Originally Posted by Jinkster

And in 1987?....I used to assist in teaching exactly that to local Boy Scout Troops as part of an annual course our archery club made available so that they could earn their "Archery Merit Badges"....but also taught that the bows of these longbowmen were in the 120-150lb range of draw weight and capable of pushing a bodkin forged point (designed to defeat chainmail armor) through 4"s of oak and that the skeletons of such archers were easily identified as such by the excessive wear of their shoulder joints.

And I was not only a form coach but also the "designated exhibition shooter" to show them what could be achieved with a modern compound shot with fingers...the crowd favorite I devised?...a ping-pong ball hung by sewing thread at 40yds...but I do believe I've probably shot as many arrows (if not more) than any archer aboard the Mary Rose. LOL!

But my bows were/are about 1/3rd the weight of what they pulled.