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Ethical range for elk hunting with this bow?

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#21 ·
I shot ACC 3-60’s 28.5” and 4 blade 90grn Muzzy’s on my first 2 elk. 70# Mathews ZMax. The first bull I had a complete pass through at 40yds, the second was a cow elk, the arrow was dangling out the other side. She was ranged at 76yds broadside. My third elk (bull) I switched to 2 blade 100grn SteelForce. He was quartering away at 30yds. The arrow entered well behind the front leg, angled forward clipped the offside front leg/bone and exited. I found the arrow about 5 yds from where he was standing when I shot. So I don’t think your going to have an issue as long as you put the arrow where it’s supposed to go. Practice at long distance! It’ll make 40yds seem like 20.
 
#22 ·
My last bull I shot was with a bow that was rated the same IBO (305) as yours an at 28inch at 60lbs, with a 375ish arrow, complete pass thru...the other ones I shot were with even less IBO ratings and with more arrow eight, except the one I shot with my recurve at about 160fps with a 550 gr magnus 2 blade

You know they have not made that bow in 15 -18 years, the newer bows are so much faster with the same smoothness as your bow. You can pick up a newer bow in the classified and zip that same arrow quite a bit faster... just saying
 
#23 ·
You should be good to 40 yards if you can keep your nerves in check. I do agree with the others saying a heavier arrow would be better. I went elk hunting this past fall and my arrows weighed 486 grains with COC head. My bow was a 2010 Elite GT500 at 29" 60 pounds. I got drawn on a bull but no shot showed so I can't comment on effectiveness.
 
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#24 ·
Mallardbreath said:
You should be good to 40 yards if you can keep your nerves in check. I do agree with the others saying a heavier arrow would be better. I went elk hunting this past fall and my arrows weighed 486 grains with COC head. My bow was a 2010 Elite GT500 at 29" 60 pounds. I got drawn on a bull but no shot showed so I can't comment on effectiveness.
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Thats to bad!
 
#26 ·
I would be ready to be able to shoot out to 60 or 70 yards if you want to make sure not to let an opportunity slip by. That's obviously on the outer limit I think, but not out of possibility. I probably would get a little heavier arrow though like has been said already.

Lot of guys on here limit themselves to 30 yards and I think that is fine if that is all they are comfortable shooting, that doesn't mean you have to though. I think ideally 30 yards is a perfect scenario, but if you have any experience hunting, you know that you have to expect the best but be prepared for the worst.
 
#27 ·
fireman2019 said:
I shot ACC 3-60’s 28.5” and 4 blade 90grn Muzzy’s on my first 2 elk. 70# Mathews ZMax. The first bull I had a complete pass through at 40yds, the second was a cow elk, the arrow was dangling out the other side. She was ranged at 76yds broadside. My third elk (bull) I switched to 2 blade 100grn SteelForce. He was quartering away at 30yds. The arrow entered well behind the front leg, angled forward clipped the offside front leg/bone and exited. I found the arrow about 5 yds from where he was standing when I shot. So I don’t think your going to have an issue as long as you put the arrow where it’s supposed to go. Practice at long distance! It’ll make 40yds seem like 20.
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Thank God you brought some sanity to this discussion. People shot elk for years without the massive forces today’s fast/heavy bows produce. Hit where you need to and 400 grains gets it done at 277+ FPS! We gotta get real people. Practice til you hit where you aim at 60 to 70yds and then hunt to get within 30yds and shoot what you got.
 
#28 ·
rdfish1 said:
jogr said:
380 grains is also too light for me to use at any range on elk.
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Unless I’m doing the math wrong, arrow is 29” long at 8.1 grain per inch, 100 gr head plus insert, nock, etc. came in at 380 grains. Should I be shooting a 125 grain Broadhead? Longer arrow, heavier?
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Add rope or a weight tube and it won’t affect your spine, a little extra weight will always be your friend.
 
Discussion starter · #30 ·
rdfish1 said:
What is the maximum ethical range I should practice at for purposes of potentially taking a Colorado elk with my particular bow? I have a Mathews Q2, 30” draw, 65 lbs

I have not checked the speed but recall it being appx 275-280 fps when I checked it years ago.
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I realized after the fact, I was estimating arrow speed but have found the official bow specs and it is rated at 308 fps so slow by today’s standards but not nearly as slow as I thought or represented in the original post.
 
#31 ·
Typical thread for this question...…..lol. My 310 grain arrows blows through at 50 yards to you need 600...…..same-o-same-o. OP what you should do is look at you and the way you shoot and hunt. I try to shoot the heaviest arrow I can and still get the trajectory I need. You can add tips to the arrow or borrow a heavier arrow from a friend and go see what is really happening to you at the range.

Then you can base it on your needs rather than a 200 grain difference in opinions of others that aren't you.
 
#34 ·
Practice at double the distance you'd shoot while hunting. For example, I'm comfortable shooting a deer at 40 yards (whitetail woods of Ohio), so I practice out to about 80 yards. If I can put arrows in a plate sized group at 80 yards, I'm confident I can make a good shot in the woods. As far as your rig, the bow should be fine, but you may want some heavier arrows.
 
#35 ·
You are fine....I personally shoot 70 at 30 inch draw 445 grains 72 yard pass through on a 280 pound mule deer and 80 yard pass through on my most recent elk. I practice out to 100 to 120 so anything BROADSIDE at 90 is my limit. A 40 to 60 yard shot becomes child's play when practicing at this distance. That said, my hunting partner shoot 28 inch draw at 70 pounds with a 405 grain arrow and achieves pass throughs also.
 
#38 ·
Camosquatch said:
Elk are beast...to give you an idea I am shooting a 515 grain arrow with 175 grains up front at 285 FPS. Put some weight in that arrow.
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did you use a lighter arrow and have it bounce off? we have the biggest sub species of elk here(you may hunt roosies too?), and never had any issues with 380gr arrows when I was younger... they only get so dead:wink: I have had 2 arrows fail to penetrate, one was back in the day, 380ish gr arrow, shot in the "knuckle" area, with no penetration (60lb bow) then I had one this prior season, a 70lb bow and 642gr arrow that must have clipped the back of the scapula and got zero penetration (broadhead broke) see the pattern here?

every elk I shot well died within eyesight or ear shot, no matter the arrow weight. he will be just fine if he sticks to what he has... is it ideal? no, but it will work just fine if he does his part.... LOTS of evidence to support that
 
#39 ·
Yep ^^^^^.
Last year I shot a bull at 32yds, Mathews No Cam (not a fast bow) 60lb draw at 28.5", 385 gr total arrow weight, 100 gr Exodus head. Shot was uphill, got both lungs, no pass through but broadhead was pushing the hide out on far side. Bull went about 75 yds. I'm going to a heavier arrow, around 425 - 450.
 
#40 ·
jrd22 said:
Yep ^^^^^.
Last year I shot a bull at 32yds, Mathews No Cam (not a fast bow) 60lb draw at 28.5", 385 gr total arrow weight, 100 gr Exodus head. Shot was uphill, got both lungs, no pass through but broadhead was pushing the hide out on far side. Bull went about 75 yds. I'm going to a heavier arrow, around 425 - 450.
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Did it break any ribs on entrance or exit side?
 
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