Who uses Mechanical Broadheads For Elk?

[TimberHunter]

I did not want to post this question on AT simply due to the many “seasoned elk hunters” on AT that have never been on an elk hunt before...

I know the use of them greatly depends on bow and arrow specs. Please include all the specs plus the head you use and how it has worked for you.

Personally I’ll be having a 455 grain arrow going near 270 FPS and I’m considering using a grim reaper 1 3/8” razorcut or a head like sevr (new mechanical that came out last year) to minimize the chance for a deflection.


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[KHNC]

I shot my elk last year with a Grim Reaper razor cut. Fixed blade and mechanical trail blades. Easy pass thru on ribs at 33 yards. 70lb Bowtech Realm X, 436gr CX pass thru extreme arrow.

 

[molliesmaster]

Without sounding too critical, can I ask why you would consider a mechanical?

 

[TimberHunter]

Without sounding too critical, can I ask why you would consider a mechanical?

Good question... I want the most forgiving setup because when chasing elk, shooting form can go down the tube quickly. And because I want the most accurate projectile I can get to allow me to make the most ethical shot I can


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[molliesmaster]

Good question... I want the most forgiving setup because when chasing elk, shooting form can go down the tube quickly. And because I want the most accurate projectile I can get to allow me to make the most ethical shot I can


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Fair enough. But do you ever get concerned about penetration, durability, and failure to deploy?

 

[TimberHunter]

Fair enough. But do you ever get concerned about penetration, durability, and failure to deploy?

I do... that’s why I’m asking for personal experience here.

Not matter if it’s bow hunting or rifle hunting I tend to lean to the most accurate when it comes to my weapon of choice. Example: my elk rifle is a 270 win that shoots 130 grain ballistic tip handloads at only about 2940 FPS. But at approx .75” 5 shot group at 100 yards. Many would say that’s under powered but about 2 months ago I put that load into an elk at 511 yards and it blew out the other side of the elk and resulted in a one shot kill. I did the same with a mule deer earlier in the year at 499 yards but my above load is more than enough for mule deer


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[Sammckeeth]

I've taken a few elk with mechanicals. Last years setup was a 510gr fmj at 275 with a 100gr grim reaper razorcut. The broadhead poked through the hide on the exit side on a 70 yard broadside shot. In the past Ive used rage hypodermics on arrows from 400-460 grains with great results. The bows I shot the hypodermics off of were 80-85lbs with a 31" draw that produced some crazy performance.


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[Felix40]

Ive been back and forth a lot on this topic. Ive been super happy with spitfire magnums on deer and hogs. The only elk Ive killed were with fixed blades but I have pretty much decided to use the spitfires on elk this year. Im shooting 520 grain arrows at 291 fps and they dont even slow down going through a deer. I hope they will do well with elk too.

 

[wapitibob]

60#, 420gr arrow, spitfire 125's.
Put it where it belongs and they die, quickly.

 

[bowtech3dhunter]

The last 3 bulls I’ve killed 50,60,55 yards were all killed with Spitfires. All clean pass thrus. I’m shooting a 400 grain arrow about 290


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[5MilesBack]

75lbs, 520gr arrow, 296fps, GR Fatal Steel 125gr 1.5" 3-blade over the top. No passthrough, hit the offside elbow and stopped. Bull was down in 2.5 seconds, 30 yard shot......6x6.

70lbs, 500gr arrow, 285fps, NAP Spitfire 125gr 1.5" 3-blade over the top. No passthrough, lodged in offside shoulder. Massive blood trail, hard quartering away, 59 yard shot, bull went 80 yards....6x6.

70lbs, 500gr arrow, 285fps, Ulmer Edge SS 125gr 1.5" 2-blade cut. Quartering away passthrough center mass, even went through offside humerus leg bone from 54 yards, spotty blood trail, went about 400-500 yards to last blood where he bedded down and never found another drop of blood. Should have been liver (right side) and at least one lung.......6x6. Found the bones the next year laying in a brushy gulley about 1/4 mile from the last blood. We even scoured that whole area for 11 hours and never found him the day after the shot.

Sold the Ulmers, won't use anything that small again. Everything else has been shot with fixed blade heads.

 

[Kilboars]

I shoot the 125g 2'' two blade Wasp Jar-Knives for many years and I've killed a 300+ 6x6 with these and a couple of 250lbs boars hogs and many big game animals over the year. They are the only BH I shoot unless I have to use fixed blade. They truly fly like field points, spin great and I've gotten many pass throughs.

They are also very safe and easy to hunt with meaning, the blades are concealed in the ferrule so you can never cut a string or yourself by accident. They hinge open simple with a strong rubber band so there is no issue of them not opening and if one ever does open by mistake you simple roll the band back up and the blades are closed and your back to hunting. I can shoot these at targets forever and just keep rolling the rubber band back up and shoot again.

That's my 2 cents;-)

 

[wapitibob]

A pass thru isn’t something I worry about.

 

[Beendare]

I was 5 for 5 with mech heads on elk many years ago....but i don't shoot them anymore for multiple reasons.

 

[TimberHunter]

The last 3 bulls I’ve killed 50,60,55 yards were all killed with Spitfires. All clean pass thrus. I’m shooting a 400 grain arrow about 290


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Seems like a fairly light arrow, has had the penetration been on those shots with a 400 grain arrow?


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[TimberHunter]

I shoot the 125g 2'' two blade Wasp Jar-Knives for many years and I've killed a 300+ 6x6 with these and a couple of 250lbs boars hogs and many big game animals over the year. They are the only BH I shoot unless I have to use fixed blade. They truly fly like field points, spin great and I've gotten many pass throughs.

They are also very safe and easy to hunt with meaning, the blades are concealed in the ferrule so you can never cut a string or yourself by accident. They hinge open simple with a strong rubber band so there is no issue of them not opening and if one ever does open by mistake you simple roll the band back up and the blades are closed and your back to hunting. I can shoot these at targets forever and just keep rolling the rubber band back up and shoot again.

That's my 2 cents;-)

What are your bow specs?


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[TimberHunter]

I was 5 for 5 with mech heads on elk many years ago....but i don't shoot them anymore for multiple reasons.

Can you explain a bit more?


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[Kilboars]

What are your bow specs?


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#70 Prime Centergy Hybrid with 30” DL.


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[Beendare]

Can you explain a bit more?

you are just trying to make me tick off my buddies that like mech heads aren't you? /grin

In all of the elk I've seen lost by a mech head, I think that more penetration would have killed that animal...inc gut shots. Except the one my buddy hit in the lower leg with a Rocket Steelhead....nothing was going to kill that elk.

Its all about your system. So a mech head guy that understands the plusses and minuses of his system will be fine. Stay away from the shoulder, take good soft target shots. Check your system for good arrow flight.

Many factors; I shoot a fairly heavy arrow [ in both compound and stickbow] with a highly efficient BH that penetrates like crazy- I want that added penetration. These will out penetrate any mech head. I can take shots that I wouldn't take with a mech head to get one into the boiler room. Marginal shots? NO, its all about knowing what your arrow can do and animal anatomy.

Then my heavy blade COC head makes it easy to test every arrow. I don't ever have to worry about a rare case of spine problems or blades popping loose, etc.

Potato, PotAH- to

 

[bowtech3dhunter]

Seems like a fairly light arrow, has had the penetration been on those shots with a 400 grain arrow?


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All of those arrows penetrated all the way through the animal and buried into the ground on the other side.


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