Favorite Broadhead for Bears?

[tippit]

Thanks Cory...means a lot coming from you.

[dnovo]

I've killed 3. The last one was a P & Y bear that was 410#. He went 35 yards.  All of them were killed with a 2 blade Magnus I head.  The wide one.  I've always used 2 blades for everything, but you can't go wrong with Ryan's advice on a good 3 blade head.

[Kelly]

I’ve taken 6 bears with recurves, all but one have been with Snuffers/very first one was with 3 bladed Ben Pearson Deadhead made by Roger Rothhaar(precursor to the Snuffer). Great blood trails and short. The one not was with 160 grain two blade STOS, he dropped within sight but no blood.

Sorry for the poor picture but this was mid 1980’s and is a digital copy from a picture.

[frassettor]

Rodger,
I was planning a bear hunt prior to Covid and I was told by the outfitter, who accommodates to traditional bow hunters , to use a 3 blade because “they don’t bleed a lot”. So currently I am shooting the VPA 1 1/4 3 blade.

[frassettor]

I forgot to mention, that our setups are very similar. I shoot a 51# Widow PLX and the broadhead is 250 gr

[ozy clint]

I used a Magnus 1 on the boar I shot in Alberta

[ron w]

I have killed one bear, the one in my avatar. I used 570 gr arrow with a 125 gr ACE standard. Shot from a 43# bow, @ 6 yards,  complete pass thru !! So I say ACE 

[dklug]

I've shot 8 bears all with the Magnus II four blade broadhead. All died quickly, I can't recall any bear traveling more than 50 yards after being hit. I completely agree with Ryan Rothaar, you want a big multi blade head that provides a good blood trail. Bears have long thick hair that absorbs lots of blood before it can hit the ground. Plus bears are usually hunted in thick swampy terrain where even good blood trails can be difficult.

[goingoldskool]

I take Simmons when I go.  Either Tigersharks 1-9/16" or treesharks  2".  They create quite the wound channel!

Good luck, shoot straight and God bless.

Rodd

[MnFn]

Well Roger, inquiring minds want to know… what are you going to use?

[Wudstix]

I'd for sure be running Snuffer heads for bear.
 

[Over&Under]

I’ve killed three…all with three blades (woodsman, ma-3, bodkin)
One was hit pretty far forward and one was hit way too far back…all three died quick with easy blood trials

I hunt everything with three blades for that same reason…everything I’ve shot with them goes down quickly with good blood trails

[Bowguy67]

Broadheads don’t matter terribly on bear. They go down so quick 40 yards seems far. Even with no blood you’d find them often falling down in sight or just beyond so don’t over sweat it. I worked 2 bear camps and saw hundreds killed.Bad shot ones are super hard to impossible to recover even with bigger heads. Seen bad ones unrecoverable even with bear dogs tracking.

[frassettor]

Broadheads don’t matter terribly on bear. They go down so quick 40 yards seems far. Even with no blood you’d find them often falling down in sight or just beyond so don’t over sweat it. I worked 2 bear camps and saw hundreds killed.Bad shot ones are super hard to impossible to recover even with bigger heads. Seen bad ones unrecoverable even with bear dogs tracking.

Why do you think they go down so quickly? I’m just curious, as I am close to drawing here in wi

[Bowguy67]

You know I’m not sure. It’s been said it’s the vitals to body weight ratio but I can’t say that for positive. I just know I’ve shot a bunch and seen lots more. It’s super quick. Ask how far other guys bears went you’ll see it’s super close. First time you watch one blow off like a bat of of down below to fall over 25 yards out is boggling

[Gun]

I agree w Mike. Shot them thru both lungs w a sharp broadhead and they won't go far.

The only one I didn't get was w a Snuffer when he turned a bit more quartering away when I released. It slid along the ribs under the shoulder. A friend killed him two weeks later

So my tip would be, wait for a broadside shot.

[mnbwhtr]

A friend of mine killed one like that, His Bear Razorhead slid under the shoulder and came out the neck area. We had a great 75-100 yard bloodtrail. The arrow never entered the chest cavity. Just got lucky I guess.

[Biathlonman]

I've killed a couple and seen quite a few more taken.  I wouldn't even consider taking a 2 blade unless it was a giant Shark, but I'm also a three blade guy.  Anything over #40 lbs I'd be shooting an 1 1/8, 3 blade and up around #45 would start looking for something bigger.  Seen the larger VPA 3 blade make short work of some awfully big bears.

[Terry Green]

I use big blades on ALL stateside game. I have never seen the need for narrow broadheads in this united states whatsoever. Bears are no different than white tails. In my opinion, yet they have longer/thicker fur , the more reason for big nasty multiblade heads.

My biggest animal killed to date was over 2000 pounds, and it was a Buffalo killed with a Wensel Woodsman and a 70 pound longbow buried to the fletch, no issues was so ever.

[Dave Pagel]

I have shot 4 and I am going again in the spring of 2024.  First one was with a 56# Silvertip recurve and a 160 Snuffer, pass through and dead in 100 yards.  The second one was with a 54# recurve and a 160 VPA 3-blade, pass through and 35 yard recovery.  The third was with a 55# longbow and Magnus 1 classic 4-blade, pass through and 40 yard recovery.  The last one was with a 54# recurve and a 175 VPA 3-blade, pass through and 30 yard recovery.

My best blood trails were with the VPAs, but to be fair, on pthe Snuffer shot bear my fletching hooked some fat on the way through and plugged the exit wound.

DP