2 - 3 - 4 Blade; which is better? trail/sharpen?

[stick_string]

Hello to all.  I am new to traditional, and to bowhunting. (I am 26yr old and bow hunted for 2 years -- compound).  I have been told by everyone that cut on contact is the way to go so that is all I have shot out of my compound.  I have seen alot of talk about 2 blade, 3 blade, and 4 blade broadheads.  I think that 2 blade heads would fly better than any option but I do not know if they will leave a good blood trail.  I am looking for a good head: inexpensive, easy to sharpen, flys stright and most importantly leaves a massive blood trail and penetrates.  I am currently shooting stingers out of my compound and steel force out of my widow.  I would like to be able to shoot the same broadhead out of both.  Can I get a decent blood trail out of a 2 blade?

[TSHOOTER]

Ribtecs are easiest to sharpen (for me).  Woodsman or Snuffer if you want a 3 blade.  Don't see a need for anything else.  Oh, shoot em where your supposed to and it won't matter.  Shoot em in the wrong spot and I would prefer a 3 or 4 blade.  Avoid extreme downward shots and shootem when they aint lookin. Just my 2 cents.

[Charlie Lamb]

Can I get a decent blood trail out of a 2 blade?
 

Man! I ain't gonna touch that one with a long pole.

I will say that you'll do just fine sticking with the Stingers (as a 4 blade I assume)

Lots of guys love the 3 blade Wensel Woodsman which is a little cheaper and very easy to sharpen.

I've seen bad and good blood trails with 2, 3, and 4 blade heads.

Here's a fairly typical 4 blade blood trail from last year...  

[penetrator]

stingers are damn good heads.i used the 125 stingers last year with bleeder blades and killed a couple of does.got great penetration and blood trails.the only thing i might change this year is go with the 150 grn. stingers.they were a little hard to find last year.ilike a little more point weight.you can't go wrong with the classic 2 blades from either magnus or zwickey.grizzlies are a little hard to sharpen and unless your going to pull at least 58#'s or more and shoot a really heavy arrow,i would stay clear of the 3 and 4 blades.not saying they are bad heads,it's just been my personal dealings that the multiple blade heads need a little more poop in their britches to punch through deer size game and up,although they do leave nasty holes when you do get good penetration.

[penetrator]

when i say 4 blade heads,i'm not refering to bleeder blades,i'm talking more like the old satelite heads which had 4 equally wide and length blades.

[Terry Green]

4 Blade Zwickey Eskimo.....would have been better with a 4 Blade Delta.....but it was real windy, and I chose the narrower Delta....

BTW....bleeder blades don't make em bleed, the main blades do....the bleeder blades 'let' em bleed.

   

Sharpening is up to the on doing the sharpening.

[30coupe]

Snuffers (3 blade) are easy to sharpen and leave a massive blood trail. Out of my 55# longbow with relatively light arrows (480 gr.) I got a complete pass through (arrow stuck in the ground) at 15 yards with good shot placement (chest cavity). A shot to the heaviest part of the scapula with the same setup failed to penetrate to the vitals at about the same range. I have now added 100 gr. inserts, so penetration should be better.

The moral of the story is put the arrow in the right spot and you won't have to worry much about penetration or blood trails. I don't think there is a magic broadhead out there that will save you on every bad shot.

That being said, my blood trail was kind of like the ones Charlie and Terry posted but the blood was coming out of both sides like that. Sorry, I didn't think to get a picture of it, but tracking it wasn't much of a challenge.

[Jerry Jeffer]

As you can see, every one has thier preferences. I have changed BH's several times over the years. They all work, it's just which one works for you?

[Brian Krebs]

zwickey black diamond delta 2 or 4 blade; I suggest the 4 blade only if you can sharpen them to shaving - if not stay with the 2 blade; I have used them for decades; and they leave a good blood trail; fly perfectly; sharpen easy- whats not to like.
 Hunting with deltas for over 25 years; and I can buy what ever kind I want.      

[hunt it]

If your looking for a good screw in head to use all around the Phantom is well worth looking at. You can shoot them two bladed or four bladed whatever works for you. I shot them two bladed out of a compound for years for deer/bear and moose never had a problem. I only shoot trad now and still use them from time to time. I prefer the STOS, but you have to use screw in adaptors as they are not available in screw in. The Phantoms are made by Muzzy now and are real easy to resharpen with any carbide quick sharpener. The STOS sharpen easy as well with a $5.00 file.

[James Wrenn]

If you are going to use them for both bows the muzzy Phantoms would be a good choice.More cut than most of the smaller heads and will fly good at compound speeds.That being said, I am a firm believer in big Simmons broadheads for putting blood on the ground.A lot of blood like a big snuffer but takes a lot less bow to get those two hole results.

[John Krause]

Terry / Charlie

Did you guys find those animals?  

I think a 3 or 4 blade really shines when the hit is less than perfect (can you say liver). Perfect it doesn't matter...

[Doug S]

"inexpensive, easy to sharpen, flys straight and most importantly leaves a massive blood trail and penetrates."
 I cannot come up with a head that fits this discription. Many of the wide 2's do most of these. The really Wide Zephyr does all but the inexpensive part. The wide Zwickey fits most but not Massive blood trails. I have shot around 60 with 2 blades and have had some bad blood trails. Sometimes if I am in a thick area I'll go to a wensel or similar. I guess I'll second the Phantom. But it is expensive. OR wide zephyr razorcaps, wensel woodsmans,  Stinger with bleeders. I don't know about the Simmons.
You'll just have to shoot more game than you planned, so you can test all these heads out. Maybe have to go to Africa, Alaska and New Zealand. Let us know what you end up with.

[Shawn Leonard]

I agree with Charlie and Terry on 4 blades, that said I shoot 3 blade Snuffers. I stay away from 2 blade heads as I have less than good blood trails. If I was shooting light weight bows and arrows at fairly large game I may choose a 2 blade to aid in penetration but I doubt it. I shot a big female coyote this year with a 48# Kwyk Styk and a 400 grain arrow with a 3 blade snuffer and it traveled the whole length of her and stuck 6"s out the other end, great blood trail. Shoot what flies best for ya and keep them sharp. Shawn

[Terry Green]

Originally posted by John Krause:
Terry / Charlie

I think a 3 or 4 blade really shines when the hit is less than perfect (can you say liver). Perfect it doesn't matter...

I agree, and a two blade is not a gurantee to get through a shoulder bone.  I've had no problems getting pass throughs on any animals with 4 blades unless the off shoulder or off leg bone was hit solid.

[stick_string]

Wow,
I must say there have been some unexpected comments.  I sort of figured the everyone would be saying I need to stay away from 4 blade.  From what I gather everyone basically agrees with Snuffer, Magnus, or Phantom.

Does anyone shoot these heads out of both traditional and compound?

[Kingstaken]

Two blade steel force with bleeders.

[Fallguy]

A very very sharp one!

[nc recurveman]

I went on a hog hunt this past week and I was real impressed withe the Tusker aztec and the Ace super express. Don't worry about sharpening the Tusker a little very little file work and finish with a lansky sharper. both heads left  massive blood trails. A special thanks to Tusker and Ray Hammond for the broadsheads I used on the hunt, they were kind enough to send the mentioned head  to try. I'm real sold on the tuskers they are super well made and tough, sharpening is not that hard to master. thanks again to both.