Broadheads and Bloodtrails.

[ncsaknech1ydh]

I'm not sure if this thread has been posted before, if so forgive me!

I couldn't help notice the other day comments made towards single blades and poor bloodtrails, and I have had no experience with single blades what so ever, I've been using the old Bear Razorheads with bleeders for years, and I have been thinking of going with one of the single bevel single blade heads. I want to end up with a rock solid head. I hunt mostly deer, and once every several years do an elk hunt somewhere. I also plan to hunt Moose some day, it may never happen but part of the fun for me in the broadhead research department is the possibility I might some day, so I want the toughest head possible no matter if I end up choosing a 2, 3 or 4 blade. After all, dreaming of my next deer, elk, or moose hunt is half the fun even if it never happens.

So heres the topic, lets keep this to in your experience...NOT just your opinion, please tell me about bloodtrails left by your past hunts using single bevel broadheads vs double bevel or 3 or 4 blade. I guess I'll be looking for the good vs the bad experiences using the single bevels as that is the way I am leaning.

I'm just heading out for the weekend so I'll check up on this when I get back, I'm sure my ears will be ringing all weekend...HaHaHa      

P.S. Another post for another time will be...HOW THE HECK DO YOU GUYS GET THOSE INSTANT GRAEMLINS UP ON YOUR POSTS???  

[Huntschool]

I am and always have used a two edged BH.  I currently shoot Zephyr Sc's and Sasquatch heads.  Both leave amazing blood trails but what make that is they are way sharp.  I do however shoot an arrow with good FOC.

I am not all caught up in this single bevel stuff right now as all I will shoot for game is deer, bear and perhaps elk.  Have had experiences with these with good old fashioned BH's incl. Bear razorheads.  They all worked well when I hit what I was supposed to.


Good luck

[K.S.TRAPPER]

O my! You must be new. This subject has been talked about so much that you could wright a book about it.

Nobody wins with these threads there's to many variables between bows,arrows and hunters. Please do a search and you will find enough reading material to last you a couple months.    

Or, Your stirring the pot!!!    

Tracy

[Stumpkiller]

Yeah, but if we stopped beating dead horses we'd have run out of what to talk about years ago.      

I have mostly used single blade (two edge) and always double-bevel edged broadheads.  Chisels are for wood, knife-edges are for flesh and organs.      

The Zephyr Sasquatch (145 gr & 1/1/2" wide) left great bloodtrails.  I had a bad result (lost a large buck I had foolishly hit on an almost straight-down shot) and I was just sickened.  Not the Sasquatch's fault, but I reevaluated everything at that point.  If I had the bloodtrail out an exit hole . . .?  At that point they were out of production, anyway.

I was not impressed with the Modoc Chief's I tried (125g & 1") back when 3:1 was all the rage.  Currently I use RibTek 125S (slim - 1-1/8" wide) and have also used the 125W (wide - 1-3/8").  With the slim I occasionally get a hole on both sides - and I have to say that makes a much better bloodtrail!

Multi blades I have tried are the Bear Razorhead with insert and the Zwickey Eskimo.  Of those two . . . who in their right mind can critizise either.  I will say the Zwickys did not hold up to small game and stump shooting - I blew the seams and they sepertated along the weld when hitting something solid.  I just decided in the poundage I shoot a double-edge had better penetration and I'd rather damage both lungs even if I nick a bone or center a rib.

[stevewills]

this is the heads i have killed deer with this year and last.snuffer 150,magnus 2 blade and abowyer single bevel javalina lite.best blood trail hands down was the snuffer,2nd was the magnus and wasnt impressed with the abowyer.snuffer and magnus were double lung and abowyer was a center punch heart shot.snuffers blood trail stevie wonder could have trailed,magnus was very good it was the first blood trail my stepdaughter followed and she follwed it well.abowyer was good for fifteen yards and then nothing,all deer were down in less than 45yds.i think that the abowyers deer the fat sealed the shot(she was a fatty) cause this and the others were all passed threws...good luck on youe search,i just got some magnus 4 blades that i wanna try out soon...

[wapiti792]

 Here we go...

