Elk Archery Equipment Question

Joe2Kool

Joe2Kool

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Posting this in the Elk and the Archery forums.

Gonna update my 20+ year old bow in preparation for an upcoming Arizona elk hunt. (Positive thoughts!) For those of you that archery hunt elk with a compound bow:

Draw weight?
Total arrow/broadhead weight?
Arrow speed?

Thinking my current whitetail setup is a little light at 55#, 380 grain, 250 fps, for 53 ft lbs energy.

Thanks.
 
“It’s not the bow, it’s the Indian.”

Plenty of elk are killed with setup’s similar to what you’ve described. That said, I would say to shoot as heavy a draw weight as you can draw back cleanly without the sky draw. I’m currently shooting a 70# draw and 490ish grain arrow. I plan to move to an 80# bow and 525 gr arrow this year.
 
I shoot the mathews V3 a
At 28.5 draw at 70lbs with a 460gr arrow and I sunk my arrow in a frontal 20yard shot at a bull this year. Guys who think that weight beats speed are wrong. THAT BEING SAID, you do need enough Weight to carry your arrows KE out to say 60 yards or so. I love the 460-500 range. Beyond that really never showed enough energy to speed ratio to matter.
 
Joe2Kool said:
Posting this in the Elk and the Archery forums.

Gonna update my 20+ year old bow in preparation for an upcoming Arizona elk hunt. (Positive thoughts!) For those of you that archery hunt elk with a compound bow:

Draw weight?
Total arrow/broadhead weight?
Arrow speed?

Thinking my current whitetail setup is a little light at 55#, 380 grain, 250 fps, for 53 ft lbs energy.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

There's lots of younger and female hunters killing elk yearly under 55#.

Buying new stuff is fun, but I wouldn't do it based on your setup
 
Go as heavy as you can to get your KE as high as you can without sacrificing speed. There is a sweet spot on most set ups where the heavier you go your speed drops of significantly and your KE stays about the same.

500 and up is just way to high unless you are shooting a really long draw set up that is spitting arrows out fast enough to justify it. The 400-450 range is usually pretty good for most Peoples set ups.
 
If you can pull it, 65# at least. 500 grain arrow with good FOC. good solid fixed blade head like a QAD exodus. Pay attention to your tuning. Elk are killed all the time with less, but no reason to mess around with something less than you can run.
 
Thanks guys. I plan to definitely increase draw weight and arrow weight. Don't know that I'll be pulling 70+ lbs though as I'll still hunt whitetails with it. Cold mornings in the stand have a way of reducing one's maximum draw capabilities.

Although I've only used my current setup on whitetails, I've never had an occasion or reason to think it was the limiting factor, or reason for a miss or wounding and not recovering.

But, after almost 25 years, it's time for an upgrade!
 
Joe2Kool, you're approaching this correctly. A bit more arrow mass and velocity will help. Remember Kinetic Energy = 1/2 Mass x Velocity Squared. Eastons Archery has a great site for KE calculation. Another factor is broadhead performance. I was quite impressed with the Rage Hypodermic's during last fall's elk hunt.
 
I'm with you and the direction you're going.

I agree with the cold morning from a deer blind or stand. I'd look for something with a smooth draw if this is a concern.

IMO with todays tech 60-65 is a real sweet spot for a bow.

I'll add one more item to your research list, high FOC. Start out with a very light arrow and add weights to your insert and a heavier broadhead. I'm running a light weight Black Eagle with 125 Ram Cats and an extra 80 grains behind the insert. IIRC, it's about 22% FOC but a medium weight arrow so speed is still good.

The higher FOC yields better penetration and potentially better long range accuracy.
 
I would also consider draw weight and let off in relation to how long you can hold the draw... If you've drawn back and don't immediately have a clean shot, even just 15 seconds van feel like forever holding the draw.

Congrats on getting the go ahead from your wife.!
 
Battlewagon said:
Joe2Kool, you're approaching this correctly. A bit more arrow mass and velocity will help. Remember Kinetic Energy = 1/2 Mass x Velocity Squared. Eastons Archery has a great site for KE calculation. Another factor is broadhead performance. I was quite impressed with the Rage Hypodermic's during last fall's elk hunt.
Click to expand...
Being an engineer, I'm all over the KE calculation. :D :D That's why I'm curious about weight and speed. A draw weight and arrow weight are important to know, but gotta know that speed to get the nitty gritty details.

Slick8, good info on how to obtain the higher FOC. Never knew there were inserts to increase weight on the front end.

Thanks again to all.
 
