Species guides

What broadhead, arrow, and bow you shoot depends on what animal you are hunting. A whitetail arrow build (400 to 450 grain, 100 gr broadhead, 60 lb compound) is under-spec for elk, and a heavy-shaft elk build is loud and slow for a stand hunt at 20 yd on a spike. This section is the per-species guide.

Guides in this section

Whitetail deer: the reference build. 400 to 450 grain arrow, 100 gr fixed or mechanical broadhead, 55+ lb draw weight, 20 to 40 yd shots off a stand. Blood-trail focus is high.

Elk: heavy shaft, weight-forward, cut-on-contact fixed blade. 470 to 520 grain arrow, 125 gr broadhead, 65+ lb draw weight, 30 to 55 yd shots on Western public land. Penetration focus is high.

Mule deer: mid build. 420 to 470 grain arrow, 100 gr broadhead, mixed spot-and-stalk and stand hunts. Shot angles vary the most of any big-game hunt in North America.

Turkey: mechanical or specialty turkey broadhead (Muzzy Grasshopper, NAP Spitfire Gobbler Getter). 400 to 450 grain arrow, 100 gr head, blood-trail-friendly design because the neck-and-head shot is not always in the plan.

Black bear: heavy shaft, single-bevel or cut-on-contact fixed, big-cut mechanical only if you need blood trail. See black bear broadheads.

Related reading

See the broadheads pillar, arrows pillar, and bows pillar.