elk set up

viking421a · Jun 17, 2004

I have never hunted elk before and only hunted archery deer 2 years. I was lucky enough to draw a Nevada archery elk tag and I don't know if my deer set up is going to be enough for elk and wanted to get your opinions on it. I currently shoot a 65 lbs reflex with gold tip hunter arrows and 100 grain innerloc 3 blade broadheads. Is this a good set up for elk? If not what do I need to tweak?

TCR1 · Jun 18, 2004

If your broadheads/arrows are flying straight and your draw length is at leaste 28" you have a great set up.

RMA · Jun 18, 2004

Your set up is more than suitable. Make sure you are able to shoot out to around 45 yards. Not sure if you were hunting whitetail or muleys.
Don

Bowpony · Jun 18, 2004

Your setup is good. Dont shoot over a yardage your comfortable with. All my animals have been taken under 25 yards.I consider my self an excellant shot I have placed and won numerous 3d and Indoor tournaments.Hunting situations are generally a difficult shot dont give our sport a blackeye by taking risky shots.Hope this helps.

antlerrick · Jun 18, 2004

Your setup sounds good, but the best advise you will get is to Practice, Practice, and then Practice some more. It will pay off at the moment of truth if you are prepared and know your limits!
Good Luck
a*r

A bad day hunting is better than a Good Day at Work!!

viking421a · Jun 19, 2004

Thanks for the replies, I feel more comfortable with my set up now. For some reason I thought it was a little light. I have only bowhunted two seasons, both for mule deer which were unsuccessful. I am pumped for the elk hunt this year. I drew a nevada tag which runs Aug. 28th to Sept. 19th. Thanks for your help and advice.

viking421a · Jun 19, 2004

I forgot to mention my tag is for areas 11 and 22.

callinallelk · Jun 19, 2004

Your set up is fine. If you are in a good area it should be a cake walk. Remember don't call from clearings. And look for your shots around you, judge the distance of each shot befor you call. Don't take a head on shot. Double lung broadside and your elk won't go over 100yds.

AZtrophyhunter · Jun 20, 2004

I guess I'm screwed then because according to TCR1 my 70lb draw weight & 27 inch draw length isn't enough to bring an elk down.

DBArcher · Jun 20, 2004

I guess I have the same problem Az trophyhunter. I am 27inch draw, but only 65 pounds.

TCR1 · Jun 21, 2004

You guys are right, I meant to say 26", but upon reviewing the regulations for Nevada, that doesn't seem to apply either. Sorry for getting you all wriled up over a typo. Hope you are more patient and understanding in the woods than you are anonymously in a message forum.

Ryan

cabinfever · Jun 21, 2004

What kind of arrow speed do you get with a 27 inch draw at 65 lbs. I shoot about the same set up with gold tip carbons

cabinfever.

viking421a · Jun 21, 2004

Thanks for your help TCR1.

My draw length is a little over 29" but I don't know what my arrow speed is.

DBArcher · Jun 21, 2004

I get about 230 fps with aluminum arrows.

AZtrophyhunter · Jun 21, 2004

TCR1, you hurt my feelings!j/k I didn't even know that some states have a minimum on draw length in order to hunt. My arrows have never been chronographed, but I was under the impression that you lose about 10 fps for every inch you take off your draw length which didn't seem like a big deal. I was surprised to hear I needed a 27 inch draw, I'm 5'11" 200 lbs w/ a pretty good wing span!

TCR1 · Jun 22, 2004

I needed a 27 inch
draw, I'm 5'11" 200 lbs
w/ a pretty good wing
span!

I am very suprised as well. Are you shooting a loop with a release? I am shooting 28.5" using a Winn Free Flight release, but I only stand 5'9 and have a "normal" wingspan. That would shorten your draw length a lot. I think that of everything you can change on a bow, draw length is the most critical. It adds that much more stroke that the string accelerates the arrow through (and lets you anchor solidly in a comfortable palce). 10fps doesn't sound like much to me either. But when you start adding string silencers and other gizmos to the string, it helps to keep your arrows zipping along.

You know, I had some interesting things occur yesterday while shooting. The first thing is that the **** feather of one of my arrows came off midflight. It is a carbon arrow...think the adhesive didn't set right?

also, i had the archery shop adjust my draw length. I just noticed that they turned my Limbsavers so that the rubber side was facing me...is that right?

cabinfever · Jun 23, 2004

A guy at the local bow shop told me yesterday that he is getting 300fps only 58lbs with a 27 in draw length. Is this actually possible? And how come Chuck Adams shoots such heavy poundage. Many of his animals were kiiled with 84 pound bow.Seems like over kill to me.

cabinfever

c3 · Jun 23, 2004

cabinfever:

Those numbers are possible, but just barely with an incredibly light arrow. Both Mathews and Bowtech are making bows that will shoot nearly 400 fps with 5 grains per lbs. of draw weight.

Those are totally stupid set ups if you ask me, but the old addage still holds true. "If a little is good, a lot is better".

With the bow Chuck uses, 600 grain arrows, fingers, round wheels and 48" axle to axle length he needs 84 lbs to get the kind of speed that most of us will get with a 60 - 65 lbs set up and some of the newer cams.

His type of set up was very common in the late 80's. It made for one fast / heavy arrow that was very shootable at all distances. A release and 62 lbs with the new gear will do the same thing to any animal nearly, but it is much easier to perfect.

Cheers,
Pete

cabinfever · Jun 25, 2004

Pete

Thanks for the info. After reading Chucks book Super Slam, I was begining to think my set up was pretty wussy. I sure love the way my new hoyt xtec shoots. I have it set at 60lbs with a 27 inch draw. I shoot 5575 gold tips and I'm getting about 243 fps with this set up. I haven't killed an animal with it yet, but I'm guess'n its plenty to do the job. Thanks again for all your posts, you seem to speak from experience, so I tend to keep an eye on your posts. Thanks again.

cabinfever

c3 · Jun 25, 2004

Well, don't take any of my advice on hunting. There I suck completely. I haven't killed an animal in 12 years and it's not from a lack of trying. I spend about 60 days a year on the hills with my bow and seem to do nothing sterilize the areas I hunt, LOL!

When I last did kill animals it was with a bow that shot 232 fps with 450 grain arrows. I had 5 complete pass throughs. One even zippered a 4x3 bucks lungs, bounced off a rock and sailed 30 yards out into Mtn. Dell reservior. He then jumped into the reservoir and died. Good thing deer hair floats! My only cow elk to date was a complete pass through with that set up as well.

Now I shoot 255 fps with 430 grain arrows and am confident that I will zipper anything I shoot at. I seconded a nice 4x4 buck through the front shoulder bone with this set up two years ago.

I wouldn't worry about your setup so much as making sure you are making good clean shots.

Now if I could just learn as much instinct for hunting as I know about bows I'd have a wall full of tropheys

Cheers,
Pete