Snuffers and Black Bear...?

[Al Kidner]

Hi guys,

Well I've had some Snuffers stored away deep in my Archery tackle box that were a gift some time ago from Ryan himself and seeing as I'm gearing up for my hunt up in BC next month I was keen to get some opinions and success story's/pics of Snuffers in action.

I've always liked a solid 3 blade head for soft skinned game and have shot a number of deer with Woodsman heads but I thought I'd give the Snuffers a try.

I plan to be hunting with my 63# Huntsman recurve (made here in Aussie ) ... And my arrow set up is the Arrow Dynamics trad heavies, brass insert and just guessing, my total arrow weight will be around the 650g mark.

Cheers,

ak.

[Brock]

a good friend of mine, Phil Harris, invited me on bear hunt near Carrot River SASK back in late 90s.  He shot Snuffers...out of his Bill Stewart recurve.  Shot a very nice black bear..not his first either....and it was very effective with great blood trail.  Matter of fact when Walter Charko took us to his taxidermist to get the bear skinned for a rug...the guy thought Phil shot it with a shotgun slug the hole was so large.

The only reason he did not get a complete passtrhough is the arrow hit the off side upper leg bone....

Devastating heads if you get them sharp and very durable if you dont have that needle point but more of a tanto/truncated point.

Snuffer (Tony Sanders) also used nothing but snuffers on everything too...deer, moose, bear, etc...

They work exceptionally well....

[Orion]

Great plenty, and you should have a very good blood trail.

[dhermon85]

Snuffers!
Not a bear, but a big mature doe! Blood trail was awesome.
 

[dhermon85]

[Steve O]

Al, you have PLENTY of horsepower to use the big Snuffers on black bears.  Roger and all his pals killed semi loads of big black bears over the years with similar set ups.

[rolltidehunter]

Snuffers are some awesome BH's.

Here is a video of a doe I shot this past year with a snuffer

   

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a bear with one

[ozzyshane]

Al this guy got a snuffer
 

[Kelly]

Snuffers are the only head I've ever used on bear(6) and many other animals.

 

[wingnut]

Al.

Bear are very soft skinned and boned.  The snuffer is a great choice for a big hole and putting him down fast.

Mike

[Al Kidner]

Thanks guys for the feedback... I've always had the plan to use these heads on some sort of hunt and I've heard nothing but good reports in regards to the affectivness of Snuffers ( and 3 blades in general for that matter) ... On black bears.

I'll hit the sand dunes to see how they fly but I'm sure they'll be all cool.

Oh and I forgot you used a Snuffer on your bear Shane, have you got your skin home yet mate?

[Mike Bolin]

Hi Al! From 1984 thru 1995 a group of us hunted bear in Quebec most every year. During that time I was fortunate to blood trail a lot of bears. Our group all shot 3 blade heads and the majority were Snuffers. I can only recall one bear shot with a Snuffer that wasn't recovered. Guestimating that I have helped trail over 30 bears between our group and helping the outfitter trail bears for the group that hunted the week prior to us. We always drove up a day or two early to relax, do a little fishing and basically just "unwind". The outfitter always like to take me along for the purpose of dragging. In those days I was still a big boy and he took advantage of me being "strong like a bull and smart like a tractor!!"
You can't go wrong with a big Snuffer! Put it in the right spot and you should have a great and short bloodtrail. Oh, I like total broadside, double lung. I am no expert, but it seems that the longer trails were on quartering away shots.
Good luck old friend!! Mike

[larry f]

I have killed a fair amount of bears with snuffers, they are the perfect head for bears.  Nice big hole which makes for an easy to follow blood trail.Lots of the guys that use to hunt is Sask. shot lots of bears with Roger's snuffers.

[bowtough]

A sharp 160gr Snuffer will rock on anything in North America and beyond. I would even use it on Wierwolves and Vampires if I could find some.    

[Dave Pagel]

I shot a bear in Manitoba with a 160 Snuffer out of a 56# Silvertip and it went through like butter.  The hit was a bit high, but the bear only went about 100 yards.

I shot another with a 160 VPA Terminator out of a 54# TribalStyk.  Much better hit and it only went about 40 yards.  the arrow went in behind one shoulder and came out in front of the other with just my fletching sticking out my side.

I would use either head again without hesitation.

D.P.

[killinstuff]

A 160 gr snuffer making a 600gr arrow out of a 60# longbow will not go through the shoulder blade of a very large bear. This I know