Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Arrow weight for heavier game with a recurve.

Just curious and pose the question for conversation sake. For hunting heavier game such as elk or large black bear, what type/weight arrow would be best. I use a traditional cedar arrow with a 125gr two blade broad head for deer. Do any of you hunt elk with a recurve or longbow and what type of arrow/broadhead combo do you use. Do you step up to an aluminum or carbon arrow that is a heavier weight and a heavier weight broad head?

Easton FMJ's 100gr RazorTricks

Bought my first Carbon Express Heritage 350 shafts today. With fletching and 200 grain point, tipped the scales at 625 grains. Draw length with the recurve ended up being 31" so we went with 32" arrows. I will say they are surprisingly quick off the Black Widow. That said I am learning lefthanded archery for the first time as well as traditional archery. Will have to figure out how to get a broadhead up to that weight if these turn out to be tuned well.

Future targets hope to include bulls and bears at close range.

Brass inserts will work.

I'm assuming all these can be had with feather fletchings to shoot off the shelf with a recurve or long bow. How heavy should one look to get to for larger than deer game?

Personally I think anything over 550 grains is abit of overkill. I shoot bows in the 55# range.

I do think it's important to go with an arrow that'll pack a punch, but not have so much weight as too really affect trajectory.

No need for fish arrows.

So, in your experience those in the 550gr range penetrate deep enough for elk and larger bear? Just keep a sharp edge and good cutting diameter? I've done well using traditional cedar arrows and magnus broad heads, not sure on total weight of the arrow.

I would recommend as well the Easton full metal jacket.They are heavy for carbons.The 300's are what I use for deer.My setup is 524gr+. Probably a overkill for deer,but I shoot buck blaster broad heads.A very wide cutting expandable.I need the extra energy.I Can't wait to try em out!This is my first year upgrading to a heavier arrow.

550 grains from a decent bow will blow right through an elk, provided you hit them right. Bear are very easy to shoot through in comparison.

I don't claim that 550 is some magic number, I've killed alot of critters, including elk, with 475ish grain arrows.

However, you want the arrow to have a fair amount of momentum, but not at the expense of a decent trajectory.

A sharp broadhead and a tuned arrow is more important than any of the stuff we're discussing.

Good point!!ghoustinthemachine. Placement is key!!!I would go with a compact broad head like thunder heads or slick tricks.You need ALOT of power for the new wide cutting expandables.I know because I shoot them.

Darton and expandables. WOW your onto something.

At my draw length I'm pushing 70 lbs out of my recurve an my current sticks are just under 500gr with the broad heads. Thats what I'm using on deer and they do go through just as easy as my Matthews puts them through. Through is through much akin to bullets.

GrizzlyStick alaskans, 315gn Ashby head w/extra weights added to back of brass insert, total wgt: ~800gn, for elk and such. I have a couple of bows that shoot this one.

GrizzlyStick Sitkas, 200gn Maasai head +added weights on inserts, total wgt: ~650gn. These are my standard deer arrows. Shot mostly from my Ben Pearson TD Recurve, and hopefully my new Martin Savanah.

Alaskabowhunting.com, has some really good products. Expensive but the best.

Thanks, I will give them a look. My current sticks, that I just weighed out of curiosity, max out my scale that I use for measuring powder so they are well over 500 grains total which surprised me a little. I'm betting if I go with an aluminum or carbon that I will get even better groups due to better consistency with arrow weight, etc. so it may still be worth the change up once my current ones are exhausted.

I hunt with a 550 gr arrow out of 60 lbs recurve. Just as important is shooting a tuned bow to get good arrow flight. Have shot thru many animals shooting a well tuned 50 long bow

Good advice ribka. That's #2 on Ashby's list of penetration factors.

Here's a link, good stuff to know; and if you have the time read some of his other articles.

Penetration factors

More on building the perfect arrow.
Ultimate Hunting Arrows

Ashby Reports

Follow his advice and you'll get pass-throughs on Moose with a 45lbs stickbow.

Thanks for the info. I don't know a whole lot on tuning a recurve or keeping one tuned. Had other people check them and take their word for it. I think it will be time to read up and do it myself.

Get yourself a copy of "Shooting the Stickbow" Excellent book on shooting and tuning recurves. Arrows in the 10gpp range are usually considered about optimal for performance and penetration. Well tuned arrows with razor sharp broadheads are a must.