Yes with a well tuned setup and a razor sharp head at close range.

absolutely

If I had to do it, I would. Yes, 35# will kill a deer. Personally, I wouldn't feel very confident, but it's better than sitting at home.

I think you should hunt with the maximum weight that you can comfortably shoot. That said, it would kill a deer. To answer the question, no, I wouldn’t feel confident with a 35# bow,

Absolutely put it where it belongs in vitals with sharp heads.

What weight do we think Indians used? I suspect that weight or even lower maybe.

We been over this 1 gazillion times already and its the same question can I use this light weight?

Now remember to be close because if you think your going to shoot 40 yards I wouldn't shoot over 25 yards with 35 pound. Just me thinking with 35 weight.

Absolutely Heavy arrow and coc 2 blade

Minnesota has changed from 40# to 35# the last few years. If that's what I had to use, I'd get close and wait for the broadside deer that has no idea you are in the woods, then slip a sharp 2 blade through his lungs!

no worries. Sharp broad head and good shot placement. The kill zone on a deer is nothing but jello in a cage. stay away from the leg bone and scapula and your OK.

I “had” to hunt at that weight for multiple seasons due to some physical problems. After working my way back to 50+ pounds I was hit by a truck. Fractured cervical spine and a brand new titanium elbow later, guess where I’m back too?

I’ve taken numerous whitetail, turkeys and other animals with 34-38 pound bows under 25 yards. So has my son and daughter. Two blades, three blades and yes, bear and Simmons with bleeders as well. As long as I did my part, that weight has never been an issue.

I'm currently shooting an old Hoyt spectra riser converted (warfed) with medium Morrison max 1 limbs my draw is 25" & I'm guessing at my draw I'm pulling 35-37# I'm shooting 28" gt warrior 700s with 200 grain points & I guarantee you this setup will put an arrow through a deers rib & probably both ribs with shots inside of 20 yards I plan on useing zwickey no mercy heads with short steal insert for a 200 grain head...a side note iv been doing psyicle work my whole life & am wore out & have psoriatic arthritis once warmed up I can handle bows up to 50+ #s but it takes dozens of shots to get loosened up & then I pay for it later especially when trying to sleep. but if I stay under 40#s my 1st shot is good & practice doesn't hurt me later

Nope. after an injury, I had 36# limbs on my takedown one morning ..I's all I could draw. It was one of those mornings I was covered up in deer with multiple shot opportunitys at close range. I never drew an arrow...just didn't have confidence in that setup. Killed a nice eight point about a month later when I had worked back into a set of 48# limbs.

If that is all a person can proficiently handle, I'd rather see him/her shooting a 35# bow than a crossbow. But that's just me.

Legal weights weren't drawn from a hat, they were decided after surveys were done over more than two decades of hunting with bows and arrows. Those who argue and say no, have never tried to kill a deer with a 35 pound bow. Larry Hatfield has said here many times how he has killed deer and bear with sub 40 pound bows and very effectively.

I personally know folks who use 35'ish pound bows who kill deer every year with them. If it doesn't suit you, then don't use that weight. Some folks aren't fortunate enough to have a choice and there are some others here who would have them not bowhunt due to their biased mindset.

Arkansas has lowered to 35# also.

As others have said, you'll be fine.

Accuracy

Tuned arrow

Sharp broadhead

Energy is measured by a formula E=1/2 X Mass X Velocity squared. If you analyze the formula you will notice that the most important element of the energy formula is velocity (because it is squared). If we assume a 35# bow casts a 500 grain arrow at 180 fps & a 50# bow casts the same weight arrow at 200 fps velocity. 35# bow: .5 X 500 X (180)^2=8,100,000 units of energy 50# bow: .5 X 500 X (200)^2= 10,000,000 units of energy Therefore a 50# bow is 30% heavier than a 35# bow but it only casts 19% more energy behind the arrow. If a 50# bow is considered more than adequate for hunting certain game at certain distances a 35# bow is only 19% less effective. So if you can kill something at 50 yards with a 50# bow (not unreasonable provided you can place the arrow where it needs to be) you should be able to do the same with a 35# bow at 41 yards. Since most bow hunters kill at around 25 or 30 yards or less a 35# is actually quite adequate for most hunting situations.

Alabama is 35#.

Hardly....

I think you would be suprized how many deer have been arrowed and then recovered by hunters shooting 50# bows drawn to 35#. I personaly have a friend whose Dad killed 100 MI whitetails with a 35# Ben Person recurve.

I wouldn’t unless I had to, but if I had to, I would.

Now that I can bare-shaft, anyway. Not much room for crappy tuning at that weight.

