With all the broadheads on the market and assuming the "the one you can get the sharpest",
What broadhead do you feel is your "Gold Standard" for elk hunting with reasonable poundage traditional tackle?
I'm asking for the guys who've actually killed elk, and why they consider that particular broadhead, blood trails, recovery distance, penetration, ease of sharpening in the field, durability, etc.
So what is that ONE broadhead for you that you compare all others to?
Have only shot one elk.
Zwinkie delta 2 blade
2 holes
80 yard recovery
easy to sharpen
very strong
Used them for a lot of years on deer.
If I was told I had to choose one head to hunt with forever and that was it. I would choose the magnus stinger four blade. I am starting to like VPAs as well. I have not yet killed an elk with one though.
There are tons of good heads out there, and I don't think any stand head and shoulders above the rest. I use Zwickey 4-blade Deltas, Abowyer single bevel Wapitis, and 2-blade STOS. I almost always have at least two of the three in my quiver when elk hunting. And, yes, I have killed a few elk with them.
I'd have no compunction about using a half-dozen or more other heads. Put the arrow in the right place with a sharp cut on contact head, and they'll all do the job.
I'm sure there are western hunters with more lills than me but I have taken a few. I have used the G5 Montec and Slick Tricks to take Elk. My arrows this year will have a 3 Blade VPA broadhead. 200 grain on my trad gear and 100 grain on my training wheel bow. I got a complete pass through with the Montec and slick trick but the Montecs were dull as can be after the shot. The slick tricks performed well but the VPA just bores holes in animals. I have not taken an elk with a VPA yet but I have several trad guys that are avid elk hunters and that is all they use. They have had multiple kills. They convinced me to make the change this year and I am glad I did. They are not cheap but well worth it in my opinion. The other advantage to the VPA style head is you can shoot them, sharpen them up and go get back at it.
I've killed all my elk with Bear Razorheads but wouldn't hesitate to use Zwicky's or Ace heads.
This will be fun thread..
Shooting 55# long bows I've killed elk with:
thunder heads
zwicky 2 blade
magus 4
and woodsman. The longest recovery was 100 yards.
Shortest was 40 yards (2 with in sight). Today my favorites are Woodsman and Grizzlies... I now this does not help... sorry...
Don't know if this counts but I shot an adult female moose with a 200 grain Razorcap and she was down in 3 strides. Bow was 60# and the arrow was a Beman MFX 340.
QuoteOriginally posted by Bill Carlsen:
Don't know if this counts but I shot an adult female moose with a 200 grain Razorcap and she was down in 3 strides. Bow was 60# and the arrow was a Beman MFX 340.
Yep, counts for me!
Killed two with Zwickey Delta 145 gr. NO tracking as both fell within sight.
I prefer a non-vented three blade head. Never had a issue with penetration. Its my gold standard.
Bob
There are a multitude of components leading to a successful Elk kill and the broad head is just one. I am by no means a seasoned expert but the two that my son and I killed died with easy recoveries, mine died within earshot at 30 yds. We used Abowyer Brown Bears and will do so again this year.
well, I think this will yield a huge number of varied responses. I am personally sold on Simmons Tree Sharks, but I also pull 68lbs at my 32" draw. I have a lot of extra zip behind that big broadhead. I also have only killed one elk with a bow, so take it as a poorly researched opinion. I do know that elk die real quickly if you get both lungs with a bullet or a blade.
No elk kills here, but my cow moose was with a 3great blade rfa on a wood shaft. I think gold standard, especially on elk, is confidence and a well made head. Which there are a bunch. Oh and listen to Randy :thumbsup:
I've used Stos and Abowyer Wapiti heads in the past. After in the field experience seeing how well those heads penetrate (complete pass throughs) I will be shooting a 250 gr 3 blade VPA next year. I am confident it will have plenty of penetration and give me a slight advantage on blood trails. My logic was to err on the side of caution at first so I used a 1-1/8" 2 blade first then a 1-1/4" two blade and now I'll go to 1-1/8" 3 blade and probably stop at that now that I have confidence based on my own experience. I shoot 58-59#s @ 29" w/ 600gr arrows.
QuoteOriginally posted by FerretWYO:
If I was told I had to choose one head to hunt with forever and that was it. I would choose the magnus stinger four blade. I am starting to like VPAs as well. I have not yet killed an elk with one though.
Same here
Any sharp head except expandables. Stay away from them. I personally use Zwicky of several models
I don't think one broad head is going to do the job any better than the next one is as long as they are really sharp.
I do not care for the real wide blades that could cause penetration issues hitting a rib side ways. i personally prefer the woodsman style with the 3:1 wedge ratio. i've seen those split an elk rib and still get a pass through no problem... i also prefer 9" of cutting edge over the 5" you get with the two blade.
the most important thing is being able to sharpen them easily and keep em that way.
NBK...one thing you might do ; is take a look at back issues of Traditional Bowhunter magazines...I always look closely at the equipment others are using successfully...
NBK,
Seriously consider Grizzly two blade single bevel. Shot my first elk this year with one, 50# @28 with Doug Fir arrow using a 140 Gr broad head. Complete penetration with exit wound at 25 yds. I like them because they are tough, strong, and easy to sharpen especially with a KME. As others have said, there are MANY great broadheads but I think the single bevel two blades have some good data to back them. Good luck!!
Disclamer: never taken an elk
I am using a 200 grain (with insert) single bevel Tusker Concord. Shoots through 2x6 boards so I suspect it will work on elk.
