Broadhead Safety

[Rimbarber]

After 45 Years of bow hunting and hundreds of trips to the field, On Oct. 5 on a elk hunt in Arizona that I had waited 8 years for I finally did it. After building a great ground blind, standng my bow with the arrow on it against a tree in the blind and then exiting the blind to cut a few limbs out of the way, walked right back to the blind and wham, right into my rib tech broadhead. Arrow entered my left shoulder and penetrated too where I could not see the back of the head. With my sons help we where able to pull the head and slow the bleeding while I walked almost a mile up hill to a arriving ambulance. After 4 or 5 hrs in the emergency room I was released with a very sore shoulder. So, just to remind everyone out there, please give those broadheads a lot of respect. They are designed to kill big game animals, and will really do a job on us.

[Looper]

Ouch! I'm glad you're okay. I'll add this to the list of things that are better to learn about from others mistakes. It's a good thing your son was there.

[Rimbarber]

Yes Im going to be fine. But as the Dr. said a inch or 2 to the right and you would probably not have made it out. Sometimes its better to be lucky then good.

[S.C. Hunter]

Hope your fine. Gotta watch out for those little pointy ends. I am glad you are okay and it was a good thing your son was there with you. Get better soon.

[hvyhitter]

A couple of years ago I was sharpening up my snuffers one morning while watching TV. I stood up and grabbed the 8-10 arrows I had done and dropped one right on my foot. From waist high it penetrated about 3/4 inch right behind and between my big toe and the next. Hurt Like Hell!!! It took about a half an hour, several big gauze pads, and half a roll of duct tape to get the bleeding stopped. Limped for a month. Have alot more respect for broadheads now.

[bornagainbowhunter]

Sounds like something we all do.  We get complacent about the things we are constantly around.  Broadheads are one of them.  Lots of arterys we need to keep free of holes.  Glad you are OK.  Looks like the Good Lord was watching over you.

God Bless,
Nathan

[Huntschool]

Hope everything goes well.  I know what its like.  Few years back I had sharpened some broadheads for my brother-in-law.  He came to get them and walked back to my room and grabed em to take them to him.  Well, on the way through the house I caught a ncck on a door jam and stuck the darn thing through my femoral vein right at the nerve bundle.

Needless to say lots of blood and a quick trip to the E Room during which I went through 3 large bags of fluid on that 20 min trip.

I made it but I litterally pierced the vein up and down.. Dr said 2 degrees different and I would not be here.

They are broadheads.  They are designed to kill and they work.  Be carful out there.

[magnus]

I'm glad you are ok! I spent to weeks on crutches once for falling and running a razor sharp Magnus I into the side of my foot. Never sharpen heads bear footed. Even when they're 5 feet away.

Keeping the Faith!
Magnus

[beetlebailey1977]

Oh My the pain, I hate to imagine.  Yeah I always leave mine in quiver til ready to hunt.

[dnovo]

I just talked to a young man yesterday about this. He was hunting the same property as I was and I saw him walking around with an arrow nocked on his bow. Now this property was logged last winter and it's a jungle now. I watched him climb over brush and cross ditches with weeds head high all while he had an arrow nocked on the bow with a broadhead. Talked to him later about it, telling him about the guy who died when he fell doing the same thing 4 miles from my house. I hope he listens. It is so dangerous.

[Bjorn]

On the bright side it does sound like we are getting them sharp enough.  

[JamesV]

The dumb things we do, I picked up my bow by the quiver, fingers went thur the broadheads but I wasn't cut. Luckily the back of the blades are not sharp.

[ChuckC]

Al.  First . .  I am really glad you were not hurt any more than you were.  Those things are very lethal.

Second, I am very interested in your experience.  What did you feel.  I mean. .physical . .   pressure, warmth, pain,  LOTS of pain, etc etc.

as well as. . .mental. .   fear or being po'd at yourself ?

ChuckC

[Rimbarber]

Chuck, First off  I felt pain but most of all I was po'd at myself for doing such a dumb thing. The fear lasted only a short time, once my son pulled the arrow out and we got the blood flow under control I knew I was going to be alright. Im still mad at myself for ending a long awaited elk hunt this way. Of course there will be more hunts and Im very lucky the head went in where it did. Im still having pain at night when I sleep because I cant sleep on my left side and eveytime I roll over onto it I wake up. The external wound has healed nicely but it is still sore inside and under my arm. Thanks for asking. AL

[GrayRhino]

Ouch, that hurts all the way over in Fiji.  A bummer to end a hunt that way, but at least it wasn't more serious and you had help getting out.

The most important thing is making it home safe.  Lord willing, there will be other hunts.

[Austin]

Ouch! My first (and only) stitches came from a broadhead. I buried a brand new 3 bladed broadhead in my knuckle while assembling it. My hand slipped and it did exactly what I bought it to do.
Glad youre ok, I guess its a good reminder to all of us to treat them the way we would treat any other knife.