Woodsman Heads With A Lightweight Set-Up

[RC]

These are pics from a buck I killed years ago. I was shooting a 47@27 longbow and was in a bind and probably pulled the bow to 25-26 ". Arrow weighed around 500 grains. Original woodsman I got from Biggie Hoffman.
   If you get up around the shoulder of a Big pig you are in trouble unless you are shooting heavy arrows and some lbs. If you shoot low poundage like me you learn to get close and shoot in the pocket or a little back in the middle. Woodsmans are fine heads but with that said I have never seen a double lunged pig of any size go more than 75 yards with any head. I prefer a two blade on big hogs. RC

 


 

[pdk25]

It is somewhat of a luxury to have more than one bow to choose from.  If I run into this joker, I would probably rather have one of my more energetic bows with me.  That way it won't matter as much which broadhead I chose.

 
 

[pdk25]

I shot this 200# boar last spring with a snuffer using  silvertip drawn to around 57# @ 29.5". (It may look a little bit smaller, but it has already been gutted in the pic).  Perfect heart shot, great bloodtrail (very short, too) but I didn't get two holes, even though this hog didn't have much of a shield.  The offside leg stymies me on big boars, as often as not,unless I am using my buff setup. In this case, it the offside, and slid out a little bit, and the broadhead was just poking through the heart when I gutted it.  Can't argue with the results, though.


   

   

[pdk25]

This was another one that was heart shot, this time with a VPA, same bow, and no exit hole.  Another short bloodtrail, although the shield was a little better on this one.

 

[pdk25]

Actually I have way more examples of big hogs that I have shot that I only have one hole, than the other way around.  I would prefer that hole to be big, lol.

[pdk25]

Some other examples of hogs with no exit hole:

220# boar shot slightly quartering away 63#  @ 29" thunderchild,magnus 1 broadhead.  Heart shot.  Broadhead stopped on offside shoulder

   

270# boar, same silvertip as above, steeply quartering.  Tigershark broadhead.  Broadhead stopped in chest cavity.


   

250# sow,  steeply quartering away, thunderchild, around 54# @ 29", tigershark broadhead.  Broadhead stopped in chest cavity.


   

 400# boar broadside. 54#@29" thunderchild with tigershark broadhead.  Maybe 8 or 9" penetration..


   

[Friend]

Just last year....Switched from a two blade to a three blade VPA tipped arrow as a group of sandwhich piggies were making there way in. The outcome was most successful.

[huskyarcher]

Wow, awesome pics PDK! I'm thinking i will just keep a two blade in the quiver just in case of a true giant.

I talked to Bill, Irv, Dick shoots a 40# Widow, and woodsmans and he says they do great for him so i think i will give it a try.

Thanks for all the help fellas!

Dalton

[Cody Greenwood]

I am no expert, but I have read the experts work on the matter. I have also done a lot of testing. Over the last 10 years I have been lowering my draw weight and focusing on other factors to get arrow penetration.

*. Perfectly tuned arrow
*. Edge- Hair Popping Sharp- I can't get 3 blades this sharp.
*. Mechanical advantage- Think Howard Hill and his 3:1 ratio rule. Heads that don't have steep or abrupt angles are better.
*. Weight- I shoot a light arrow with a heavy head. I want the weight up front. This increases FOC and spine. This prevents deflection on impact thus improving penetration signficiantly. Each weight of draw has its own optimal overall arrow weight. Rule of thumb 10 to 12 grains per lb of pull is very accurate.

Your question is focused on 2- Mechanical advantage.  2 blade broad heads that are similar to a 3 blade regarding 3:1 will out perform the 3 blade.  Ashby's studies show that more blades don't  give you more blood. Its penetration and placement that gets you the harvest.

The best fit for this criteria is the Grizzly, STOS, Zwickey, Eclipse Broadhead. Grizzly is my current pick- It has a low tapered ferrule "lots of 2 blades don't". It has a decent length vs width ratio. It has linear angles, no curves or flare outs. I am not 100% sold on single bevel vs double. I know they both need to be hair popping sharp.  

The trick when comparing 3 blade vs 2 is the ferrule. 3 blades usually have good 3:1 ratio most 2 blades do not. Given both 3 and 2 have similar 3:1 ratio a 2 blade that has a low tapered ferrule will have advantage. A two blade that has a steep or abrupt ferrule does not have advantage over the 3 blade.

