60 lb limbs ok for elk?

[quarbles]

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/showthread.php?3532-60-70-or-70-80-lbs-draw-weight
i particularly like comment #5.
ultimately, i think the argument over draw weight, specifically heavy draw weight, is the concern that someone would overbow themselves and put their abilities in detriment. but if you -can- pull it....... well, i suppose i subscribe to the theory that i'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

 

[wapitibob]

Obviously more weight helps.
The white noise comes in when perfect shots are made and the bull is lost. It's hard to do a necropsy without the animal.

 

[Scoot]

Please forgive my dissenting opinion.

Bighorse, I'm not crackin' on you because your opinion was in the minority, I'm crackin' on you because you continue to suggest that your foolish decision to take an 80 yard shot at an elk was "misfortune". If you're going to shoot that far at an uninjured animal, be prepared for more "misfortune", because it'll most assuredly come your way. If you want to reduce the amount of "misfortune" you endure in the future, skip new limbs and limit your shooting range to half that. I can keep my groups inside of an elk's killzone at 80 yards very, very consistently and I know enough to not take that shot- ever.

We all want to get on here and tout the superiority of our equipment, athletic prowess, and woodsmanship.

Nope, I was just trying to give helpful into to the OP. I'm not interested in touting (or tooting) anything. Some people clearly have other motivations.

I'll objectivly return here and post about the increase or decrease of my accuracy after the change. I'm curious too.

You may be a person who can shoot as accurately with 80 lb limbs, but not a lot of people are.


I've responded to the OP and commented on what I thought might not be helpful info. I've got no personal beef with anyone in the thread. Accordingly, I think I've commented enough in here- I won't bother responding anymore. Good luck all!

 

[Xtorminator]

Obviously more weight helps.
The white noise comes in when perfect shots are made and the bull is lost. It's hard to do a necropsy without the animal.

They're all perfect shots until you can't find the bull. Heard it more than I care to.

 

[Xtorminator]

I think where your argument fails is that archery hunting isn't supposed to long range shooting. If your bowing up to shoot farther then you're missing the point.

 

[Snipershirt]

So, this all begs the question......If you have 80 pound limbs and can shoot well constructed arrows/broadheads does your effective range increase?

Think of the long range hunting crowd and that methodology. They are not choosing a 338-06. They choose the 338 Lapua for increased velocity for a given projectile thereby optimizing trajectory and downrange performance.

So would you be more accurate stating to the OP that a 60 pound bow is good for elk inside 40 yrds? Similarly, the 338-06 is good for elk inside 400 yrds and the 338 Lapua is good inside 1000yrds.

Would any 80 pound bow shooters comment of the performance of their bows at extended ranges? Perhaps Cameron Hanes reads this.......

I shoot 80lbs and have since the early 90's which is where my original comment came from regarding 60 being the old 80. I shoot it b/c i can accurately. hasnt extended my range or what i think my max range should be.

Think this has been beat up enough. Question has been answered numerous times, 60 is plenty for elk as well as all NA big game animals. Guess I look at archery as being a CQB method.

Just wanted to make sure the OR understood that most archery shots are generally under 40 yards and that 80 yards isn't the norm or at least not in my experience but I cant speak for everyone. Wish some of the haul road caribou hunters would figure that out....lol so I don't get beat up over that one.

Cheers!

$

 

[wapitibob]

Put a 125 gr Thunderhead in the ribcage of an Elk at 80 yards with a modern 60# bow and that head will be sitting against the off side ribs, if it doesn't exit. Would 80# penetrate more? Obviously, provided all variables are identical. Problem is, they never are. Those variables are dynamic and no two shots will ever be the same.
With todays equipment I would argue "effective range" is more a condition of accuracy than KE or momentum.

 

[Bighorse]

I read ya loud and clear Sniper. 80yrds is too far. I don't know what CQB is?

 

[OR Archer]

CQB = Close Quarters Battle

 

[Snipershirt]

Sorry brother, close quarters battle.

 

[Sunspot]

You'll do just fine with 400+ grains and a decent FOC at 60#.

This...also used a fixed blade and know your range limit based on energy.

 

[KMT]

My son killed his first bull with a 45 pound bow. I am going to go out on a limb and say that 60 is enough.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Seems like this has been pretty well answered, but I have killed all of my elk with a 60lb bow.

 

[Big Sky]

This one died from a 42 lb bow at 23" you should be good to go.

 

[Bighorse]

Is that a free ranging elk?

 

[Big Sky]

Yes it is. From Montana

 

[wyelkhunter]

60 pounds is more than enough. I shot an elk several years ago at 42yds with a "slow" Diamond bow, 385 gr arrow and an expandable 60lb draw weight 28" DL. It wasn't a good shot, the arrow penetrated the near side shoulder blade and was partially sticking through the off side shoulder blade.

 

[Coveyleader]

It is more than enough. I shoot an older bow at 58lbs and I've killed the last 6 elk with it. I have only had one get out of sight. I bought the bow used and when I saw it only went to 60lbs, I didn't even worry. I was curious and shot it through a Chrono and it was only getting 230FPS. From a long time traditional shooter where my arrows were shooting 175fps, I had no worries.