Would you hunt elk with???

[jhg]

Originally posted by Cool Arrow:
There are some of us out there that were not designed to draw a 60# bow and shoot it well....

That is a well made point.
 

I don't think it helps a lot when the guys that can pull a 60, 65, 70lb bow tell us that that is the minimum they would use on elk and by inference it therefore follows that everything under those poundages will somehow be inferior in performance. Great, if you can shoot those bows. And so continues the idea that heavier is better, and the heavier even better still. I know the intention is not to do this, but I think we all can fall prey to that myth.
Maximise the potential of the kit. Shoot a kit that maximises your form.  Without accuracy pounds are all pretty much pointless, at least in any ethical sort of way.

Someone made a good point by asking where the cut off is when going down in weight- how far is too far when any poundage can be argued to be lethal when deployed under the right conditions.

 What would that be? 40lbs? I think we should all argee there is a diminishing return regarding effectiveness farther down the scale.  But the original question suggests a bow that is not testing those limits.


Joshua

[azhunter]

What Jason and Bill said, Also Bjorn in his first post. With that setup and a well tuned arrow and razor sharp broadhead I would not hesitate.

[Barney]

 You bet. I shoot a heavier bow but not because I don't think a lighter one wouldn't work.

[LKH]

Flight of the arrow is far more critical than how fast you can send it.

When I first switched to carbons I was shooting about 550 grains out of a 69# Harrison Lobo. I only pull 27" so figure 65#.  I had marginal flight, but blew it off.  Hit 320 bull between ribs, never even made a mark inside the chest on the far side w/snuffer at 25 yards.

Cured me of accepting poor flight.

I then shot another bull w/another Harrison of about 63# at my draw.  Had great arrow flight at about 525 grains and had to pull the arrow out of the gumbo on the far side.  

It's flight that matters.  

That said, most of us will never shoot a setup that should be aimed at the shoulder blade.

[BSBD]

Well if 50 is plenty for elk and 45 will get it done, then 40 should be ok. And 35 will work if you put it in the right place. Where's the cutoff?

The NA indians mays have done it but there's a reason they were legendary for they're tracking skills.

I've hunted elk about 13 times and never shot less than 65 lbs. I was always told that you should shoot the most bow you can handle and 65 lbs really isn't that hard.

Bull elk are huge and you can't expect to always have a perfect shot with a perfect release in a hunting situation. A little insurance can only help.

[Lost Arra]

Craig Warren (bowyer, Black Timber Bows, Bow-Bolt) killed a 1040# Maine bull moose this fall with a 53# longbow, cedar shaft. Supposedly a state record for weight.

My guess is his rig would kill an elk too but maybe not. Elk are big animals.    

[Autumnarcher]

That set-up will kill elk. What is important is shot placement. Hit one in the shoulder and it won't matter if you're shootin 75#. Last trip I was on, my partner shot a bull with a 52# bow, 600gr arrow tipped with a crazy sharp 2 blade zwickey. Complete pass thru at 20 yds, bull walked 10 yds, stood there looking around for a minute, and tipped over dead. Arrow was floating in the water hole.

Shot placement is key, as is a shavin sharp broadhead. Elk have thick hides, and ya gotta cut through it. Practice out to 30-35 yds so the closer shot is a slam dunk for ya. Trust me, when you get a screamin bull comin in, you'll be shakin, and the closer your shot the better. I had to let down on a 30 yd shot once cuz my arrow was bouncin on the shelf I was shakin so much. Thats elk huntin. Never did a get a shot at that big herd bull, but I won't soon forget it either.

[Ghost Dancer]

Then their is no need for a heavier bow for elk than an average well tuned deer hunting rig despite the fact that a bull elk will weigh 400 lbs more and twice the width at the chest?  Not to mention how tough they are reported to be.

I know when I finally get to go, I will be in shape, shoot as much as I can, ensure my bow and arrows are well tuned, and my go to bow will be in the 60 lb range all just to enhance my chances.

That said many of the gun forums often discuss how the .338 mag is the most potent elk killer. That is far more gun than your avg. deer gun.

[LKH]

Yup, and the .338 is far more than your average elk rifle too.  

