Arrow Weights

[letitgo]

#7221

Hello, new to traditional archery and just have a question about hunting arrows versus target/3d arrows. I have been told to use a heavier arrow for hunting season. Just wondering if folks use one weight for hunting and one for 3d and if so does this affect accuracy. Thanks.

[jpc]

#59473

With trad bow you can shoot 3D targets until 35/40 meters

and 7 or 8 grain /pound will be enough ( depending bow )

For hunting I use 11 to 12 G/pounds sometime more but I never shoot an animal more than 16 meters away

A friend of mine shoot 2 caffer buff in africa with 65 Lbs LB and 800 grains arrow ( 10 meters shoot ! )

Choice arrows for what you’r doing with

and good luck

[DK]

#59479

Hey there,

I think it depends on what you are hunting and how into 3d shooting you are. What are you hunting? I shoot an arrow that is approximately 700 grains total weight for elk and mule deer. I dont change for stump shooting or any other kind of target shooting just because I want to be consistant. If you are really into 3d shooting, like competivly you can switch it up but if you are just a regular for fun target shooter I recommend you shoot the same weight all year long to build consitancy. If you are hunting whitetail you might be able to get away with the same weight. I dont know anything about those critters someone else will have to weigh in. If you shoot carbon arrows you can simply slide a weight tube into the arrow and it will make it heavier. I think it also stiffens your arrow as well though. Hope that helps

DK

[jpc]

#59495

I shoot carbon arrows

I shoot 3D all year long I bowhunt 5 months a year ( wild boars & some red deers )

For 3D I use 8 grains / pounds

For hunting with same bow 12 grains / pounds

As I never shoot ( when hunting ) more than 15 meters away lights or heavy arrows have same fly on shorts distances

So, long range with lights arrows or very short range with very heavy arrows are exactly same gesture

I did not invent anything it’s just obvious 💡

[Doc Nock]

#59522

My reason for having a stick bow is to hunt. Having said that, I shoot at fun 3D’s all summer for the purpose of better leaning my equipment, my limitations, trajectory of my arrows and what shots I can ethically take, at what distance.

I cannot wrap my head around the idea that my brain will KNOW the difference and allow for heavier arrows when hunting from what I’ve shot at 3D shoots all spring and summer! 😯

I guess if I shot competitively on 3d courses, that would be my primary goal, so setting up to do that most would make more sense.

As a hunter, I use my hunting set up to shoot 3D to learn as much about me and my set up as I can… all that’s left come hunting season is to switch to broad heads, tune for them if needed and sharpen and go!

Your mileage may vary…

Good luck

[David Petersen]

#59550

Welcome here, letitgo! If you’ll allow a bit of latitude from your question, and to take Doc Nock’s lead … while I’ve loved archery since before I was old enough to hunt, and hope to still enjoy it after I’m too old to hunt, and while I appreciate friendly competition except when it comes to killing living things … practice of any sort is all about hunting for me. That’s to say: it’s just practice. I have very limited 3d experience and never in a seriously competitive situation … so I may not have the background to speak helpfully if your goal is serious 3d competitive shooting. That said, and speaking for myself only, I’ve not had any good luck at all switching arrows and arrow weights for various purposes. So while yes I’d think you could definitely do better at 3D with lighter arrows–especially since it often goes to ranges far beyond ethical hunting distance and you’re not out for max penetration–I can’t switch around like that. I have found out through hard experience that I need to stick with one arrow setup for everything in order to assure max accuracy when the pressure is on. And for hunting, the arrow needs to be at least 650 grains with as much of that weight as possible up front, in order to feel confident that “luck” is not in control. So, back to the beginning–it all depends on what’s most important to you, along with your ability to switch arrow weight, FOC and even bows without losing accuracy no matter the pressure (as some can do but I can not). I do best with “one bow, one arrow” for everything. And in “everything,” a clean compassionate kill easily comes first. But I was always a one-woman man as well. Best luck in sorting it all out.

[Col Mike]

#59589

Letitgo (I can understand that name) another welcome aboard.

Concur with the guys above. I shoot a good bunch of 3D all for hunting practice–we never keep score–as you will find most of the targets with score rings are not anatomically accurate in where the rings are. Therefore use same arrow for 3D as hunting and shoot 3D where I know the real kill zone is. Just for your info I shoot an elkheart longbow 46lbs at 27″. Arrow is carbon ( trad only 500’s) 30″ with 4 A&A fletch total arrow weight is 770gr. with 500 of that up front= 32% EFOC. Enough I believe to pass through elk to whitetail. As Dr. Ed says there is no such thing in overkill when hunting.

Enjoy the campfire.

Semper Fi

Mike

[letitgo]

#59678

Thank you all for the quick responses. All the advice makes perfect and practical sense. I also appreciate the various examples of arrow weights folks are using.

[wojo14]

#60101

letitgo, Welcome! You just got lots of great info. Most of us trad guys shoot 3d for hunting practice and fun. So we all shoot the same arrow set ups. I typically shoot 11.5-12 gpp arrows with at least 20% efoc. I recomend sticking with one aroow/bow set up at a time. Enjoy the ride!8)

[Jason Wesbrock]

#60330

Letitgo,

Welcome aboard. I love archery as well as bowhunting, and one is not contingent upon the other. I’d still hunt if I couldn’t shoot a bow, and I’d still shoot a bow if I couldn’t hunt. I used to shoot the same bow and arrows for everything—target and hunting—until I decided to get serious about competitive archery again. I shot and won a lot of indoor target, 3D and field archery with my hunting setup, but at a certain level of competition it became a hindrance.

These days my target bows pull 44# and my hunting bows 56#. That’s at my 32” draw length. My hunting arrows weigh in right around 500 grains (plus or minus 2 grains) and shoot through my chronograph right at 200 fps. They’re full length Beman ICS 340s with Easton uni nocks, four 4” feathers, 20-grain glue-on inserts and 125-grain broadheads. I’ve shot them through every species of big game I’ve hunted up to and including bull moose.

My target arrows for 3D, field, and outdoor paper weigh 245 grains and go through my chronograph at 235 fps. I would not suggest shooting that light of an arrow unless your bow is designed for it. Most are probably not. Those arrows are full length Victory VAP 600s with Beiter 12/2 nocks, three 3” feathers (or vanes depending on the weather) and 62-grain glue-in points. The speed is great for reducing distance estimation errors on 3D and reaching 80-yard field targets.

My indoor target arrows are full length Victory VX-23s with pin bushings, Beiter pin nocks, three 4” feathers, and standard inserts with 145-grain screw-in points. I think they’re around 440 grains or so, and I haven’t shot them through a chronograph yet. Based on the relatively short point on distance, they’re probably shooting around 170-180 fps.

If a person shoots instinctively, staying with one bow and arrow configuration is probably a good idea. For those of us who prefer conscious, dedicated aiming systems there are ways to negate differences in trajectory from one setup to the next. Either way, I’ve found target archery a wonderful compliment to bowhunting and look forward to tournaments almost as much as I do sitting in a tree stand.

[Author]

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