My experience building arrow/broadhead combinations for hunting (Elk, Deer and Antelope)

[Ice_man]

Out of my own curiosity for this year, what mechanicals are you liking for elk? I was going to have a few in my quiver this fall for an elk hunt. Will probably be shooting QAD Exodus first, but for a backup or if I have a bull come in close in the treestand I may try out a mechanical.

 

[nphunter]

Out of my own curiosity for this year, what mechanicals are you liking for elk? I was going to have a few in my quiver this fall for an elk hunt. Will probably be shooting QAD Exodus first, but for a backup or if I have a bull come in close in the treestand I may try out a mechanical.

G5 dead meat, Evolution Hyde and Rage Trypans.

I think the dead meat will have the most penetration, no reason to only use them up close unless you’re shooting a light setup. I’ve shot all three through mature bulls at over 60 yards. I’ve posted recently some success pics with them you could search if you use the advanced search and select user.

 

[Ice_man]

G5 dead meat, Evolution Hyde and Rage Trypans.

I think the dead meat will have the most penetration, no reason to only use them up close unless you’re shooting a light setup. I’ve shot all three through mature bulls at over 60 yards. I’ve posted recently some success pics with them you could search if you use the advanced search and select user.

Sweet. The Evolution Hyde was one on my shortlist. Current set up is 420 gr arrow going about 285. I lost the last bull I shot due to what I think was a liver hit at last light. Had piles of blood where he was standing but never did recover him. Was shooting a slicktrick viper trick at the time. I've killed bulls with those in the past with great success, but am wanting something this year with a little bit more forgiveness if I'm a little far back ever again.

 

[nphunter]

Sweet. The Evolution Hyde was one on my shortlist. Current set up is 420 gr arrow going about 285. I lost the last bull I shot due to what I think was a liver hit at last light. Had piles of blood where he was standing but never did recover him. Was shooting a slicktrick viper trick at the time. I've killed bulls with those in the past with great success, but am wanting something this year with a little bit more forgiveness if I'm a little far back ever again.

I’m sure they will work great and I’d 100% prefer a big cut mechanical for 99% of the places you hit and animal. If you hit shoulder both a fixed and mechanical have the same odds of going through which are slim to none.

 

[Forestryguy]

Durability isn't something that I have had an issue with when hunting. Every arrow I've ever built has been broken off inside of an elk if I don't get a complete pass though and the ones that do pass fair just fine. I do take it into consideration though which is why I like HIT's and Glue-in's, I've ruined a pile of outserts over the years.

For general shooting durability has been an issue, from what I've seen the RIP TKO and VAP's have been the most durable arrows. I just really like the A/C arrows and how they fly down range so that what I shoot. The least durable arrows I've ever shot were Carbon Tech Cheetahs, followed by black eagle deep impacts, the black eagles carbon cuts weird and seems to be stringy and if you looked at the CT's wrong they would break in half.

Out of all of the elk I've killed durability has been similar with fixed and expandables heads. The majority have been one time use heads with maybe 30% being perfectly fine after passing though.

How would the 5mm FMJ Max work? Are the A/C arrows you are using the target arrows (4mm)?

My current thoughts on my new arrows are with the Axis arrows, 100 gr Cutthroats, Easton HIT insert, and IW collar. Insert and Collar type is dependent on shaft weight, like the up front components to equal 125 gr. Using Cutthroats will not let me go down to 4mm arrows, and the Injections are no longer made. I have built a similar arrow, without a collar, on the Axis arrows. I am going to try and find a different vane to use other than the Blazers.

I have been shooting an older Prime bow. I am thinking of switching back to my Strother Rush XT. If I can not find a newer straight riser bow that I like. I am hampered by having a 28.5" draw.

 

[nphunter]

How would the 5mm FMJ Max work? Are the A/C arrows you are using the target arrows (4mm)?

My current thoughts on my new arrows are with the Axis arrows, 100 gr Cutthroats, Easton HIT insert, and IW collar. Insert and Collar type is dependent on shaft weight, like the up front components to equal 125 gr. Using Cutthroats will not let me go down to 4mm arrows, and the Injections are no longer made. I have built a similar arrow, without a collar, on the Axis arrows. I am going to try and find a different vane to use other than the Blazers.

I have been shooting an older Prime bow. I am thinking of switching back to my Strother Rush XT. If I can not find a newer straight riser bow that I like. I am hampered by having a 28.5" draw.

The new FMJ max arrows are probably great arrows. Some people say FMJ arrows are easy to bend, I haven’t shot them enough to notice. I have had zero issues bending A/C arrows. Yes I’m using target arrows. The FMJ arrows are really nice to pull out of targets.

Strothers made great bows, my wife and both teenage bows still shoot them. There are a few companies that make straighter risers. The thing about most Strothers were that they have forgiving brace heights and longer ATA. I’d probably look at target bows, they will be more similar to that strothers than most newer hunting bows.

 

[Beendare]

Curtis,
As I said on your other thread.....I too have been killing elk for Decades with arrows. I don't like to do expensive and elaborate Arrow builds after seeing simple inexpensive arrows work just fine. I think 4mm is a solution looking for a non existant problem.

I think 5mm is the perfect happy medium. 6mm works fine too. 4mm necessitates using expensive components....and are they really better? I don't think so.

I'm getting great accuracy from $36/doz carbon shafts.....and blowing through just about every critter even with my 46# recurve. How much more would an expensive arrow build get me? Zero....and I can shoot squirrels, rabbits, grouse without worrying about losing an expensive arrow.

I think there are a few key factors to a good hunt arrow;

Shafts with good spine consistency
Perfect arrow assembly- including squaring the ends of the carbon and getting your BH's seated well and perfectly straight
BH tuning your bow
Use shafts of 9 gpi or more
Match your arrow weight to your BH- Mech heads benefit from a little more arrow weight behind them. The very efficient COC fixed heads turn any weight arrow into a penetrating monster.