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Elk Arrow Setup: How Slow is TOO Slow?

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    #91
    Originally posted by easeup View Post
    I certainly cant out think all that has been posted above. So all I can add is a word of encouragement that comes from tipping over a few of those mountain ghosts you wish to chase. All of which have been using a setup similar to what you are now leaning to (a dren pushing 425grn arrows w/100 grn fix blade heads flying ~ 255 fps). It has worked very well. Yours will too as long as you can accurately shoot the spot at the distance required. With that in mind at an extended distance, slow arrows are not your friend. Elk are never exactly where you ranged/or estimated the distance when the moment of truth comes. So you will want to be confident that you can shoot well even of your yardage guess is inaccurate. A faster arrow provides you a little margin in that respect. So your compromise to pick up some speed at the cost of a little mass is a good thing.

    best wishes to you


    Exactly why I’m backing down a few grains to pick up some speed. Shooting 476 grains at 273 FPS. Gonna back off to around 450 with a little more weight up front. Hopefully an elk gets FOC‘d up with my new set up. [emoji23][emoji23]


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      #92
      Still curious what max range you would consider shooting. I know that my equipment is apples-to-oranges compared to your compound, but I was just practicing at 30 yards with my 70-lb recurve and 680-grain arrows. They hit pretty well in a 16"x16" kill zone.
      No problem with penetration. Haven't chrono'ed them, but prolly close to 200 fps.

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        #93
        Originally posted by tradtiger View Post
        Still curious what max range you would consider shooting. I know that my equipment is apples-to-oranges compared to your compound, but I was just practicing at 30 yards with my 70-lb recurve and 680-grain arrows. They hit pretty well in a 16"x16" kill zone.
        No problem with penetration. Haven't chrono'ed them, but prolly close to 200 fps.
        you give me a broadside, un alert elk at a football field and they are dying

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          #94
          Originally posted by Michael View Post
          Come on, guys, this is FUN! It's all part of the process and I'm having a blast! I have been absolutely CONSUMED by this hunt since February. I love hunting whitetails, but I haven't been this excited about bowhunting - especially during the entire offseason - in a decade (maybe two!)

          I still have my old Pierson Spoiler that would be "just fine", but there may be (likely) better options. My cotton/polyester camo in my closet (Predator, GG, Brush Country, Bushlan, etc.) would work, but I just couldn't resist checking out the cool "technical" First Lite gear! My BCG's have worked fine for years, and yet I opted for some $30 drawers to support the boys!

          I've changed my pack, sleep system, layering system, release, sight, boots and even camera system, mostly for this trip! I've spent money on things I probably didn't need to spend. I've probably fired more arrows from my bow in the last three months than I had in the previous ten years! I'm tinkering with new broadheads and different arrows, in part simply to feed my obsession with this trip!

          In the end, I may revert back to the original and have half a dozen heavyweight pig bullets, along with a bit more knowledge about my equipment and how it reacts to different setups.


          Besides, it all makes for good discussion forum fodder! I'm enjoying the journey!
          You are attacking it the right way. All this will make the hunt more enjoyable. As far as hunting goes, there is nothing like chasing bulls in the mountains. You think you are pumped now, just wait until you get to the trailhead.

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            #95
            I killed my elk with my 29inch 10.8gpi and 100gr tips shooting around 235
            Elk walked 5 steps and fell over dead

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              #96
              My bride is getting a new knee this afternoon, but I stopped by B2B to leave my HTR with Tim to install the string and have it ready to go when we get home Thursday.


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                #97
                Michael, you are going about this all wrong. Up until I took my last elk hunt several years ago, I never used to think about arrow weight FOC and all that stuff and I was pretty successful at killing elk. Not a lot, but I did kill some. Cow, 3x3, 5x5 and a 6x6 then a massive 6x7. the cow I killed probably with a lightweight arrow as it was out of an overdraw, the others with my whitetail rig. As far as camping, backpacking, did one trip with 80+# backpacks with minimal sleeping accessories, pads, bags and such. Packed a 5x5 bull out on our backs also on that trip! Some of the freeze dried food we took would kill a billygoat, but we did not know that until we put it in out mouths! The last few trips we took we packed in and according to our outfitter, we took everything but the kitchen sink. Cots, tents, stoves, prepared food THICK sleeping pads and BIG sleeping bags along with Coleman lanterns and fuel. Like I said, we took everything but the kitchen sink! No special clothing either, just what we used to whitetail hunt in the early season to cold weather and we survived.

                Do not overthink this, just go and have fun!

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                  #98
                  Originally posted by Mudslinger View Post
                  Michael, you are going about this all wrong. Up until I took my last elk hunt several years ago, I never used to think about arrow weight FOC and all that stuff and I was pretty successful at killing elk. Not a lot, but I did kill some. Cow, 3x3, 5x5 and a 6x6 then a massive 6x7. the cow I killed probably with a lightweight arrow as it was out of an overdraw, the others with my whitetail rig. As far as camping, backpacking, did one trip with 80+# backpacks with minimal sleeping accessories, pads, bags and such. Packed a 5x5 bull out on our backs also on that trip! Some of the freeze dried food we took would kill a billygoat, but we did not know that until we put it in out mouths! The last few trips we took we packed in and according to our outfitter, we took everything but the kitchen sink. Cots, tents, stoves, prepared food THICK sleeping pads and BIG sleeping bags along with Coleman lanterns and fuel. Like I said, we took everything but the kitchen sink! No special clothing either, just what we used to whitetail hunt in the early season to cold weather and we survived.