[Zradix]

I'm not getting into bloodtrails other than to say shot placement is most important. The other most important part is 2 holes through the lungs. Poke a couple holes in both lungs and they SPRAY blood out.
The lower the holes the quicker they spray.
Take out the heart, the blood stops pumping...not great for a blood trail. that's my 2¢ on that.

I will say though on the "toughest" dept I have some Abowyer heads. They look about bulletproof. Thick, welded, and clean.

Ashby heads look nice....but the price...    :eek:

[Bowwild]

In 45 years of bowhunting I've killed deer with many different broadheads. I spent the most time with Bear Razorheads without the bleeder blades. I've hunted with and killed deer with mechanicals, 3-blades, 4-blades, and 2-blades. I've killed with replaceable and permanent heads. I'm currently using a 2 blade single-bevel broadhead.  My broadheads are always very sharp.

I share all this because it is my experience that the broadhead design, number of blades, etc. didn't matter. A sharp broadhead in the right place or in a lucky place (major arteries in the neck, kidney area, hind quarters, even the gut)have been the key to great blood trails and poor ones. Frankly, most of the time when I've double-lunged or heart shot a deer, I've seen or heard it fall and I didn't even bother with the blood trail.

[Apex Predator]

Originally posted by Bowwild:
In 45 years of bowhunting I've killed deer with many different broadheads. I spent the most time with Bear Razorheads without the bleeder blades. I've hunted with and killed deer with mechanicals, 3-blades, 4-blades, and 2-blades. I've killed with replaceable and permanent heads. I'm currently using a 2 blade single-bevel broadhead.  My broadheads are always very sharp.

I share all this because it is my experience that the broadhead design, number of blades, etc. didn't matter. A sharp broadhead in the right place or in a lucky place (major arteries in the neck, kidney area, hind quarters, even the gut)have been the key to great blood trails and poor ones. Frankly, most of the time when I've double-lunged or heart shot a deer, I've seen or heard it fall and I didn't even bother with the blood trail.

I've only been bowhunting for 29 years, but I agree completely!  

[30coupe]

Where you hit and how sharp are all that matter. Almost any broadhead will do as long as you meet these two criteria.

I shot a buck last year with a scary sharp Zwickey Delta and got very little blood trail. It was a high double lung shot. The chest cavity was full. It didn't matter much because I could see him on the ground. My cousin shot a buck and a doe this fall with the same head and got good blood trails on both. Even though the buck was not a pass through and actually the shot went through the near leg and into the lower chest. Got the lungs and arteries. The doe was a heart shot and she bled A LOT!, but not for very far.

[Cootling]

I respectfully disagree with the notion that shot placement and sharpness are all that matter.

I've shot quite a few animals with both 2- and 3-blade heads, and have seen many others shot as well.  Both types usually do fine, but results for well hit deer have been poorer and more variable with 2-blade heads.  Trails have been shorter and better, and deer I've been able to watch have expired more quickly, with 3-blade heads.

[SS Snuffer]

49 deer with broadheads                        WHAT Bowwild AND 30coupe SAID!
 

[Bonebuster]

Regardless of how much this issue is discussed, there is always something to learn.

I will keep my view short and say, that since I switched to a two edge head, I noticed a very evident shortening of my bloodtrails.

Common sense tells me that more blades do more damage, BUT, I cannot deny that my experience shows shorter tracking jobs since the switch.

It has been almost twenty years.

The key is to shoot at relaxed animals within your KNOWN effective range. Strictly high percentage shots.

This is assuming that you ALWAYS shoot a razor sharp head, regardless of the number of blades.

[2wfstlhunting]

I like and shoot 2 blade Magnus, but the best blood trails bar none, were those from the 3 head WW: that was something

[lpcjon2]

I am surprised this thread didn't get out of hand.      I have shot 2 blade and I am shooting 3 blade this week and I switch often between my Hill Heads and the Snuffers. I dont care they both are sharp and fly straight,and I know my spot.Hit the spot and almost any sharp head will do it.

One must always consider penetration and flight.  I have had times when I have seen the penetration of a long two blade save the day on less than perfectly hit animals.  It all depends on how much power an individual is playing with.

[droptine82]

Get them to fly good and put a razor edge on them.  They all work well in the heart and lungs!