Elk Rig

[Hoosier_hunter157]

Don't get me wrong, I'd like to have a 55lb bow for a little extra peace of
mind but that is not in the budget this year. It's either make the Grizzly work with the proper arrow setup or take the wheelie bow. I'd really like to make my Grizzly work which it sounds like is entirely possible.

Im still working on building confidence this is only my third year with traditional equipment and I do not have any kills under my belt. The group I'll be hunting with are skeptical of traditional equipment which also makes it difficult. Up hill battle on all fronts but that's what makes it fun for me.

Sounds like the general concensous is to up the arrow weight a little bit and to shoot a sharp single bevel type head.

[jrstegner]

Where are you in Indiana? I could loan you a good bow around 57/58# @27".

[Hoosier_hunter157]

Northern Indiana, Fort Wayne area.

[bucknut]

As I said before. Your current bow/arrow setup will get the job done. I know that several great broadheads exist out there, but since I started shooting Cutthroats I can't really see me shooting much else for big game. They get scary sharp easily and are built like tanks.  Most of them I've shot thru animals could have been shot again without touching them with a stone. they also have a lifetime warranty.

[GCook]

Don't get me wrong, I'd like to have a 55lb bow for a little extra peace of
mind but that is not in the budget this year. It's either make the Grizzly work with the proper arrow setup or take the wheelie bow. I'd really like to make my Grizzly work which it sounds like is entirely possible.

Im still working on building confidence this is only my third year with traditional equipment and I do not have any kills under my belt. The group I'll be hunting with are skeptical of traditional equipment which also makes it difficult. Up hill battle on all fronts but that's what makes it fun for me.

Sounds like the general concensous is to up the arrow weight a little bit and to shoot a sharp single bevel type head.

No offense but honestly I have more than a dozen kills under my belt with a traditional bow.  Most of them in the last 12 months.  And if I were going elk hunting tomorrow, it wouldn't be with my trad bow.  I'm just not there yet.

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[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

No offense but honestly I have more than a dozen kills under my belt with a traditional bow.  Most of them in the last 12 months.  And if I were going elk hunting tomorrow, it wouldn't be with my trad bow.  I'm just not there yet.

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If you are not confident in shooting at an animal who's kill zone can be approximated by an 18-20" diameter circle, why have you already shot at a dozen other animals with a trad bow? Or perhaps the lack of confidence due to a lack of draw weight?

*Edit: I know you shoot well, Gary. You should take a crack at elk next fall!*

Lots of elk have been killed by 45 lb bows, cedar arrows, and bear razorheads, or zwickeys.

[GCook]

No offense but honestly I have more than a dozen kills under my belt with a traditional bow.  Most of them in the last 12 months.  And if I were going elk hunting tomorrow, it wouldn't be with my trad bow.  I'm just not there yet.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

If you are not confident in shooting at an animal who's kill zone can be approximated by an 18-20" diameter circle, why have you already shot at a dozen other animals with a trad bow? Or perhaps the lack of confidence due to a lack of draw weight?

*Edit: I know you shoot well, Gary. You should take a crack at elk next fall!*

Lots of elk have been killed by 45 lb bows, cedar arrows, and bear razorheads, or zwickeys.

Because I've been bowhunting for elk.  15 yards to a feeder for a whitetail. or 10 yards to a trail for a pig is different than stalking up on a bull elk on a shinery mesa where the shot just materializes or watching three trails on a funnel between rock slide chutes and the herd splits up between all three and filtering through the trees past you. 
I know my limitations.   I also know the first time an elk walks in up wind of you and that musk hits your nose and that rack waves in the air it's an adrenaline rush like no other.  Someday maybe.  When I get my comfortable kill range to 25 yards.  But I'm not there yet.
I know my limitations.   And I hunt within them.

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[beendare]

It seems to me a guy is way better off shooting the lower poundage bow he can shoot better...vs a heavier bow just for the extra energy.

And I've seen some pretty darn good performance from some light setups with a very efficient BH.

Then of course the shot component is a big deal. Take high % shots staying away from the shoulder....and that bow of yours is a killing machine. The problem with elk is the wind is shifty in the mtns....and if you get them in close. You can cll them close...but if they hang up [which they are doing more and more] or try to get your wind if they don't see an elk [almost always] they can screw you up.

For all of those^ reasons, I recommend a decoy.

[Steelhead]

I would concentrate on getting the best 2 blade head you can that's scary sharp and very strong at the tip.You don't want tip curl!Perfect flight is right their with the broadhead choice.I think a narrower head would serve you better than a very wide one for elk with your setup.

[Hoosier_hunter157]

All great points. I certainly have more confidence in my compound but for the last three years I've focused solely on my recurve. It will be a personal choice that I will have to make in the next few months.

[Gehrke145]

I don't get some of these comments, it's an elk not a cape buffalo.  Your setup is fine, a little narrower head wouldn't hurt but far from a must.

[Hoosier_hunter157]

I think I'm going to make up some new arrows that are just a tad bit heavier and try out some cutthroats, grizzlys or tuffheads. I'm going to stick with the bow and focus on accuracy, form and my confidence. Success for this hunt would be merely to hear a bugle and experience the chase.

[pavan]

I remember well many years ago at the Bear shop in Sioux Falls.  They got a notice from Bear about bow speeds of the various models.  To their surprise the Grizzly was the fastest.  Charlie thought 'not faster than my 64" Super K or takedown'.   Out to the garage to check.  At my draw the Grizzly was a good bit faster than the takedowns.  At Charlie's long draw, he claimed the Grizzly stacked, but it was fast.