Yes

you have to remember when the state lowers the poundage, they are going on the results of a compound, which at 35lbs today with good arrow and coc head, will have no issues on doing the job,,,,,,,

Yes...last season due to my cancer diagnosis I had to drop down to almost exactly that weight...a 37lb longbow. I set up some 500s with a sharp two blade and hunted quite confidently. Didn't get an opportunity to shoot anything but I have no doubt the setup would kill effectively. Like lots of the guys on here I've been at this for many years. I know what good performance in a bow looks like when I see it and I was truly impressed by this bow. I am helped by a 30+" draw length so I guess that's an advantage but my dad was a little guy...drew about 26" on a 40lb bow and hunted with it for years confidently.

If you do the math (calculate kinetic energy) a 35# bow can cast an arrow with sufficient energy to penetrate a medium sized animal like deer at ranges of up to 40 yards. This is probably well beyond the average hunting range of 15-25 yards at which most bow hunters responsibly kill game. A heavier bow will kill (penetrate) out to much further distances but most bow hunters should not be shooting game at those ranges. I agree 35# is adequate especially if the archer shoots it well.

Deerhunter51.is correct. Not many people actually shooting 50 lbs.,

How much weight does one need to put a broadhead 8" deep (double lung) in a deer's chest?

I saw Tim wells kill a black bear with a blow gun. So yes im sure i could kill a deer with a 35 # bow.

I hunted with 35# last fall after shoulder replacement. My friend also had shoulder replacement and hunted with 35# and killed a buck last fall

My wife has killed several deer with less than 35#

Mr. LaClair, do you recall approximate weight of the arrows?

I put an arrow completely through large Iowa doe, with a 38@my 26&1/4" draw Hill longbow, shooting a 5/16 cedar pushing a 140 grain Hill head. The shot was 18 yards out and about 9 feet up. This same bow has killed two other deer at a 26+" draw with my wife shooting Zwicky heads on 430 grain 11/32 Wapiti shafts. Both of my wife's kills were 1&a1/2 year old deer, small bucks.

exactly how tough do some of y'all think a deers rib is !!! a paint stirring stick comes to my mind. & a 1/4" thick peice of leuan I'm sure is tougher than a shoulder blade & I'm pretty sure 35#s will easily go through either

I own a Bear, Black Bear that is 35# @28. I purchased it from a friend that has two sons. Each son killed there first deer with that bow when they were 12 yrs old. I doubt they were pulling anywhere near 28 inches either.

I'd say 350 grain arrow will do it.

Following.

Our state is 40lb minimum, but, if a bow is marked 40lb, that is all that matters. It is not specified that the bow should pull 40lb at the hunter's draw length. So a person pulling 25" on a bow marked 40@28 would be legal. I do not know of any wildlife officers who carry scales for bows. I have never heard of a bow being checked.

North Carolina

The 40lb min is for trad. Wheels is 35. NC

There are other factors to consider if hunting with a 35#@28" bow than just bow draw weight. Like how many inches are you actually drawing the bow, arrow weight, broadhead used, how far are you planning to shoot at a game animal, bow construction, arrow speed, etc, to name a few. Not all 35# bows shoot the same. The problem with a lot of these kind of threads is people are quick to post their success's, but rarely or never post thier failures. The lightest bow I ever killed a deer ( doe ) with was a 1969 45#@28" Bear Green Fox all fiberglass bow, and I'm sure at 12 years old I wasn't drawing it back to 28". So will a 35# bow kill a deer, sure it will if all goes correctly.

I was starting to worry we weren't going to get another "light bow" thread too soon. Keep 'em coming guys, I can't get enough. 35 pounds yeah.

Do I hear 25#??

25?

Kodiak, it's about State-Legal weights which were decided mostly back in the 1950's through trial. But since you asked, would you let someone shoot you with a broadhead arrow from a 25# bow? That would be pretty stupid I would think.

By the way folks #35 means number 35. 35# means 35 pounds. Of course nowadays that is meaningless....like the term 'trad'.

Do I hear 15#?

How bout 15?!

I have a 35# Bear Cub , there ain't no way I would even attempt to try and kill a deer with it. Not saying it can't be done, just I wouldn't feel comfortable trying to do it. I'll stick to my 50 # plus bows. I remember when they were considered low poundage lol.

Yup

I'm going to give it a go. Not on a deer at first though. Going to start on no larger than a medium hog. My arrow is 485grs. Going to use a smaller profile broadhead like a magnus killer bee. Any one care to guess the outcome? I figure a medium hog is at least the equivalent of a deer. As a side note, I wouldn't use this setup if I didn't think it would kill cleanly.

35#? In a deer's heart beat. Native draw weights were 30 to 40#. The bows of similar weight today are much more effective than theirs of old. And yes they didn't (as we shouldn't) shoot beyond what they were capable of as their lives depended on that deer meat and hides to survive. I see most guys short drawing their bows all the time so I know their not getting the "heavier" weight they claim they are. Many at and well below the "40# stamped" on their bows.