                  Do not overthink this, just go and have fun!


                  Awesome! "Overthinking" is half the fun! The planning and preparation is the only way I've kept my sanity while waiting for September! I can't wait for the real fun to begin, though!


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                    #99
                    Originally posted by Michael View Post
                    Awesome! "Overthinking" is half the fun! The planning and preparation is the only way I've kept my sanity while waiting for September! I can't wait for the real fun to begin, though!


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                    I know exactly the feeling about planning and prep. My wife constantly tells me to shut it because its all i talk about, or tells me i overthink everything about hunting. As far as your setup goes, i think you are on the right path. Though, i have never killed an elk, i hope to get my chance next year. Have you considered a heavy micro diameter arrow? My new bow was built with next years hunt in mind. 70# triax at 29.5”shooting near full length easton axis 5mm. With 100 gr head, total arrow weight tips in at 436gr at a blazing 306 fps. Thats good enough for any game in North America.
                    If i were you, i would stick with the lighter 430 gr beeman and keep as much speed as possible to assist with pin gap. Maybe look into micro diameter shafts coupled with 2 blade coc head for increased penetration


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                      What Mudslinger said. The cleanest flying arrow will penetrate the best. Elk will generally watch the arrow right to them. Ive never seen one jump the string like a deer will do. If your current set up is tuned and flying true I would use that set up since you will have confidence in it.

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                        Originally posted by bloodstick View Post
                        I know exactly the feeling about planning and prep. My wife constantly tells me to shut it because its all i talk about, or tells me i overthink everything about hunting. As far as your setup goes, i think you are on the right path. Though, i have never killed an elk, i hope to get my chance next year. Have you considered a heavy micro diameter arrow? My new bow was built with next years hunt in mind. 70# triax at 29.5”shooting near full length easton axis 5mm. With 100 gr head, total arrow weight tips in at 436gr at a blazing 306 fps. Thats good enough for any game in North America.
                        If i were you, i would stick with the lighter 430 gr beeman and keep as much speed as possible to assist with pin gap. Maybe look into micro diameter shafts coupled with 2 blade coc head for increased penetration


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                        My wife just rolls her eyes (you can even see it a couple of times in the video! )

                        Originally posted by SL1 View Post
                        What Mudslinger said. The cleanest flying arrow will penetrate the best. Elk will generally watch the arrow right to them. Ive never seen one jump the string like a deer will do. If your current set up is tuned and flying true I would use that set up since you will have confidence in it.

                        With the string change and presumably getting the bow back in spec, a retune will be required for any setup. I honestly think the 340s are borderline weak with 125 gr head and 70# draw. This is an opportunity to see which setup flies better. I can easily (and quickly) test the Pierce 300s at multiple weights between 438-528 gr by changing tip and/or insert weights, and need only minor changes to return to the 340s at 436 gr. I'll have confidence in whichever flies best!


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                          My wife had knee replacement last Tuesday (and is doing VERY well, thank you! ), so I dropped my HTR at Brush2Bay on our way out of town so Tim could install the Vapor Trail strings and cables while I was gone. I spent most of Saturday morning at the shop testing various setups (soliciting opinions from JT via text along the way! Thanks, buddy!)

                          With new strings and cables set to timing marks, the bow was pulling 65#. I shot four different arrow/foc configurations through the chrono and decided I could probably get the combination of weight and speed by increasing the draw weight of the bow. We put in a few twists on each cable as well as taking a couple out of the string. That put the bow at 69#. I shot again and then chrono'd the Pierce arrows with 100 and 125 grain points. There was only about 6 fps difference between the two, with the 125's right at 250 fps, which is kind fo the magic number I was trying to achieve. (FTR, our buddy Jeff had built these arrows to this configuration and estimated 254 fps at 70# draw! ) I shot through paper and with a single rest adjustment was shooting bullets.

                          I spent much of the weekend shooting in the yard and trying to dial in the new React Pro sight. By yesterday evening and again this morning I am shooting really well out to 40 yards, with groups starting to tighten nicely out to 50.

                          I ended up ordering 3 Iron Will 125 broadheads for my trip. (I was actually leaning toward the Cut Throats at half the price, but by the time I was ready to order their website indicated they couldn't guarantee delivery by September.) I need to start shooting them this week! I'm hoping I can get IW's and Jack Hammers grouping together and I'll run each in my quiver.
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                            Whats your total weight on the ~250fps arrow?

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                              Originally posted by cfortner View Post
                              Whats your total weight on the ~250fps arrow?


                              528 gr


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                                JTLarkin is right, lot of over thinking going on here but that's the fun sometimes. Good luck Michael, enjoy the experience most of all.

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