# Broadhead vs. elk shoulder blade



## bowhunter1 (Nov 18, 2012)

Lots of talk about broadheads on here, so just thought I'd pass on my experience. Shot a big cow on the extended on Nov. 13 at 46 yds with a Rocket Steelhead 125. Nailed the near shoulder blade solidly and still got both lungs and the tip was pushing the skin behind the opposite shoulder. Went less than 200 yds. One blade was broken off, probably by the opposite shoulder bone working against the head as she ran (all 3 were intact through the shoulder blade and lungs). 

I am new to Utah as of last spring but I have seen outstanding penetration on whitetails over the years with this head as well. It made short work of my 3x4 mulie on the extended 3 weeks ago. Shoots exactly the same as my field points and is tough as nails. I normally keep using the same ferrule until the chisel tip gets dinged on a rock after a pass-through.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Welcome to the forum.


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## wapiti67 (Oct 2, 2007)

200 yards...? That's a LONGGGGG way for a double lung shot...may I recommend an EPEK...you can still punch the shoulder blade, but a trail of 50 yards makes for a better hunt..


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## bowhunter1 (Nov 18, 2012)

Should have mentioned...she ran straight down about a 30 degree slope and fell/slid the last 50 yds in the snow. Very likely was dead in 15 seconds or less. A 1 1/4" hole through the lungs is about as effective as it gets.


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## Markthehunter88 (Nov 5, 2010)

where are the stories and pictures??? both elk and the buck!


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## bowhunter1 (Nov 18, 2012)

Here are the pics of the small 3x4 and the elk. Got the buck on Oct 23 in the middle of the early snowstorm. Ogden Extended unit, 30 yd shot from a treestand. Scouted the area w/trail cams for a month before deciding on a spot and got him at 6 pm the third time I hunted the stand. He came in with about 6 does and browsed within bow range for about 20 minutes before I got a clear shot. Certainly not a big boy, but my first year in Utah and not much time to hunt, I was glad to get him. Naturally, while hunting elk on the extended 2 weeks later, I had a really big 4x4 buck come by at 50 yds.  

As mentioned, I got the cow on Nov. 13, Wasatch Front extended unit. Hiked up a canyon 2 1/2 miles from the truck at dawn. Spotted about 8-10 elk about 1500 ft. above me on a steep hillside at 8 a.m. Snow was 2-3 feet deep all the way up the mountain, but that's where they were, so I got a steep ridgeline between us for cover and started up. Didn't have snowshoes because I had planned to hunt lower timber where I had found sign the week before. They ended up moving up to the top of the ridge while I climbed (about 2,000 ft. above the canyon where I started the stalk). Long story short, it took me 4 1/2 hrs. to climb the entire way to the peak to get above them. I've run marathons, and have to say I honestly think a marathon would have been easier than that climb in the deep snow! I dropped over the far side of the peak into the timber and plowed my way through the snowdrifts down to a saddle where they were bedded. Ended up in a little point of timber within 75 yards of about a dozen bedded elk on the ridge crest at 12:30. Nice 5x5 at 65 yds, but quartering towards me. The only one that was truly broadside was this big cow at 46 yds. Spent several minutes ranging, double checking my equipment for snow and ice, and catching my breath. 

They bailed off the ridge top at the shot, and I waited 40 minutes before tracking to be sure. Followed the trail about 100 yds and came up on the same dozen or so elk bedded again within 60 yds of me. Finally decided to move them out to find my elk, and when I followed them over a small rise, I walked up on about 100 elk within 100 yds that I had no idea were there. Pretty amazing experience. There was a 6x6 (uneducated guess of maybe 280-300), the 5x5, a few raghorns, a bunch of spikes and a pile of cows. Didn't see my elk anywhere. Turns out she had split off from the original group right after the shot, gone straight downhill, and piled up just below where they had bedded. Gutted her and rolled/slid her halfway down the mountain to where the quakies made it impossible to slide her further. Came back the next morning with a buddy and packed/sledded the meat and hide out. 

This was my first elk season, first good encounter of the season, and first elk. Definitely a challenging hunt and much to be thankful for.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

I have used the Rocket Steelhead 100's for a long time. 
Have taken deer, elk, and speed goats with them.
Have always been very deadly and fly just like my field tips.
Tried other "new" ones a time or two, and end up going back.

Welcome to the forum.


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## Markthehunter88 (Nov 5, 2010)

Thanks for posting the story! i love a good read and pictures make it even better!!! coming in from the outside and taking two animals on the front really tells me you know how to hunt! nice work!


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## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

nice work! you even have blaze orange on! that's a pretty good first year hunting Utah and bowhunting at that!


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

wapiti67 said:


> 200 yards...? That's a LONGGGGG way for a double lung shot...may I recommend an EPEK...you can still punch the shoulder blade, but a trail of 50 yards makes for a better hunt..


No it's not... You saw how far my elk went after gulping down TWO 160 grain snuffers...


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## wapiti67 (Oct 2, 2007)

Ummm...That's why I suggested an EPEK...


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

wapiti67 said:


> Ummm...That's why I suggested an EPEK...


Ya, but my weak little 50 pound stick bow doesn't have enough energy to open the head let alone push it through something as big as an elk... 

EPEK's are for gun-bow shooters who cant get their arrows to fly with a regular broadhead. :mrgreen: :O•-:


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> wapiti67 said:
> 
> 
> > Ummm...That's why I suggested an EPEK...
> ...


coughcoughBScoughcough...My wife's weak little 45 lbs compound blew her EPEK straight through her deer. Just be honest, you like the old fashion junk.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Deer are pussies though, said it yourself. Lets see her do that to an elk. It is elk were talking about, right? And yes, I do like the old junk.


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## goforbroke (Jan 4, 2009)

Love the steel heads also, a calf elk then a333 bull, 382 bull and a144 dall sheep all pass throughs!


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> Deer are pussies though, said it yourself. Lets see her do that to an elk. It is elk were talking about, right? And yes, I do like the old junk.


Next season, thanks for asking.


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## twigflipper (Dec 11, 2009)

epek!! HAHAHA! elk shoulder! HAHAHAHAHA! in the same sentence! HAHAHAHAHA!!!! I've had my humor for the evening! lmfao!


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