Broadhead for Elk

[jaredgreen]

I go back and fourth, ideally I'd like to shoot elk with a fixed blade. Been using slick trick 100 grain magnums and they've treated me well for the most part. I usually shoot around 15-20 pigs here in TX every year, and the big boars are tough to kill. I've started to migrate to G5 strikers and have noticed a little better penetration. They've also been flying better to 50 yards. Past that I'm a NAP kill zone guy. Shot a ton of WT/ and 4 mule deer with them, and they are lethal. I've shot a lot of different heads, and just can't get any real consistency of fixed heads dropping past 50. They all seem to drop past there and I hate to re-sight in for them as I'm using a Black gold ascent slider. She's paper tuned and shooting lights out. Anyone have any suggestions? Strikers are about 4" lower than field tips at 60 yards.


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Give Ramcats a try. The blades are a little wanky for practice, but I've yet to try a more accurate fix blade. Penetration is exceptional and they have a very large cut.


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[damxam]

Have used 4 blade 125 grain Stingers for years, fly great, pass through while leaving a big whole. Switched to 125g Black Hornets this year, really like them and seem a little more durable and a slightly larger cutting diameter. Plus Magnus's lifetime warranty.

 

[sneaky]

I've killed at least 4 elk, a pronghorn and several deer with Wac'Em 3 blades, and would have said the same thing as you until I lost a good bull. I can't guarantee where I hit, because it was never recovered, but it looked perfect. I will say that the blood trails were always sparse. My hunting partners have shot something close to 10 elk between them with Ultimate Steel 100 gr. Same scenario. Great penetration and accuracy. Lousy blood trails and some difficult recoveries. Bottom line, small diameter heads are a trade off. Get back to me after you have had a tough recovery with them.

Your arguments against the other heads I mentioned make no sense and sound a bit fan boy. Wac'Em's work. But I think there are better options, and THAT is the point of this thread.



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Nope, not fanboy comments at all. I owned an archery shop and sold tons of ram cats and slick tricks. Both work, as do the Wac'Em heads. I've seen poor results on both elk and deer with Montecs. Your comments probably came across as fan boyish to some people, as do mine. So be it. I'll take proven results all day long. Depending on where people hunt the ram cats won't be legal (ie Idaho). I haven't found another fixed head that will fly, and group, at 120 yards like the wacems do. Trust me, we've shot most of the fixed heads on the market, and even the ram cats didn't outgroup the tritons. The only head you will never see me using on elk would be an expandable of any sort.

 

[jaredgreen]

Nope, not fanboy comments at all. I owned an archery shop and sold tons of ram cats and slick tricks. Both work, as do the Wac'Em heads. I've seen poor results on both elk and deer with Montecs. Your comments probably came across as fan boyish to some people, as do mine. So be it. I'll take proven results all day long. Depending on where people hunt the ram cats won't be legal (ie Idaho). I haven't found another fixed head that will fly, and group, at 120 yards like the wacems do. Trust me, we've shot most of the fixed heads on the market, and even the ram cats didn't outgroup the tritons. The only head you will never see me using on elk would be an expandable of any sort.

Fair enough Sneaky. Like you, I've been around the block with almost everything out there for a long time. Everything has trade offs. Wac'ems, small wound channel. Bent blades, quiver hood fit, and pain in the butt to practice is the negative with Ramcats. Slick tricks are not field point accurate past 50 yards for me. I didn't mean to imply that it is irresponsible to use Wac'Ems, or that they can't be effective. But I do believe from lots of field data that larger diameter/ surface area heads leave better blood trails. That's not ridiculous, that's my firmly held opinion based on a ton of shots on animals. Your experience is different. That's what I love about sites like this- lots of experience to draw from. Either way, put a sharp head in the right spot, you will almost always hang your tag on it. Good hunting and shoot straight!


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[sneaky]

Yep, doesn't matter what head you shoot if you don't put it where it needs to be. Besides, they make a 1 1/4 in Triton lol. Granted, it doesn't fly as good at distance as the small heads, another trade off I guess. Good hunting

 

[2blade]

Has anyone tried the Magnus Stinger for elk. I'm practicing with them now for the upcoming Idaho elk season and they fly perfect. They are the 100 grain 2 blade. Interested in the replies. Would a 4 blade be better. I read a previous post about poor blood trails with 2 blade broadheads. I've only ever shot 1 bull and it was a spike. That was with a 3 blade muzzy. I just though a cut on contact would be better. Thank you for the replies. Hope I'm not hijacking this thread.

I've killed a few with the 125gr 4 blade, pass throughs on all, nothing went over 50 yards. If I had needed a blood trail they were easy to follow. I do however touch them up so they are sharper than out of the box.

 

[PaLuke]

I've killed a few with the 125gr 4 blade, pass throughs on all, nothing went over 50 yards. If I had needed a blood trail they were easy to follow. I do however touch them up so they are sharper than out of the box.

