arrow set up for elk?? WHAT WOULD YOU DO

[plentycoupe]

just asking to see how you all would set up your arrows if going elk hunting.

Broadhead style, weight, arrow weight, length, feathers.....

I have full length gold tip 5575's(the ability to cut them) with plenty of weights. 100 grain brass inserts(if needed. Field points up to 250grns.

Also have bannana feather chopper, but am wondering if using a shield cut would be better.

My bow is an
ACS CX, 56@28. I draw 27" and shoot 3 under.
string is 6 strand DF 97.
Thanks

[Bjorn]

This fall I will be using 80# POC with a long Osage footing. It has 3 low profile 4" feathers, and the BH will be a 175 gr ABoyer.
Total weight 660 gr and a FOC of about 18%; this package flies super from my 53# ACS CX
 
There's a Grizzly on the arrow in the pick; but that's gone.

[Al Kidner]

I'd be keen to see some ideas as well.

[plentycoupe]

Bjorn
I like the idea of the footed osage and am working with greatbasinfoots to come up with a good arrow.
Am hesitant though as I am having the arrows shipped to Iraq and I don't know exactly what to get to insure it will fly perfect. Hate to spend the money they cost and not have perfect arrow flight?

[Dave2old]

If you have time and patience and are eager for details, read through the Ashby forums here. If like most of us you want the short answer, review articles in the past year or two of TBM by and about Ashby. In short:

Heavy arrows, minimum 650grns.
Fixed two-blade broadheads, long and narrow (Grizzly is the model here)
Hard steel broadheads, minimum 50 Rockwell
High FOC (front of center) shaft balance (attained with heavy heads and/or inserts, but be chary of brass which has high failure rates)
Tanto tips on broadheads(see recent TBM).

And what else essential have I forgotten? Thanks for caring! dave

[plentycoupe]

thanks Dave,
not sure if your the same guy but if so I read about you hunting out at Marks place in a TBM a while back. Great read and Mark and his family are great people.

[Charlie Lamb]

I've used a lot of different set ups when hunting elk.

If I was going out right now I'd shoot my carbon arrow with 275 grains up front totalling 598. This arrow shoots 180 fps (+/-) out of my current 63# recurve.

There'd be 4, 4 3/4" parabolic helical fletch and the shaft would be crowned by a razor sharp Magnus I w/ small bleeder.

[Whip]

Number one, whatever arrow you use has to be well tuned to the bow. Strive for perfect arrow flight.  

Second, I would want at least 600 grains for your set up - more is better.  

I might be in the minority, but I believe broadhead choice comes in third place, but is still very important.  Cut on contact, and a good low angle to help penetration.  Grizzlies certainly fit that description, but I am fond of Wensel Woodsmans and feel good with them in my set up.  (57# @ 29")

[Guru]

A light but stiff carbon arrow...so as to allow a lot of weight up front...275/300grs... Bringing it up to the 600gr mark...super tuned with a Wensel Woodsman up front. That would be out of my 62# Kwyk Styk......

I'd hunt anything waking in N.A. with that set-up...

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

If (make that "when") I go west to hunt elk again, I'll likely use the same basic setup I used to kill my last elk, and my moose as well:

500-grain carbon shafts with regular 20-grain Flightmate inserts and 125-grain Ace Standard broadhead going between 190 and 200 fps.

[East Coast archer]

I use and have had success with a setup similar to what Charlie said.  CX Heritage 150 with 100 grain brass insert and a STOS 160 mounted on an adapter with a total arrow weight of 595 grains and 280+ grains up front out of a 59# bow.  A setup similar but with a Magnus 150 Stinger and a 55# bow took the elk on my profile page. I feel it is a nice compromise between flat shooting and penetration.  I know I could go up in more arrow weight, but I shoot a similar setup all year round with the exception of a 175 grain Razorcap up front at everything else and have had no issues yet.  I go with the 2 blade for elk for that extra penetration factor even though I give up the benefit of extra damage a 3 blade gives.  A one lunged elk just goes too far!

[texbow2]

I shoot an acs cx 55@27. Currently I'm shooting a 28" axis 400 w/100 gr brass insert with a STOS 140 gr BH and 100 gr insert. Toatl weight is just over 600gr.

[T-Bone]

I shoot a 56#@27 spirit longbow with easton 2018's and 3 gain per inch 3 rivers weight tubes and 125 grain magnus stingers work well for me and they finish out at 615 grains.

[frassettor]

I have 360 up front  on a 31" AD shaft...Is that to much weight up front? Theyseem to fly great. I shoot a 58# Longbow

[beachbowhunter]

Seems to be a real pattern here. I'm personally too chicken to shoot a wood shaft at an elk. The set up I used to take a bull this year was similar to those above. Carbon Express Rebel Hunters, 4560, with 250 grains up front - 100 grain brass insert and 150 grain 4 blade Stinger, total weight of 615 or 620 (can't remember).  Zipper recurve, 58@27.  Complete passthrough hitting ribs on both sides.

[snag]

I've got some Forgewood shafts that are dieing to take flight! They are 80#-85# spine weight with 160gr.STOS broadheads and 75gr. adaptors for a total of a little over 800gr.

[Bjorn]

Snag-those sound killer!

[overbo]

600+ gr arrows are nice but I've taken elk at 30+ yrds w/ 540/560gr arrows w/ a 2 blade Ace 160.One bull went thru the shoulder blade and centered a rib under the blade,theen buried under the skin on the opposite side.The other,it last rib on a quarting away shot and buried into the brisket.
As stated above,tunning is key.