Need genius advice from an Archery Physics Geek

rookhawk

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Apr 17, 2019
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Friends,

My son is an avid hunter and has been for several years. He's presently 8.5. He practices his archery regularly with a Hoyt bow presently set at 22" draw, 30lb draw weight. Goals are important to anyone, especially children. He wants to take turkey and deer with his bow, rather than with crossbow/slug/rifle as usual.

Could someone prescribe the correct arrow and broadhead configuration for white tail hunting using his current draw and weight please?

What arrow, what stiffness?

I'm thinking two blade, cut-on-contact, 85gr broadheads to ensure penetration?
 
Make sure that a 30lb bow is legal to hunt with in your state before you continue. For example, PA has a legal minimum of a 35lb draw weight for compound and recurve bows for deer

Even if it is legal I'd say its fairly irresponsible and unethical to put an animal in front of such a young child with an underpowered bow.

Let him practice all he wants with a compound but don't let him shoot it at animals with it until he gets a little bigger and stronger.

Edit: More to the point of the question- with such a short draw and light poundage he would need a very heavy arrow (relatively speaking) which would end up coming out of that bow VERY slowly. The trajectory would be terrible and anything closer or further than what his pins are set at will involve a lot of pin gapping which isnt easy for adults and were talking about an 8 year old. Also assuming a 300 IBO bow, shooting a 350 grain arrow, at 140-ish FPS is the best possible set up; you wouldn't even come close to the recommended 25 ft/lbs needed to kill a whitetail deer
 
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Make sure that a 30lb bow is legal to hunt with in your state before you continue. For example, PA has a legal minimum of a 35lb draw weight for compound and recurve bows for deer

Even if it is legal I'd say its fairly irresponsible and unethical to put an animal in front of such a young child with an underpowered bow.

Let him practice all he wants with a compound but don't let him shoot it at animals with it until he gets a little bigger and stronger.
+1
 
I'd also tell you to make friends at your local bow shop, they will get you setup.

You'll find a million opinions on the BH/arrow choice. I vote Goldtips with QAD Exodus, got a pass through on a bull today with it.
 
Interesting, I would have thought high speed arrow with small broadhead, two blade cut on contact was going to be the angle, not heavy arrows. Deep six style shafts to reduce resistance for more penetration?

I hadn’t considered a light draw would be further slowed by the heavier arrow approach recommended.

I had also assumed since 40lb was the standard in many states back in the days of recurves. Why wouldn’t a modern compound with excellent arrows and broad heads, drop away rests, and other tech exceed those specs, even at 30lbs?
 
I think 40lbs is the lowest draw weight allowed in a lot of states. That said, I don't think I'd over think it too much. Definitely talk to somebody at a local bow shop and let them examine your son's rig.

But isn't it a little late at this point in the year to be talking about changing things up?
 
40# in Idaho. Not sure where you live OP (location isn’t showing on my phone).
 
Interesting, I would have thought high speed arrow with small broadhead, two blade cut on contact was going to be the angle, not heavy arrows. Deep six style shafts to reduce resistance for more penetration?

I hadn’t considered a light draw would be further slowed by the heavier arrow approach recommended.

I had also assumed since 40lb was the standard in many states back in the days of recurves. Why wouldn’t a modern compound with excellent arrows and broad heads, drop away rests, and other tech exceed those specs, even at 30lbs?
Weight is more important than speed when looking at penetration for a number of reasons: increased momentum, kinetic energy, and increased bow efficiency.

40lbs is the legal minimum in many states and most of those laws were put into place when people were shooting recurves at adult draw lengths with heavy aluminum arrows. No recurve hunter in their right mind is hunting with a low poundage set up with ultralight arrows and a crazy short draw length.

Even shooting the most modern of bows, a 22" draw length out of a 30lb bow isnt going to produce enough energy and speed. Not to mention that the published IBO speeds on those super adjustable "grow with your bow" type set ups (Hoyt Ignite, Diamond Infinite Edge, etc.) are measured with the lightest possible arrow at 70lb draw weight with a 30" draw length. Id wager that the efficiency of one of these set ups goes wayyyyyyy down when you shorten the draw weight and length to the bare minimums.

All the "modern tech" in the world wont make this a good idea. The kid might even get lucky and kill a deer but you're certainly stacking the deck against them.
 
It might be worth it to find an archery shop with a chronometer and measure speed of different arrow weights.
 
I believe in my state the minimum draw weight is 40lbs., definitely check your state game laws, unfortunately i think your son is gonna have to wait a bit longer before being able to use his bow in a hunting situation. Good luck to him!
 

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