How to Build the Ultimate Elk Arrow

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I looked down at the three arrows on the archery table in my shop and smiled. Though each arrow was cut to fit my draw length of 28.5 inches and had a spine size of 340 to pair perfectly with my 67.22-pound draw weight, all were vastly different. One, a 395-grain Easton Sonic 6.0, wore a trio of low-profile AAE Hybrid 23 vanes. I'd wrapped the end of the arrow, just below the 6mm H nock, with an arrow wrap. My insert of choice was the standard 18-grain 6mm ST RPS 8-32 insert. The arrow was light and fast.

The second arrow was a 481-grain Easton 4MM Full Metal Jacket with three, 3-inch Shield Cut Silent Knight vanes. I didn't wrap the arrow. Instead, I removed the 6-grain 4mm MicroLite nock and added a 20-grain Nockturnal Lighted Nock. This added weight to the tail end of the arrow and, wanting to achieve a suitable-for-hunting front of center (more to come on this), I added a 75-grain Easton Aluminum/Steel Match Grade Half-Out insert.

The last arrow in the group was Easton's new-for-2024 X10 Parallel Pro with four FlexFletch Pro 2.5 vanes. I didn't wrap the arrow, left the standard 6-grain 4mm Microlite nock, and opted for the 55-grain Aluminum Match Grade Half-Out insert. The finished arrow weight was 420.2 grains.

Why the different builds and setups? Simple. I was building and testing different arrows, having a blast, and learning a lot.

Necessary? Depends on who you ask.

The arrows above would be suitable for most all North American big-game species. When shot through a chronograph and then figuring kinetic energy, all produce over 74-foot pounds when fired from my Hoyt Alpha X set at a draw length of 28.5 inches and a draw weight of 67.22 pounds.

Still, I like building species-specific arrows, especially for elk, one of North America's most coveted big-game animals. Elk are big, heavy-boned critters that live in some of the West's most remote landscapes.

Each year, I field dozens of questions at seminars, via email and social media about the best arrow, arrow grain weight, and broadhead for elk hunting.  Here's what you need to know when building your ultimate elk arrow.

Go Small

I prefer a micro-diameter arrow for elk like Easton's 4mm offerings. The arrow's reduced surface gives the wind less surface area to press against, thus reducing side-to-side wind drift, and the arrows track seamlessly behind the broadhead when entering an animal. With less surface area, the arrow stays in the wound channel, reducing friction and allowing for deeper penetration and more pass-throughs. The arrow carries more downrange energy, boosting its killing power 
at longer ranges.

A micro-diameter arrow cuts through the air efficiently, allowing the arrow to retain speed and more grace regarding yardage-to-target precision. These arrows are remarkably accurate and build shooting confidence.

Fletch Matters

I'm a mechanical broadhead lover. Kingpin mechanical heads are more straightforward to tune, fly quietly, and cause remarkable trauma. My elk go-to is SEVR's Titanium 1.5. I've shot elk from 8 to 61 yards with these heads and have had insane results.

I recommend shooting mechanical broadheads with a low-profile, quiet, durable vane orientation. My go-to is Flex-Fletch's Pro 2.5, with a 2-degree right helical fletch orientation that initiates spin and boosts accuracy while not creating too much drag, causing the arrow to parachute.

I've completed multiple long-range arrow tests over the years and found a four-fletch option best. Arrows with four vanes instead of three boost arrow performance in the wind and increase long-range accuracy, and if a shooter wants to shoot a fixed-blade broadhead for elk but doesn't want a stiff, high-profile, loud vane setup, four lower-profile vanes will sufficiently stabilize a fixed-blade broadhead.

Speed, Weight & FOC—The Best Of All Worlds

I don't get too caught up with speed, as it often comes with some sacrifice, and my in-the-field and on-the-range results prove that shooting an ultra-heavy arrow has more downside than upside.

I prefer an elk hunting arrow between 407 and 425 grains. This weight range is not too bulky but allows solid arrow speed—my Easton X10 Parallel Pros have a three-arrow average speed of 294 feet per second and weigh 420.2 grains. This build creates 80.67 pounds of kinetic energy and wreaks havoc on big-boned animals like elk.

Front of center must also be considered. Front of center, or FOC, is the percentage of the arrow's total weight located in the front half of the arrow. Bowhunters should look to create a hunting arrow with an FOC between 11 and 15 percent.

FOC is easily altered by adding weight to the front or back half of the arrow. This is accomplished with nock collars, steel and titanium inserts, and heavier-than-100-grain broadheads.

FOC is important because it directly affects arrow flight. The longer an arrow is in flight, the more critical a proper FOC rating is to ensure suitable downrange accuracy. While my 20-plus year shot average on elk is 22 yards, I've killed several bulls between 55 and 65 yards. Proper arrow placement matters more than any other factor. Erratic arrow flight is likely caused by low FOC, and too much FOC will make the arrow's front end heavy and reduce proper aerodynamics.

Calculating Your Arrow's FOC

• Step 1: Measure the length of your arrow from the bottom of your nock groove, where the arrow attaches to the bowstring, to the end of the shaft. Ex. 27.5”
• Step 2: Use a table, cooler, etc., to find the arrow's balance point. When the arrow rocks like a seesaw, you've done it right. Measure from balance point to knock groove. Ex. 17.75”
• Step 3: Subtract half of the arrow's length from the balance point. Ex. 17.75” - 13.75” = 4”
• Step 4: Divide the measurement from step three by the arrow's length. Ex. 4” / 27.5” = 0.145 or 14.5%

Building the ultimate elk arrow isn't tricky. Make sure you purchase a quality arrow, spined right for your bow's poundage, start tinkering and dominate the mountains this September.

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