Slow arrow speed/broadhead

[slopmaster]

I know someone who will be getting into archery next year and im guessing they will shoot around 40lbs. The arrow speed will be slow so im trying to help them choose the best broadhead. Would they be better off with a 2 blade so they could get maximum penatration or would they be better off to sacrifice some penatration and get a 4 blade so it would do more damage? Or do i take the best of both worlds and just find a good 3 blade? Part of the reason im also asking is do one of those 3 shoot or are more consistent out of a slower bow? I dont know if it also matters but they will be hunting out of a ground blind most of the time and will that make a difference? im not sure if you have a 4 blade if it is more prone to not go through the shoot threw mesh as good.

[harvey lee]

The weight you are talking about will get the job done but if they could bump the poundage up a bit, that would really help if they would like to make a little farther away shot. I would go with a fixed blade and because of the lower poundage, I would stay away from a expandable broadhead it won't get the job done as well with that poundage.

I would probably go with a 3 blade head to do as much damage as possible to the deer but you may lose a little penetration. It would also help to know what arrow weight they will be shooting.

The total arrow weight with the broadhead will make a difference in the penetration. I would try to get as much penetration as possible so the arrows clears the deer. It's very hard to track a deer without an exit hole for the blood to leave a trail to track.

As far as shooting out of a blind, if the blind has mesh in the windows, I would have to say one will need to shoot through it to see how it will affect the broadhead they are shooting.

[reddog]

When I started out, I shot alot of deer with the same setup as the OP asked about. I bumped up to 52 lbs a little later on. I used a Wasp 3 blade broadhead.

I know most of the current thinking is bump the poundage and go for a pass thru.

Yes, you will get two holes to leak blood out of, but, you only get the damage to the internal organs of the original shot.

I never looked for a pass thru.

I wanted my broadhead firmly against the other side, but not exiting. No, you wont get quite as much blood to follow, but, you do get colateral damage as the shaft hits branches, weeds and trees as the deer runs off. The broadhead slices up every internal organ as the deer is running off. Typically, they wont go far, if you can put the arrow into the right spot.

Certainly, 2 schools of thought, each has its merit.

[harvey lee]

I will agree to some extent reddog. From what I have noticed over the years is when I have shot a deer and it ran off with my arrow, the arrow shaft broke off almost on the first thing it hit. These carbon arrows are very easy to break. We have lost two bucks in the last few years due to no exit hole and no blood trail with a very good hit. Very hard to track these deer when they run 100 yards and the first 50 yards there is no blood.

This is simply what I have found over the years of shooting deer.

I'm not saying one cannot find a deer without an exit hole but I will say that it is a much higher percentage if it has a exit hole to bleed more.

[delmuts]

Get them started shooting early and often. Then you/they will be able to slowly increase the pondage of the bow. Kind of like lifting weights. You start out at what you can handle comfortably, then work your way up!

[Cheetah]

I've shot a few Magnus 2-blade heads over the years out of my recurve and compound. My main complaint is that the tips on these heads get bent over or chipped very easily. You can still use the head, just grind it back down and re-sharpen as usual, but it's not the same.

I now shoot Magnus Snuffer 3-blade solid heads. They have done the job for me on three deer, only one actually damaged one of the heads due to a solid bone hit. They require a fair amount of bow tuning though, which is to be expected of any fixed-blade head.

The biggest thing with lower poundage bows is the shot placement. You could shoot any broadhead really, as long as the bow is tuned and accurate and the shooter doesn't hit the shoulder bones directly, the deer will die. It ain't rocket science. All other arguments don't matter at that point.

Anyway, without typing another essay like I tend to do. If I had a new hunter getting into the game, I would start him at whatever poundage he can consistently shoot 50+ arrows without getting tired and in good groups. Set him up with economical broadhead/arrow combination that is accurate. Probably a 3-blade replaceable blade head. Then just get him in the field. Everything else will come with time and he will learn as he goes.

[Powerstroke]

I also started out with a lighter poundage. I never got pass thru's but I recovered several deer. I did lose one though.

I used the Magnus stinger 4 blade (really a 2 blade with 2 little side blades) and the G5 Stinger 3 blade. Both are very solid heads, sharp out of the package and do the job. I never had a problem tuning them.

Stick with the 100gr head and make sure you tune the head and arrows to the bow. With the proper arrow for the bow you can still get pretty good speed and penetration. And of course, keep him practicing to build those muscles.

When I can't get to the range, I put my target at 5yds in the garage or in the back yard and fire arrows at it from close. Its not about accuracy, its about good form and building repetition and strength.

