Broadhead for elk- 2 vs 3 blade

[beachbowhunter]

Originally posted by Desert Hunter:
Ive killed 3 elk with the magnus stingers with bleeders. Easy to sharpen and come very sharp out of the package. Great penetration and blood trails also.

Add another elk to the Stinger pile, mine.

[Bill Carlsen]

Shot the moose with 60# DAS with Winex limbs, Beman MFX 340's. 29", 200 grains up front. Arrow smashed thru the big knuckle covering the heart area, cut heart, lower lungs, hit offside leg, took out a chunk of rib. Ran 3 strides and went down.

[overbo]

Been on enough bloodtrails w/ a 2 blade hit elk and spent alot of time on my hands and knees as well.If you have the horsepower(IMO 60lbs+).I would shoot those big old Snuffers.
Elk will go along ways on marginal hits.

[Shinken]

Elk will go along ways on marginal hits.  

That is FACT, e.g., a one lung hit will result in a bad outcome for the hunter and the elk.  

Major organ destruction of either BOTH lungs or heart or a combination thereof (my order of preference) by a razor sharp broadhead is necessary to put meat on the ground ethically and in a reasonable amount of time.

Shoot straight, Shinken

 

[flyfish1]

Woodsman heads would be my choice and as said before if you cant cant them to pop hair off you are doing it wrong. I have yet to see a woodsman blood trail that doesnt make more blood than most two blades. Simple math, three blades cut more than two blades bad hit or good hit.Woodsman heads have taken even the biggest of african game and at poundages most would scoff at.

[widow sax]

Woodsman elite for me did penetration test with both and did not see any difference.   Widow

[Stoutstuff]

After checking my Elk draw tag status in Colorado. It sure gets you fired up about getting serious in preparation for the hunt!Less than 3 months away!

[Zradix]

Seems to me the fletching is the most dangerous part of the arrow.

Seems like the deeper the fletching goes in the quicker they fall.

[Terry Green]

What Sunshine said....there are no specs to go by...

Bow Weight....arrow weight....draw length.

BTW, the new WWs have the point pyramided and the bevels level in the package.  Not that I can get them any sharper, but it just take less time and effort.  I've only killed critters with the 'original'.  

I also have found that the WW will penetrate as good as some of the wide 2 blades....least they did on the 3 different target mediums I tested them on.

Here's a thread for ya.....

  Click Here

I still would like to know your specs

[Montanawidower]

I vote two blades.  I have heard and seen first hand some marginal results with WW on solid rib hits on elk.  (ask Randy Morin)  I even had a grizzly 190 curl three years ago on a direct rib hit.  (I one-lunged that 6 pt bull and lost him  :(   ).  My partner hit a ducking bull in the scapula four years ago and bent an eclipse to about a 70 degree angle!  Remember, a mature bull elk is a big beast.  If you slip it between the ribs, probably anything will work.  If you are unlucky enough to center punch an old bull's rib, I would recommend a stout, narrow two blade.

[steadman]

Jeff you kinda contradicted yourself there bud. You recommend a narrow 2 blade but said you had one bend on an elk rib? I know grizzlies are good head, so are a lot of other heads. After seeing the RFA 3 blade zip through a cow moose (comparible to a bull elk) I would not be worried IF you are pulling enough weight on a well tuned heavy arrow. It all boils down to what the shooter is most comfortable with, and what he/she can get sharp and how accurate they are when a big ole slobbering stinky bull screams at then from inside 20 yards. The rest is all personal preference.

[Zradix]

I have to admit..
I've never seen a tougher looking 2 blade than an Aboyer. I have some their brown bears.

They are thick and well built, easy to sharpen..etc

I really doubt there is a much stronger 2 blade out there.

I feel the $50/3 is worth it...Though I am shooting cheaper Grizz's at deer. If I were to have a chance to step up to elk & larger with my 45# bow I'd have an arrow tipped with an Abowyer..just in case.
Might all be in my head but confidence is confidence.

BTW.. a little lead melted in the head gets them up from 175grn to 190/200 in a hurry...

[Pack]

I don't think you will go wrong either way.  I would reiterate what wingnut said that the woodsman is very easy to sharpen and will get very sharp.  I am sure there are multiple threads on how to get them very sharp. I use a 12' file mounted on a workbench. It is the easiest head to sharpen once you figure it out.

[Montanawidower]

Agreed Ryan,  sorry for the contradiction.  That did sound confusing.  Let me try again   . I love grizzly heads and most other good two blades.  I guess my point is I have seen even the best fail, because elk hide and bone is tough!  The trad guys I know around here that chase elk shoot two blades (usually based on some bad experience in the past with old snuffers and WWs).  I hope that's more clear.  

[steadman]

That is    Like said before, it all comes down to personal preference and what you are confident with. I am very confident in my 3 blades, but have used grizzlies on lots of stuff. Now, time to get practicing, Sept is not far away!!

[Rik]

A bull moose is nowhere near as hard to kill with an arrow as a bull elk. Moose go down easy.

If you hit one lung on a moose, you are likely to kill him. If you hit one lung on a bull elk, you have big, big trouble. You may find him, or you might not. But you almost certainly will not find him close.

Unless you are shooting a heavy bow (65 or more), you would be wise to get the extra penetration of a two-blade.

Yes, you CAN kill a bull elk with a three blade, and I have done it myself, but then again, my lightest bow is 75 pounds. Tip the odds a little more in your favor by going for deeper penetration.

Remember-----bull elk are the luckiest critters in the woods, and if they can make something go wrong for you, they will.

[Autumnarcher]

Thats for all the input, I kinda forgot I put this thread up, but glad I found it again.

For those wonderin about bow/arrow setup:

Thunderstick MOAB 56@27  Arrows- Surewoods,640 gr with 225 up front. AS of right now, Im leaning towards Woodsmans, but I'll likely have a couple Zwickeys inthe quiver too.

I fully agree that hit 'em in the right spot,it doesnt matter much. That said. I shot a bull a few yrs ago, Bear razorhead(no bleeders) I think my total arrow weight was around 550-575. Hit bone, got penetration to the back of the broadhead. Didnt bend the head, but it sure didnt get far. Hit 'em wrong, nothing good happens. He ran off in a hurry, with a bit of an attitude. Go figure.

[overbo]

I also beleive one must taken his effective range in consideration when choosing a broadhead arro combination.One year I was very good out to 40yrds and went w/ a 2 blade(160Ace) because of my extended range.Whether the switch would of made a difference (?) but it sure couldn't of hurt.
I did kill a bull that season,a very respectable 6x7 at 30yrds at a very quick trot(he was kinda upset w/ the bull he thought was cutt-n in on his harem),penatration wasn't a issue.
Good luck

[Joe Subler]

What, if any, experience have you guys had on elk with the Simmons Tiger Shark shooting 50 lbs and up?

Joe

[Stone Sheep]

I shoot two blade Ace 160's. That being said, hunt with the broadhead that you are most confident with. When that moment of truth comes, confidence is everything.