Best Fixed Blade for Elk?

Alot of choices out there...have heard good things about the ultimate steel heads but haven't seen them in action. After many years of bowhunting and guiding bowhunters for elk my fixed-blade of choice is a 100gr. Shuttle T-Lok.......accurate, will hold up well against bone and sharp as all hell. Blade thickness is twice that of a muzzy too. Consistently the best bloodtrails from the shuttle T of any I have seen out of the dozens of bowshot bulls I have blootrailed over the years for myself, friends and clients. I switched from thunderhead 100's which are a very good head.........the Shuttle T is just a cut above so to speak.

Thanks for the on-the-ground advice. So often I get caught up in advice from people who honestly believe there gear is the best, but have never actually tested it out. Thanks a bunch!

"SoleSearcher" wrote: Shuttle T-Lok.......accurate, will hold up well against bone and sharp as all burn. Blade thickness is twice that of a muzzy too. Consistently the best bloodtrails from the shuttle T of any I have seen out of the dozens of bowshot bulls I have blootrailed over the years for myself, friends and clients. I switched from thunderhead 100's which are a very good head.........the Shuttle T is just a cut above so to speak.

I completely agree with SoleSearcher on the Shuttle T-Lock. I shot a lead cow from 25 yards and hit ribs on both sides. The arrow blew completely through the elk, broke ribs on both sides and stuck in a log on the opposite side. This summer I wanted to check their "flies like a fieldpoint" statement of accuracy. I found that at 4o, 50 and more yards, they were dead on- even with wind. Great broadhead.

Shuttle T, or Montec by G5 4 fletch on my vanes for stability in flight. Can't go wrong with either one. Through and through with the Montec on a muley hit a rock on the other side touched it up and used it on another muley. My boys use the shuttle T and have had good luck with them, so I changed to them this year to save money. (we just share now) Patch

last month before elk season i changed my broadhead from the muzzy mx4 4 blade i have shot elk with them and work very well but i always had a problem with the blades bending after shooting them only a few times as target heads and were always bending. so i bought a set of the g5 montes cs they are very strong and sharp broadheads and they shoot awesome when tuned they can also be sharpened easy.

In my opinion, there is no "best" fixed (replaceable blade) broadhead.......just good designs. Unlike 30 years ago, where there were only a few quality heads out there, today's manufacturers make some darn fine products. Muzzy, Innerlock, Shuttle T's, Wac'em, VPA, NAP, G5, Magnus, Slick Tricks (Razor tricks) are just a few that make quality heads.

Now having said that, I (personally) prefer a machined ferrel and not one made by casting (MIM process). Both styles will work, but it's been my experience the machined metal heads are simply far superior in strength (tinsel).....especially when you tackle heavy bone. It's for this reason, I will only use cut-on-contact style heads with machined ferrels when I hunt elk. I simply prefer the added penetration and the strength the design provides. VPA, Wac'em, Magnus, and Razor Tricks meet this criteria and all fly very well.

I arrowed an Arizona Coues buck this summer, quartering away. Those spooky little deer can react quickly, and he whirled at the shot. My broadhead (Wac'em) entered his rear (right) hindquarter, breaking the femur bone, and entered the chest cavity resting near the opposite front shoulder. Two blades were bent, but the ferrell was reusable and spun perfectly. I'm not sure a cast ferrell would have been able to do that???

It's really just a matter of personal preference and what flies good for you. Confidence in your broadhead is crucial.

Now, just my opinion, but even with properly tuned bows, some heads are simply easier to get to fly more consistent than others. Wac'em are probably the best flying heads I've tested.....but VPA, Slick Tricks, and Strikers (MIM ferrel) are pretty darn close. Magnus Stingers also group pretty well. All of these heads will tackle anything out there, IMO.

Good luck in your broadhead selection......I hope you choose a good one that flies well for you and you end up letting the air out of a big critter this year! Hope it helps.

I went on an Az bull elk archery hunt last month and saw some remarkable bulls. I had to do the calling all by myself because the two guys I was going with backed out of our first plan when the roads got muddy from a solid week of hail and rain. I guess staying in a tent for two weeks and crawling through the mud in 4 wheel low just frightens some folks. They saw few elk and shot none. I called in some good bulls including a huge non-typical with two main beams on one side but got no shots because of brush. Then the big bulls wouldn't come off the cows at all so I arrowed this little 5 point so my wife wouldn't kill me when I got home. I need to bring meat home or else. This elk was shot with a Bowtech Captain set at 52# and a VAP arrow (410 grains) with a 100 grain Montech on it. I shot him while he was directly facing me and he ducked and turned a bit and the arrow broke his collar bone and his spine where the neck joins his backbone. He died right in front of me. So I'd say the Montechs would probably work in about any situation you could find. Even with a wimpy little bow that an old disabled guy shoots.

Dead is dead, congratulations on your kill, anything taken with a bow is a trophy, and you have meat on the table. I love my Montecs, except for when I have to sharpen them. I cant get them as sharp as I would like. I get them sharp enough to do the job, just not as sharp as I would like to get them. Again, congratulations on the bull.

"Patch" wrote:Dead is dead, congratulations on your kill, anything taken with a bow is a trophy, and you have meat on the table. I love my Montecs, except for when I have to sharpen them. I cant get them as sharp as I would like. I get them sharp enough to do the job, just not as sharp as I would like to get them. Again, congratulations on the bull.

Thanks. I use a scraper I made at work from a ceramic metallic milling insert (sharper than carbide) and drag along the blades to reduce the angle at the rear 2/3's and leave them shaving sharp.

So how much are you going to sell them for? There will be a market for these I hope you realize this. You may not make millions, but you may make some spending cash.

Congrats on the bull elk m gardner. Good sharpening info on the Montecs as well! :thumb

"Patch" wrote:So how much are you going to sell them for? There will be a market for these I hope you realize this. You may not make millions, but you may make some spending cash.

A new milling insert (I use the old ones that have the two end edges worn out but the sides are good) is about $20.00 and the file handle and steel rod and screw will run $5.00 so it would not be a marketable product as it is. I've had several people "steal" them from me and I just make another. It works well to touch up a knife too. You need to practice to use it too and from all I've seen if a product doesn't make you an expert immediately it won't fly. So if you'd like to please take the idea and run with it. I have no patent on it.