Arrow Weight for Elk

[Prairie Drifter]

Originally posted by old_goat2:
 

Originally posted by Prairie Drifter:
 

Originally posted by old_goat2:
   

quote:Originally posted by dustinwittwer:
Anyone had experience with the Steel Force traditional series broadhead? I like the 3:1 ratio and the single bevel design. Just curious if there were any users out there.

Thanks for the input everyone!

Steel Force Traditional heads look like they would curl up on the tip to me, you would want to tanto the tips significantly if you went with them. I'm using the Cutthroat Broadheads this year, 200gr screw in's. They performed superbly for me deer hunting and they are the easiest head to sharpen I've come across! They all work if sharp and in the right spot! [/b]

The single bevel traditional heads have a tonto tip and are .080 thick [/b]

I didn't see a single bevel listed on their web page

3 Rivers and Kustom King carry them

[Charlie3]

I use Axis Trad 340's and have a similar draw length and weight. Your shaft should be a little stiff based on my experience, which would allow you to put more weight up front. Have you bare shafted your setup yet? If not, my bet would be that you would get better flight from a 200ish grain point. Plus you get more weight, so everyone wins!

[newhouse114]

Last year I took two mule deer and a bull elk with GT 7595, a 200 grain grizzly with a 125 gr steel insert. Total arrow weight was around 750 grains. This year I have gone back to wood shafts and will be using a 470 grain douglas fir shaft with a 160 grain cutthroat broadhead. I had slight tip curling on two grizzlies last year even though they both ended up with exit wounds on the animals. One skated over two ribs on my elk before penetrating into the chest and one hit the edge of the shoulder blade on the mule deer in my avatar. I believe that the cutthroat is the finest head I have ever handled and look forward to putting them to good use this fall. My woody setup weighs in at 675 grains. I shoot a 65 lb Bear Montana longbow.

[PistolPete]

I think the heavy arrow/single bevel/Ashby folks (myself included) would readily admit that light arrows (500ish) with multi-blade, non-cut-on-contact heads can kill elk just fine! Heavier arrows just make up for a little bit of unpredictability when things go wrong and you hit shoulder or leg bones. I shoot 650-grains, 25% FOC, single bevel 3:1 heads for just that reason.

Dustin, I have several packs of the Steel Force Traditional 300 gr single bevel. They seem like great heads, except in about half of them there is some play between the ferrule and the blade. Probably wouldn't make a difference, but it drives me nuts. I've let their customer service know about it; we'll see what they say.

The Cutthroats look like they'll be the ultimate broadhead. I'm just waiting for a 300-gr screw in!

Pete

[fnshtr]

My only elk was taken with a 630 grain carbon. However, I was only shooting about 47 # at my draw length.

I think you would be fine with your set up.

JMO

Originally posted by dustinwittwer:
So, if I build the 535 grain arrow, what is your favorite 140-165 grain two blade broadhead?

150gr German Kinetic for me!

Bisch

[Ryan Rothhaar]

I know this might offend some guys...but if I lived out west, and planned on hunting elk on a regular basis I'd work a bit on getting my bow weight up to the 60lb range if possible and plan on matching my arrows at 600-650 grains (as opposed to your 50ish/500ish grain arrow).  Elk are tough critters, amazingly so sometimes, and a little mistake can get big fast.  I know so-and-so shot an elk with a 40 lb bow one time....great, and I've got a buddy that is a crazy-serious elk guy that spends a month every year living in the back country hunting them and has shot a bunch of bulls with HH type bows in the 70ish lb range, and typical cedar arrows probably around 550 gr. He has plenty of stories about marginal penetration on decent hits, with this heavy equipment.  Everyone assumes "hit them where you should"...well if that was a given you could use any equipment and be fine.  I'd caution folks that plan on hunting elk seriously, and often, to treat them like exactly what they are...a 500-800 lb deer....and if you think a 250 lb mature whitetail is tough (which they ARE) imagine him being 2-3X bigger.

Of course some folks can't or don't want to step up on arrow/bow wt, and have to figure out something that will work for them....but I think it is a dangerous slope to always talk about "whats the minimum bow or arrow weight to hunt X animal".....

My elk killing is limited to 2 bulls, one "average" body size and one "great big" body size, but when comparing them to other large bodied animals I've killed in the US (moose, musk ox) I think elk are significantly tougher than either of these 2.  For what its worth these bulls were both killed with 60-65lb recurves, aluminum arrows in the 625-650 gr range, and both were complete penetration with big Snuffers through the chest.  The big bodied bull was hit through both lungs and large arteries over the heart, center chest, and went every bit of 200 yards flat out.  Plenty of blood, of course, but I was surprised he went that far hit that way - a testimonial to a rutted-up mature bull elk's will to live.  Total shot distance on both bulls added together was 12 yards (one at 5yds, one at 7yds).

R

[michaelschwister]

I have only killed elk with 650 grain arrows from a 70# bow. So, about 9 gpp worked great with a 160 grain snuffer out the other side on all three.

[Kanwin]

Personally I shoot a 600 grain arrow out of a 55lb bow. As said above what matters is shot placement period. Elk are not hard to get really close to. What is hard is getting a clear shot at the vitals. My son shot a big bull in the shoulder with a 600 grain arrow, zwickey two blade from a 70lb compound at 17 yards. Zero penetration, the broadhead formed a perfect "U". 25 yards or less, broadside only, boiler plate, dead elk with your set up. After my son's shot last year I am switching heads. Looking at Cutthroats.

