Traditional Archers

What is the absolute lowest poundage that would still be effective in taking small game and deer with a longbow or traditional recurve inside of 30 yards? Would it be around #40?

I thought the 40lb rule held true for all bows.

40 will work, but if you haven't shot traditional in a while,12-15 might be the longest shot you want to shoot. 20 yards is about the longest shot you want to take with traditional bow.

It's weird too. I can whack the heck out of the 4 inch bull at 10 yards. Not to bad at 15 but at 20 I may as well chunk rocks. I dunno. It's darn discouraging.

you can take game with lighter bows with well placed shots. but, unless your confident, i wouldnt suggest lighter than the state legal minimum.

Didn't TPWD eliminate a minimum draw weight either last year or 2008? I am in good shape and can draw & hold a #65 at 28" and still shoot a pretty good group. I just recently picked up a #40 Bear Cub and wondered if I could ever take an animal with it...

I think you're good with 40# - accuracy is the key.

When my dad was bowhunting in the late 60's his first bow was a 40# recurve and he had complete pass threws on two bucks he killed.

i dont know if they did or not. i havent looked into it yet myself. as ill probably only do hog hunting so i dont know about deer. but, from the archery sites i visit, 40 is enough.

Just to be safe I am gonna get the matching 52# version of the 40# bow I just bought...

One mistake common with people new to traditional shooting is they try to hold the bow too long. It’s all about instinct. Back in the 14th century when the English were required to shoot a bow it was common for an English Archer to shoot a 180 -200 pound draw. We have certainly come a long way since then, but it’s still about muscle memory and release.
My traditional bows are from 48# to 55 # . I shoot them all the same, with the same technique each time.

I learned how to shoot when I was a little guy on a Hoyt Polaris with no sights... I got really darn good at it- when I got a little older I wasn't as pumped about paper targets so I naturally moved to compounds with all the bells and whistles! The last instinctive shooting I remember is my late teens shooting my Dad's old Wing Presentation takedown at 65#... I was glad it wasn't my bow cause that thing hurt after about 25-30 arrows...

I think once you've shot trad you always have a love for it. I just put the final coat on a recurve I made six months ago. I love my long bows, but I started with a recurve and I still love to make them a shoot them. I do use a compound for various things, but I take both when I hunt, it all depends on the situation.
There is no better feeling to harvest an animal with a bow you've made from an old tree limb.

Here she is, it's hickory and walnut. I glassed the limbs. It's only 40 @28, great for duck hunting.

According to the new 2009 regulations the min draw weight has been removed.