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Help with my wife’s bow setup for elk

My wife is going on her first archery elk hunt this September. I need some help with her setup from the bowsite experts. My wife shoots a Mathews Jewel with 50# limbs. She is currently shooting a draw weight of 44#. Her current arrow is 24” long from end to end, not including the knock or point. Her current arrow is an Easton Carbon ION 500 (7.3 GPI) with a 100grain tip. I plan on increasing her draw weight soon to close to the 50# mark once I think she can really handle it. I believe I need to get her arrow much heavier but I would like to hear the feedback on what you guys think I should do. What arrow, weight and etc with Broadhead. Her current Broadhead is a slick trick 100 grain. Thanks for the help.

A 25 gr insert weight should get her close to 400. That’s the only thing I’d change.

I think she would do even better with even more weight. A 125 grain broadhead and a 75 grain brass insert would push her past 450 and would result in much more F.O.C. The additional weight and F.O.C. would result in much more penetration which is what she needs to get the job done.

My wife sounds similar to yours 24 inch draw 45# Hoyt. She shoots a 27 inch Easton axis 400 spine with 75 grain brass insert and 150 grain vpa or northern broadhead total arrow weight is 520 grains and flight is absolutely perfect . They hit the target with a hell of a thump and I have no doubt she can get a pass through on a broadside elk within 40 yards or so.

Like Waptibob suggested, add a heavier insert and bare shaft tune. You might need a good 125 grain cut on contact broadhead. I've seen elk killed by women and young girls with short draws and 400 grain arrows. Worry more perfect arrow flight and a sharp cut on contact head. Her Jewel at at 50 pounds would be perfect.

Where did you folks learn math. 24x8 is 192 plus 100 grain head is 292 and I made it 8gpi to account for the vanes. At that short you can easily add a 100 grain brass insert even at 50#s and she will be shooting a 400 grain arrow with a sharp cut on contact 100 grain head she will be fine as long as she stays off the shoulder. .A 500 spine cut that short will be plenty stiff to shoot 200 grains up front even more if ya want. Shawn

Thanks for the advice. I am going to buy some brass inserts and go with a 125 grain Broadhead. I’m looking forward to taking her on her first elk hunt. Ty

Easton Axis 5mm, 75 gr brass insert and a 125 gr COC head and she’ll be good to go.

A lot of Elk have been killed cleanly with #45 tradbows shooting 10 GPP, and any modern Compound will throw the same arrow a damn sight faster.

So I wouldn’t worry much about the poundage unless there’s a legal minimum. She’s better off shooting a few pounds less but more accurately. If she can get both, so much the better.

It’s just a matter of minimizing resistance up front and waiting for the right shot. I like the Magnus Stinger in a screw-in.

A 450a 500 gr arrow and a coc head razor sharp should do the trick.

My wife shoots a Hoyt at 45#, 24 1/2" draw, 25 1/4" (bottom of nock grove to end of shaft) full metal jacket 500 shafts, 125 gr. VPA unvented 3 blade. I also make aluminum outserts for our FMJs. Hers weigh 20 gr. Total arrow weight is 420 gr., 9.4 gr./# draw weight, 16.8% FOC, 199 fps. Lots of things effect penetration potential - in fact, virtually everything does, including the drag caused by BH vents when penetrating hair, muscle, and bone. (Vents don't improve arrow flight in the least. Only tuning does).

She shot clean through a cow moose last year at just over 30 yards. You could go heavier, but after many years of trying different set-ups - hers and mine, a good balance, erring on the heavier side, seems to work well. She's killed 6 of the Colorado Big 8, and 7 of the Big 9, only needing black bear and cougar to complete both.

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