# Minimum Draw Weight for Elk



## WasatchOutdoors

So I know that the "legal" minimum draw weight for elk is 40# in Utah, but I'm wondering what you guys think the minimum weight I should let my daughter shoot before she gets an elk tag. Right now she pulls 42# and is working her butt off to try to get stronger and raise her draw weight. Right now she shoots every day, she simulates drawing a bow with the resistance bands I got when I hurt my shoulder - 40 reps a day, and does between 20 and 30 push ups. She's dead serious about this. 

So I'm wondering, at what draw weight do I give her the nod and tell her that she's good to go? Heck for all I know 40# is plenty to kill an elk with good shot placement, but I've never personally seen or tried it. Any feedback on what you've seen at various weights would be great insight. Thanks!


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## silentstalker

I have seen 40# kill spikes and cows, but that is at close range out of a tree stand. I would hope more for 50#. What bow is she shooting?


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## TEX-O-BOB

Clark, 40 pounds is plenty. just be sure she's shooting a good heavy arrow and a cut on contact head preferably a two blade like the Bear Razor or Magnus. *NO EXPANDABLES!!!* Her arrow should weigh at least 400 grains and have a good four inch fletching with a helical twist on those vanes/feathers. That set up with an elk broad side at twenty yards will have the broadhead hanging out of the elk 15 inches on the other side as he runs off with both airbags popped.

Several years ago my wife was getting geared up for elk much in the same way your daughter is. She practiced every day, she lifted weights, and worked out on the treadmill to get ready for the hunt. I was all hell bent on her having the most poundage she could for elk and was pushing for her to keep adding weight to her bow. She worked hard and got it up to 50# but it was pretty hard for her to pull back. We went elk hunting that year and I called a nice little 275 inch 6X6 right into her lap. The bull turned and looked the other way giving her the golden shot. 15 yards and broadside without a clue we were there. She went to draw her bow in the kneeling position she was in and she COULD NOT get it back! Call it bull fever, call it what you want, but the simple fact of the matter was she was shooting too much weight. I was so hell bent on getting her to 50# I forgot the number one thing about archery equipment. Have confidence in your stuff and don't over bow yourself!

I tell this story to tell you this Clark, don't get all bent out of shape about the weight of her bow, and teach her the same thing. Being CONFIDENT with her equipment and COMFORTABLE under pressure is gonna put WAY more back strap in the pot!


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## 10yearquest

if the shot is poorly placed it wont matter. An 80 lb bow will do nothing more than a 40 lb bow if its a gut shot. It may be better for bad angles and shoulder bones but those shots shouldnt be taken anyway. An elks shoulder bone can take alot of force. Front on or rear end shots are always poor.I would let her shoot an elk at the poundage she is at but keep the range within HER accuracy limits. shoot for the lungs.


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## WasatchOutdoors

Right now the plan is to hunt from a tree stand overlooking a water trough that gets pretty heavy use. We've got 2 sites picked out, one for the sfternoon/evening and one for the morning so that we have the wind in our favor and the closest tree is between 15 and 20 yards. She can hit about a 4" group pretty consisitantly now to 25 yards, but we're gonna keep practicing. The first spike or cow that gives her a shot is going to be in trouble.


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## RoosterKiller

keep her shots under the 30 yard mark and she will do fine with 40#. I hope you got her a tag this year. It would be a shame to miss the season.


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## ARCHER11

TEX has some awesome advice! My little brother is doing the same thing right now... Got himself a diamond razor edge and started it at 30# pounds. I'm not sure what hes at now but I told him to get it up to 50 and then were going to drop it back down to 40 in a month or so. I would be a lot more comfortable with his killing abilities with a bow that he doesnt have to strain to get back. You want a smooth easy draw and a smooth easy release. Its not purely draw weight that provides the energy to kill an animal its Kinetic Energy. You can find some KE calculators online that will tell you how many feet pounds your daughters bow is shooting. But basically its a combination of speed (fps) and weight (grains) if shes shooting a slower bow give her a heavy arrow that will still fly accurately out of her setup. You want between 42-65 ft. lbs. for big game such as an elk.

This website and goes into more detail on kinetic energy and pretty much everything else you could know about archery equipment.
http://www.huntersfriend.com/bowselection.htm

Good luck out there! I hope she whacks one!


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