elk setup

[Beanbag]

Well I finally got what I think is going to CO with me in August for elk. I got my Thunderhorn in a few weeks back and have been playing with it since. It is 58" and 56#'s at 28. I set up some GT 5575's at 28.5 with 175 up front total arrow weight is just under 500grs. Arrows are darts and go where I look if I do my part.. Put them thru the crony and they are doing 188-192 fps.I'm fairly decent out to 25 yds at this point.I'm pretty comfortable with the trajectory Just a little concerned that my shafts are a bit lite for the poundage and elk, any input??. Thaks Jim G

[Ragnarok Forge]

I would run the arrow weight up over 600 grains.  Penetration will be much better.

[Beanbag]

Clay, Would putting weight tubes or weed wacker line in do the trick? how much does that change the tuning? have never tried that yet. hate to rework the shafts.Thanks Jim g

[Warberg]

Beanbag, sounds like ur set and ready to play.
Your probley safe with your set up. If your 110% confindent in your equipment, there should be no second guessing.
Strongly incourage pratice shooting from various angles. I like to run 60 yrds or so and stop knock arrow and shoot. Its very likly you will be on a rush when time comes for you to pick ur spot behind shoulder. Muscle memory does work.   Just my thoughts
   I really love the spot and stalk game. Sure sounds like u have done your homework, Best wishes

[Beanbag]

Warberg,Sounds like you've been there an done that, lol!. Never thought to run and shoot but it'll be on my list now. just been doing the 3d thing now to get in shape. Have hunted with the compound out there a bit and usally set up ground blinds, the easy way. This will be my first time with a longbow, whole different perspective.Have had them come in when calling but never really closer than 30yds  to get a shot. I would most likely miss at that range with my longbow. I do seem to shoot better with the flatter trajectory, go figure!Thanks Jim G

[awbowman]

Did you bareshaft that setup?

Just seems as though you would be stiff with 5575s.   What is your draw length?

[awbowman]

Have you checked out Stu's calculator?

[Whip]

It does seem a bit stiff compared to my own setup, but if they are flying straight and true for you that is what matters.  You put that arrow out of that bow in the spot where it belongs and we'll be looking at pictures of you grinning over a dead elk.

[awbowman]

That's true Whip, bows are unique animals.....   I figured I suggest a 200 grain BH and see how it flies.

[fisherick]

I use a similar set up  with 29.5" gt 55/75 with a 100gr brass insert, and a 190gr broadhead from a 54# bow, flys great. About 595gr.

[Beanbag]

I tried a bunch of different things. The bow seems to like stiff. The bare shafts dart right with the fletched out to about 18yds. The broadheads (Grizzly)group right with the flecthed shafts.I'm using 3.5x 4 on the back which seems to stiffen up the shaft with the  extra lenght of the broadhead.  I shot 6 bare shafts at my deer target and all but one was out a bit.There were 3 almost touching surprised the heck out of me! I tried 200 grs up front and shafts would go right and low.I tried the 175 out of desperation because nothing was working.200,225and 250s I wanted the extra weight with the better foc. Can't shorten them any more. Just hoping I get enough penetration with this setup. Seems like the arrow is rising out to about 18-20 yds then it begins to start dropping. Hoping to get better past that 20 before I head out west. thanks Jim G

[Beanbag]

I think I got a little misleading, all were in a group  but one. It's late Jim G

[Friend]

Your proposed set-up is quite capable of taking an elk with a sharp BH, well tuned arrow and good shot placement. My concern, however is that it is far too borderline and leaves little room for error. The momentum numbers are good, however they are driven by the high velocity. Encountering resistance beyond soft tissue may prove that arrow mass is insufficient. The exponential increase in met resistance due to higher velocity may reveal an extreme loss in momentum due to the arrow's light mass contribution to momentum - expecially if something other than soft tisssue is encountered..

You will obviously find people who disagree or have had great experiences with something outside of what I am recommending. My advice errors on the side of realistic caution. Your elk hunting venture is a special venue and going the extra mile should be well worth it to you and especially to the quarry you will be pursueing.

Best of luck!!!

[Autumnarcher]

I recommend mid to upper 500's at a minimum for elk. Im shooting 56#@27 and going with a 635 arrow. Heavy arrow with a lot of forward weight.
They're thick skinned critters, every little bit helps.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

I would really suggest upping your weight to 600 grains, elk are huge animals and if you hit a rib you will need every bit of mass you can muster. I do think that your broad head choice is a good one.

[ks8674]

The most important thing is that your arrows are flying true. So much energy is wasted if the spine is wrong. I prefer an arrow about 550gr out of my 54# recurve for elk. With this arrow weight shooting out to 30 yards is not as hard as with a heavier arrow. Seems like 10gr per pound is a great starting point for me, I usually get a pass through. Elk are big animals, however, a tuned bow with a decent arrow weight and a sharp broadhead will produce time after time.

[Beanbag]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm going to try putting some weight tubes in. I have never played with them, so I"ll see what happens.How much do they affect the tuning/spine if anything at all? Thks Jim G

[Basic Instinct]

Sounds like a good setup to me, More time shooting/scouting will count for more elk on the ground. You should not have any problem getting it done with what you have.  OF course you are a ways from your hunting grounds to do scouting.

[Rik]

Here's the problem ----- If you don't increase your arrow weight, you will have that nagging feeling in the back of your mind that something could possibly go wrong and your arrow will fail to penetrate adequately. Nagging equipment worries in your subconscious is not a good thing for instinctive shootes. We need total confidence in our equipment.

However, if you increase your arrow weight to around 600 grains that nagging feeling will disappear like magic, and for good reason-----you will be shooting arrows that will ABSOLUTELY kill a bull elk.

Why err towards failure, when erring toward success is so easy?

[Beanbag]

Basic, My son is stationed at Fort Carson,getting the best long distant scouting available,just going to have him show me!.lol All kidding aside I'm pretty happy with my setup but need to satisfy my curiosity. I shot a nice cow a few years back with a compound/heavier than normal shaft 435grs and was surprised with how the Stinger 4 blade got bent up. I have a tendancy to prefer getting my shaft into the middle of the animal over a pass thru. I know I'm going to get some static for that thinking but I like to have that sharp broadhead moving around cutting everything up.You really don't need too much blood trail when the animal is killing itself by moving around.They don't go very far,that cow went up hill for about 50yds then rolled back down about 20. When we cut her open it looked like she was shot 10 times. everything was cut up.I guess some would say that it is not a clean kill, I don't know..I do realize you need enough to get in there though. I'm doing  the 3D circuit with some compound shooters. They are shooting in the 68# range and my 56#s is not getting the same penetration but it's not far behind though.It's interesting to see the kinetic/momentum thing going on, I don't know if the medium(deer target) has anything to do with it. I'm going to beef up those shafts to see what changes. The guys I'm shooting with will ##@% if my shafts start going in  as far or further than theirs. thanks Jim G