50# not enough...really?

[Andy Cooper]

I shoot a 50 pound bow and it is plenty to kill anything I hunt in Pa. If I were hunting Moose or Elk I would need a heavier bow.

Another poster wrote this in one of the other forums here. It got me thinking. Is 50# really not enough for elk?  I've only hunted elk with traditional equipment once, and couldn't get closer than 40 yards to a 6x6 on three different days (same bull.) I was shooting a 60# Blacktail Elite at the time.

Lately, I've been shooting an old 50# Martin Hunter. I believe with 600 grain arrows and a scary-sharp Magnus BH, it would be fine for elk. BUT, I haven't the experience to back it up. What say ye?

(I'm asking because I'm about to order a new Great Plains Swift SR...and am thinking of staying with a 50#'er if I don't need to go heavier)

[COLongbow]

I'll be hunting elk this year with my 48# longbow and a 515 grain arrow with a 2 blade Magnus Stinger. This setup chronos at 182 fps, so I feel I have plenty of penetration if I keep my shots under 20 yards (which I would with any bow/arrow) and make an accurate shot. Bows these days have much more performance that make really heavy poundages somewhat unnecessary, IMO. I shoot this weight very comfortably which allows me to have good accuracy.

[COMPOUNDLESS IN CONCRETE]

I would say 50 is capable of killing a moose or elk.  Fred Eichler got a complete pass through on a moose with 54#.  I have never killed an elk but I know plenty who have, one of which has killed both with a recurve at 52#'s back in the 80's before he made the switch to wheelie bows.  More poundage is only an advantage if you can pull it smoothly and keep good form, which is paramount for accuracy.

[Lost Creek Bows]

50# is plenty for anything with a sharp broadhead, and good arrow weight. Just my thoughts. Chad

[just_a_hunter]

There are pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and a few mor pages of this topic here. The search feature is awesome and a great tool.

Good luck to you in the future, and yes, your 50# bow is enough in my oppinion if your arrows are true and broadheads sharp..

Todd

[Whip]

Commonly held opinion seems to be 55# as a minimum for elk and moose.  But there are plenty of them that ended up in people's freezed from an arrow shot from bows with lower draw weights.  

Lots of factors come into play.  

A high performance modern bow versus a self bow.  

Carbon arrows versus wood.

26" draw versus 30" draw (given that same weight at full draw the longer draw will out perform)
 
Two blade versus four blade broadhead.

Perfectly tuned arrow versus a shaft that isn't spined properly for the bow.

20 yards and under versus 30 or 40 yards.

And the list goes on. And those factors listed don't even take into account shot placement.  Not all 50# bows, or arrows shot from them, are created equal.  Pay attention to the details, and put the arrow exactly where it belongs, and you can certainly kill large animals with a 50# bow.  Higher weights simply provide an extra margin of error.  Bow weight is just one of many factors that need to be considered before you can decide if your set up is adequate for the job.

[MSwickard]

53# Griffin w/ 678 grain carbons w/ 27% EFoC should do the trick.

[yolo]

My wife, god rest her, got tired of me being gone during elk season in New Mexico so she took up the bow. Being small I bought her an original bear kodiak magnum in 45# thinking she would only go a few times. Boy was I wrong. She never missed another trip. She practiced everyday and became a damn good caller.Long story short over the next 15 years she killed 6 elk. Some cows, some medium bulls. Using the zwickey big 2 blade head, cedar shafts. I used a fox longbow at 65#. None of mine died any quicker than hers. One thing I noticed, the arrows would penetrate 15 to 18 inches and while the elk ran away the arrow floped around doing massive internal damage. Shaft almost always broke off with head inside. We had a great private ranch with lots of what we call Chama bulls. Little rag horn 5's and such. All were shot at 25 yds or less. We never lost one she shot. I cannot say the same.

[Cottonwood]

A buddy of mine used a 50# last year to take his elk at just 6 yards.  He is our rep here in my area of Montana for the Montana Bowhunters Association.

[Zradix]

Peteward.com has an article on a 41# Rodney Wright stalker taking a moose.

[Andy Cooper]

Originally posted by just_a_hunter:
There are pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and a few mor pages of this topic here. The search feature is awesome and a great tool.

Yeah, I found that out after I posted. Thanks for the reply!

[ChuckC]

Just be mindful of legal limits imposed by each state.

The rest is up to you
ChuckC

[snag]

Sure you can kill an elk with a lower poundage bow. It's all about shot placement. Same with a rifle. Some say don't hunt with a .270, only .300mag...a .270 has killed a lot of elk. But this is about archery, isn't it.   Just be careful of the state regs. Here in Oregon you MUST have 50# to hunt elk.

[vtmtnman]

Here in VT 60# is the legal min for moose.I believe they have that limit more for the wheel crowd.

If it was legal I'd use my 54# Schafer with no second thought.I don't think I'd go lower than that though,but that is merely my own choosing.

[bmb]

when i go elk hunting im using this bow weight...
 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=091001  i will go with a lil heavier arrow that im tuning right now....but i will say that it probably wont be over 500grs. SHARP BROADHEAD AND SHOT PLACEMENT is key

[brinkwolf]

Yes a 50# bow will kill just about anything you want to hunt on the North American continent. But I figure if you can shoot a heavier bow accurately and have no problems with it then why not use a heavier bow. It's like buying a Ferrari, sure you will never get it up to it's full speed on the highway and a cheaper car will do the same job but if you can afford it you might aswell have one. As for the 270 vs 300mag I have had both and both work well but at longer ranges that 300mag carries a whole bunch more energy with a bigger/heavier bullet for big Elk than that 270 does. This of course when you start stretching the range out to 400/500yds and trophy class Elk. Then again a 338mag would be even better if you can handle it.

[Zradix]

I like a lighter bow.
If I was sitting still in warm weather for a few hours at a time it would be one thing.
I sit in sub freezing temps quite often and I tell you what..a 50# gets feeling pretty stiff to me.

[The Butcher]

When I started bow hunting, 36 years ago, a good friend (older gentleman) gave me the best advice anyone could give.  "If you take a high percentage shot, you will have high percentage results. Period" I believe that holds true with any weapon.  As for 50#, I have no elk experience, but have zipped through deer like they were made of air. A good sharp 2 blade broadhead, and a heavier shaft do the trick.  Just my opinion.

[RC]

I like what you just said Butcher " Take a high percentage shot you will have high percentage results". Quote of the week.RC

I have not taken an elk (not from lack of trying), but, I have taken a 670# Kudu in Africa with a 50# at my draw length longbow. I think shot placement might be a little more important with the lighter weight but it definitely can be done effctively.

Bisch