Wensel Woodman VS Elk Scapula ......PICS

[bob@helleknife.com]

Elk season is just around the corner...and with all the talk about single bevel broadheads this post may help some of you decide on what kind of BH you will be packing around in your quiver.

I have been fortunate to spend a lot of time elk hunting in quality areas. Taken my share of both bulls and cows and as importantly been with other hunters who have also been successful and not so successful.

I am not very optimistic that you can get through the scapula of a mature animal with the hunting weight bows most of us shoot. May be able to get through the thin part...but through the center ??? Hummmm

The good doc has done a lot of research and study on this and he could very well be right and aren't there other factors elk hunters should consider?  

Like recovering a high hit animal?

Blood trails?  You guys that shoot many animals a year have a lot of experience that most of us out West don't have.  We get one, perhaps two critters a year.  You are in a far better position to judge the quality of blood trails on two blade vs. three/four blade heads.  You decide.

If your shot is too far back, what kind of hole do you think will give you the best chance of recovering that elk?

These photos are the real deal. The first arrow centered high in the scapula and the second one was through both lungs.

The bow...60 lbs, Dacron string, arrow weight of 550 grains.

Consider this...a scapula hit is a very high hit. Say you got through far enough to take out one lung...your chances of killing that elk and recovering it are very, very slim.  One lunged elk can go for miles and in fact, may completely recover.

Even taking out both lungs you are probably not going to have a blood trail, and tracking although less than 100 yards + -  may be extremely difficult.

If you are hunting in the snow then that changes things quite a bit.

FYI...many butchers are very careful when working around scapulas...seems they find enough broadheads that can mess with their cutting chores.

While we are talking elk...in my experience, leaving an elk lay overnight really screws up the taste of the meat. Take the late afternoon shot only if you are prepared to quarter and hang him right then and there. Your efforts will be rewarded with much better quality meat.

Have a great elk season!

Bob

[tobowhunt]

More proof positive that Scapula's and braodheads are not intended to meet, unless it is on the off shoulder after passing thru both airbags. I had the same experience two years ago on a Moose in BC. I got 4-6" of penetration and followed hoof prints in the dirt clear down the mountain and into the river valley. The only thing I brought home was my tag!!

[Elk whisperer]

Bob good point on late afternoon shots elk are real hard to track in the dark. It better be a good close shot elk will spoil by the time the sun comes up the next day.

[J-dog]

single bevel would have went through!            

couldn't help myself, never shot an elk before in my life. But I have had WT shoulder stop BHds. Bone is just hard to deal with.

Later

J

[frassettor]

Intresting...Thanks for sharing  

[TurtleMountainMan]

Scapulas are uniquely bad to hit because they are a floating joint.  They give whenhit kind of like a baseball glove so in a way they catch the arrow.  I hit a whitetail doe from the ground right in the ball of the joint below the scapula.  A magnus on a 2018 chut the ball in half from my 50# recurve and turned a poor shot into a short blood trail.  Currently building Ashby arrows and they seem to really hit hard.  We will see.
TMM

[J-dog]

This year I am building some heavy arrows though I am unsure what head I will use, probably the WW. Though I will dviate from Asby's rports in the BHd department I am going to have a 650-700 grain axis arrow shoving that WW!

Though no plans of hunting elk in the near future just 115lb NC WTs, bone ot me is like armor plating for deer, have had some similar experiences as above. One I know was mine was found by a rifle hunter a year later, deer doing fine.

It are posts like this one coupled with the Doc's reports that are very interesting and really good teaching tools.

Cannot wait for more to chime in,

J