What’s Your Max Bow Range for Elk?

[Overdrive]

70 under perfect shooting conditions (open meadow, broadside), but I mostly hunt thick timber and you're lucky to get past 30 without something in the way.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

60 is my farthest pin, and that would be my limit in perfect conditions. I'm much more comfortable at 50 yards and in. My longest shot on an elk to date has been 40 yards.

 

[bow_dozer]

Top pin, I can't even begin to tell you how many elk I've passed at longer ranges. I'm not even getting excited until they are under 30 yds. I've said it before, I'll say it again, short range elk, are short range recoveries. Long range elk are long rang recoveries in my experience being around "people who can shoot"

When they are 20 and in, they are dead, no iffs ands or buts.

Wont directly disagree with this statement however I did lose a bull @ 19 yards one year.... Talk about a kick to the ego....
Following years dead bulls @ 55 and 63, maybe I have inverse pin reactions..?

 

[bohntr]

I’ve arrowed quite a few over the years……never had to shoot over 40 yards.

 

[Kilboars]

Depends if the elk is alert and looking. If feeding or bedded and unaware.. 60 max. Follow up on a wounded elk could be why I practice out to 100 everyday.

Same here


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[Kilboars]

I killed my bull last season at 75 yards. Totally unaware, perfect broadside. I would have liked to have been closer, but that was as close as I was getting in that situation.

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What’s your set up?


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[Mojave]

My Blaser identifies as a bow when it has been drinking. So 800 yards.

 

[bsnedeker]

What’s your set up?


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Hoyt Ventum 33, 70#, 29.5" DL, shooting a 530ish grain arrow with a 2-blade Kudu with bleeders. Arrow hit a little high, middle of the vitals, complete pass through, stuck in ground about 15 yards past the elk. Bull went about 75 yards and piled up.

So yeah, good result but I would have preferred a closer shot. The scenario was absolutely perfect though...no wind, stationary broadside elk, I was shooting from the edge of a meadow that he was in the middle of so I had all the time in the world to range, adjust my slider, get a solid anchor and aim point, and let fly. He didn't react until after the arrow went through him, and neither did any of the cows that he had with him.

I do practice with broadheads out to 80 on a daily basis so I was very confident in my ability to put that arrow where it needed to go.

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[5MilesBack]

When they are 20 and in, they are dead, no iffs ands or buts.

The worst hit I've had was from 17 yards. Ya, it was in the rain and I couldn't really make out any details.......but I just didn't want to gut shoot him in that rain and moved about 1-2" too far forward and hit him squarely on the knuckle on a slightly quartering to me shot. Had that bull been at 40 or beyond, I am 100% confident that I would have double lunged him. Three years later I shot the bull in my avatar from a similar quartering to me angle, but from 30. It hit about an inch above the knuckle and an inch left and blew through the lower part of the shoulder blade. That bull went 37 yards and was done. But I'd much rather have them at 40-50 for a better sight picture IMO. If I can see the top of his back, his belly, and his front leg, then I know exactly where my pin is on his body. Looking through my sight guard and seeing all tan covering the entire guard is not the best sight picture for me.

 

[trophyhill]

No minimum or max for me. I won't put limitations on myself. The day i do that is the day i hang it up. And besides, where i hunt elk, you usually cant see past 40 anyways. At least not good enough to thread an arrow through that crap. But i will tell you the furthest was 40 yards + or - and the closest 6' and a number of different yardages in between. My goal is up close and personal. That 6 footer was intense! Lemme tell ya!

 

[Maverick1]

Too many variables. It depends.

 

[Brooks]

I like to get them in as close as I can so I don’t have to spend the next couple of days looking for a bull I’ll never find.

 

[trophyhill]

The worst hit I've had was from 17 yards. Ya, it was in the rain and I couldn't really make out any details.......but I just didn't want to gut shoot him in that rain and moved about 1-2" too far forward and hit him squarely on the knuckle on a slightly quartering to me shot. Had that bull been at 40 or beyond, I am 100% confident that I would have double lunged him. Three years later I shot the bull in my avatar from a similar quartering to me angle, but from 30. It hit about an inch above the knuckle and an inch left and blew through the lower part of the shoulder blade. That bull went 37 yards and was done. But I'd much rather have them at 40-50 for a better sight picture IMO. If I can see the top of his back, his belly, and his front leg, then I know exactly where my pin is on his body. Looking through my sight guard and seeing all tan covering the entire guard is not the best sight picture for me.

