New To Elk Hunting

You have a down jacket that you will be hunting in? Whats the shell made from? Most that I see are a nylon or other waterproof material that is fairly noisy. I also don't wear an arm guard during the September archery seasons but I also hunt between 2500' and 6000'. Not like some of the elevations you can encounter in Colorado. I don't know how high you will be hunting but if it's cold enough to need a down jacket I would be looking into wool outer layers or fleece. Unless your down jacket is quite than forget what I said.
 
Im really not sure what I will be wearing yet exactly. But the down provides some extra warmth if it gets cold and packs about the size of a soda can. Being my first year im sure I will bring too much stuff. In years to come I will figure out what I dont need.


I have always had a problem with needing an arm guard any time im wearing a jacket or my string hits my jacket. I wonder if that is how everybody is or just me. Never wear one with a t-shirt or a longsleeve shirt but a jacket always hits.
 
I wear a ton of down and wool both. I only (usually) wear down if I'm sitting and glassing. Even my light down layers are still too warm for walking. I've had them at 11K in october and they've beentoo warm. Wool is better for moving around and regulating body heat, especially in the september season. Full blown wool attire I save for Nov, Dec and Jan. In september, I'll usually wear wool bases and a synthetic outer shell (typically kuiu or FL but to each their own, lately I've been wearing a lot of patagonia, arcteryx and montbell in earth tones).


I only use an arm gaurd with my traditional bows, compound you shouldn't need one, even when shooting with a puffy. If the string is hitting your jacket your draw length might be set too long.


84lbs is a stout bow, 80lbs is really stout too.... if you shoot it well go with it but I know a ton of people right now going from 70lb bows to 60lb just for the simple fact they can hold it for 20mins if they need to.
 
Thanks for the info. Yeah I dont know about the draw length. The shops measured me and says that im good to go. Alot of it I think has to do with the 6in brace height. You dont have much space to get your arm out. Even If I bend it like crazy It is hard to get it out of theway.


When I go train with my pack I am usually stripping down to my t-shirt in the first 15 min. That is in the middle of feburary. Then when I come back down im cold again. I have no clue what temps are like at 10k+ feet in colorado in September so im not really sure what I will need.


Oh and at 80lb and 80% let off your holding 16lbs. At 70lb at 80% your holding 14lb. My old bow was 70lb at 70% so I was holding 21lbs. I am holding less weight than my old bow and at 80lbs thats only 2lb more than 70lbs.


Who knows maybe someday ill be buying 70lb limbs for it but for now im going to keep shooting it.


On a side note REI garage sale is awesome I got the Big agnes Q-core sleeping pad for 33 bucks nothing wrong with it.
 
lcgordon711 said:
Thanks for the info. Yeah I dont know about the draw length. The shops measured me and says that im good to go. Alot ofit I think has to do with the 6in brace height.
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I don't think your brace height would be the overall culprit. My compound set up is a 2015 xpedition xcentric 6 (6" BH) set at 70# and I was shooting it on a late season whitetail hunt last december with a merino base, wool sweater, down puffy, wool jacket in single digit high's.... I never hit my sleeve. I don't wear anything on my forearm either to keep clothes contained. My frame is 6'0" and 175lbs give or take with fairly lanky arms. If anyone should hit their forearm it would be me... I would maybe get a 2nd opinion on DL. Your peep could also be too high or low causing you to cant your wrist and extend your arm.


As far as your draw weight goes if it works for you that's all that matters.


Big agnes make some great camping items. I don't have any of their sleeping pads but their tents are fantastic.
 
Thanks for that info. I talked to my Mathews dealer today and I'm going to try some 27.5 modules soon. I'll see if that helps. My bow shoots good tho. I don't think it's too much weight as of now and it is getting easier already.
 
Ok guys I have a broadhead question. I have been thinking about getting new ones for elk this year. I have shot the same 100 gr muzzys since I killed my first deer when I was 13. Man that was 11 years ago. Anyways I was kind of thinking about going mechanical. Listening to some podcasts about them I like the idea for two reasons. They fly straighter and they open up a bigger entrance hole. Back home I shot broadheads all the time but now that im in colorado I have no place to shoot them really. I will still figure out a way to shoot them some though. That is one reason i like the idea of mechanical because they fly like field points with alot less work.


Or let me know why that is a stupid Idea.


Lets say for fixed and mechanical in your experience what heads have good practice heads that fly the same or really close? I liked the muzzy practice blades they seemed to fly the same and did not tear up the target too bad.


What weight would be good I was thinking going a bit heavier?


Thanks again
 
I shoot both depending on what and where... here's my .02$

Mechanicals pros
Fly like a field tip
Generally big cutting diameter
Replaceable blades vs sharpening

Cons:
Not legal in some states (Idaho and Oregon, other states will allow them for some species but restrict others like can use for dee  but not elk).
One more thing that can fail
Sometimes cutting diameter can be larger than "legal" cutting diameter i.e. 2"
Tend to not be as tough

I shoot rage mechanicals at deer when andvwhere I can. A 2+" Cut diameter leaves a blood trail Stevie wonder could follow. I shoot slicktricks at elk or any heavy skinned game, or in states when mechanicals aren't allowed. They fly as true to a field tip as mechanicals. I have "practice blades" for them that I swap out. I tamper with a couple different trendy new heads every summer but almost always come back to slick tricks and rages...

