Wondering what the thoughts are on how many "slugs" of momentum needed for an elk out to 50 yards with a recurve and a really sharp broadhead?

Not sure what you mean by “slugs.” Is that pounds? And I wouldn’t take a 50-yard shot.

I am with Barry Wensell: bowhunting is a sport of how close not how far.

I am with Barry Wensell: bowhunting is a sport of how close not how far.

I have read momentum is referred in slugs and kinetic energy is in ft/lbs. I'm just wondering when you're doing your arrow/bow set up what the numbers should look like. Personally, I have never taken a shot at an animal more than 30 yards, so I agree. I'm thinking 525- 600 grain arrow out of a 49# recurve shooting 170FPS should be sufficient out to 30 yards and maybe even 40. Just wondering. I appreciate your responses.

I definitely can NOT shoot that distance accurately/consistently. I'm out to 30 and that's about it. I'm going to stick with the 600 grain as well. THX.

I've never killed an elk... but I've killed "elk sized" animals. I'd start that conversation around .48 slugs based on a quick calculation of 600 grains and 180 fps... my estimate of what my 50# Chinook could do.

Jar

thx Jarhead. that's the set up with my new Xyphose. It came in 49# at 29". 170fps with 600g's

What is a Xyphose?

Bushmen Bows Steve Jewett

You got all the set up in the world for elk my man... now... let's talk about that 50 yard shot! You have exactly 35 more yards of range than me!

That's nearing the cost of an American made Gibson 335 semi-hollow guitar and above my pay grade. Steve does make beautiful bows and good performing ones to boot. I found the name interesting, and the closest I could come to that is Xiphos from Greek that refers to a short sword.

yeah, I'm not about to take a 50 yarder, even if I was consistent. I don't think I can guarantee the target will stay still. LOL

George, I think you are right on! And, that Gibson sounds nice too!

yeah, I'm not about to take a 50 yarder, even if I was consistent. I don't think I can guarantee the target will stay still. LOL

George, I think you are right on! And, that Gibson sounds nice too!

We talked to Steve at ETAR shortly after he started attending there. He was a delight to sit and chat with for a while and his bows then were beautiful too.

I used a 57# Chek-Mate Hunter with Easton Legacy 2020 shafts and 160 grain Ace Express heads. Was just under 10 gpp. That provided a predictable trajectory out to 30 metres.

Littlehorse, I am NOT a hunter but I agree that a 50 yard shot is NOT a good idea???? Maybe if You were Howard Hill or Paul Schaefer ?? ( BOTH RIP) A case of closer is BETTER! GOOD HUNTING & BLESSED BE!

A lot of guys have killed elk with different bow and arrow combinations. Mine was my 67# 1996 and my 1997 Bear Kodiak Takedown, 9.5gpp to 10gpp tapered maple arrow I made with a Magnus Classic broadhead. Fletched with three 5" left wing shield fletching. The maximum I'd shoot at an elk with my set-up is 30 yards.

From my years of experience actually bowhunting for elk rarely does a 30 yards shot present itself if you are hunting where the elk live during the day, thick dark black timber.

thx Kelly. Makes sense. I'm practicing out to 30.

I have whats caled the pine cone shoot where I can shot at and hit a pinecone at 50 yards. 610 grn. I would never shoot at an elk that far. To much can happen that is not good like stepping forward.

I’ve never hunted elk but I’ve been within feet of more than a few in Rocky Mountain National Park (and walking on a sidewalk in Estes Park). I’m not saying I would shoot at 50 yards but I know bow hunters that would have no problem hitting an elk in the right spot at that distance. Of course the circumstances would have to be perfect.

I grew up listening to Fred Bear movies where the narrator said more than once that the bow hunter has to close the distance to 30 to 40 yards (The Oldest Game, my favorite Bear movie) or 40 to 50 yards ( a goat hunt). I realize the mood has changed over the years and now if it’s past 17.4 yards it’s too far but, based on watching people at 3D shoots there are people that can shoot better at 40 yards than some other can at 15.

