I've been reading the thread enjoying the discussion...especially the broadhead thoughts. I'm a broadhead nut of sorts.
Regarding the video, it is what it is. Someone pointed out early on that pumpkins aren't deer. But...for the sake of argument IF pumpkins were deer, both pumpkins are dead and in the frying pan. There's nothing wrong with how the lighter bow/arrow performed as both bows shot the broadhead completely through. My son starting at age 11 shot 9 straight animals (one of these was a 125 pound pig) with his 33 pound Ben Pearson bow that he pulled 21" and with a two blade Eskimo light (1 1/16") before his first failed recovery
I would venture to guess that about as many, if not more, animals have been shot and recovered with broadheads that stayed within the body cavity than complete pass throughs with stickbows. I hunt historically in river basins where the timber tends to be more open. In this situation, I believe blood trails often are overrated as I can see them fall...or hear them 'thump' as they tip over of the ground. I have about 150 self-instances of reference to pull from.
Broadheads selection is very personal. Broadheads are often selected for tunability, bow poundage, looks, price, size, ease of sharpening and a million other reasons. My own choice with rare exception (turkeys!) has always been 1 1/8" two edge heads (usually Eskimo's, Razorheads, or Stingers). I've only killed about 10 hogs with these so my sample size is fairly small...but they worked with ease. My last boar was 245 pounds and I shot him with a 510 grain arrow, Bear Razorhead out of a 52 lb bow at 27" and I got a complete pass through at 14 yards. He went less than 50 yards.
Recovery is all about shot placement and how sharp your arrow is out of a well tuned setup. Bad shots lead to bad recoveries. Bigger broadheads can help in some instances; but at best oversized broadheads are more like a bandage...rather than a solution.
Of course your results may vary from my own. I just know what works for me.
It's all good. As long as you are happy with your setup and it works for you. I guess you could say that anything we use is a band-aid, lol. Pencil thin broadhead worried about penetration or arrow tune, wide broadhead worried about blood trail.
I will say a couple of things that I have mentioned in the past All double lung hits aren't equal, and all recoveries aren't equal. If you find yourself hunting in hot conditions, a shorter or faster bloodtrain can really make the difference between usable meat and waste. Don't get me started on hunting in an area with a high coyote density. I have killed around 230 hogs with a stickbow, and I can promise you that every little bit can help. You are right, though, in that I wouldn't advocate huge broadheads with a very low energy setup.
I doubt that may people would think that penetration is likely to be an issue on javelina, so I would be hard pressed to find a setup that wouldn't penetrate well with wider or multi blade broadheads. I like the idea of recovering them a little more quickly if possible, plus, those little critters don't sit still all of the time. I have essentially the same attitude on turkeys, but that is another matter.
In any case, no matter what one opts to use, as long as it is legal and allowed, I hope that more and more hunters get out there and put some animals on the ground and give us more data points to use in our debates.
Topic: What’s up with this YT clip? Hunting Setup doubting….. (Read 3517 times)