Neither company gives me any incentive to say the above. No prostaffs or free gear... I've found these two companies to make exceptional products. If you have questions about any other fixed I can probably answer, I've bought at least a three pack (or more) of most makess/models. Mechanicals I've shot rage almost exclusively with only a few exceptions. I also don't know that other than legality there's a reason to shoot one over the other besides preference. Modern mechanicals rarely fail, are built well and can handle elk/bear. Modern fixed blades (not all but some) fly every bit as true as field tips. All the old argumentative lines of fixed vs. mechanical are starting to blend and blur together.
 
"They fly like field points with a lot less work", really? That work is called bow tuning. Do it, enjoy it. Your bow needs to be tuned no matter what head you shoot.
 
jstephens61 said:
"They fly like field points with a lot less work", really? That work is called bow tuning. Do it, enjoy it. Your bow needs to be tuned no matter what head you shoot.
Click to expand...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4gFQ4iw9NA


Here you go listen to some people who know what they are talking about. They do multiple episodes on the topic look them up and listen to them. I dont remember if its this one or another. From what Aron snyder and tim Gillingham say fixed blade broadheads are almost impossible to tune over about 285 fps. I have never had experience with that my old bow probably did not shoot over 250. Right now my bow shoots about 310. So coming from the people who know alot more than me I am in for a crap ton of work that may never pay off.


Second your in a hunting situation and your in some weird position maybe shooting on a side hill or something and you get a little hand torque. The mechanical is going to fly way better.


Its not just "work" I was just shortening my text so I could type "less work" instead of a whole paragraph or 3 explaining it.
 
Backcountry hunter thanks for all that info. I have been looking into those slick tricks. Alot of people seem to shoot them. I have always been a Fixed blade guy and have always used them. Never had a problem getting them to shoot because I have had a slow bow ( or I guess thats why). I was thinking about getting a bit heaver arrow set up to get my bow slowed down to that 280-285 range to make things easier. I live in the city and none of the ranges let you shoot broad heads. Im sure I can go out into the mountains a few times this summer and broadhead tune but I wont have a ton of time to do it. I can shoot 30 yards at my house but directly behind my target across the ally is my neighbors big windows for the kitchen. So I dont like to shoot broadheads just incase of an accident.
 
My bow has an Ibo of 354 and at 70lbs, 29.5 draw w/ 300 spine FMJ and 100 grain heads im at 288 chrono'd

I was a lifetime muzzy guy and then switched to G5 montecs but had rust issues when they got wet. I still didn't mind them but a buddy turned me onto slick tricks and they are truly amazing in terms of accuracy, simplicity and durability. I'm sure there's other great heads out there but I've had no reason to switch from ST's since I started shooting them
 
Thanks Ill give the slicktricks a try. Im still trying to research and find a reason why I would want to go over 100gr.
 
Second your in a hunting situation and your in some weird position maybe shooting on a side hill or something and you get a little hand torque. The mechanical is going to fly way better.

No it won't.
 
jstephens61 said:
Second your in a hunting situation and your in some weird position maybe shooting on a side hill or something and you get a little hand torque. The mechanical is going to fly way better.

No it won't.
Click to expand...


Hey if you wanna go against Tim and aron thats cool. Watch this youtube video I even stopped it for you right where they say that it.


https://youtu.be/H4gFQ4iw9NA?t=1018
 
lcgordon711 said:
jstephens61 said:
Second your in a hunting situation and your in some weird position maybe shooting on a side hill or something and you get a little hand torque. The mechanical is going to fly way better.

No it won't.
Click to expand...


Hey if you wanna go against Tim and aron thats cool. Watch this youtube video I even stopped it for you right where they say that it.


https://youtu.be/H4gFQ4iw9NA?t=1018
Click to expand...

Nothing but respect for Aron.  I'm a frequent listener to the Gritty Bowmen as well.

However, when they start talking about making 75 - 100+ yard shots, it's not for me.  Being limited by my draw length and how much these old shoulders will pull, I'll probably never shoot more than 270fps.  Even without my limitations due to thickness of the hide of an elk give me a sharp fixed blade broad head (Slick Trick/Montec/Muzzy) everyday of the week.  I'd rather have a decent chance at getting entrance and exit holes than (probably) just an entrance wound with a mechanical.
 
Im right there with you. I dont agree with all of the shots they talk about. I would love to practice out to 100 but I dont think I will ever be there on an animal. Who knows though. What I will say is I bet for them taking a 100 yard shot is more ethical than some people taking 30 yard shots.


But I was more referring to where they were talking about flight of fixed and mechanical. I personally dont think there is much of an argument there. Its just less to catch and steer the arrow.


I dont want to make this into a mechanical vs fixed argument I just wanted to know what people shoot because I have done my research on the subject but people rarely say which one they specifically shoot they just say fixed or mechanical. Not all heads are created equal. Also I want a head that has a good practice tip or blades because what good is it if you cant practice with it.
 
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