I’m not saying that everyone should just launch arrows at any range but I do support people that have the ability shooting at a longer distance than people that don’t.

And I agree with Barry Wensel that bow hunting is a close game but when the shot feels right I wouldn’t tell anyone they shouldn’t take it. I recall reading where Barry shot a (mule deer I believe) at 70 yards because the shot felt right and how he was surprised when he paced off the distance.

On my first trip to Colorado in 2016, I was within 50 yards of the bull I called "Spiny Norman" on no less than five different occasions...and never had anything that resembled a good shot opportunity. The trick is that there were 16 cows and calves with him, so there were lots of eyes, ears and noses to beat before I could close the distance enough to get a shot. I enjoyed every minute of it, but never came to a draw on him.

An arrow with a 2 blade is an incredible penetrator…so in answer to your question I think any decent weight arrow would do the job.

I have been killing critters with a 47#,553g and a 2 blade and nothing yet has stopped that arrow. (Of course more bow and arrow weight is only going to improve the equation)

I’ve only killed one critter over 40y and it was a planned shot that I had been practicing for a month prior- 47y across a water tank. I drilled a coues buck quartering away exiting through the off side shoulder blade. I set up my bow/arrow for 45 PO, and practiced that shot 300x before the hunt.

I put 2 arrows clean through an 800# moose last fall in Colorado at 30y…..a 2 blade makes any setup better.

My limit is 30 metres but Phil M makes a good point.

Jack Howard took a lot of game at quite long range…because he knew exactly what he was doing. Same with a lot of those other icons.

Maximum range is an archer’s choice that depends on the situation. Game was taken at greater distances in the past because people were more adept as there were no tree stands and hunting from the ground demanded having the ability to be accurate past 15-20 yards.

Crookedstix and I had a decent bull at around 40 metres last year but it was in a spot that had lots of downed trees. Taking a shot at that elk never entered our minds…we were busy figuring out what to do next!

We’ve since come up with a “ shoulda done” plan but that’s because hindsight is 20/20!

If you want to get some industry suggested information there are a bunch of kinetic energy calculators on line that give you suggestions.

Easton has a good one on their web site.

I think in the past they were certainly more "adept" But I think they also had different ethics

Nice pics and nice elk Nemo!

30 yards, on an elk, with a 49# stick and a 600 grain arrow, pushing 170 fps, and maybe even 40 yards... ummmm

170 fps at 20 yards, or 3 feet in front of the bow like everyone who shoots through a chronograph? 170 fps from a 49# stick with a 600 grain arrow, are you sure? 30 yards on an elk, even if he isn't aware of you, I dunno. That 600 grain arrow isn't going 170 fps at 30 yards, and you don't have that 4 slugs of momentum at 30 yards. and at 40????

I've killed several bulls with 460 grain arrows from 56# and 57# recurves, shooting in the low 190's, and I've never shot an elk over 20 yards. I take it you've never tried to shoot through an 8" hole, 20 yards in front of you, at a target 30 yards away. Or even 25 yards away, 5 yards in front of the target. Arrow arc at 30 yards, and at 40 yards... I dunno.

Five years ago, the Push boys came out to Colorado to chase elk for 10 days, shooting low poundage sticks, hfoc arrows, proud of their shooting back home. 10 days later and 5 hit and lost elk, they started to rethink their setups. With your setup, I'd stick to 20 yards and below. An elk, at 30 yards, takes a step and you end up with a low gut shot elk!! And just an fiy, my set up this fall and last fall is a lil 48# recurve pushing a 424 grain arrow at 204 fps, shot through a chronograph at 20 yards. Slugs is over .430 slugs of momentum.

I don’t know if it would kill an elk but I killed. Moose with 48 lbs and 500 grain arrow. And several African animals including an eland and a Kudu

The "slugs" part of all this continues to be a bit complicated but it seems the speed part can still be solved by really fast chronographs!

Was that lack of success by the Push folks ever reported by them?

Would love to see that…

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