Pumatrax, I do that all the time and I'd say that zwickey and Magnus two blades seem to pop up frequently.
JApple, what poundage and draw length were you pushing? I've never used the grizzlies but based upon design they sure seem like a benchmark broadhead to me.
I appreciate the opinions based upon personal development, like the example of moving to three blades because of more than adequate penetration with lean two blades.
And if I had as much horsepower as Trumpkin I'd shoot those flying hatchets too!
NBK,
I use a Sarrels 3 piece LB 50@28... I draw around 30.5 so I'm shooting about 57#? Good luck in your quest, lots of great advice on this site.
J
Nice topic
of the elk ive shot with a bow zwickey eskimos have worked great. First one I shot was with a 74lb widow ma at 7 yards about 20 years ago (how the hell did the time go by) elk died at around the 40 yard mark stone dead. After killing 4 deer with simmons interceptors I would not hesitate to put this to work on elk.
We are trying to put and elk hunt together again, this is very interesting. We talked to some of the locals that were successful, several years ago when we tried to put an elk trip together. One wheelie guy was afraid his expandables would fly apart when he went for more pounds to get a faster arrow. No matter what spine shaft he tried,he found that his favorite expany thing had an upper speed limit when he test shot them. So he got Howard Hills and sharpened them exactly like the instructions said. He said that he had never seen anything go down so fast and bleed so much. Must have been a good hit. Another that has shot a few elk with a shorter draw from a 50 something pound Schulz longbow used razor sharp Hunter Heads and got the same results. They both are now using 140 grain Hills for deer and claim them to be all around superior. The wheelie guy still uses a file and is convinced he is right, the longbow shooter buffs his to a razor edge and is convinced he is right. Another recurve shooter uses 4 blade Deltas for deer for the blood trails and uses only two blade Escimoes for elk. It is really interesting that we have so many workable options. I always hear about how tough elk are, all I run across are success stories. I wonder what does not work.
The head I took out west was a Vintage Archery Tuff Head. Super durable, easy to keep sharp in the field. I did not kill an elk with it, but it zipped through a mule deer in Wyoming so quick I thought I missed ;)
I believe in this single bevel 3:1 style for heavy boned animals.
5x5 40yd shot 2 jump recovery 2 blade zwickey.58# Black widow 550 gr arrow.I shoot 52# now i use a 160 Grizzly sharpened with a accurate sharp.
I shot my bull this year with a 160gr VPA three blade in front of a douglas fir shaft. total arrow weight of 620 grains out of a 56# longbow. Had a complete pass through at 20 yards and the arrow was stuck in the hillside afte exiting the elk.I use this set up for everything from coyote to deer to elk.
Stone sheep, I checked out the thread on your bull this year, wow great animal! ( nice looking bow too!)
Things I've SEEN not work (not all mine!): 1) strange angle shots 2)hitting too far forward in the chest 3) missing ;) 4) shooting entry too far back on hard quartering 4) having a BROADHEAD FAIL WHEN HITTING BONE it was a Montec G5 through an 80 lb bow. Razor sharp and broke at threads.
The Eclipse 145 grain with bleeders is my preferred broadhead, regardless of the critter being hunted. Took my AK Moose with an Eclipse out of a 58# selfbow but no elk with one. They fly good and are really tough. I Have used both Magnus 125 & 145 grain and 190 Grizzly's successfully on elk.
With all the quality broadheads on the market, find the one that flies best out of your setup then concentrate on your accuracy and arrow flight.
Well I hate to say it but I have shot 3 elk and no recoveries. First one was about 25 years ago with an 79# wheelie bow easten 2419 with a 125 thunderhead. Shot was from 25 yds low and behind the leg and up to the vanes. Never would believe an animal could drop that much blood and still live.
Second was another 6x6 with a 60# long bow and Wensels broadhead. Can't blame the broadhead on this one 14 yds and the hit was dead in the shoulder blade. :knothead: Pick a spot.
Third was a 5x5 at 29 yds same bow and head. Got 16 1/2" of penetration high and behind the shoulder. Couldn't find a drop of blood.
Hopefully the 4th is a charm and not the third. :pray:
Good and honest thread.
TTT.
Are there more successful elk hunters out there?
VPA three blade 250gr. Quartering away 25 yds. Blood trail Stevie Wonder could have followed but the bull only went 10 yds or so. 55lb Bushbow
I've shot a couple with Simmons safari heads. One crappy shot in front of the shoulder on a cow. Pass through and she made it probably 600 yards before tipping over. **** a bull perfect at about 25 yards. Head just poked through opposite hide in meat of shoulder. Watched him tip over. I will continue to use the safari head for all the big critters I hunt. Moose in Alaska this year!
I've been several times, but never got a shot at an elk! I would not hesitate to launch one of my arrows tipped with one of my 150gr German Kinetic Silverflames at any elk out there though!
An elk is way up there on my bucket list too!
Bisch
I've killed em with magnus 2's, stinger 4 blades, werewolves, and wouldn't hesitate to use grizzly, tuffhead or vpa. They go down quick when you put a SHARP broadhead where it belongs. Hit bone and you will wish you had a single bevel head and some weight behind it.
5x5 bull, Harry Elburg Grizzly 160 grain broad head with home made cedar arrow. 66lb. Elburg Condor longbow. It was a complete pass through double lung. The bull flinched, kept browsing and dropped.