I like shooting self bows but am worried about enough umphf to kill deer. I got a new 3D target and was only getting a couple of inches penetration. I grabbed my arrow and stuck it in the target. It barely penetrated. I really stabbed the target with a lot if force and got about the same penetration as I was getting while shooting. If the same arrow was tipped with a razor sharp broadhead I have no doubt it would have gone through a deer. shoot straight. Will

Will please don't take this wrong, but if you are worried about power enough to kill deer you aren't shooting a good self bow, odds are. I have several I will put up against any straight limbed glass bow of equal proportion.

With an arrow of 10gpp, most of my self bows shoot about 5-7 fps slower than my glass laminated longbows, and the best ones shoot about the same speed.

The bows are not the problem, I've had to drop poundage the last couple of years because of worn out shoulders. I'm shooting a 450 gr. arrow out of a 45 pound self bow. I'm sure it will get the job done but if I got to drop any more poundage I'll have to go to plan B. I'm shooting really well out to 20 yards, so far, but I'm limited to how much I can shoot.

There are a lot of variables, but if it's a selfbow of average or better efficiency, and we have our other ducks in a row... good body position, shot placement, straight flying arrow, sharp head, etc... we don't have much to worry about.

The lightest draw weight selfbow I've ever hunted with, 52#, with about 1" string follow, maybe a wee bit more, shooting the lightest weight cedar arrows I've ever owned, blew through the center of a mature doe's chest, broadside at 26 yards like tissue paper, exited, and I found the arrow back in the weeds behind where she stood. She went about 30 yards. Including her, I killed three deer with that setup that year. The other two were closer, from treestands, one passed through, the other didn't, but both fell within sight.

Since then I've shot more bow weight and arrow weight, but obviously not because I think I have to.

Good selfbow setups are perfectly deadly within the minimum draw weights established by the respective game commissions.

45# is my go to draw weight. I love I that comfy, easy draw. I have a close friend who shoots deer all season long with a 35-38# self bow. Most all are pass throughs to boot. I know of another guy named Keith who has done it for years.

A well tuned bow of that draw weight and lower, with a sharp, cut on contact broadhead, will do the job on a deer, or black bear if you put the arrow where it needs to go. I know a guy that has killed several elk with a similar set up. I wouldn't hesitate to hunt whitetails and black bears with a 40# bow and I will be, soon.

I thought this thread was going to be about instinctive "aiming"!

A sharp broadhead and an arrow flying straight is going to give you better penetration. Concentrate on that.

Shot with a 70 year old lemonwood bow at 47# at my draw of 27", cedar arrow and Howard Hill head. Complete penetration and short blood trail. That bow had about an inch and a half of string follow as well.

Billy Berger once posted a video of some self bow penetration tests. He tied a freshly killed mature doe upright prior to field dressing her. With a #40 straight limbed Osage Selfbow, SINEW STRING, rose shafts and stone points, he was getting pass throughs, and near pass throughs at 15 yards. Keep in mind that most eastern woodland native amadracan bows are presumed to have been less than #50 based on the few artifacts and descriptions of design and materials available. Somehow, they were pretty darn effective with them;-) As always, most important is flight and shot placement. Get those right and weight (within reason) is a non issue!

47# at 26" . They will get it done. Arvin

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