Yeah those knuckle shots suck! I shot a bull at 40 yards in the Gila in 2017 and swore i just made a great shot. Perfectly broadside. I heard him crash and everything! I was fist pumping and thinking about all the photos i was going to send my buddies of my first 350+ bull!

Well after hearing him get up and fall for the next 45 minutes, i wasnt fist pumping anymore and made my way toward where i thought he was. When suddenly he jumped up about 50 yards to my left with a GoldTip sticking in the knuckle, and ran off like there was no tomorrow. I still aim for the center of the > knowing it could happen but at least i won't gut shoot one and the animal will live to rut another day if i hit that knuckle.

 

[Sunbkpk]

50 yards with perfect conditions, calm animal looking away. 40 yards otherwise for me. Seen a sudden move take a great shot to a complete miss. I can put it in the kill zone reliably at 80 yards but save it for followup shot on wounded animal.

 

[Coveyleader]

The worst hit I've had was from 17 yards. Ya, it was in the rain and I couldn't really make out any details.......but I just didn't want to gut shoot him in that rain and moved about 1-2" too far forward and hit him squarely on the knuckle on a slightly quartering to me shot. Had that bull been at 40 or beyond, I am 100% confident that I would have double lunged him. Three years later I shot the bull in my avatar from a similar quartering to me angle, but from 30. It hit about an inch above the knuckle and an inch left and blew through the lower part of the shoulder blade. That bull went 37 yards and was done. But I'd much rather have them at 40-50 for a better sight picture IMO. If I can see the top of his back, his belly, and his front leg, then I know exactly where my pin is on his body. Looking through my sight guard and seeing all tan covering the entire guard is not the best sight picture for me.

There are always ifs ands and buts with archery, but for me, it seems the closer they are, they fall over way quicker. Maybe shot placement, not sure, but I've been on a lot of elk trails and I'm not sure why, but even good shots at 30-40 yds, it seems like we're trailing those elk for 100-150 yds. Did it twice last year. Mine shot @ 20 "didn't go 20"

 

[BowForElk]

Depends on the situation but I like to keep 60 as a max in almost all situations.

 

[Burnsie]

Longbow with heavy arrows - inside 30 for me.
I've passed up several decent elk that would have probably been a chip shot for most guys
proficient with a compound. But that is the path I've chosen, no regrets.
Check this one out - no range finder required - Skip to about the 7 minute mark if you
don't want to watch the full thing.

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

I am comfortable out to 65 yards for an elk but where I have hunted in the past you are looking at whitetail distances because of the thick timber. Most shots would be inside 30 with a long one being 40.


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[5MilesBack]

There are always ifs ands and buts with archery, but for me, it seems the closer they are, they fall over way quicker. Maybe shot placement, not sure, but I've been on a lot of elk trails and I'm not sure why, but even good shots at 30-40 yds, it seems like we're trailing those elk for 100-150 yds. Did it twice last year. Mine shot @ 20 "didn't go 20"

There are always variables with every shot, but a BH through the vitals should always equate to "a BH through the vitals" regardless what the distance was. I shot a bull from 59 yards quartering away and the arrow lodged in the offside shoulder, so only one hole.......and he left this about 40 yards into his run. That was the first of 4 or 5 of those blood pools before he toppled over.

 

[Dave_]

I feel like this thread may be misleading to a new elk hunter. Sure perfect conditions I would consider a 60 yard shot. (Depending on my amount of practice and confidence level that year). But always prefer as close as I can get. My longest was about 50. I also lost my first bull at 20 with an arrow into the front knuckle.

If you are a new elk hunter or any hunter who has never or rarely drawn back on an animal. You don't know how your mind will react in the moment. It can be hard as hell to talk your brain out of a shot after you draw. I feel like most people try to press or rush a shot, especially if they think or subconsciously think they are about to loose that opportunity. If your not 100% confident in your bow and your abilities or you are prone to target panic or buck fever i would really think about limiting your distance. But that's up to you.



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