Experiences with simmons broadheads on medium draw weight bows

[madmaxthc]

Dear Tradgangers,

I have seen several topics on Simmons broadheads, and most feedback seems very positive. I apologize for a topic that has been discussed several times already, but I am especially interested in their performance with medium draw weight bows. I am shooting a 55#@29" recurve, and I would like some feedback from people with similar draw weight and Simmons broadheads - What were your actual penetration results? White tails, big hogs, shoulder blades, pass-throughs - please add as many details as you feel significant.

Thanks for your help      
Max

[Steve Jr]

I can only comment on whitetail, I shoot a  Stalker FXT longbow 58"-48#-@-26" I shoot Simmons Safari's 205grn with a 75grn insert Easton axis cut to 27-5/8" I have shot 4 deer with this combo and all were complete pass through's. All shot's were less than 15 yards and the furthest one ran was under 100 yards. Simmons heads are AWESOME!!!!

[jkm97]

You'll be great for whitetail

[Ulysseys]

54#@27" Widow pch with a gold tip and 165 grain land shark; buried in the opposite shoulder of a buck this year on a quartering away shot, massive hole

[mec lineman]

55 @29, I think you could hunt most animals in the lower 48. Whitetails will be no match if paired with a decent WT.arrow
 Check out my post "shark attack" from November.  That is one small example of what to expect from Simmons heads

[mec lineman]

One more point, there is a big difference between his tree sharks and his intercepters.  I shoot the land shark, but that tiger shark is nasty.

[Shadowhnter]

I have a good friend that use to shoot his Howatt Hunter, 55lb @ 28", coupled with the interceptor 190gr. He killed a pile of big bodied whitetails with that setup, and always got great penetration and short recoveries.

[GRAYBEARD]

Simmons broadheads are what whitetails see in their nightmares! With your set-up you could go elk or moose.

[Ulysseys]

54#@27" Widow pch with a gold tip and 165 grain land shark; buried in the opposite shoulder of a buck this year on a quartering away shot, massive hole

[Gen273]

I have killed at least half a dozen deer with a Simmons Landshark out of bows in the low 50's poundage range and. 28 inch draw. I have gotten a pass through on all of them. I did however try a treeshark once and I did not get a pass through with it. It was still lethal, but just one hole.

[highlow]

Shot my first deer this year with my Centaur, 58" @28 and 46#s and a cheapo Walmart Allen carbon 400 tipped with a Simmons Safari 205. Not a "complete" pass through but found the arrow about 20 yds. from where it was shot. Must have been hanging on by only the fletching when it took off. I'm very impressed with the Simmons. Might try the tree sharks next year.

[indianalongbowshooter]

have used the Tree Shark with a 47@28(OLD SUPER DIABLO W/FF STRING) bow with excellent results very large holes and dead deer, blood trail that looked spray painted thru the woods.

[madmaxthc]

Thank you, everybody!  
I think I will end up buying either the  Interceptors 190gr., or the Tiger Shark 175gr. Probably the interceptor, as it is a bit thinner than the latter.

Any experience on hogs?

[madmaxthc]

Originally posted by mec lineman:
55 @29, I think you could hunt most animals in the lower 48. Whitetails will be no match if paired with a decent WT.arrow
 Check out my post "shark attack" from November.  That is one small example of what to expect from Simmons heads

Thank you, Mec Lineman, I loved your topic. Nice buck  

What do you mean by WT.arrow? Are you referring to its weight? My complete arrows currently weight ~ 550 grains, with a 125gr broadhead. I hope a heavier BH will give me more penetration, I am planning to get to a total weight of ~600gr.

[South MS Bowhunter]

With that current weight your fine and as you move up to the 600gr that will be a even deadlier combo.

I have shot 3 deer to date with the Tirgershark 175 and all three were glancing shot, not my intent but with skittish deer you never know what happens at the shot.

The point is even with these marginal shots the results were outstanding blood trails and dead deer!

1st doe

Natural ground blind quartering away shot from right to left, 12 yards turned in towards me at the shot resulting in a low shot slicing open her paunch.

Left for 3 hours thinking a long night from a gut shot, but upon returning found this at 25 yards:

   

First thoughts...someone stole my deer and left me the gut pile        

Total distance covered 65 yards from a glancing shot.

2nd buck

18 yards from tree stand over left shoulder, broadside, deer standing head to my left side.  At the shot deer turns in toward me resulting in glancing shot off the right side of his neck.

Deer stood there for 10 minutes and then collapsed and laid there for another 15 minutes before a coyote shows up and pushes it (trust me true story with my hand up).

Short story the deer traveled in this case about a 150 to 200 yards at a pretty good run.  End results dead deer, bleeding ever 2' to 3' all the way.

     IMG_1487  

     IMG_1481  

3rd doe (no pic's)

Tree stand at 30 yards.  Deer quartering away, turns away from me at the shot moving left to right resulting in a glance to the neck very similar to the last buck.

Traveled 25 yards and produced another dead deer story.

I'm convinced that all 3 of these shots would not have produced dead deer with another broad head design.  The conclave design in my opinion opened up enough of a wound channel to cause massive hemorrhaging  or major organ damage.

[South MS Bowhunter]

Forgot to add my set up spec's.  60" Centaur 56# at 29.5" draw shooting a 535 grn arrow.

[Onions]

Shot a buck last year with the Simmons Tree Shark.
43lb bow with a 485gr. arrow. The buck was at 6 yards, I hit him just below the spine, and the arrow came out just behind the opposite leg, at the bottom of the chest.
Broke two ribs, going in and two ribs coming out.
I did not obtain a clean pass through, however I found the arrow, 10 yards from the place of impact.
The buck ran into a corn field, and there was blood from the ground the 6' high on a corn stalk.
You will have no problems with your setup.

chris <><

[Friend]

The Tree Shark has been the BH of choice on each and every deer hunt this season.

Lack of confidence is no way indicative of the motivation to have taken passes on 43 separate solid shot opportunites on bucks from the ground.

Knowing your equipment is paramount and may even translate in one's abilitlity to make the shot.

All BH's will work and will not work. Just know that with my own setup, placing the arrow on the mark will be most effectively productive.

[Caleb the bow breaker]

I haven't had the same good luck as others.

 I had a shot go wide this year and lodge I the near shoulder of a 3.5 year old buck.  The first thing I will say is that the bad shot was my fault and my fault only and shot placement is the most important variable.  My set up was a kanati hybrid 53 lbs at 29 and 30.5 inch arrow that weigh over 650 grains.  I barely got into the chest cavity and if it had not been for a hunting buddy's follow up shot I don't think I would have ever retrieved the buck.  Not saying that the outcome would have been any different with any other set up but Simmons heads aren't miracle makers either.

Just one experience on one deer ymmv

C

[madmaxthc]

Thank you all for your contribution, I appreciate all the advice. Bowbreaker, I agree with you, no broadhead will make miracles.