BroadHeads for Elk hunting

[MN Hunter]

I'm thinking about changing broadheads for the upcoming elk season. I want to try the Iron Will broadheads. My question is are they worth the money and if so which series should I try?

Thanks.

 

[LostArra]

Is there some problem with the broadhead you are now using?
I don't mean this question to sound like an argument but I've always wondered why people change broadheads if they are killing stuff.


(During "these trying times" I'm trying to spend less rather than more.)

 

[Boxerboxer]

Is there some problem with the broadhead you are now using?
I don't mean this question to sound like an argument but I've always wondered why people change broadheads if they are killing stuff.


(During "these trying times" I'm trying to spend less rather than more.)

When your name is MN Hunter you may not have put a broadhead through an elk before, that's probably why he's asking.

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[Swede]

I have used quite a few different broadheads over the years. They have all been deadly on elk. One nice thing about Iron Will broadheads is that, if you have a quiver full of $50 arrows. That should make you think before you launch a hail Mary shot.
Here are the considerations that go through my mind when I chose a broadhead. 1. Is it sharp right from the box? I don't want to start off trying to sharpening a dull broadhead. I am really not all that good at sharpening stainless steel. 2. Is it sturdy. I don't want one that breaks when it hits bone. I have to admit that a broken feral or loose blades have never resulted in a lost animal, as they do not go to pieces until they are lodged in a moving muscle. 3. Does it have good flight characteristics? There is a compromise in #3. Good flight characteristics on fixed blade broadheads are best with those that have the shorter blades and a smaller diameter, like Slick Tricks. They fly like a dart, are deadly and hold up well, but an elk will often go farther before collapsing. This is because animals hit with a broadhead die from massive hemorrhaging. The less you cut the longer it takes for them to die. Larger diameter broadheads cut more, but may be a little less stable in flight with cross winds, or if your setup is not well tuned.

 

[Boxerboxer]

I have not shot these through an elk so take what I say and with a big grain of salt, but there are several good options that aren't nearly as expensive for really solid durable cut on contact heads. The Cutthroat from Rocky Mountain Specialty Gear and the VPA 2 or 3 blade come to mind. You can find plenty of info here and elsewhere from people who HAVE sent them through elk.

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[justin davis]

You won’t be dissapointed. Iron wills are awesome. Well worth the price

 

[Laramie]

I have taken elk with a variety of fixed and expandable heads. They all worked just fine as long as I put the arrow through both lungs. Shoot something you are confident in and put your arrow where it need to go- elk die just as easy as whitetails imo.

 

[Fridaythe13th]

I look at it differently. Why skimp on the 1 thing that touches the elk.
I spend $300 in gas, $1000 on a bow and $3000 on stuff just for camping.
A person can use a $3 walmart broadhead if you hit a elk perfect everytime. But it when it's a subpar shoot that makes a good broadhead.
2 years ago I used shuttle T lock to take a cow. A good shot she ran 60 yds
Last year I smoked the front shoulder of a bull with my iron well he ran 300 yds before we found him. Not sure a lesser broadhead would have done that.

 

[Ripnbst]

I have taken elk with a variety of fixed and expandable heads. They all worked just fine as long as I put the arrow through both lungs. Shoot something you are confident in and put your arrow where it need to go- elk die just as easy as whitetails imo.

Well I think that makes you the first person I've ever met who thinks elk are not more tough than Whitetail deer. I use Muzzy Broadheads and while I've never put one through an elk I have no reason to think that they wouldn't do the job if I put the arrow in the right place. Something else to keep in mind is the arrow in its entirety. A heavy strong spine is what is going to help drive that arrow all the way through the animal. The broadhead is just one peice of an overall system that needs to work well for your bow and draw weight.

 

[D.Rose]

I usually buy and try at least five different broadhead types and models before every hunting season. I always hype up and create some great expectation out of each broadhead I test out... Then when season comes I screw on some QAD Exodus and go hunting. Havent found anything yet that checks all the boxes like the Exodus. To me it is the 30-06 of broadheads.

 

[Laramie]

Well I think that makes you the first person I've ever met who thinks elk are not more tough than Whitetail deer. I use Muzzy Broadheads and while I've never put one through an elk I have no reason to think that they wouldn't do the job if I put the arrow in the right place. Something else to keep in mind is the arrow in its entirety. A heavy strong spine is what is going to help drive that arrow all the way through the animal. The broadhead is just one peice of an overall system that needs to work well for your bow and draw weight.

I never said they weren't tougher at all. They are a much stronger animal that can sustain marginal hits much more than a deer can. However, in the 40+ elk kills I have been a part of in one way or another, when the shooter has placed his arrow or bullet through both lungs, the elk has expired very quickly, just like deer do. Only catch one lung, gut shot, or questionable angle and it can turn into a really bad day.

 

[LostArra]

I usually buy and try at least five different broadhead types and models before every hunting season. I always hype up and create some great expectation out of each broadhead I test out... Then when season comes I screw on some QAD Exodus and go hunting. Havent found anything yet that checks all the boxes like the Exodus. To me it is the 30-06 of broadheads.

I have similar feelings about Vipertricks although I recently bought two packages of Exodus when I found them on sale.

