Smaller 3 blade or WIDE 2 blade on deer size game??

[Kris]

Good thing we have ALL these proven, excellent choices in BH's! Trad archery has come a long way!  Good time to be a part of it.

Kris

[charles m]

Did Bullfrog croak?

I would like to hear his specs also.  

With just your two choices, n Deer I'd take the wide 2 blade, stressing that word *wide*.  If I was after hogs, I would take the 3 blade.  

But, that is with my specs.

[charles m]

Did Bullfrog croak?

I would like to hear his specs also.

With just your two choices, n Deer I'd take the wide 2 blade, stressing that word *wide*. If I was after hogs, I would take the 3 blade.

But, that is with my specs.

[187BOWHUNTER]

3 blade Woodsman or VPA

[Nathan Killen]

So which broadhead are you guys saying penetrates the best, slim 3 blade or wide 2 blade ? Or is it 12 in one hand, a dozen in the other ?

[Terry Green]

Nathan,  I don't think there is an issue with penetration on deer with most set ups.  Both should blow through a deer.

Just what head will do what damage on any given shot and still make two holes.  Maybe 6 of one half dozen of the other like you said.

[kadbow]

I've always liked the WW and have had good luck with them for deer and elk.  Bought a little heavier 3-blade VPAs to try on elk this year but never took a shot.  Somewhere I picked up some Centaurs, might try those for whitetails next year.  I am shooting bows in the 50-53# range with an arrow wt of 525 gr. (period)

[Blaino]

Owen Jeffery gave me some great advice on broadheads.... "they all work and none of them work"

I took that to mean shoot what gives you the most confidence.

[SuperK]

Originally posted by Blaino:
Owen Jeffery gave me some great advice on broadheads.... "they all work and none of them work"

I took that to mean shoot what gives you the most confidence.

It could also mean that sometimes with ANY broadhead you can get great performance (excellent penetration, heavy bloodtrail,etc.) and on the very next shot, with near identical placement, with the SAME broadhead, less than identical results!  There are so many variables that come into play when that broadhead slams home, that a computer would melt down trying to figure them all out.  
That's why this site is so important.  You can gather info from hundreds of different trad. hunters with years and years of experience and compare the results THEY have experienced and base your selection on observed facts.  Once again,that doesn't guarantee you will get the exact, same results but it does give you a solid idea of what to expect.

[Pheonixarcher]

Well said. I agree 100% SuperK. I think the real question is: what head gives you the most consistent and reliable results? Not which one gives the best result sometimes.

[Terry Green]

Yeah....I have more confidence in heads that do more damage....and still give me two holes....

Danged O'l 4 blades     :D  

Don't underestimate your equipment....IF its tuned.    Deer are not armor plated or Kevlar coated...

[charles m]

Originally posted by JamesKerr:
VPA 1 & 1/8" 3 blade. No reason to use anything else period.

James, how many animals have you killed with them?

How many animals have you killed with a bow?

Just curious, you have a lot of answers for everything for a 19 year old.

[xtrema312]

I have killed a couple deer with a two blade and lost count of how many with a three or four blade.  More blades are better for me. I just was not impressed with two blades at all for deer in comparison to three or four.  If I was hunting something a lot bigger than deer, I would take a serious look at a big two blade. The right two blade will have better bone splitting and penetration in general.  The four blade is also a great option and Ashby test indicate four is better than three for bone hits.  I just like how easy a three blade is for me to sharpen.

[leatherneck]

Originally posted by Nathan Killen:
So which broadhead are you guys saying penetrates the best, slim 3 blade or wide 2 blade ? Or is it 12 in one hand, a dozen in the other ?

The question of the year. I've seen both sides of the fence on this one. I've seen 160 snuffers on a "perfect hit" and blood stop after less than 100 yards. I've also seen 2blades crack a shoulder at 12 yards and get no penetration. I think Chris said it best earlier in this post that we have no control of what the BH hits under the skin. Glancing blows off of bone can go anywhere. We can shoot them both under controlled conditions and say this one out penetrates the other. But the fact of the matter remains we can't control it once it leaves the string.
Use what your confident in and keep em sharp! The quest continues"...............

[Zradix]

Hi Bullfrog.

If you're shooting 40#+, drawing 27"+, and keeping your shots 20yds ( all could have "or so" added to em) and under you'll be good.

Both of your choices are good heads for sure.

I'd choose whichever one I could get sharper.

I've heard the accusharp works on simmons just fine.
I know an accusharp can get a head darn sharp from personal experience.

A 3 blade almost needs some stones to sharpen them.

After I learned how to sharpen a 3 blade quickly,easily, and scary sharp I switched to them.

In my compound days a killed a number of deer with 2,3, and 4 blade heads.

I preferred the holes,penetration, and trails I got with 3 blades. None of the 2 blades I used were BIG though. They were all(2,3,&4's) around 1.25"

One way I like to compare heads of 2 or 3 blade design is this...

Say you have a 2" 2 blade. It has 2" of cut. Pretty simple..

Now let's say you have a 1 1/8" VPA 3 blade.
If you figure each blade cuts the radius of that 1.125" hole. so 1.125" ÷ 2 = 0.5625"
Then take that radial distance and multiply by 3
0.5623"x3=1.6875"

So even with a "small" 3 blade you still have 1.6875" of cutting going on.

Now I KNOW that holes rip and open up and nothing is this exact when hunting.

BUT critters only bleed from where they're cut.
Makes that 3 blade not seem so small anymore.

I like the thought the smaller profile of the 3 blade is less likely to steer the arrow around in the wind, bad release, or just improperly mounted.

The simmons with their fairly unique design are less prone to those problems than other WIDE 2 blades.

Most of this stuff is just mental games I play.
But it gives me some confidence and I like it..lol

[stevewills]

i shoot muzzy phantoms 4 blade 220 grains..great blood trails,and penetration....i am not changng anything if it aint broke