Hello 3.01,
3.01>>i myself have since gone from 65 back down to 50 for numerous reasons....
number one to work on a certain sight picture and point on for shooting...and i'm not a very good hunter...frankly i'm terrible..but on the 3d course or indoor shoot 50 lbs is alot more controllable and induces less fatique that 65 ever was or did!<<
I used to shoot the heavy bows...(55 pounds was tops for me)... I did extremely well... but over the years, my shoulders started hurting... and now I shoot 45 # bows just fine. I hunt with a 45#Mamba, and a 44# bear. I have a 55 pound longbow that sits, and a 50 pound TD Talon...I doubt if I ever shoot them again. I have had them for years, and taken 3 or 4 deer with each of them. I used to shoot them all day long without any problems. But, as the years go by, my authritic body aches a little more, and I lower my poundage to enjoy my sport. My favorite bow is a 32# Conquest with Graphite limbs, and a unbelieveable draw feel...A Sky bow by Hoyt. Through the years of coaching and helping others, one thing stands out like a very sore thumb...Playing Macho with bows is almost a certain defeat in training, form, anchoring, and everything else. I have seen it happen way to many times...(now, with that said). There are people who *have* overcome the shortcomings of being overbowed....But the odds are definitely strong against them.
Why not shoot a 300 arrows with the proprer bow and finish the day with laughs, cheers, and wanting to continue shooting some more??? I just turn my head when I see people shoot 5 arrows, shaking their bodies apart, gripping their bows to death, flinching, and attempting to fire the cotton pickin thing....And after 15 shots are sore, tired, or fatigued. After 50 shots go home. Then say "I am tired, I have shot enough for today". Then I look at others... and we keep shooting until lunch...go to lunch... come back a hour later... and shoot until dinner...enjoy our dinner... and shoot until closing... All while having a tremendous time being social and helpful to others....And we are back at it the next day. (Gosh I loved those weekends...) And during the week, we would shoot leagues. What is sad, there was not one Macho that could stand a chance against us...whether it be in scoring or shooting 3D in the range. Yet we could take their bow and be able to outshoot them after a few rounds of arrows. They actually stopped coming in the Archery place...I think they were too embarrased or something. 1. Being outdone when they perk up and say "But my bow is bigger than yours", and being outshot with their own bows, or shown their bows can be handled by others just as good. 2. Their tire rate was much faster than ours. <g>.
To each their own...If you want the bigger bows... go for it!...have fun!...I am all for *you* (you meaning those who like the big bows) having the best time of your life and enjoying the sport. I enjoy the big bows as well as the smaller bows...But I also know that small bows create a tremendous amount of skill that the larger bows can't do as easily. From A to Z...Anchoring, Form, to Zinging those arrows. I can shoot all day with a 45# bow... that is good enough for me...its what I hunt with. But away from hunting... that 32# conquest is awfully nice... and backing it up with a 39 pound Gold Medalist is just as nice.
Dwayne