Broadhead for elk- 2 vs 3 blade

[Autumnarcher]

Picking through my pile of broadheads, I still cant decide which way to go. I shot Woodsmans deer huntin last fall, and wasnt completely sold on them. Tough to get sharp, and dont hold an edge worth a darn. The other thing is the fine needle point you  get on 'em when you sharpen, Im worried about it bending if it hits bone.

That said, I know a lot of folks have good results with them.

My other option is the old standby 2 blade. My concern with them on elk is not penetration, but bloodtrail. Elk are thick skinned, and dont always bleed well , so Im thinking the bigger hole from a 3 blade would be better.

I cant make up my mind, so any other insight would be helpful in clearing my mind. Im thinking the Woodsman, or possibly a Snuffer, backed up with a  75 or100 gr woodyweight for a total of 200-225 on the front end of a 625-650 arrow would drive through just fine. But so would a mean and nasty Zwickey.

[Bow Bum]

I put a small pyramid tip on my woodsmans to prevent the tip curl.

For what its worth. I've not sent one into an animal. But most of the trad heads are far more durable than any of the BH's I've sent through animals with my mech arrow device.

A good compromise would be a 2 blade with bleeders?

I always enjoy these threads even if they are a little redundant.

Either way, shoot straight, and sharp!

Good luck!

Brian

[IdahoCurt]

Magnus two blade user here and never had a problem.

[wingnut]

I've taken elk with two blade and WW heads over the years.  I like the Woodsman for blood loss and penetration.  If your not getting them sharp, your not doing it right.  I find them extremely easy to sharpen and they hold the edge great.

Mike

[Don Stokes]

My two elk were both taken with big three-blade heads, and the blood trails were fantastic.

[Huntschool]

My elk experiences were a long time ago and they were with the old Bear razor heads...  They worked fine and the bow was not even fast flight.  Those old yellow microflight arrows worked great and I did not know about FOC in the 1970's....  LOL

Oh yea, there was lots of blood and the longest recovery was 60 yds in open country, thank God.  Shots taken were under 20 yards.. broadside with solid lung/heart hits.

[Desert Hunter]

Ive killed 3 elk with the magnus stingers with bleeders. Easy to sharpen and come very sharp out of the package. Great penetration and blood trails also.

[Shedrock]

Originally posted by wingnut:
I've taken elk with two blade and WW heads over the years.  I like the Woodsman for blood loss and penetration.  If your not getting them sharp, your not doing it right.  I find them extremely easy to sharpen and they hold the edge great.

Mike

Same here, love the Woodsmans. You can get them hair shaving sharp, and they will hold a good edge.

[Randy]

Not as much experience as some guys but I have killed a couple elk with my longbow. Both elk were hit with the Zwickey 2 blade Eskimo. Both elk traveled less than 100 yds before laying down. One left a great blood trail and the other one bled very little. I think the second was more the shot placement than the broadhead. I shot him downhill and quartering away. The Zwickey did its job better than the 3 blade head I was using before.

[sagebrush]

I like the two bladers. I shot two elk with Magnus I's, one elk with a tusker concorde, and 12 elk with Zwickey Deltas.I also shot one with a Cabela's brand four blade and one with a conical pointed replaceble blade tip that I forgot the name of. If you hit them right, they will go down no matter what you use. If not, I like the extra penetration. JMHO, Gary

[StanM]

We've had a number of people shoot completely through elk with our Phoenix three blade head and Ryan Steadman (hardcore archery) put one completely through a moose last year.  If your shooting a pretty good weight, three blades are very nice for the blood trail.  That being said, I've killed more with a two-blade than a three blade.  My blood trails have all been good when hit in the bottom third, not so much when hit in the middle top to bottom, regardless of broadhead.  Good luck and I hope your elbow is doing well.  Take care.

[Doug Treat]

I have used Zwickey Eskimos for 6 traditional elk and have gotten great penetration and the bloodtrails on most have been good.  I agree that the shot placement has more to do with good bloodtrails than the BH. This picture is from an elk taken with the Eskimo.  You can see the right side of the bloodtrail in the pic. but there was just as much blood on the left side of the tracks.
 

[Bill Carlsen]

i shot a moose a few seasons ago with a 3 blade Razorcap (similar to the Woodsman but stainless steel). The moose took 3 steps after the shot and went down. If I could no longer get Razorcaps I would have no trouble using the new Woodsman Elite or VPA Terminators. A friend of mine who has used the original Woodsman got some of the VPA's and I was impressed with the edge he could get on them.

[Friend]

Would believe the elk would not like the 2 blade
and
believe the elk would like the 3 blade even less.

[JamesKerr]

Woodsman elite all the way

[sunshine]

not trying to be to critical on some very good advise, but i didn't notice any poundages given. doesn't the poundage of the arrow shot need to be considered? lower energy favors a 2 blade and higher energy favors 3 blade. but at what poundage does the 3 yield better performance over the 2 blade.

[Javi]

never cared for or needed three bladed bH's..

[dcmeckel]

Two blade,three blade, whatever tunes well for you.Put it in the right place and no critter will go far.

[Bonebuster]

Personally, I would stick with a two edge.

I have never hunted elk, but I know how a wide two edge opens up whitetails.

Any time I had less blood on the ground than I would have liked, it had nothing to do with the broadhead.

Before I was back into trad equipment, I shot a HEAVY compound, heavy arrows, and the big Thunderhead 160 three blade. Those broadheads would punch a huge hole in deer hide, but I don`t remember bloodtrails being any more noteworthy than most I get now with a Delta or Magnus-1.

[elkken]

Nice and sharp either one works fine .... especially when hits are where you are suppose to shoot them.