Bowsite.com

Elk Setup for Women

Let's here recommendations for women. Specifically draw weights, arrow weights, and broadheads. Going this September with my cousin (female). Need to steer her in the right direction... Maybe there are some women out there that have had success who can contribute!

Thanks

Practice practice practice..IMO no differant then a man or child ..take her to a bow shop and get her fitted then go from there find a draw weight thats comfy for her then get the arrow for that poundage and dial it in,more practice then more practice ...some states have a draw weight limit ...such as Alaska its 50 lbs or more for moose, bear, big game ect,Washington is 40lbs.... did I mention practice best of luck to you and her ,have fun B safe

MikeC....Thank a veteran this weekend and shake his/her hand

We have an arrow combination worked up for my little lady when she finally draws her tag. 50# DW, 26" Easton FMJ 500, tipped with 100 gr VPA. 380 gr total arrow weight. Will do some more testing but might bump the VPA to 125 to get her right over 400 gr and improve FOC. Thoughts anyone?

Brotsky....I think that increasing the weight to 125 is a good move. I recently did something similar (100 gr. slicktricks to 125 gr.) with good results. My groups got tighter and apparent better penetration. My arrows are a short 26" but at 60#. Good luck.....badbull

My wife shoots a Hoyt CE at 45#, and 24.5" draw. She shoots a FMJ 500 shaft with VPA unvented 3 blade 125. I also make a 2" outsert for that shaft that adds a little strength at the tip and increased FOC. Total arrow weight is 420 with just under 17% FOC. Not a lot of speed but that's the least concern, especially with a low weight set up. She's killed elk, caribou, mt. goat, and other smaller big game with that, or a similar rig, (I keep fine tuning components based on results in the field) and I expect no problems when she draws a cow moose tag. I would recommend going to 125 gr head and within reasonable range and disciplined shot selection, she should have no problem.

I think on lower draw weight setups in the 45-50 pound range shooting for at least 9 grains per pound would be ideal for penetration but there is a price to pay in trajectory. A nice narrow 2 blade COC broadhead is almost a must. I have played with my wife's setup a little and have her shooting 440 grain 500 spine GT kinetic with standard insert and a 50 grain GT weight tipped with a 125 grain magnus stinger out of her 50# @ 27 compound. Penetration is pretty impressive even though the arrow is slow.

My wife shoots a razors edge at 50# and a 23 inch draw with a 405 grain arrow and buzz cuts

Glad Ziek chimed in. I'm putting together a set up for my son and it will mirror his wife's set up based on her proven success.

Thanks for the feedback guys, I thought I was on the right track moving to 125 gr. Sounds like I have a good shaft choice as well. We'll get it dialed in this summer and have her try it out this fall!

Compounds are a bit of a different critter than the trad-bows my family shoots, but the same physics apply for arrows and penetration and I seen a lot of elk shot with traditional bows - so I will chime in a little.

My buddies and I have killed a lot of elk with carbon arrows weighing in around 425 grains with 125 grain 3-blade Cut-on-contact broadheads using 60# class longbows. The VPA is a very good broadhead and we have used them for a number of elk. Shot has to be a good broadside or slight quartering away, though. Have seen issues on heavy bone with these setups.

A little more weight up front will definitely help penetration - for low poundage bows that my kid shoots (45#), I tuned his bow to shoot a CE 150 with a 250 grain, single bevel, 2-blade broadhead weighing in at 600 grains. Has shot all the way thru deer and pigs - would not hesitate to have him shoot an elk with that setup.

I would strongly suggest something similar to what Spookinelk has his wife set up with. Will help a lot if that elk is not perfectly broadside. A single bevel will help get thru heavy bones if needed as well.

Thanks for the info everyone

Mission Blaze, 26 inch draw length, 53 pounds draw weight, Quad Ultra rest HDX, Spott Hogg sight. Gold Tip 55/75 XT hunter arrow, Magnus two blade 100 grain buzzcut, 4 AAE maxhunter vanes with as much helical as I can get on them. Shoots like a dream, and penetrates better than anything else we've tinkered with.

So we shot today. She is shooting a Hoyt Charger at 25.5" and 50 lbs. Arrow weight is 360 grains with a 100 grain head. What y'all think?

Yup, agree with Zieks set up advice, except I would switch it too the 175 grain VPA. That would get you up near 10gpp. give or take as I am sure your cousins won't mirror hers exactly but probably close. I just read your last post and I would get the arrow weight up quite a bit. I bet you could go to 175 grain head and she would still be spined fine if she is shooting a 26" 500 spined arrow. I shoot .400 spine at 66#s and 27.5" arrow with 190 grains up front and it spines perfectly for my bow. I also agree, practice,practice and practice and try and keep the shots 35 yards and under. I know guys who have killed plenty of Elk with a self bow shooting around 50#s at 28"s with an arrow that weighs around 500 grains. Best of luck, hope you both kill a nice elk!! Shawn

It looks like her fiancé has talked her into shooting a 125gr 2 blade rage! I'm done!!!

My setup: Bear Agenda 6 72lbs, 27" Draw, GT 7595 100 gr brass insert 125 Slick Trick. Total 490 grains / 277 fps.

I think I have her talked out of shooting a Rage. What she is looking at now will be the VPA or Steelforce both in 125 grain...

You should probably talk her into a new fiance' as well after that Rage business! Ha!

Good choices on the broadheads.

I've tried! Lol

Very good set up Brotsky with the 125s.

Allbirdies: If she is going to use the Rage 2 blades she should 1-1/2" ST model.

Register here to reply to this topic