Who's going heavy arrows on whitetails?

[buckeyebowhunter]

So I've bought into the high FOC and can't wait to smash a whitetail this fall to see the results. I had been thinking about past deer I'd shot when I was shooting 2219 and Zwickeys and was blowing through deer and since switching to carbon and 3 blades not getting near the penetration so I decided to try some fmjs with cutthroat bhs up front this fall,  an expensive combo but I'm loving the way it shoots. Arrows are 650 and shooting them out of a 56 pound recurve. Only thing I don't like is the amount of drop past about 40 yards which is making it tough to keep up at 3D shoots on some of the longer shots but who cares I'm not going to shoot 40 in the woods anyways. Just curious if anyone else is going heavy.   

[MGH]

I am also running pretty heavy setups.  I am shooting .400 spine D6 carbon arrows with 100gn insert/outsert and 200gn heads out of my 50lb Elkheart for 630 total gns.  I ran this same setup last fall for bears over bait here in MI, but with 250gn heads for 680 total gns.  I wanted to go a touch lighter for whitetails for a little added range.  I shoot the same arrows for 3D, but in .500 spine with 100gn points for 485 total gns.  3D season is pretty well wrapped-up by this time of year, so that gives me a good six-plus weeks to recalibrate.  Shooting different bows for each 3D and hunting helps too.

[Orion]

Surprised that you didn't get better penetration with three-blade heads on carbon arrows.  I've been shooting original Woodsmans on Easton Axis 500 shafts -- about 250 up front and a 525 grain arrow.  Ran them through the last three deer I shot with 45-48# longbows. 

Of course, what you're proposing will also work.  Will just have to work harder pulling the arrow of the ground after it goes through the critter.   

[Friend]

The heavier you are comfortable shooting, the better. Yet, I have run 350 gns upfront...250 3-blade VPA with a total wt. of 573 gns thru a 500# critter shot from a 52# bow. I have had consistent pass thru's shooting 50 gns lighter on whitetails.

[BowMIke]

I shot my last deer with a 635 grain arrow (including a 205 grain Centaur Big Game  head). I got full penetration with a 41 lb longbow.  I used the same arrow combination to shoot the big bear in my avatar. (another full penetration with a 47lb longbow).                                                                                                                                                                              This year my arrows will weigh around 550 grains and will be using a 150 grain 4 blade Magnus Stinger.

[buckeyebowhunter]

Orion, not saying I didn't get good penetration with the 3 blades (snuffers) killed several deer with them just as dead as any other deer I shot with 2 blades. Just seems like with those heavy aluminum arrows it was more consistent pass throughs.  Even a bad shoulder shot on a doe a few years back still went through and poked out the other side.  Not really sure why I ever switched to be honest. 

[Etter]

Think I shoot 610 or so with 300 grains between insert and head. Thats out of low to mid 50 lb bows. Ive never had penetration issues except when I used to shoot tree sharks and only one side of the head caught bone.

[arrow30]

i made up a heavy set of arrows to try out, 620 grns.- 23.35 percent foc.- 53ish lbs.  curious to see any
penetration difference.  i know they whop my target pretty good.

[MnFn]

On my two bears I used a 53# recurve and a 48# .  I used a Sitka spruce  with a 160 grain Stos two blade for a total weight around 550 IIRC.  The second bear was shot with a 48# recurve with a Douglas Fir Surewood with 160 Stos for about 560 IF I recall correctly.  Both passed completely through the bear.

This year I might use a 2117 with a 180 grain head for about 580 grains out of a 50# recurve.

[Sam McMichael]

I stay at about 10gpp and seem to get good performance. I realize that there is no such thing as overkill when bowhunting, but I just don't feel a need for a particularly heavy arrow. EFOC seems to require a lot of tuning. Since tinkering is just not my thing, I take standard arrows and generally tune with 125 grain points.

[Pine]

2X ^^^^^^^^

[Bluefeather]

That's 11.6 gr per pound which a lot of people including myself think is an ideal weight for a hunting arrow. I've been shooting 11-12 gr per pound for around 20 yrs.

[Tedd]

625 grains with Zwickey Deltas.
Everyone is different, depending on draw length and weight, head style and bow tune. Only shoot as much weight as you need to get pass throughs. Any remaining energy can go into a little arrow speed. The deer has to be still in the same county when the arrow arrives.
 I'm shooting 60lb@30" and that is about what most of my bows have been. I've been from 525-700 grains of arrow weight. Cedar, alum and carbon. No penetration problem with any of them. Penetration will be more of a factor to consider at lower draw weights and shorter draw lengths.
 For me I don't see any gains in penetration past 600 grains of arrow weight for whitetails. (10gpp @30" draw) But...I want my bow quiet so I work down to lower weights until I feel I my bow needs to be quieter then work back up to heavier arrow weights. For that reason I am usually around 625-650 grains.
 I do think I noticed that when my set up included heavier arrows and one of the slower bow models I have used that deer would move more before being struck. I had a few in a row that weren't hit where the arrow was headed for upon release. I'm not the greatest shot but I do think that deer were jumping the string on me the last few years with one of the longbows I was using with 700 grain arrows. This season will see a new recurve and slightly lighter weight arrow. It seems much faster.
 Tedd

[Wudstix]

I’ll be running tapered Cedar and Red Balau with 190 grain VPA heads for about 730-750 total weight.  66-71# longbows.  Whitetail and hogs.
 

[newhouse114]

I’ve been shooting 840 for the last several years, dropped to 575 for my antelope hunt this year. Both shoot good.

[Burly]

I'm shooting an older bear recurve this year ( 62 Kodiak) ,she is 43#. I've always shot heavier bows in the upper 50s until shoulders needed surgery,plus bad bow arm elbow.  So I am kinda worried about penetration with this bow. Ain't going to lie, it's nothing like my widows . But it's what I have to use right now.
I'm trying out 30" carbon express 150 Heritages with either 200 gr. Three blade VPA or I have 315 Tuff heads also or 195 Swamp Sharks. I can still cut some off the arrow to stiffen it up if I have to.

[frassettor]

I’m shooting 685 grains with a 3 blade VPA out of a 51# longbow with no issues.
Always shot “heavy “ arrows, always will. I personally don’t shoot 30-40 yards so it does not matter to me. My shots are 19/20 yards at the most. After so many years of shooting that weight, my mind has become so used to the trajectory that I don’t even notice it.

[Howitser]

I'm shootin' 2215s with Zwicky's.  It's a 550 grn19% FOC projectile out of a #45 recurve.  The pics shows the far side leg joint, otherwise it would be another easy pass thru.  The Zwicky just needed a touch-up and it was back in the quiver

[Friend]

Confidence should dictate the selected the selected arrow weight.

[Fletcher]

I'm getting 13+ gpp with both of my setups.  Keeps them shooting the same.