Broadhead and arrow type for Elk

From what i have read on a bunch of other sites, you want aluminum arrows and fixed broadheads.

NH_Hunter

Steelyeyes is the only one on this site that i know of that has hunted elk with a bow. Only problem is i havent seen him around here for several months. Thats too bad. He was a good source of elk hunting info.

NH_Hunter

Mr Mom.

   Those Zeuwicky's look too big, I don't know how they are going to fly.

Spot

For the last couple of years I have been using NAP shockwaves. They seem to penetrate on whitetails or hogs much better than the Wasp expandables (Jak-Hammers?). They would break ribs, legs and shoulders easily, spines would stop them cold, but the deer would drop in his tracks. Any large bone hit with any of them would bend the head though. I don't think they still make the shockwaves.

Last fall, I hit a raghorn bull quartering toward me, I hit a bit higher than planned, and went through the shoulder blade and most likely hit the spine. The arrow only penetrated a foot. When the elk ran, the arrow broke, then pulled out, leaving the head broken off and in him. I got a solid one lung hit, but I could not find the elk. The blood stopped after ~150 yards and he was headed up hill. Two days of looking, yielded nothing.

I did not draw this year so I won't be hunting elk, but I a going to try a fixed, cut on impact type to see if I can get them to shoot straight. I am looking at the Montec 3 blade.

Pedro,

    Currently I use Nap pro-series Spitfires which are 3 blade mechanicals.    The work well, but I have never hit a shoulder, and have only had one shot gone wrong to date. 

     The reason I picked them is because they close again after they go through, in kind of a snap back action.  Since most the arrows I shoot go straight through the deer I figured that it's best if it doesn't go through not to cause damage when they pull the arrow out with their teeth.  The only bad shot I had happened when I didn't see a twig and the arrow caught it.  The stupid thing deflected high by about 10" and went right about a 6".  Anyway, the arrow skirted the back of the deer and didn't do any damage more than swatting her in the ass with the feathers.  I got lucky.

      With elk I think you would have to use a fixed broadhead because the arrow is going to not make it through a good amount of the time.  I also think alumin. arrows may be the way to go given the added penetration, however from what I've read and seen most shots at bulls are nearly 40 yds.  For me that's a tad bit farther than I like to shoot, and that's with the mechanicals that are more accurate. 

     I'm going to start practicing this year early just in case, but I will be hunting deer with it later.

Spot

I use goldtip 7595s with a Wasp Hammer SST so far. I'm trying out the Montec G5 this year since I like the cut on contact idea.

I think carbons penetrate as well or better than an aluminum arrow. They "settle" faster so the shaft isn't flexing in the air for as long. That translates into more force directly in line behind the broadhead. I put one of my 420 grain arrows through both shoulder blades of a 18 month old cow (about the size and age of a spike bull) at 25 yards. She dropped in seconds.

I've killed two 6x6 bulls with the same arrow. One was at 30 yards and went through a couple of ribs and got full penetration to the opposite side. The other I hit at 18 yards and 52 yards and got good penetration (the 52 yard shot was a steep quartering away angle and the arrow went in clear to the nock).

I wouldn't recommend any mechanical head on elk. Some people have some luck with them but it's just one more thing to go wrong, and when things like that go wrong the elk is bleeding already.