[newhouse114]

From what I can tell about the cutthroats is the only way they could be improved is if they would extend the guarantee to cover loss!!!!

[old_goat2]

Originally posted by newhouse114:
From what I can tell about the cutthroats is the only way they could be improved is if they would extend the guarantee to cover loss!!!!

Very true! But they have improved them some since the original batch at least on the screw in model they did. I sure hope they keep producing them!

[FerretWYO]

Originally posted by newhouse114:
From what I can tell about the cutthroats is the only way they could be improved is if they would extend the guarantee to cover loss!!!!

Totally agree. These things are rock solid. I have shot them into all kinds of mediums with impressive results. They take a scary sharp edge as well. The team did make some improvements on them in the second run which I believe we're for the better.

[dustinwittwer]

Originally posted by Ryan Rothhaar:
I know this might offend some guys...but if I lived out west, and planned on hunting elk on a regular basis I'd work a bit on getting my bow weight up to the 60lb range if possible and plan on matching my arrows at 600-650 grains (as opposed to your 50ish/500ish grain arrow).  Elk are tough critters, amazingly so sometimes, and a little mistake can get big fast.  I know so-and-so shot an elk with a 40 lb bow one time....great, and I've got a buddy that is a crazy-serious elk guy that spends a month every year living in the back country hunting them and has shot a bunch of bulls with HH type bows in the 70ish lb range, and typical cedar arrows probably around 550 gr. He has plenty of stories about marginal penetration on decent hits, with this heavy equipment.  Everyone assumes "hit them where you should"...well if that was a given you could use any equipment and be fine.  I'd caution folks that plan on hunting elk seriously, and often, to treat them like exactly what they are...a 500-800 lb deer....and if you think a 250 lb mature whitetail is tough (which they ARE) imagine him being 2-3X bigger.

Of course some folks can't or don't want to step up on arrow/bow wt, and have to figure out something that will work for them....but I think it is a dangerous slope to always talk about "whats the minimum bow or arrow weight to hunt X animal".....

My elk killing is limited to 2 bulls, one "average" body size and one "great big" body size, but when comparing them to other large bodied animals I've killed in the US (moose, musk ox) I think elk are significantly tougher than either of these 2.  For what its worth these bulls were both killed with 60-65lb recurves, aluminum arrows in the 625-650 gr range, and both were complete penetration with big Snuffers through the chest.  The big bodied bull was hit through both lungs and large arteries over the heart, center chest, and went every bit of 200 yards flat out.  Plenty of blood, of course, but I was surprised he went that far hit that way - a testimonial to a rutted-up mature bull elk's will to live.  Total shot distance on both bulls added together was 12 yards (one at 5yds, one at 7yds).

R

Real talk right there. And I agree 100%. It's funny, I've always applied this exact theory to my compound arrows before my traditional life. I would be the guy shooting a 300 spine ACC with a 125 gr tip and an 80# bow. And now that I shoot traditional, for some reason I'm looking to go on the "light" side. Ha! Makes no sense.

My bow is 50# @ 28" but I'm pulling 30"+ so I should be up around 55#. Anyways, for now I'll be building a second option out of a 300 spine axis  with a 200 grain head (really liking the cutthroat as well) that will weigh about 600 total grains with about 16% FOC.

I'll try and post an update. Thanks for the input!

[FerretWYO]

Real talk right there. And I agree 100%. It's funny, I've always applied this exact theory to my compound arrows before my traditional life. I would be the guy shooting a 300 spine ACC with a 125 gr tip and an 80# bow. And now that I shoot traditional, for some reason I'm looking to go on the "light" side. Ha! Makes no sense.

My bow is 50# @ 28" but I'm pulling 30"+ so I should be up around 55#. Anyways, for now I'll be building a second option out of a 300 spine axis  with a 200 grain head (really liking the cutthroat as well) that will weigh about 600 total grains with about 16% FOC.

I'll try and post an update. Thanks for the input!

That should get it done.    

[Michael Arnette]

I'm no elk hunter but I've used them on a couple whitetail in my early days, good heads.

[Michael Arnette]

I'm with Ryan on this one. I shot 70# for years out of Schaffer and TallTines. Recently switched to 61# at my draw for whitetail but if I were out west and seriously hunting elk I would definately be shooting the 70# set up. They are big animals and valuable as well.

[Hummer3T]

   

Around 540 grains @ 55 lbs, did the job.

Arrows are 6.98 GPI, at about 29 1/2 to 30 inches = 220, 100 grain brass insert, 200 grain broadhead, feathers and nock.

penetration right through to far rib cage / leg ( about four inch out still)

[dustinwittwer]

Originally posted by Hummer3T:
     

Around 540 grains @ 55 lbs, did the job.

Arrows are 6.98 GPI, at about 29 1/2 to 30 inches = 220, 100 grain brass insert, 200 grain broadhead, feathers and nock.

penetration right through to far rib cage / leg ( about four inch out still)

That is awesome! Thanks for sharing! My arrow weight will be distributed differently but the overall weight will be about the same. I may even get 570 grains to tune ok.

Anyways, nice bull!

[Lashbow]

Dustin-
Are you hoping for an LE tag or an OTC for a bull?

I spent the last couple years getting my equipment ready for an elk. I could bore you with what I shoot, but reality is I have no idea how it will perform on an elk. It seems to repel them  

Best of luck this fall. If you need some quads with boots to help get one out, let me know.I think I am close enough to you.

Enjoy the journey!