Heavy arrow setup for Elk

[CMKRobot]

Hi all,
I am planning an elk hunt this fall and just purchased my first compound bow Prime ION, 62#, 27" DL, 252 fps with Easton Axis 4mm 340 spine 427gr arrows at 16.75% FOC Carbon cut @ 27" and half out 50 gr insert and 125 gr field point. Right now I am practicing and building my strength. Would like to get up to 70# by September

I am trying to figure out how to set up my arrows for hunting, I think I need a heavier weight. I have Slick Trick ViperTrick Pro 125 gr that I planning on hunting with but need help figuring out what the rest of the arrow should look like.
Fletching 3 or 4?
Straight, angled, or helical?
I am thinking 300 spine...
Thank you.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Your current arrows will work just fine. qSpine says 340 spine is slightly stiff of "optimal" at 70#. There's no need to switch to 300 spine unless you're going to add significantly more weight to the front of your arrows.

Bow inputs: 330 fps IBO, 70# DW, 27" DL, 31" ATA, 7.25" BH, 85% LO
Arrow inputs: 27" C2C, 125 gr point, 50 gr insert, 9 gr nock, 3 vanes at 6 gr ea

 

[wapitibob]

I shot 425 gr at 60# 29.7" dl and my last slick trick went almost full length on that Bull. I'm shooting 50# this year and have zero concerns. Spend your time at the range and you'll be just fine; the biggest bone in front of the vitals is a rib.

 

[Maverick1]

Agree with the above. Your current setup is fine.

 

[ddd-shooter]

If that's your first bow, you slinging thirty arrows a day the rest of the year will do FAR more than increasing arrow weight.
You'll go right through if you did your job.

 

[CMKRobot]

Thank you for the quick reply. It looks like I am set, Just need to keep putting arrows down the range.

 

[nevadabugle]

Only thing I would add is ensure the tune is spot on. A perfectly flying arrow will penetrate light years better than a dirty one.

 

[CMKRobot]

Only thing I would add is ensure the tune is spot on. A perfectly flying arrow will penetrate light years better than a dirty one.

Are you able to elaborate? Not sure if I fully understand what “dirty arrow” means. Any links I should be looking at?

I have heard about left and right turn fletching based on how bow turns arrow, but they recommend right twist to make sure broad heads don’t unscrew.

I have also looked at paper tuning and still need to do that.

 

[nevadabugle]

Are you able to elaborate? Not sure if I fully understand what “dirty arrow” means. Any links I should be looking at?

I have heard about left and right turn fletching based on how bow turns arrow, but they recommend right twist to make sure broad heads don’t unscrew.

I have also looked at paper tuning and still need to do that.

Sorry. Just mean that a perfectly tunes arrow, flying straight will always out penetrate an arrow that is flying poorly. With a reasonably weighted arrow that is flying straight, penetration should be good on an elk.

My wife has killed a few elk, including a 380 bull, with a 46 pound recurve and 525ish grain arrow. Arrows have always stuck in offside ribs for her.

 

[Read1t48]

Don’t forget a SHARP fixed blade broadhead to go with a tuned arrow. Sharp broadheads are underestimated especially with lower weight arrows, short draw lengths, etc.

 

[nevadabugle]

Are you able to elaborate? Not sure if I fully understand what “dirty arrow” means. Any links I should be looking at?

I have heard about left and right turn fletching based on how bow turns arrow, but they recommend right twist to make sure broad heads don’t unscrew.

I have also looked at paper tuning and still need to do that.

A drip of blue loctite will keep those points secure no mater the helical direction. Even without loctite I've only ever had one broadhead come loose with a left helical, and that was a giant gobler guiotine broadhead that I shot straight up in the sky at a goose. Let's just say the arrow was flying through the sky for a loooooooong time.

 

[nevadabugle]

Don’t forget a SHARP fixed blade broadhead to go with a tuned arrow. Sharp broadheads are underestimated especially with lower weight arrows, short draw lengths, etc.

This.....

 

[SEIdaho Hunter]

I understand why people are going with heavier arrows but I like to get a medium weight arrow that shoots faster. I shoot a 420 grain arrow out of my hoyt and get 297 fps. I got a complete pass through on my 2020 elk. Speed helps keep the arrow shooting flatter and dropping less. If my yardage is slightly off, a faster arrow will be less effected. My local archery shop charges very little to change fletchings. Try a helical setup and see if you like it. Shooting a heavier or lighter arrow is less important than being accurate and not taking shots with poor angles.

 

[CMKRobot]

This is really good insight, please keep it coming. One thing I just read about the heavier arrow is that it makes the bow quieter. Any thoughts on that?

 

[nevadabugle]

Heavier arrow will definitely make a bow quiet. As long as it's properly tuned. I'll be taking a 600 grain arrow on my Nevada bull hunt this year. But....I only shoot a 50 pound recurve so a little extra weight can help make up for the 185 FPS.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

This is really good insight, please keep it coming. One thing I just read about the heavier arrow is that it makes the bow quieter. Any thoughts on that?

A heavier arrow will definitely make a bow quieter. The string/cables/limbs/cams are all moving slower with a heavier arrow, which means there's less energy left in those components to produce noise/vibration after the shot. Quieter is no doubt better, but it's debatable how much quieter the bow actually gets as arrow weight increases and how much of an advantage that noise reduction actually is.

Some claim that animals "jumping the string" or "ducking the arrow" is due more to the sound of the arrow in flight than to the sound made by the bow. I don't have a strong opinion on that claim, but it seems plausible. Noise reduction is a good thing, but I choose my arrow weight in pursuit of maximum penetration at a tolerable trajectory, not in pursuit of a quieter bow.

 

[commandoNate]

I too dabbled in pacifism. I mean heavy arrows. Not in nam of course.

Seriously though, I'm similar weight and draw as you. 27.5" draw at 65#. My last arrows were something like 512 grains, then the set I'm using now are 460ish and I'm up to just a touch under 270 FPS. Bow is still plenty quiet. Hardly a noticeable difference in my opinion.

On my heavier arrows I was disliking how the arrows were dropping so much at 50+ yards. If I got a perfect range before the shot I was plenty accurate but we all know how that moment of truth in a hunting situation can be.

And on a final note, a bull's shoulder blade will still stop a 512 grain arrow at 30 yards, ask me how I know.