Best Trad Broadhead for good blood trails?

[Buxndiverdux]

I'm a newbie to Trad but have 25 years of hunting experience with compounds. I've only shot a couple deer with the Trad Rig and the only blood trail I had to follow was sparse. The animal was double lunged at 13 yards. I had a complete pass thru and it broke a rib on exit. The arrow was firmly stuck in the ground. I shot her with a 580 grain (total weight) arrow with a A Boyer Javelina Lite single bevel broadhead. I was able to track the deer without too much trouble, but it was sparse compared to my compound bow trails. I shoot Spitfires.
I'm not bashing A Bowyer at all because one blood trail is one blood trail. I'd just like some opinions on broad heads and blood trails. Thanks,

[lpcjon2]

To be honest you will get a lot of opinions. Two blade, three blade, four blade, ect. All broadheads can give good and bad blood trails depending on sharpness, how well the arrow hits the mark, and how the broadhead works with the arrow. If you use the search button up top you can search numerous threads about what heads are better and such. Its all about opinions and what you like in a head.I personaly feel that no head is better than another,just that some work better for others. All in all a well placed arrow with a sharp head will get the job done.Good luck in your search.Tim

[Night Wing]

"Best" is subjective.

I've seen some great blood trails from people arrowing animals with huge 2 blade Simmons broadheads.

Ditto from some smaller 3 and 4 blade blade broadheads.

I still think it comes down to where the arrow enters and exits the animal.

Too high up on a lung shot deer and the animal's blood drains into the body cavity regardless if it's been hit with a 2, 3 or 4 blade broadhead. This type of placement isn't so good in producing a great blood trail.

Time for me to check on the popcorn I put in the microwave oven when I read this topic.      

[Kip]

Sharp and installed in the right place on the animal and they should all work.Also how many blades they have has some bearing with the wgt. of the bow.

[30coupe]

I don't think there is a holy grail when it comes to broadheads. Mostly it depends on the shot angle and having complete penetration. I've seen great blood trails and poor blood trails with the same broadhead. I'd say, pick one you can get scary sharp and that flies well from your bow so that you can hit the vitals. That won't guarantee a great blood trail, but it's about the best you can do.

You will probably get tons of recommendations, all well intended. We each have our favorites. I use Zwickey Deltas with my Kanati. My Shelton doesn't seem to care for them. At the same weight it shoots Grizzly El Grandes way better. I don't know why; it just does. I've had great blood trails with Snuffers and Woodsmen if you want to use three blades. They take a bit more practice to learn to sharpen than the two blade variety though.

[Warchild]

I find shot placement to be the most important factor in creating a blood trail as it should be a given that whichever head that you choose will be razor sharp. I have used 3 heads over 18 seasons shooting longbows. The heads are the Journeyman (now called Eclipse), Zwickey both Deltas and Eskimos and the Bear Super Razor head. All heads have been 2 blade double bevel. Of these three Zwickey has been used the most and each of the three heads have performed equally and dependent on shot placement. If they fly straight and hit medium height on entrance and pass through fairly low upon exit, there will be a good flowing bloodtrail to follow.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

160grn Snuffer is the best for Me...YMMV

[straitera]

Lot of variables here to consider w/penetration the key IMO. Completely through vitals into the dirt opposite should yield quick kill & good bloodtrail. Not always.

An arrow stuck inside may block blood flow. Several times seen deer bleed huge internally with little external. Bloodtrail is also conditional upon which organ is hit where. Heart usually sprays blood. DBL Lungs leak good quantities of bubble blood. Liver, you're on your own. BH's will start a debate. IMO, one is good as the other if razor sharp. Prefer 2-blade Ace 160gr. Glad of your concern to handle this issue. Very important. Well done newb!

[Bill Turner]

I'm an avid shooter of the older, green Bear Razorheads but they are not easily found. Zwickey and Ace both make quality two blade heads.The Wensel Woodsman would be my choice in a 3 blade model. They will all leave adequate blood trails if you hit the critter in the boiler room and get full penetration. Shoot straight and "Keep'Um Sharp".

[Breakfast Boy]

I have had good bloodtrails with 3 blades that I got scary sharp.  These include the original Woodsman, Snuffers and VPA's.

[Bjorn]

Put them where it counts and all are pretty equal.

[Bishop]

160 Snuffers have impressed me the most.

[Uncle Buck]

you said finding your deer was no problem,so I would say the Broadhead did its job. Like Nightwing said, sometimes the blood drains down into the chest cavity

[SlowBowinMO]

I agree with what's posted above, there is a lot more to blood trails than just the broadhead.  However everything else being equal, I consider Snuffers and the Simmons heads to be at the head of the class for putting blood on the ground.  The big Magnus I 4 blade is probably in the same league as those two, but I've not had any first hand experience with it.

[Buxndiverdux]

Originally posted by Uncle Buck:
you said finding your deer was no problem,so I would say the Broadhead did its job. Like Nightwing said, sometimes the blood drains down into the chest cavity

Finding the deer was no problem, but I've been spoiled by walking right down the blood trail right to the deer. I some cases, I've been able to visually see the blood trail from the tree.

This particular animal had a mid chest entry and exit just above the heart on exit side. The perfect shot placement for ideal blood trailing. I just found it a little strange for the blood to be so sparse.

[KentuckyTJ]

Cut on contact, very sharp and most accurate for you with your setup. Shot placement is way more important than head type for heavy blood trails. Also much more importance should be placed in getting your bow to shoot at its best (straightest).

[steadman]

This is a very subjective subject. There are so many variables it's hard to explain. I shot an antelope high in the lungs with very little blood, and shot a muley in the same area with a blood trail a blind man could follow with the same multiblade head. I don't know why, but keep them sharp and put them in the right place, that's all you can do. I've heard nothing but good about those heads though    

This year I came across a massive blood trail. I followed it 150 yards each direction from where I first found it. One way lead to private land that I did not have access and the other way would eventually mess up another hunters evening.  There had been no rain and where the deer crossed open dirt there were no human foot prints. I asked around to see if someone lost a deer and got no responses.  I have never lost a deer with a Hill or a Grizzly, but then most of the time I saw the deer go down and never checked the blood trail. For my lighter bows I am a bit nervous about using heads like Zwicky Deltas, but for the heavier bows, I have to admit, the blood trails, although they were not all the same, they certainly were adequate and took the deer down in short order.

[BCD]

I shot 2 blades (magnus) for years and harvested a lot of animals with them. About 10 years ago I switched to wensel woodsmans and the blood trails are MUCH better. I would never even consider a 2 blade again. I shoot recurves from 48-50 lbs @ 29 inches and get routine pass-throughs.

[killinstuff]

Low hits bleed a lot better then a high hit no matter the broadhead.