To feel the significance of Mechanical Advantage.
Ensure all BH are sharp
Use the same arrow diameter

Equip your 3 blade broad head of choice to an arrow.
Place the nock of that arrow in the tender portion of your palm.
Push the arrow through a cardboard box or thick leather.

Perform the same test with a Stinger- 2 blade high ferrule
You will feel the resistance.

Perform the same test with a Grizzly- 2 blade low tapering ferrule.
Like butter

To your question yes you can use them.  There are better choices to be made.

[Terry Green]

Husky....if you have a problem getting those wensels hair popping sharp just let me know  

   

And "more blades don't give more blood" goes against physics all things being equal. Slice your finger with your knife once.....then do it again and you get more blood...and do it again this and you get even more.  the more slices you make the more blood you are going to get flow.....you can't cut more and bleeding less.

Not trying to start and argument just don't agree at all. ....and not only my experiences on countless tracking jobs,but others I know that have also been on countless tracking jobs....held leases for years. ..outfitted for years etc.

[Cody Greenwood]

Terry,

 I struggle with getting 3 blades hair splitting sharp. Can you share your method? Do you have any pics of a 3 blade splitting a hair? My inability to get three blades where I need them has prevented a lot testing.

[Terry Green]

with wensels I put them on a belt sander 2 blades at a time for about a second and a half and rotate. ...then do another her address or two and start over...this makes sure I don't overheat the head....and gets all the bevels level....

then I use a 3 sided jewel stick starting with medium grit....2 blades at a time drawing from front to back twice now rotate about 6 times....not a lot of pressure....then drag once and rotate about 10 times with hardly any pressure.

I don't have a pic ...at airport at the moment...I'll see what I can do next week.

other heads have more level bevels and may not need belt sander....I'll try to post a pic of the instinct as well

[TaterHill Archer]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
with wensels I put them on a belt sander 2 blades at a time for about a second and a half and rotate. ...then do another her address or two and start over...this makes sure I don't overheat the head....and gets all the bevels level....

then I use a 3 sided jewel stick starting with medium grit....2 blades at a time drawing from front to back twice now rotate about 6 times....not a lot of pressure....then drag once and rotate about 10 times with hardly any pressure.

I don't have a pic ...at airport at the moment...I'll see what I can do next week.

other heads have more level bevels and may not need belt sander....I'll try to post a pic of the instinct as well

Terry,
What grit on the belt sander?  Is it a 1" sander or 4".

[Cody Greenwood]

I'll order a jewel stick and give it a run. I have attempted several methods and can't seem to get there.

[TaterHill Archer]

sorry.  Double post

[Longbowwally]

Dalton,
I've killed a few hogs with trad tackle and, in my limited experience, they go down pretty quick when well hit…Their vitals are located a little differently than whitetails - which you probably know - but keep that in mind when evaluating hits and recovery success.

I remember the first hog I shot, and the only one I ever shot from a tree stand, I shot at close range with a Woodsman. Arrow went in kinda high and came out low and tight to the front leg…You would have thought he would have gushed blood with a hit like that but I did not see any obvious blood sign where he had run. But then again he only went about 25 yards and down within sight so it didn't matter lol…..

[Cody Greenwood]

I'll order a jewel stick and give it a run. I have attempted several methods and can't seem to get there.

[WESTBROOK]

TaterHill, should be at least a couple inches wide, the WW is 1" point to point at the back of the head.

I've done it on a 80-100 grit belt, but it was well worn, which is good cause your not wanting remove much metal just make the 2 edges a flat plane.

I just hold the head by one blade and set it down on the belt with the point in the direction of the belt travel.

[Terry Green]

4 inch....don't know the grit....been using it for years but I'll  check

[tarponnut]

There was a similar thread recently about 3 to 1 ratio heads.

As you know, I'm a big believer in low profile three blade heads like Woodsmans and VPA's, there are some others that I haven't tried yet.
Since I'm generally the guy tracking the pig to all hours(my own and others')through awful stuff I'm always happy to see three blade heads in guys' quivers. If it will give me ONE more drop of blood that's enough reason for me to use it and recommend it. After several hundred pig blood trails(and a lot of deer) I'm a firm believer in three blade heads.
By the way, two years ago, Bill Langer's son Ben killed three pigs with three shots using Woodsman Elites. He was 11 or 12 at the time and drawing under 40#, closer to 30 probably.(smaller hogs).
Like Terry said, it couldn't hurt to carry one Tusker for a really big boy, though. You sure put the hurt on deer with those:)
(I need to start keeping stats on the broadheads people use)