Draw weight for moose?

[kayaker]

Hi all,
I have a couple of newb questions as i am looking at getting bow - its been some years coming and I reckon I should give it ago. i have shot a few bows over the years but never really taken the plunge.

One big motivation for me other than the different approach to hunting is to get into different seasons.

What is generally accepted as a safe, reasonable draw weight for moose? I realize the braodhead and arrow weight are key (as is shot placement, which goes without saying). I was told that 60lbs would be safe minimum, so 'ego stunts' or pushing the limits aside, (I realize you could kill one at 40lbs or less if it was leagl) but what would the concensus here be?

Would you use a broadhead with a 7/8" cutting diameter on a moose?

Oh yes, Have any of you shot a Parker Blazer? Its an entry level bow but I hear very good things about them. The 7 3/4" brace height looks good for a forgiving bow too.

Thanks for the replies - I am sure more newb questions will follow

[Littlejet]

You are on the right tract, its more about shot placement and the sharpness of your blades, than how fast your arrow goes through an animal. I have shot critters with wooden arrows out of my recurve that were just as dead as the ones I got with carbons out of the Golden Eagle. Not sure how much draw wieght and arrow speed it would take to kill a moose if you hit shoulder bone. (More than I can pull) Been throwing sharp sticks for over 30 years

Get them close and make it count!!!

[double gun]

When I was young I shot a PSE polaris at 42lbs. I shot two moose with that bow/draw weight- all passed thru. Since then I have shot a bunch more with higher poundage bows. Some went thru some didnt. I wouldnt worry about poundage - just stick with good shot placement.

[jim-bo]

40lbs is enough to legally take big game... Don't get duped into thinking you need anything more than 60lbs for anything in N.A. 60# would plug through a moose pretty well, I've seen it done.

But don't get me wrong, 70lb bows are great if you can draw them properly (i will elaborate on this if you need me too), under regular hunting circumstances which would relate to bizzare range conditions.

I shoot a 70# bow, but i draw it back slow (and I mean slow) and straight back (i don't lift or drop my arm), controlled (I can let it down just as slow and smoothly as I drew it), and I can set in against my back wall (I don't slam against my back wall). I also shoot all year, and not to sound egotisiticall but I am no petite man.

Try out different bows, and see what you can handle and what you like.

If you hunt lots of deer, and the odd moose or elk, then try a 50-60# and that gives you great versitlity.

took my first elk (cow) with a 52# bow, wasn't a complete pass through, but i got both lungs and some valuable real estate above the heart.

FYI, that 52# bow as a Fred Bear WhiteTail II, not fast by any means especially by todays standards.

[kayaker]

Thanks for the comments.

i was asking becasue the bow i am interested in comes with either 45-60lb limbs or 55-70lb.

I was planning to start at 60 so was torn between having the first option set at max draw weight or the second option set in its lower draw ranges.

I did read that most bows perform better at, or near, their max draw weights - how true is this?

My one concern of having a 60lb max draw weight set at that weight or close is that in cold weather apparently you put more strain on the limbs, meaning one may be effectively pulling more than 60lbs if your bow is set at 60lbs. Would this not be bad for the limbs.

Is this true or am I over analyzing the issue??

[Cal]

Originally Posted by kayaker

Thanks for the comments.

i was asking becasue the bow i am interested in comes with either 45-60lb limbs or 55-70lb.

I was planning to start at 60 so was torn between having the first option set at max draw weight or the second option set in its lower draw ranges.

I did read that most bows perform better at, or near, their max draw weights - how true is this?

My one concern of having a 60lb max draw weight set at that weight or close is that in cold weather apparently you put more strain on the limbs, meaning one may be effectively pulling more than 60lbs if your bow is set at 60lbs. Would this not be bad for the limbs.

Is this true or am I over analyzing the issue??

I would try shooting the bows befor you buy, most average males can adjust to a 55lb pull pretty easily. If you shoot regularly it shouldnt take you very long to get comfortable with 60-65lbs, even with my sporadic practice I dont have trouble drawing my bow at 70lbs in a controlled manner. Alot can depend on the bow too, I dont have any trouble pulling my bow at 70 but I find some bows to be pretty unpleasant at the same weight, as well as some that are easyer.