Sea level vs 8000 plus

[Rubbin_Is_Racin]

I'm tuned really good with my blazers at sea level. I will be hunting higher elevation for the first time so I'm not sure what to expect. I'll be at 8k to 10k elevation. I was playing with some AAE max stealth vanes but I can tell they have quite a bit more drag and add a bit more weight to the rear. Worth the switch or roll with what I have?

 

[Blockcaver]

Shoot your bow at elevation...air density is about 2/3 of sea level at 10,000' at the same temperature if I remember correctly. At longer yardage it will make a bit of a difference. Remember air gets denser when it is colder so that counter-acts the effect of elevation to some degree most days...as it is usually cold up high.

 

[Rubbin_Is_Racin]

Yea I plan to bring a small target. I listen to a lot of podcasts where folks are running the longer or more vanes, so I didn't know if that's something they do for the difference in elevation or if thats just what they run.

 

[Blockcaver]

I shot Blazers for the last 3 years I lived in CO in 2007-2009. Killed a P&Y Mulie at 12,000' and 3 elk at about 11,500' (timberline) with them....3 Fletch helical off a Bitzenberger with a 3 blade fixed Rocky Mt Iron Heads and Titaniums. No broadhead stabilization or flight issues as long as the bow is tuned. We were using a lot of Blazers there 8-10 years ago. Don't know if they are still the dominant vane of choice anymore?

 

[Rubbin_Is_Racin]

They come stock on tons of arrows so I naturally assume the reason is that they just simply work.

I have g5 strikers shooting with my field tips beyond 60 yards, so I'm very confident in my tune. The Goldtips I'm shooting came with straight offset blazers but as I have refletched some I have been using the helical jig.

 

[Brendan]

Yea I plan to bring a small target. I listen to a lot of podcasts where folks are running the longer or more vanes, so I didn't know if that's something they do for the difference in elevation or if thats just what they run.

The vanes people use has zero to do with elevation. It's because they believe their choice stabilizes the arrow better, is quieter, etc.

The amount of drag has a lot to do with if it's fletched offset vs helical, and to what degree as well as the choice of vane.

Shoot whatever you're comfortable with, but I personally run the max stealth fletched 3 fletch, helical for everything from eastern whitetail / turkey at sea level to elk when I go out west. It's a little lower profile than the blazer and some other vanes, so less potential for contact with your rest or cables, and longer so you don't need to run as much helical / offset for the same drag and stabilization.

As above - you will need to test. Drag can be bad because it slows down the arrow, but the more drag you have, the faster the arrow stabilizes, and the better an arrow stabilizes with a big fixed blade, and the more forgiving it shoots..

 

[Rubbin_Is_Racin]

What helical fletching jig are you using for those max stealth vanes? I used my bitzenberger and it looks like a boat prop back there compared to my blazers.

 

[Brendan]

I personally use the Firenock Jig with the bitzenburger right helical clamp. Not nearly as aggressive a Helical as some others I've seen and stabliizes everything I've shot so far.

 

[roadrunner]

I'd be more concerned with building lung capacity than the flatter trajectory you'll be getting if this is the first time hunting high elevation.

It's a chore going from 5300' to 10000' and could only imagine going from 20' to 10000'...

 

[Rubbin_Is_Racin]

I'd be more concerned with building lung capacity than the flatter trajectory you'll be getting if this is the first time hunting high elevation.

It's a chore going from 5300' to 10000' and could only imagine going from 20' to 10000'...

Yep working on that too thanks.


It's almost indistinguishable of a difference in trajectory with the bigger vanes than my blazers so I may have a mix of them in my arsenal to play with. I really don't see much of a difference until I shoot past 60 and beyond that is just for fun anyways.

 

[RosinBag]

Several years ago Randy Ulmer did an in depth article on sea level verse elevation up to 10k or so. I will argue he can out shoot anyone here and he did his test with field points and broadheads. In the end, his opinion was the majority of archers couldn't shoot well enough to see the difference in elevation differences. If I remember it was about a 3" to 4" difference at 100 yards in point of impact. I will say he is correct that most of us can't see that difference. In my own experience in changing elevation, I see a slight difference at 70 yards or more, so I just take a yard off what ever the yardage is at the longer ranges and send them.

 

[roadrunner]

Yep working on that too thanks.


It's almost indistinguishable of a difference in trajectory with the bigger vanes than my blazers so I may have a mix of them in my arsenal to play with. I really don't see much of a difference until I shoot past 60 and beyond that is just for fun anyways.

That's good. What would be awesome is if you could make a trip out to UT in July (12 - 18) for the Total Archery Challenge at Snowbird Resort.

 

[Rubbin_Is_Racin]

That would be really awesome. I'll have to look into it.

 

[bohntr]

When I stay at trail head for the day before I climb, I always shoot my bow. I lived at 23' above sea level at the time and trail head was right at 11,000'. I've found over the years that I consistently shot 2" high at 40 yards.......slight adjustment and everything was spot on. While 2" may not seem like a lot, it can make a difference on angled shots. I would suggest you shoot (portable target) at the elevation and check.

 

[Sharp Things]

I found diff after shooting at sea level and then hunting at 9000 feet. I killed a Vancouver bull with a shot at 46 yards and another at 65 yards and 2 hogs at 30 yards. Don't sweat it.

 

[cnelk]

If you miss, at least you can blame it on the elevation difference