 

[LostArra]

I never said they weren't tougher at all. They are a much stronger animal that can sustain marginal hits much more than a deer can. However, in the 40+ elk kills I have been a part of in one way or another, when the shooter has placed his arrow or bullet through both lungs, the elk has expired very quickly, just like deer do. Only catch one lung, gut shot, or questionable angle and it can turn into a really bad day.

I agree with Laramie. An elk's cardiovascular system is so darn efficient that it becomes their undoing when it has two leaking holes.

 

[Swede]

Personally; when I find a quality broadhead at Walmart for $3.00; I'm buying. I bought every Slick Trick broadhead in stock for about that price a couple of years ago, and when they restocked I bought them out again. I kept going in to see if I could get more even though I already had a lifetime supply. Camofire often has some good broadheads at a good price.
I don't care to buy some very expensive broadhead when I can get high quality at about 10% of the cost.
There are a lot of good broadheads available on the market. Certainly saying you tipped over an elk in 300 yards is nothing to brag about. I dropped one two season back and it never left the spot it was standing when I hit it. Last season one went 135 yards before it tipped over. Any good broadhead will get the job done. It's up to you to decide how you spend you money. All I am saying is that elk shot with any quality broadhead will be just as dead with one brand as another.

 

[Roughwater]

Like a lot of things it's up to the shooter. There are god knows how many brands of Broadheads out there. They rank from not so good for Elk hunting to the best you can buy. I'm no expert for sure but I read a lot and, see a lot of videos and trust certain folks to tell it like it is. If you got the money and want the very best, Iron Will, Day 6, Solids, in my mind are at the very top. A short step down there are the slick trick's etc that can be had for much less money and will probably do the job 90% of the time. For some, the extra insurance isn't worth the money, for some it is. It's your call. Whatever you use keep it ultra sharp all the time. Personally I'll be using Day 6 if I have the money at the time I need to start testing my broadheads. But if I don't I'll probably do the slick tricks but I also have some new Quad Exodus, Magnus Stinger Buzz cuts and some Hornets that would likely work. If I already had the Day 6 broadheads then I know for sure what I would use.

 

[Swede]

Roughwater: No offence intended, but if a S.T. broadhead does the job 90% of the time, what is the percentage with Day 6 broadheads, and what is your basis for making your assessment? I tend to think all, or almost all failures of quality fixed blade broadheads are really shooter errors, and no broadhead can compensate for such errors.

 

[johnw]

I like the Iron Wills and would recommend the S Series...I have killed elk with both the v100 and s100. The vented definitely have a whistle to them as they are going down range, I switched to the solid to lose the whistling sound. They stay sharpe and don't dull quickly after a few shots into foam. The consensus is they are more expensive because they are built with better materials (A2 Tool Steel) than cheaper broadheads and can hold up in applications that would cause other broadheads to fail.

Born and Raised did a few videos on youtube testing a variety of broadheads that would be worth watching - they give their opinion on the most accurate, toughest, most consistent, sharpest, etc...there are also a few decent podcasts on the topic.

IWs are certainly not something that you NEED, if it doesnt fit your budget, save the money and go with a cheaper broadhead. If you have the money, they are a good option.

 

[Fridaythe13th]

I like the Iron Wills and would recommend the S Series...I have killed elk with both the v100 and s100. The vented definitely have a whistle to them as they are going down range, I switched to the solid to lose the whistling sound. They stay sharpe and don't dull quickly after a few shots into foam. The consensus is they are more expensive because they are built with better materials (A2 Tool Steel) than cheaper broadheads and can hold up in applications that would cause other broadheads to fail.

Born and Raised did a few videos on youtube testing a variety of broadheads that would be worth watching - they give their opinion on the most accurate, toughest, most consistent, sharpest, etc...there are also a few decent podcasts on the topic.

IWs are certainly not something that you NEED, if it doesnt fit your budget, save the money and go with a cheaper broadhead. If you have the money, they are a good option.

Did the vented fly the same as the solids???

 

[md126]

Any sharp cut on contact broadhead on a heavy arrow will do the trick.

The ability to resharpen is a big plus too. It will allow you to practice with them more often.

 

[Roughwater]

Roughwater: No offence intended, but if a S.T. broadhead does the job 90% of the time, what is the percentage with Day 6 broadheads, and what is your basis for making your assessment? I tend to think all, or almost all failures of quality fixed blade broadheads are really shooter errors, and no broadhead can compensate for such errors.

No offence taken.

I feel a solid cut on contact 2 blade broadhead like the Day 6 offers a stronger blade set up with more potential for surviving a heavy bone hit like the shoulder of an Elk than a slick trick. I also feel it has a better potential to penetrate a large bone and keep on going especially when using a suitably heavy arrow designed for Elk hunting.
The slick trick also is not a true cut on contact blade so would offer a bit more resistance than a super sharp cut on contact blade. Do I think the slick trick is a good choice, of course, it would be my choice ahead of all but the best of the solid 2 blade designs. If cost were no object I know which one I would use without thinking twice about it.
But cost is an real object so there is a decision to make. If I had a lifetimes worth of slick tricks like you say you have maybe a slick trick would be my choice too even though I feel the Day 6 is a better choice for Elk hunting.