Last year my wife killed a bull. The shot was a quarter to at 25 yards. She is shooting was shooting 52# 408TAW. She buried the arrow to the fletching. The bull traveled 75 yards and broke the arrow and the broad head worked its way out the other side. This year she shot a good size December mule deer quarter to at 28 yards with complete pass through. I’m a firm believer of 7.5 to 8 grains per pound.
 
Joe2Kool said:
Being an engineer, I'm all over the KE calculation. :D :D That's why I'm curious about weight and speed. A draw weight and arrow weight are important to know, but gotta know that speed to get the nitty gritty details.

Slick8, good info on how to obtain the higher FOC. Never knew there were inserts to increase weight on the front end.

Thanks again to all.
Click to expand...

You can Google foc calculations. It'd pretty simple by finding the balance point of a fully loaded arrow.

Imo, it's the most overlooked portion of arrow development when you're considering large game and or long range shooting.
 
I agree ^

I shoot 80lbs, 595 grn arrow, and a 30.5" draw, but that's an unusually heavy setup. If you can bump up to 60-65# I would, but arrow weight and really good FOC is most important in my experience. Your pin gaps may be a little bigger, but you will love the penetration. I agree that elk are killed every year with light setups by older men, women, and such, but that doesn't mean it's ideal.
 
I've shot multiple elk with 52lb longbows. Arrows roughly 9.5 grs per pound. 2 blade heads. All but one was a pass thru, the one hit low but I still got it.

Compounds, 60lbs, 462gr arrow, 275fps, 4 or 3 blades, all but one was a pass thru.
 
3blade said:
I've shot multiple elk with 52lb longbows. Arrows roughly 9.5 grs per pound. 2 blade heads. All but one was a pass thru, the one hit low but I still got it.

Compounds, 60lbs, 462gr arrow, 275fps, 4 or 3 blades, all but one was a pass thru.
Click to expand...
Around 77 ft lbs from 60 pound pull. WOW!!

Thanks.
 
Choose a good BH, when I first looked into hunting elk I figured i needed a bigger broadhead then I use for deer. Nope, bigger = less penetration and heaven help you if you hit any bone. I use a smaller BH for elk. Your setup is ok guys kill them with recurves. I would prefer "more" KE but it is not needed.
 
like said above, your setup should work. Can’t blame you for wanting to upgrade, if it’s been 20 years. Mine is 60# limbs, maxed out at 63#, 420 gr. total arrow weight. I don’t know what the speed is nor the energy, but I’m only 28” draw length, and got complete pass thru at 32 yards on last bull. Since I’ve had shoulder surgery before, I would never consider any bow over 60#, because I know I don’t need it.
 
I would definitely upgrade your 20 year old bow. Speed and weight is the most important. I used to shoot 80lbs from a golden eagle cam hunter in my 20's now I shoot a 64# hoyt spyder in my 50's, the arrow is faster than the 80#'s I used to shoot. Bow design has come such a long way that the poundage doesn't necessarily mean power. speed and weight mean power and a modern bow at 55# might throw the same arrow/broadhead combo as a 20 year old 70# bow. Complete pass through with 64# 2022 MT bull.
Elk 1.jpg

Elk 1.jpg

 
Joe2Kool said:
Around 77 ft lbs from 60 pound pull. WOW!!

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Yes, its a fast bow. Bowtech BTX-31 that ibo's at 350fps and according to my chronograph it does ibo at 350fps. I've been shooting 60lbs for a long time but when I gradually dropped down from 80 to 70 then 60, because of the trajectory I decided I would never buy a bow that didn't ibo at 340fps. This has worked well for me for the last 15 years and my shoulder loves the lower weight.
 
If you do get a new setup get it sooner then later, usually new strings stretch out and may need replacement this way you have plenty time to get your new setup dialed in.

Also if you can, keep your current bow as a backup for your hunt. GL in the draw.
 
nmbighorn said:
If you do get a new setup get it sooner then later, usually new strings stretch out and may need replacement this way you have plenty time to get your new setup dialed in.

Also if you can, keep your current bow as a backup for your hunt. GL in the draw.
Click to expand...
I second this. I've had two bows blow up on me in the last 30 years. I guess that isn't bad unless it happens to you hunting and then you need that backup. I always take two on long trips.
 
I'm at 70lbs and 480grn arrow and like it.
My setup before elk hunting was 380gr and going to 480grn made a huge difference in penetration on targets.
not sure on speed
 
I would try to get a bow and weight combo that shoots a 450-550 grain arrow and head at 290-320 FPS. So, get that weight up until it can deliver that speed. I wont explain why, but that is my approach.
 

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