Elk & Light Draw Wts!!

[ElkNut1]

This is a question that comes up quite often! Many hunters are concerned with what weight should there Bows & Arrows be for an elk hunt? Lot depends on the intended State to hunt, some states have laws regulating draw wts & arrow wt minimums. Those always need to be part of the final setup! Generally 40lb--45lb are the going poundages with some in the 50lb category! Elk can be taken with 40lb compounds at those shorter draw lengths in the 25" plus range with todays modern equipment!

There are many considerations when helping young ones or wives conqueror the needed skills to take on an elk hunt! What are some of the most important ones hunters should consider when teaching & readying others for a future elk hunt? Please share your thoughts as there are many who would appreciate them! Thanks!

ElkNut1

[Swede]

Never just shoot at an elk. Only shoot at a precise spot on the elk. Know where you are placing your arrow. Of coarse I know there is more area on an elk than on a turkey, but pick a precise location and aim like you were shooting a rabbit a mile away. Shooting at just the elk can leave a wounded animal and the hunter spending much valuable time trying to find their quary which may be miles away. It is painful to wound an animal and not retrieve it. You just don't know for sure if it was a nonlethal wound or if it died somewhere and you could not track it down. If you shoot a light setup, limit your range. I am satisfied that 40# is sufficient to kill an elk, but keep your range down to 30 yards or under. Learn to be patient. Also, I have killed quite a few elk with arrows that weighted under 360 grains. With a 67 lb. bow I still keep my range down to 40 yards or less. Finally always shoot only razor sharp broadheads.

[bowgy]

I think one of the problems with a light weight bow is if you hit a rib dead center. You can make an otherwise perfect shot but if the bow is light and you have to break through the rib you might not get much penetration and only one lung and the elk could run a long distance before dying with little blood trail.

[Lefty]

Im an avid goose hunter and my daughters and wife use 20 gauge.
We know its about shot placement and knowing the limits of your set up. While the 20 gauge is certianly kills them dead to 35 yards I limit their shooting to 25 yards.

My bow was at 46 lbs. both arrows made clean pass throughs on the cow I shot at 25 yards What should the limiting factors be?
Well I dont ever expect to be shooting 70 yards at any draw weight or any arrow weight

We need to consider what can go wrong and what to expect.
Light arrows, light draw weight, slower speeds,.. just need closer shots
How light Im not sure

[planebow]

On the lighter poundage bows I would highly recommend a cut on impact broadhead. Had a 13 year old girl in our bowhunter ed class that got a cow with a 35# compound.