For many, 60 is just too heavy.  I think an archer who choses to go with the 50 because it's what he shoots well is a lot smarter than the fellow struggling with 60 because some guy who can shoot it tells him he needs to.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Is a 35 lb bow enough for elk?  Not in Washington state.  40 lbs is the minimum legal limit here.  My wife hunts with 40lbs, it is what she can pull.  She just has to shoot em at spitting range.  As in their spitting on her when they buggle.  She was 20 feet from a huge herd bull two days before early elk started this year.  She thought she was stalking a deer in a small swamp ahead of our position, and spooked him out of his bed hidden behind a tree.  I think she was more scared than he was.

An excellent point has been made above, the american indians were incredible trackers.  Lots of info on how to become a great tracker in books and on the web, plus schools on it as well.  How many of us make the effort to improve our skills in this important hunting skill?  I know I work on it every time I am in the woods. It has helped me recover some animals that took bad hits over the years.

[30coupe]

Here is the regulation for Colorado.

3. Handheld bows, including compound bows, using arrows equipped with a broadhead with an
outside diameter or width of at least 7/8ths of an inch with no less than two steel cutting
edges. Each cutting edge must be in the same plane throughout the length of the cutting
surface.
a. During the archery seasons for deer, elk, pronghorn, bear, sheep, goat, and moose, only
lawful hand-held bows may be used by archery license holders.
b. Bows must have a minimum draw weight of 35 pounds. The let-off percentage shall not
exceed 80%.
c. No portion of the bow’s riser (handle) or any track, trough, channel, arrow rest or other
device, excluding the cable(s) and bowstring, that attaches to the bow’s riser can contact,
support and/or guide the arrow from a point rearward of the bow’s brace height.
d. Bows can propel only a single arrow at a time and no mechanism for automatically
loading arrows is allowed.
e. Equipment using scopes, electronic or battery-powered devices cannot be incorporated
into or attached to the bow.
f. Hydraulic or pneumatic technology cannot be used to derive or store energy to propel the
arrow. Explosive arrows are prohibited.

I haven't hunted elk yet, but I plan to. I'll use a razor sharp Zwickey on a high FOC carbon arrow perfectly tuned for and shot from my 52# Kanati. It's about 50 percent heavier than required by law in Colorado and I know I can put my arrow where it needs to go. If I can't get close enough to do that, I'll just enjoy the hunt. A 60+ pound bow won't make me shoot any better or any farther. My creaky old shoulders won't let me shoot that heavy anyway. If I put an arrow in the chest cavity, I have no doubt that it will pass through any elk. I would have no confidence in a shot anywhere else with any weight bow.

[Gehrke145]

I get exit holes with my recurves in the low 50s and arrows around 450-500grain (28 inch dl)

[NDTerminator]

For what it's worth, I believe Fred Eichler bumped off his Trad Slam with the same basic set up and relatively light carbons topped off with Muzzy Phantoms...

I should probably clarify my earlier post. I would use my 60# limbs because I already own them and a riser to bolt them to, more than a belief my usual 53-55#@ my 28.5" draw bows would not do the job.  I doubt I would do anything different with my arrow set up either.  What I shoot every day has proven it will pass through a deer at 20-22 yards several times over, so I have no doubt it would give plenty of penetration on a broadside elk at the same range...

[STEVE R.]

You have plenty of bow , provided you are pulling at least 27 inches to get 52 pounds. Draw length has alot to do with preformance. Longer draw lengths get more speed out of lighter bows say 30" at 45pounds will out shoot 50 at 28", with simillar set ups. I put an arrow through the heart of an elk and the aeeow stopped at the offside leg bone with alot less.

[Stykbow62]

Git after it. You will be just fine with that setup.

[CallMaker]

Certainly, watch your shot and stay within your parameters and you will do just fine.

[sbschindler]

Yes you will problbly get a pass thru with that set up, given your shot distance and your equipment.

[Weasel]

Absolutely!

Jerry

[Mint]

I shot a caribou with a 52lb matlock predator X longbow with my draw length of 26" with 600 grain wood arrows with a grizzly head. The arrow broke the off shoulder and pentrated right through. The shot was 20 yards. My friend took a 6 x 5 elk with a 52lb recurve and wood arrows and two blade magnus. The arrow penetrated to the flecthing and the bull only went 70 yards.

[Mint]

Also, like an earlier post the Ashby report is an eye opener when it comes to extreme foc and that it can increase penetration greatly.