Elk are more than three times the size of deer. An average cow elk weighs 500 pounds, while bulls average about 650 and occasionally exceed 1,000 pounds. Besides being heavier and larger than deer, elk have thicker skin, heavier bones and proportionately larger stomachs - all of which affect penetration and performance of arrows and bullets. Internal Anatomy of Elk Study the elk diagrams. A spot in the center of the lungs or slightly lower should be a bowhunter's target every time.
Hunters using firearms have more choices than bowhunters.
A bullet striking either the heart, shoulder, spine or lungs is fatal to elk due the massive shock and tissue destruction. Once again, the chest area offers the best lethal target. How an Arrow Works Arrows tipped with razor sharp broadheads are designed to cut. Arrows harvest game by cutting arteries and veins resulting in blood loss. In addition to severe bleeding, arrows shot through both lungs cause the lungs to collapse, causing rapid death by suffocation.