From Ishi through Dr. Saxton Pope. Ishi's every day weapon pulled 45 pounds and he would sometimes make a 50 pounder for bear. Pope said the 45 would fling an arrow 200 yards. Seems like a good testamonial to me.

"What weight do we think Indians used? I suspect that weight or even lower maybe."

Some of the Indian children around here do shoot light weights...but the old bows the men used, before they went mostly to wheels, were well over 50# and they stacked like crazy. And they STACKED bigtime. The longbow men I know shoot around 45- 50#, just like everybody else...even tho some of them are built like oxen.

25 cal and rather have a 45. Would you rather shoot a hole through someone with a 45 or take up the assassins cloth with 22 cal. the bullet goes in and all around in body.

I don't know there's many conflicting things said.

Why don't you just go out and see if you can shoot an animal for yourself to find out like most of us have!

This classroom stuff is all fake news!

Comparing bullets to arrows makes zero sense.

Flash, it does if you have a sense of humor.

Gotcha

This archery thing is pretty new to me. Would someone please explain why a bow that is 35# at 30" draw is better than one that is 35# at 28"?

lol the 35@30 has lighter weight limbs, not to mention longer power stroke. The 35@28 has 35lbs limbs and the 35@30 has about 28 or 30 lbs limbs so the limbss have lighter mass weight

I have a howatt that kicks butt when it comes to speed, Its 53lbs at 32, which means its paper thin 41 lb limbs being drawn to 53lbs. If I had a 25inch draw it would be 60lbs or thicker limbs drawn to 53. mass weight guys

I'm with Nemophillist all the way

35# lbs at @ ever buddy's draw length. I wouldn't want to be shot with a broad head out of a 20 lb. Bow either . Ask the Ice man.

GLF, that's reasonable, or they are 35# at 28" and at 30" they are over 40#. That would be noticeable, unlike bows that are all the same weight at various draws. Ran hundreds through the chronograph at same weight at different draws and the differences were so small they were not worth noting. Yeah, I packed a 44" kids bow, 35#@ 28", when I tracked a bark peeler down and killed it because it was so light and short it didn't get in the way when I packed the head, hide, and meat out. Bear are so easy to shoot through, it worked fine. I'm not a big light bow guy for anything and everything though. Works good on deer and bear if you do your part. Elk, I haven't, and wouldn't, try.

Watching the average trad shooter shoot their "50" pound @ at 28" bow, actually draw it about 23-24 inches, there are far more deer killed with a sub 40 pound bow then most realize. With a less then perfectly tuned arrow to boot.

Here is reality. If drawn correctly, and not snap shot, a 35 pound bow at 27 inches is a whole lot better then a 50 pounder drawn to 23-24 inches, shooting a now untuned arrow. Hunting is a battle of emotions at the shot. And, most loose that battle if they are over bowed in the slightest. Add in terrible fundamentals to it and, you've got a problem. Stories pf deer running around with arrows literally hanging out of them due to not enough bow become the norm. When in reality, it is the shooters fault.

While in college years ago, my buddies girl wanted to hunt. He set her up with a 30'ish pound bow and arrows. It was comical to watch her shoot. She was very petite and fragile. And, her bow showed it. Anyways, I was certain I could have grabbed the arrow out of the air. Until she proceeded to shoot through TWO deer that year for clean kills.

Learn proper form and shoot something. You'll see for yourself. And, if you can't get the confidence to do that with a light bow, get stronger and shoot a heavier one.

Good luck and God bless

I hunted with a 35lb bow when I was 10 years old

Converting that number on the side of the bow to killing efficiency is kind of a lost cause. Example, a young man has an R/D bow marked 48@28 he draws 27", young man's wife has a shorter and lighter R/D bow marked 36@26, she draws 26". He made wood arrows for his wife on the heavy side, 450 grains, to make up for the less pounds and shorter draw. he made himself some cedars that ended up at the the same average 450 grains. when they had the opportunity they tested their bows through a chronograph. His wife consistently got 3 to 4 fps more speed than he did. There can be a variety of reasons for that, but both bows seem to be putting out very nice flying arrows. if I were to buy an R/D bow for someone at a lighter weight and 26" draw I would buy the same bamboo cored model that she was shooting and to heck with his longer hardwood core model that he was shooting. Not all mild R/D bows are created equal, I am sure that is true for all types of bows.

If you HAVE to shoot 35# vs only wanting to shoot 35# because you don't practice much or condition for the higher poundage.....

deer are thin skinned animals. With a sharp broadhead it doesn't take much to get to the vitals

What mountaineer said. Most bows are short drawn. I am going to to try a 40 pound bow Saturday drawn to 27 1/2 each and every time. that is all the poundage I want to tackle this year after my shoulder surgery. I hope to be able to shoot my 90 lb bow next fall.

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