[chelps]

I just started bowhunting this year. I am at 40lbs and shoot a Shuttle T-lock 3 blade broadhead. I shot a deer at 20 yds last Friday and the arrow ripped right through. I do notice that my arrow drops quite a bit at 30 yds so it may not be as effective from that range.

[slopmaster]

thanks everyone for the great post!

[Scoot]

I've got two thoughts in response to the question and some of the replies:

1) You definitely want an exit hole. I agree with reddog regarding a broadhead inside will do further damage. However, if the deer runs several hundred yards in a direction you don't know and doesn't have an exit hole to leave a trail, you're likely to never find it. Pass throughs are important and help your cause a lot.

2) Magnus broadheads are rock solid. Also, they have a lifetime guarantee- if damaged at all, send them in and they'll send you one back at no cost. Their Snuffer SS's are really nice and easy to sharpen. If you don't want one that you have to sharpen yourself, you might consider G5 Strikers. If you like the idea of sharpening your broadheads, I strongly recommend the Snuffer SS's.

[slopmaster]

I agree Scoot

When i started this topic i really was leaning toward a Magnus head just for the fact if they get wrecked you send them in and get new ones i dont think you can beat that service out of a broadhead company. Im pretty sure i will go with a 3blade head now i just have to decide if i want The snuffer SS which looks like a good head but so does the striker from G5 but again i do like the lifetime warranty.

[Cheetah]

Magnus has good service for sure, but I have had multiple problems with the two-blade heads. Most chip their first time hitting the ground or a deer. I had one completely fold over when I hit the shoulder blade of a nice buck with my recurve. They offered to replace it, but I decided to not bother.

Just so it's clear, I do not shoot the Snuffer SS. Like the G5 and Rage and all these other heads, I don't like the idea of shooting such expensive equipment. Call me a cheapskate or whatever, but $20 per arrow is a bit much for me when my chance of finding the arrow in many of my spots is about nil (swamp and weeds).

Anyway, I shoot the regular "Snuffer" head. It is a longer head and wider cutting diameter. Also needs more tuning than the SS and G5 heads. Plus they cost a heck of a lot less money per head and are sold in 6-packs instead of 3-packs.

edit: heh, sorry, don't mean to sound like a walking salesman. I normally avoid going on about this sorta thing because everyone has their own opinions and none are really wrong when the deer is dead either way.

[archerystud]

Pass throughs are nice but NEVER guaranteed! If you have quartering away shot (a PREFERRED archery shot) and enter at the back rib you are fairly like to hit the shoulder (blade or joint)on the far side and you have already lost a lot of speed on impact.

I shoot 63 lbs. with ACC's and have had the above scenario happen to me twice. In both cases it was a tough track but the deer went down within 150 yards and I recoverd both deer.

My point is that there no substitue for a good patient tracker or a good solid double lung hit.

[harvey lee]

I totally agree that with a solid hit, one should find the deer even with the arrow not going through. But, the perfect shot does not always happen even with a seasoned archer.

For me, the blood trail is an added bonus when tracking. It just really bothers me to lose a wounded deer.

[Scoot]

My point is that there no substitue for a good patient tracker or a good solid double lung hit.

[Powerstroke]

TO comment a little on choosing quality equipment....Having quality equipment in good working order that you know and have practiced with is how you guarantee success.

Nothing in that statement refers to price. That being said, many things in the outdoor sports are "get what you pay for" items.

Yes quality arrows and quality broadheads cost more money, but the way I look at it, even a beginner bow bought used and fully equipped still costs more than $200 if it was made in the last 10 years. If your arrow combo costs about $20 an arrow and you are relying on your arrow as much as your entire bow, I think that having a quality arrow combo is a cheap investment. If you shoot one arrow and kill one deer than its a pretty good trade-off.

If you do not get pass-thru's than you are more than likely to break or lose the arrow so that arrow will be a loss, but I would rather find a deer and lose a quality arrow than lose a deer and save $5-10.

You bet! I've been really lucky in that department so far. However, I've got plenty of buddies who have lost animals, and it eats a guy inside up for sure. If it doesn't bother you, I think you shouldn't be hunting anymore...

I couldn't agree more. I've lost one deer ever and I can still replay that shot in my mind. It was my fault and I hope never to make that mistake again.

[harvey lee]

Thats true Scoot. If we lose a deer, it will bother me for weeks and maybe months if it were a nice buck. Just makes me sick.

last fall we lost a dandy and we looked for a week off and on along with some others who also helped. I know we did all we could but we did not get the buck and that my friends, stinks.