How do you quiet Snuffers?

[Friend]

Have never experienced excessive noise when shooting snuffers.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

Use VPA heads. Better heads in my opinion anyway.

VPA heads are not as wide as the big Snuffers. There's a reason I've never used them.

[Sam McMichael]

If I was having these noise issues, I would simply search out a different broadhead.

[matt steed]

Steve Jr gave me six Snuffers a few months ago. I have been shooting them several weeks getting ready for deer season. Mine shoot really good and I don’t notice any load noise. They shoot like field tips for me. Mine are the 160 grain. I like them so much, I am looking for some more. I like the way the Wensel Woodsman and the Snuffers both shoot. I am excited to hunt with the Snuffers. Everyone that has used them said they do an amazing job.

[Don Stokes]

I'm partially red/green colorblind, and reds give me fits. I need all the help I can get with blood trails. Snuffers make big holes. That really helps, and it's not unusual for me to see the deer go down, which is better than any blood trail! Since curling a tip on the offside shoulder of a small deer, I file the tips down a bit and reshape them to be stronger.

[Tedd]

VPA makes 1 1/4" cut. I thinks that is what a snuffer is? But the 1 1/8" is plenty.

3 Blade 150gr. Screw-In Vented Black 1 1/4″ 2 1/2″ 1 3/4″ .040″
3 Blade 175gr. Screw-In Non-Vented Black 1 1/4″ 2 1/2″ 1 3/4″ .040″
3 Blade 200gr. Screw-In Non-Vented Black 1 1/4″ 2 1/2″ 1 3/4″ .050″
3 Blade 250gr. Screw-In Non-Vented Black 1 1/4″ 3 1/4″ 2 1/2″ .040″
3 Blade 300gr. Screw-In Non-Vented Black 1 1/4″ 3 1/4″ 2 1/2″ .050″

[pdk25]

If you ever do get around to it, I would love to hear the audio of the snuffers, before and after taking care of the back end of the vents.

[David McLendon]

If you ever do get around to it, I would love to hear the audio of the snuffers, before and after taking care of the back end of the vents.

Me too...Mine are 160's on a CE Heritage 250 shaft with 3 X 2.25" shield cut and I'm not having any issues.

[J. Cook]

For those of you not having issues - that's great and I wish I was in your camp.  But from some of the other replies you can see that people have often encountered noise with these.  I'll try to get a workable video that captures the sound.  I just know that I hear a difference - and my ears don't hold a candle to a deer's hearing.

The head looks great, and has proven results for so many.  For those of you that say shoot something else...I have a box full of dozens of different heads.  None of which have this level audible "hissing." 

I'm going to try and file the inside edges and see when I get time.

Thanks again for the constructive replies!

[pdk25]

Please don't take my replies to be cynical.  I am genuinely interested in the results.

[Tajue17]

I use big 5.5 shields or bananas with mine,, mostly 160 snuffers and I don't hear or notice any problems and still consider them the most bad A$# glue on broadhead available... just traded some new treesharks for new snuffer 160's and I'm pretty happy because they are getting so hard to find nowadays and always have an eye out for brand new snuffs  .

[David McLendon]

Put them on and hunt with them, make your shot and then make your decisions based on hunting experience. If they are 160's and you don't like them then I will buy them.

[Gdpolk]

I’ve switched to non-vented heads to reduce noise. That said my bow still makes noise. My string still makes noise. My fletchings still make noise. Everything I shoot still hears the shot before my arrow arrives and sometimes they react while other times they don’t...I chalk that up to the animal’s individual personality, state of arousal/alertness, and how much experience they have with hunters more so than my equipment. However we can all agree that more quiet equipment is objectively speaking better for hunting and because of this simple truth I have paid very close attention to noise as I tune my rig and arrows. I feel more confident having switched to quieter built arrows. I don’t know if it has truly resulted in more game being harvested or not for me but it has improved my confidence and therefore my satisfaction when it all comes together perfectly and I know it’s because I’ve combined well tuned/built gear, with woodsmanship, with experience, and with luck to put food on the table. I say if you are doubting your heads even a little bit, switch to another head that gives you absolute confidence.

[kenneth butler]

I have argued the noisey feather and broadhead issue until I grew weary of it. Apparently in some places it don't matter. Apparently some folks can't hear it or have never had one go by down range. It makes a huge difference where i have hunted. I tune until I don't need more than a three inch parabolic feather and won't use a broadhead with vents. If I had no other head I would stick Scotch tape over the vents on both sides. When I figured this out I was amazed at how the number of  "string Jumping" bad hits and misses went down. Your luck may vary but what could it hurt to be as quiet as possible. >>>----> ken

[gordydog]

 160 Snuffers do hiss. While shooting the 160'S at a bowshoot  with an audience of 5 observers, only 3 people heard the hiss... the 10 year old and the 2 40 year olds. The 2 50 year olds did not hear the hiss.  They were both equipment operators by profession.  It depends on your hearing sensitivity.  I"ve killed several deer with 160's.  I may try sharpening the back lead edge now.

[Don Stokes]

The quietest arrows are made of wood... just sayin'.

[DanielB89]

I have had heads hiss in the air that were vented.  I solved 2 problems with one move.  I began to put unscented chapstick on my heads while in the quiver.  I did this to reduce the risk of rusting or pitting while in the quiver, and it also solved my problem with the hiss. 

Just be sure that when you coat them in chapstick, you get the edge of the vent and i'll bet you anything your problem will be fixed!

[J. Cook]

I'll try that idea Daniel!!!

I videod some different angles, compressed the files, but still can't get them to load here?????

One thing that surprised me was the noise of the field tip arrow.  Lots of noise too.  However, the broad head is definitely louder with that extreme hiss and is super noticeable to me.  The shots were at 12 yards so you can imagine the noise with a 30 yard shot.  Eye opening to video it and hear it from a down range perspective.  It's a wonder we ever hit anything!!!!!  LOL

I'm going try to sand the inner edges, the Chapstick trick, and packing tape.  We'll see.

[DanielB89]

personally,
i would not use packing tape.  try the chap stick.  The double benefit of it is great!

[kenneth butler]

If you were still getting noise with field tips most likely it was the feathers. Vanes are actually quieter but a good 3" parabolic is acceptably quiet to me. Longbows are generally quieter also. The string can make some difference. If you tune it all to be as quiet as possible you might be amazed at the results. Sometimes you even get a second shot. After all bow hunting was meant to be a sport of  stealth. No vented heads or high profile feathers with a cut that doesn't support the rear tip of the feather for me.>>>----> Ken