Who's going heavy arrows on whitetails?

[A Lex]

Well, I would if I could.

We are not allowed to bowhunt here in the State I live in, except rabbits and hares, and with Covid travel restrictions still in place, I still cannot travel to other States where I can bowhunt 

But go heavy if you want to, it just plain works. I've never chased the FOC thing, but I love well tuned heavy arrows and sharp broadheads. At the ranges I choose to slip the string, I'll take gains in penetration over gains in speed or flatter trajectory any day.

I run wooden arrows and longbows, have for a lot of years, 850 plus grains in a 75lb bow, 700 odd grains in a 65lb bow, and 650'ish grains in a 55lb bow.

No one will dis-agree that a classic broadside hit through the lungs of a deer is a deadly hit, and a lighter arrow will get that done well, all day, but it's when you might not get that perfect hit that the extra weight/penetration shows its real worth.

While rifle hunting, I've seen our Fallow Deer here (pretty similar to your Whitetail I believe) standing still, feeding perfectly broadside at 80 odd yards, simply turn just as the rifle (a 7x57) went off and instead of the bullet taking the deer just behind the shoulder, it took it just in front of the back leg. Came out just in behind ot the off side shoulder and the deer was recovered not far off.

My point in this? I know deer don't always co-operate and offer perfect broadside shots. I'm not suggesting anyone take risky shots, I will not take a low persentage shot, but even with a high persentage shot, if things do go a tad pear shaped, and sometimes they can, and the hit ends up not as good as initially intended, I know my heavy arrow is going to penetrate very well indeed. And that greater penetration can (and has for me) made all the difference between a short or a long recovery. I want a set-up that will work well even if things don't go quite as planned.

Plan for the worst, expect the best.....

Long winded again, sorry.

I'll be using heavy arrows next hunt, you can bet on it.

Best
Lex

[Wudstix]

Lex,
My Red Balau will be 960-985 depending on what length works.
 

[A Lex]

That's some serious weight there Wud,  they should penetrate like crazy. Bet your bow is nice and quiet too. What broadhead have you got up front?

I really like my "Rat tail" Red Balau shafts too. My "light" arrows for my 75lb'er are around 865 grains, havent actually weighed the Red Balau arrows for my 65lb'er. Must do that.....

From memory, you're shooting yours from 60 to 70lb bows? In my experience, the trajectory out to 20-25 yards will be fine, although they do start to fall away some after 25

I know we don't need that sort of weight or penetration on a Whitetail (or a Fallow), but I'd much rather to be looking at great penetration than wishing I had had more of it.

Best
Lex

[Wudstix]

Raw shaft @29.5” rat tail tapered is 660 grains.  Feathers, stain/cresting/seal, broad head 190 grain VPA.(pushing 985)  Bow Big River D/R longbow 60” 66.5#@27+”.  Tapered Cedar @200 grains less.
 

[JDunlap]

70-75 POC's with 125gn Ace Standards - total weight = 600+ grains; 2117 XX75's with 175 grain Ace Standards - total weight = 595+ grains. shooting my ILF rig with Uukha limbs somewhere around 51@30".

[A Lex]

Just weighed my Red Balau arrows for my 65lb Widow,

Full 23/64 to 5/16 rat tail taper,
29" von to bop
Classic Index Nock
4x 5" Parabolic feathers
190 grain broadhead
Total weight is 880 odd grains.

Bow sure is quiet.

Best
Lex

[Wudstix]

Lex,
I’ll know for certain when I get the RB made up.  After further calculation 950-960 is probably closer to arrow weight, 22 grains per inch on shaft so trimming there is possible.  Like to get closer to 900 grain arrow.
 

[MattfromVT]

Man I thought I was going heavy at 600. GT Trad 400s with 100gr brass, 160gr Eskimo, and lumenocks. 53# @29. Some of you guys could shoot through a brick wall on the way to a deer haha

[Paul Fithian]

My hunting set up this year is a 1963 Red Wing Hunter, 45#.  Arrows are 31.5"  Beman ICS Bowhunter Pro 400 spine 250g Cutthroat single bevel broadheads, total arrow weight of 546g with 23% FOC.  Measured speed is 156 FPS, energy is 29.5 Ft. Lbs.

I shot one deer with my longbow last year with this arrow, complete pass through double lung.  I've been practicing with this setup for the past 6 months, I'm ready!

[Wudstix]

Looks great!!!  Can’t argue with total pass through.  Quiet is king.
 

[Longbowwally]

I've gone from a 200 grain point to 250 and from 500 spine to 400 - my arrows are around 550 grains and shoot real good out of my mid 40's bows....