Reading the rules book for archery I was suprised to see that the state has lowered the draw weight minimum to 30 lbs, likely will hear a lot of gripes from the heavy draw folks.

pretty sure they lowered it so that more young folks could hunt, personally it does not matter to me. thoughts?

Most people who protest, never hunted with lighter weights, so their opinion is pretty much useless. Hunter numbers go down every year exponentially, and it likely will continue. If it helps bring kids in then it was a good move. Lowering the minimum doesn't mean there will be a lot of people hunting with 30 pound bows. You see very few in Pa. using 35 pounds and that is our minimum weight.

Resident of Utah>> Most of the kids that hunt here are wheel bow Hunters sitting in side by sides with so called adults road hunting at 50 MPH.Arrows knocked.. They also increased the number of tags this year. 55 years of Archery Hunting and this old FA-- didn't draw a tag, again.and it was general Archery.DWR Says I need to the DH program for the Dept. After playing buy the rules 55 year I feel they should increase the over 65 yr old tag numbers instead of the youth hunters tags. I mean after all how many Good hunts do we Old FA--- have left? 55 years makes me a DH Hunter. So looking toward Idaho.

The DWR in this state is a joke. I only draw a rifle tag every other year now (which is fine by me, but tag numbers are still too high when I look at number of deer that I typically see).

I would agree that 65 and older could use priority more than youth, maybe split the youth tags and give half to seniors?

After being afield with youth rifle hunters, I'll just say that I personally do not care for growing that segment of the sport.

I understand your feelings Fudd, But the kids zooming down the road nocked with the adult's don't know any better, They are just imitating what they see. I did not draw an archery tag either but I did get a muzzle loader tag ( flintlock ) so maybe you need to open your horizons just a tad? If the youth anger you just wait for the cross machine guys to get legalized, Its coming I assure you. As you stated most of the clowns are on the roads they are pretty easy to avoid. I am 64 myself and cant tromp the hills very far anymore, yet I can avoid most all the "killers" pretty easily.

sorry you did not draw again. Ken

Illinois lowered thier minimum draw weight a year or so back. It's 30 now. I've yet to hear of any game warden in any state that has actually weight checked a bow. I'm guessing that draw weight isn't that much of an issue any where. ¿???????????

Mississippi has no minimum draw weight to hunt big game. You can legally hunt them with a 10lb kids bow if you wanted. We also have no minimum caliber for gun hunters. On privte land, a .22 short would be legal.

Kevin, that approach makes more sense than specifying a minimum draw or caliber. Once a draw weight is set in regulations it comes to be viewed as an endorsement. No specification at least requires the user themself to give it some thought, maybe even ask questions to which they might get thoughtful answers.

Further, the regulators are pretty much wheel bow oriented. Probably any 30# wheel bow out there can launch my hunting arrows faster than the ASL that I shoot them out of.

Anything that puts and keeps Young Ones interested in Hunting has My Ok...this is the first year in My 63yrs of buying/putting in for deer tags that I did not draw one...I will Survive...But I also remember all the Years here in Utah that We were able to and did Harvest 2 Mulies a year...The Good Old Days were just that and You can Never Go Back...May I suggest taking a Kid Hunting and teach him/her how to get the most out of Hunting like it was back when we Enjoyed the Good Old Days...Best to You All...4finger

I second what 4Finger said. This is getting too close to an us against them mentality and hunters need to be more amicable towards each other. These young ones can be shown better ways to hunt and we will lose our sport if we can't stick together at least in some ways. The best hunting in Utah is off the beaten path anyway, so the side by side crowd isn't really a problem for any serious hunter.

I believe that states should separate traditional archery from all other participants. They will sell more tags and not over hut their game populations. Having bowhunters compete with gun hunters for tags is ridiculous. If for example, states with once in a life time chances for tags like goats and moose would limit the number of gun hunters, they could allow many more people to partake and firm up the revenues. People go begging for special privileges for their favored toy like that makes them a a separate race. 'What about us crossbow shooters, why can't we get a longer season?' They can just get a recurve. This 'Me Too' mentality has been around for a long time. We originally got our extended seasons based on the challenge and the presumed lack of stress on the game populations. The 'Me Too' crowd does not understand that challenge, but they are fully capable of learning it.

The lowering of draw weight requirements may be focused on the upper end of the age scale rather than the youth. There could be more hunters in the 60's-70's age group than in the teens.

30# will be perfect when they finally initiate slow Elk season.

Depends on what you are hunting. 30# might be okay for deer and antelope but I surely would not say it is okay for elk and moose.

The basics of the term sport hunting means that it comes with a set of limitations and rules. Those who are too lazy to deal with those rules and limitations always banter to get those rules changed to benefit their short comings.

If it doesn't truly matter to you then why is it mentioned? Is it just to stir the pot? Sure it matters that's why its posted.

If its lower to 25 still don't matter. Its a sharp head and a properly placed projectile. It would be up to the parent to allow the lower weight if a child is using or a responsible prudent archer to know whether if or they felt the lower weight would be enough.

Way to many get caught up min weights and miss the piont of BH sharpness and the properly placed arrow.

A field point properly placed in lungs or heart will take the animal as well in any vitals or major artery.

Rymancat, I had no intention of stirring the pot, If I wanted to do that I would just ask a question that does not meet the consensus here. I was actually hoping someone out there with a youth hunter might be able to give hope to the youngster for next year's draw because they are unable to draw the former 40lb minimum.

Box Call in Utah they do not state types of bows only archery equipment. I think I have seen 5 stick bows in the field in the 32 years I have been here.

I said it does not matter to me because I assume the run of the mill Cbow at 30# will out preform my 40# recurve

Utah resident here - yeah, tags are getting pretty tough to draw, although this year I burned 10 points and now am the proud owner of a shiny new archery deer Book Cliffs tag! But I know a few people that are zip for 3 years (rifle tags).

I think the 30lb draw is reasonable, but not for trad. My wife shoots a PSE compound set to 37 lb, and let me tell you, that bow would smoke any mule deer with no problem, amazing how that thing shoots a 440 grain arrow. I bet a 30lb modern compound would easily match a 45lb Bear or Howatt recurve drawn to 28".... now, I think the DNR needs to have separate minimum poundage for trad and compounds, that just makes sense.

Really, the minimum poundage thing doesn't even make sense - they need a minimum 'momentum' or minimum 'KE' or something like that - say, a minimum total arrow weight being cast a minimum FPS. I would say, minimum 450 grain arrow going a minimum of 155 fps, something like that. Because the reality is, not all bows are created equal, and some people have 26" draw lengths and others have 33" draw lengths... making it a minimum arrow weight combined with a corresponding minimum arrow velocity makes everyone even more or less....

GAME WARDENS IN THE FIELD OFTEN CANNOT TELL what pound a bow is shooting. Now enter KE into it and you will lose more-unless there is an APP

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