How heavy should my draw weight be?
Ava Richardson
Updated on May 16, 2026
How heavy should my draw weight be?
Build, Bodyweight and Suggested Bow Draw Weights
| Type of Person/Build | Weight (lbs) | Compound Suggested Draw Weight (lbs) |
|---|---|---|
| Small/Slight Woman | 100-130 | 25-35 |
| Average Woman | 130-160 | 30-40 |
| Large/Strong Woman | 160+ | 45-55 |
| Small/Slight Man or Older Boy | 120-150 | 45-55 |
What draw weight do most hunters use?
Some shooters are capable of shooting 70, 80 or 90lbs, but most adult males shoot between 60 and 70lbs. Today’s bows are extremely efficient and 40lb compound bows are more than capable of harvesting many big game animals. For whitetail deer hunting anything above 40 lbs is fine.
What is the most common draw weight?
The most common draw weight among the traditional archers I talked with was 40 lbs, followed closely by 50 lbs. Most of these archers had more than just 1 bow for more than just 1 purpose and the draw weights ranged was between 20 lbs to 75 lbs.
What draw weight should I use?
A Beginners Guide to Buying the Right Bow in 3 Simple Steps
| Archer Weight | Approx. Draw Weight (Compound Bow) |
|---|---|
| Very Small Children (55-70 lbs.) | 10-15 lbs. |
| Small Children (70-100 lbs.) | 15-25 lbs. |
| Larger-Frame Children (100-130 lbs.) | 25-35 lbs. |
| Small-Frame Women (100-130 lbs.) | 25-35 lbs. |
What is a good draw weight for beginners?
Draw weight
| Archer | Archer’s Weight | Compound Suggested Draw Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Small child | 31-45 kg (70-100 lbs) | 15-25 lbs |
| Large child | 45-59 kg (100-130 lbs) | 25-35 lbs |
| Small woman | 45-59 kg (100-130 lbs) | 25-35 lbs |
| Average woman | 59-73 kg (130-160 lbs) | 30-40 lbs |
How far can a 50lb bow shoot?
How Far Can a Bow Shoot? | Ranges by Draw Weight (With Chart)
| Bow Type | Draw Weight | Effective Range |
|---|---|---|
| 40 lbs | 50 – 60 yards | |
| Crossbow | 80 lbs | 30 – 40 yards |
| 150 lbs | 40 – 50 yards | |
| 200 lbs | 50 – 60 yards |
What draw weight do Olympic archers use?
Learn about all the equipment used for archery at the Tokyo Olympics. Bow: In Olympic archery, competitors use recurve bows that draw an average of around 48.5 pounds for the men and 33 pounds for the women. The bow may have a mechanical sight, but no optical enhancements.
How far will a 50 lb bow shoot?
Is a 60 lb bow enough for elk?
60 lbs is fine, you’re on the right track as far as arrow weight. get a strong razor sharp fixed blade to fly like a laser and he’ll be zipping through vitals.
What draw weight does Brady Ellison use?
Brady Ellison dropped down from 50 to 47 pounds in 2018. “The limbs got a little faster and my arrows tune at less weight. You want to shoot whatever you can control and you always want to be in control of the bow,” he said.
What was the draw weight of Native American bows?
However, broadly speaking, a native bow would max out at 50lb draw weight and have a maximum range of 150 yards (perhaps stretched to 200 yards for a good archer with an excellent bow).