Thanks for the info. I'll pick up some 4 blade stingers at Cabelas tomorrow. I'll post how they fly after I try them. Thanks again.

 

[trophyhill]

RazorTricks for me. The penetration and slicing action is second to none....

 

[TJ]

One that's sharp and shoots well

 

[bushman]

Interesting thread. Most broad head threads are highly opinionated. Here is my thought for a first time elk hunter as my self. I shoot a Mathews z7 @ 60 pounds. I wanted a head and a arrow combo that would give me good penetration and fly true up to 50 yards with my given poundage. I have no problems with shooting tight groups at 50. I chose a 2 blade steelforce cut on contact 100 grain head to go with my black eagle rampage arrows. I have been an archer for years and know the boiler room is where it counts. I think if the head matches the arrow and the shooter hits the mark recovery should be fine with any broadhead. I guess I will find out if my heads perform for me or not.

 

[Fishforfun]

New guy here and wondering the same thing for my first archery elk hunt in Wyoming his year. I'm really torn between the new Rage Hypodermic P and the Magnus Black Hornet. I love Rage and the massive holes and blood trails they leave but I know elk is a completely different animal (pun intended). I picked up some of the new Rage Hypo Ps and will plan to do some testing them agains the Black Hornet.

On a side note, I'm feeling very overwhelmed for my first elk hunt with the workouts, shooting, gear buying, map studying etc. Hopefully as it gets closer I can relax and enjoy the moment.

 

[Bails-UK]

The first hunt is always the hardest, after that you start learning what to takeand what not to take, also the fitness becomes something to look forward to....... cuz you know what it's all for

 

[blackovis]

This year I'm changing things up and going with either these ones in a 125gr: G5 Montec Fixed Blade Broadhead

Or these ones in a 125gr if we can get them in stock: Solid Broadheads Legend w/ 1/2" Bleeder Blade

 

[GotDraw?]

Killed my first bull last year with the swhacker 2 blade 2" 100 grain with no problem! But going to use the swhacker 2 blade 2.25" 125 grain this year.

Bigger is not always better. Choose a broadhead that will work when the hit is sub optimal.

I'm not completely sure of the physics of your decision to use a 2.25" expandable, but my S.W.A.G. guess is that force required to actually penetrate an animal would increase at some sort of geometric progression relative to cutting diameter, i.e. it might take more than 4X the amount of force to drive a 2.25" broadhead into an animal versus a 1" broadhead.

While I can understand considering a 2.25" broadhead for deer or turkey, you might be wise to think twice on using one on elk with thicker hide, thicker ribs and 4x+ muscle of a deer. That 2" blade might not penetrate well in a suboptimal hit to a rib, etc. Also, blade thickness is the same for that 2.25" head as their smaller expandable, but the longer blade length will certainly create far more stress on the blade. If you hit a rib, then it would seem you're at higher odds of breaking a blade.

Similar physics is involved with rib strength, if elk ribs are 2x as thick as deer ribs, then they may be 4x or more difficult to break, if they are 3x as thick as deer ribs, they may be 9x more difficult to break.

It would be interesting to hear what Swhacker's tech team would say about your potential choice. They may direct you to a smaller head.

Best of luck with your hunt!

JL

 

[Mark]

I've killed elk with Thunderhead 125's.

I've killed elk with Magnus Buzzcut 125's.

This year I'm using Magnus Black Hornet 125's.

If I put the arrow in the right spot, the elk will tip over once the air is let out. If I do my part, the head will do its part.

For example...

 

[sneaky]

This year I'm changing things up and going with either these ones in a 125gr: G5 Montec Fixed Blade Broadhead

Or these ones in a 125gr if we can get them in stock: Solid Broadheads Legend w/ 1/2" Bleeder Blade

You guys carry those DRT heads. Give those a whirl

 

[Wetwoodshunter]

I think I'm going to be shooting the Ti-Con 125's by Rad Broadheads.

 

[IrishnId]

Steelforce Phathead 125's again. Have yet to lose an animal with one. Great Penetration, great blood trails.

 

[cgasner1]

I shot my first elk with a bow last year. Used a G5 t3 for the last time. I got the elk but not a whole lot of penetration. He only went 40 yards thank God. Because there was no blood trail. The shot was 25 yards. Standing broadside. Perfect 10 ringed him. Now I am only pulling 65 pounds. Sum one pulling 70 to 80 mite be a different story.. It was a heavy arrow to. Around 440 grains

I shot a bull couple years ago.with a t3 out of my 80 lb insanity at 25 yards arrow did not pass threw almost 0 blood bull went 50 yards broke ribs on both sides the problem is when you hit high lung the chest cavity has to fill before blood can spill out to track but by hitting them high like that the blood stays in and they drownd in it. Hit em high watchem die so if your bull went 40 yards the head did it's just great

Give Ramcats a try. The blades are a little wanky for practice, but I've yet to try a more accurate fix blade. Penetration is exceptional and they have a very large cut.


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[FAA_Support]

Taken with a Toxic.