Wilderness hunts and aluminum arrows can be a difficult match. You begin by shooting and numbering each arrow to ensure that it flies true and that your broadhead spins without a wobble. But rugged terrain and an unexpected fall can bend a shaft enough to affect accuracy. Personally, I shoot the broadhead with which I’m going to hunt in order to make sure that it flies well; one or two shots seems to have little affect on the sharpness of the head. Last season, I tested an NAP Big Nasty on a foam target and then, later in the day, shot through an elk at 40 yards with the same shaft. The extra foot-pounds of energy developed by a crossbow WY Elk 13 150and heavy shaft should provide good penetration with expandable heads, but since I wanted maximum penetration, I opted for the HellRazor. The BloodLine Carbon Bolts should provide maximum durability, even if I have to shoot one more than once in the field.

Elk are large animals with a heavy skeletal system that require maximum energy and surgery for an ethical demise. When considering mechanical or fixed-blade broadheads, I opted for the latter — they cut on contact and need no additional energy to open, despite the 320 fps. arrow speed delivered by my Mission XB-320. The deal-closer was arrow flight: Both my Mission and Easton bolts impacted consistently with target points or broadheads. To be sure that each arrow flew well, I Bivouac for Elk (23)test-fired them into a foam target and surprisingly got little change in sharpness. In fact, I shot the same practice arrow the first four days of the hunt without noticeable dulling. A broadhead that comes razor sharp from the package and stays that way over the season is every archer’s dream. NAP seems to have nailed this one.

234a576abf8b4e7580a75a367f944fd41[1]NAP HellRazor come in an ultra-strong one-piece design, with no loose blades, ever. Its CAD-designed, all stainless-steel construction allows for maximum strength and optimum flight characteristics. A photon blade-bonding process laser welds the HellRazor for ultimate strength and consistency. newarchery.com

Easton BloodLine Carbon Bolts come fletched with Easton’s BTV crossbow vanes, designed specifically to enhance broadhead flight on crossbow bolts to give you the pinpoint accuracy that serious crossbow hunters demand. Technical Specs: Arrow Material: Carbon Composite | Straightness: +/- .003″ | Outside Diameter: 11/32″ | Shaft Length: 20″ or 22″ | Arrow Weight: 10.5 grains per inch | Fletching: BTV 3″ Crossbow Vanes weigh 10 grains each | Insert: HP Bolt insert weighs 57 grains | Nock: Half Moon nock weighs 11 grains. eastonarchery.com

Mission Crossbow Arrows have been specifically designed to be the best performing arrow for MXB crossbows. They are weight matched and utilize brass inserts, half-moon aluminum nocks, and 100% carbon shafts. This is the strongest and most accurate arrow for the MXB. missionarchery.com

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