Y'all that have tried, please educate me on the merits of using the same setup for big game hunting that you would for RU class in IBO, namely relatively lighter draw weight/arrows, plunger, longer bow/riser length, maybe fixed crawl.

I am coming to terms with the fact that I can't use my "hunting weight" bow (55 lbs draw weight) to shoot alot of arrows every day accurately. I'm kicking around whether I should use a 45lb bow with plunger/light arrows/small stabilizer for both 3D and deer hunting, or maybe go with 40ish draw weight and the aforementioned "target" gyoogaws and then come hunting season switch limbs to 55 lbs and increase my arrow weight to 10-11 gpp. I'm pretty sure I'm going to try both myself, but just the same some of y'all that have been down that road give me some stories/pointers. I'm talking primarily hunting whitetails from treestands.

First, all of those are hunting weight bows. If you stay with your 10-11 gpp your cast will stay about the same as your existing bow, with which ever weight you choose to shoot. If you just dropped to 50# that would make a big difference in how long you could shoot. Now if you want to buy a new bow (I would never talk anyone out of doing that) I would try and stay with the same kind of set up you have on your existing bow. That way when hunting season comes there won't be the adjustment period for you to relearn, unless you just stay with your new target bow to hunt with.

What I mean by all of that is: If you are now use to shooting off the shelf, then go to an elevated rest for your new bow, your sight picture will be different. Your brain will have to learn that sight picture. Then going back to shooting off the shelf for hunting, your brain will have to relearn that again. I would pick one style of set up and stay with it, for both bows. Choose the one that works best for YOU. DANNY

Why do you need a stabilizer? I shoot mainly one bow: a take down that pulls 48 at my draw. Its the bow I shoot best. It can take down any deer in this nation because I can comfortably put the arrow where it NEEDS to go. shoot what poundage you shoot best. Good luck.

Although I have not done so myself I know a 40 lb draw weight bow is capable of cleanly killing a deer. What I have learned by experience is that a 250 grain broadhead coupled with an aluminum footing and brass insert on a heavy carbon arrow (in my case a Grizzly 175 with a steel screw in adapter) is more durable and preferable for hunting that a Zwicky 125, steel force 125 and muzzy 125. It's hard to use the heavy heads with a light bow. I may go back to my lighter broadheads while using the lighter bow. Just another choice to make between conflicting goals.

On the stablizer- I don't need one per se, but if I'm shooting in a competition that allows one I will use it because it does make me marginally better.

I use a 40# self bow or a 42# long bow and wife uses a 33# Bear cub. The old double shelf type. we have taken deer with all three of those bows.

If you use a stabilizer of course make it a short one. I had a box of them at one time. IF I have one and you want one I would give it to you.

You don't need to go all the way down to 125gr points/broadheads if you don't want to. You can make 175gr broadheads using the Grizzly 125gr (or any other 125gr glue on broadhead) and a long aluminum broadhead adapter. I have done it for years. Then work out what shaft you need for that weight point depending on what poundage you choose to shoot. About 18 years ago I hit a steel javalina at Cloverdale shooting roughly a 68 pound Martin Bushmaster Longbow with a 175gr homemade point, made out of the long aluminum broadhead adapter, and a 125gr glue on field point on a 2117. I found the flatten nosed point, the broadhead adapter and the aluminum arrow insert had all fused together as one solid piece. Plus the steel glue on point had daisy petaled from the aluminum insert being shoved into it with the impact. I still have that point. The reason I tell you that is because if you choose to go this route, some believe the aluminum broadhead adapter won't withstand a heavy impact. DANNY

Yep, i use a 36lb ilf bow. My favorite setup is my 64", with a rest. I hunt, stump and 3d shoot. Recently got a 33lb maddog 62" that outshoots my ilf setup tho.

45# bow with a 1916 or a 2016 and 100gr or 125gr broad head will do the job.

I would just use one setup and learn it very good. Nothing wrong with a 1916 and 125 grain heads.

put a broadhead on the bow you like to shoot,, please post pics of the success,,:)

My wife used to shoot 45# bow, 2016 shafts, with zwickey black diamond heads and always had a pass thru on deer and bears.

CMF_3? You can take a 40 to 45# bow and bring down a deer. Just have to have scary sharp broad-head and proper arrow placement! I've seen a lot of stories on the WALL about complete "pass-throughs" using 40 to 45# bows. You should be able to handle those weights ok. GOOD LUCK.

Funny, it's all relative. I'm shooting a 39 pound bow that delivers 6 more foot/pound of energy than the 50 pound bow I hunted with for the last 7 years. With that bow I killed 11 animals and 6 species. One year I didn't kill anything. Most were book with the exception of a moose and a turkey. I think I'll do OK with 39 pounds.

I wasn't asking whether those draw weights would work. I know they will. I guess I should have just asked about hunting with a plunger instead of off the shelf.

Nothing wrong with a plunger and rest. I've used an elevated rest for half a century. I've also used plungers and Flipper II rests back in the 70's and did just fine. Don't know why you would be concerned except for maybe more sound on the draw. You can avert that with a piece of mole skin on the plunger tip. Actually the elevated rest and plungers will make for less drag and enhanced performance, as long as you are tuned. We will look for your kill photos this fall. ))

what George said,,

what George said!!!!

My only suggestion would be to get a fairly robust rest. A lot of wire rests are thin and not as reliable for stringwalking. I like a long bow when hunting sitting down. A 70" recurve rests nicely on the ground with an arrow on the rest.

The other day issue is total bow weight. My Barebow rig is fairly heavy. I don't think I would use it for tree saddle hunting

Just shoot your target setup as it is, arrows and all. It's nice to have target accuracy on game. Only thing is, if it were me it would be a 12 stab.

I have a Doinker 12" field stab I don't think I'll be using. Let me know if you're interested. I got it for $30. If you're shooting a standard target riser (not weighted for Barebow). It makes a BIG difference. Modern target risers were designed to be shot with stabs. I used it on a Hoyt Excel

There's absolutely no reason why you can't shoot a plunger if you want to. They work just fine, and there is no disadvantage. I've personally never seen one break (sure someone has). I'm like some of the other guys, I like the Flipper 2 with the wire trimmed down to arrow width.

I use a 44lb. Frankenbow that I built as a target bow to hunt with all the time. It's long, smooth, accurate and quiet. And as Bowmania indicated quite efficient (not to the level his is).

Shoot any broadhead you want, any weight you want, just tune your arrows well and go get 'em.

This is the setup I have on my Gillo Ghost Super Hunter. My TradTech Galaxy shoots just fine off the shelf....but you can feel the smoothness of the rest and the plunger

I have two ILF risers - 19 and 25 " - and 2 sets of limbs. Winter indoor shooting - 25 with 36 pound limbs. Spring put those limbs on the 19 inch riser for 43 pounds. Summer I switch to the 48 pound (on 19 inch riser) limbs.

Light bow for form work and endurance, heavier for power and hunting.

The key to shooting heavier poundage is to *stop* when you can no longer maintain good form. Shooting past that point is called 'building *bad* habits.'

I would prefer a more minimalist plunger/rest that didn't stick out of the side of the riser as much. You just have be aware of it if you lay it down

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