement is the most important issue not power.  I've killed deer with compounds adjusted to 40 # and recurves at 60#.  I never saw extra pull help unless it was for flatter shooting.  When I shot wooden arrows the pull helped.  Today, the al or carbon arrows have low drag and hold energy better than the wood.

I'd keep your bow at the weight you are comfortable.  I use to shoot comp archery and the best shot was a woman who weighed about 105 wet (and she looked good wet...trust me).  She hunted with her 31# target bow...and the deer always went down.

Re: sights.  I only use one pin.  no need for more.  More deer have been lost by the shooter using the wrong sight in haste.  get the pin on at 25 yds and you will be surprised how little holdover you will need for 30yds.

I've shot long distances and killed animals at ranges I would not post;  all with heart shots.  Your max range should be what you know you can hit all the time.  I hear people saying they kill deer at 50-60 yds, and as the story winds on they say the arrow cut the throat or hit in the head.  They were not aiming there it was a random hit, way past their comfort range.

Presently I'm killing about 4-6 deer a year with a archery.  I've limited myself to 17 yds because of the 'area' I hunt.  Deer MUST drop within 30 yds of my stand.  With double lung shots and large opening mechanical heads they do.  Waiting for the animal to come in close really adds to my hunting experience.  Also makes me move my stands ever so slightly from day-to-day.  I think it makes me a better hunter, but it also gives me more hunting enjoyment.

good luck

BEAR 

I packed up the bow this morning and was off to the archery shop. I was going to have him crank the thing up to 70#.  On the way there I finally came to my sences and left the bow in the truck and went in and bought some arrows and a new quiver. I busted the mount on my old quiver taking it off the old bow. I used just one pin on my old bow but had learned what it could do over several years of using it. Maybe once I get used to this one I'll start dopping pins. After reading Bears post I think I made the right choice in not turning up the poundage.

DD

DD,

I've actually adjusted some of the 55-65 pound bows down to #50 pounds for some guys.  they work fine, but you can't get them lower.  Most of the guys ask me to tune their bows and i first reduce the pull to a low value and then tune.  They come over to pick it up and we shoot.  They go crazy.  then I tell them the weight of pull and they say "don't change it".  Accuracy really sells.  and sometimes knowledge can kill your accuracy.  Occasionally a big dude with tattoos will say NO MAKE IT 70#.  I do that and he shoots like shit....but says he loves it.  I'm happy and so is he.

Happiness is important to.

Good decision...you can always get it harder....feed it to pills of Viagra in the quiver 2 hours before you go hunting.

BEAR

Maybe I'll put a #6 sticker on the bow to remind me.

DD