Pheasant hunting with a bow

[ARCHER2]

Bowzonly,
What kind of head is that?

[Smithhammer]

Originally posted by Rudy Cariello:
Sorry,
no broadheads, // only judos, blunts or small game points with flu-flu's

Ah. Gotcha.

[oxnam]

Definately get some of Jeremy Clarks Pheasant Spears.  I have played around with some of his older designs and just received his new heads and am excited about the recent improvements.  Since I just opened them last night, I haven't had a chance to shoot them yet.

The DVD I put out,   Introduction to Aerial Archery  covers everything you will need to know to get started and will really shorten your learning curve.  The easy step by step approach simplifies the process, meaning more birds in the bag sooner.

[oxnam]

Originally posted by ARCHER2:
Bowzonly,
What kind of head is that?

That is a G5 Small Game Head

[straight_arrow]

Always have used broadheads with the flu flus, guess we always hand a well handled dog, never an issue.

[Rudy Cariello]

Part of the problem with using broadheads at a "Hunt Club" is if you loose an arrow, and you just might, a dog from a different hunting party may come across it.
If hunting a farm, the arrow may get chopped up in the silage. Not very good cow chow.

[karrow]

not sure if anyone mentioned this but i would say a good back quiver would be a must for lots of arrows.

[JJB2]

Doing it for the first time this Sunday with Jeremy.  Really looking forward to it.

[bowzonly]

Yes that is a SGH(small game head) from G5. I have been doing this for 12 years and Ive taken over 60 pheas, a dozen chukar and a few quail. I have been present while other hunters have taken dozens more pheas. I have experimented EXTENSIVELY with ALL kinds of heads and even designed a few of my own.  I wrote a story about one of my designs for TBM a few years ago called the Ultimate Upland Birdhead ( I think that was the title anyway) my design worked very well but it was time consuming to make. My most important conclusions (when it comes to pheas heads) are that anything over 200 grains is a waste of time, anything with a large blunt surface (ie. washers behind field points, and big pieces of flexible wire) is a waste of time. You would think G5 was my sponsor but they are not. DONT waste youre time with anything else, the SGH's are simply DEVASTATING on pheas. They are safe for dogs because the outside edges are rounded. Safety issues aside, I dont even recommend broadheads because they can actually ricochet off birds or just put a clean slice on a marginally hit bird (which you will never recover) Watch the second video again. See how that rooster drops like it was hit by a 12 guage? The hook on the SGH opened that bird up like a zipper. Then look at the last photo I posted to see the wound channel. The SGH rarely stay in the bird anyway, they either do their damage and keep going or they actually bounce off (as you see in the first video) The video of me shooting the hen (the crossing shot) is one of the rare instances when the arrow stayed in, but the point was buried so I had no prob letting my dog retrieve.  By the way, that video of me shooting the hen is also the reason I tell people not to practice by shooting at aerial discs because that is just trick shooting (the trick is to hit them at the peak, at that point  they are no longer moving targets)As you can see in the slow mo of that hen shot I had to lead that bird by several feet.  You dont learn that kind of lead by shooting at targets thrown straight up in the air. As far as losing arrows goes. Pheas hunting with a bow should be performed as a highly organized activity (large fields with cover planted in rows) this makes finding arrows very easy.  And, if you dont find them, the next hunting party will. You can pick them up at the office the next time you hunt. I have recently submitted a query to TBM proposing another pheas story which will include this info and much more including some great photos and a link to a video (which will include the footage you see here and much more) EVERY trad archer should try pheas hunting at least once in their lifetime!

[1screagle]

Huge thank you to those posting! I'm learning lots and getting excited to try this. Sounds addictive.

[instinctivebowman]

Originally posted by bowzonly:
Yes that is a SGH(small game head) from G5. I have been doing this for 12 years and Ive taken over 60 pheas, a dozen chukar and a few quail. I have been present while other hunters have taken dozens more pheas. I have experimented EXTENSIVELY with ALL kinds of heads and even designed a few of my own.  I wrote a story about one of my designs for TBM a few years ago called the Ultimate Upland Birdhead ( I think that was the title anyway) my design worked very well but it was time consuming to make. My most important conclusions (when it comes to pheas heads) are that anything over 200 grains is a waste of time, anything with a large blunt surface (ie. washers behind field points, and big pieces of flexible wire) is a waste of time. You would think G5 was my sponsor but they are not. DONT waste youre time with anything else, the SGH's are simply DEVASTATING on pheas. They are safe for dogs because the outside edges are rounded. Safety issues aside, I dont even recommend broadheads because they can actually ricochet off birds or just put a clean slice on a marginally hit bird (which you will never recover) Watch the second video again. See how that rooster drops like it was hit by a 12 guage? The hook on the SGH opened that bird up like a zipper. Then look at the last photo I posted to see the wound channel. The SGH rarely stay in the bird anyway, they either do their damage and keep going or they actually bounce off (as you see in the first video) The video of me shooting the hen (the crossing shot) is one of the rare instances when the arrow stayed in, but the point was buried so I had no prob letting my dog retrieve.  By the way, that video of me shooting the hen is also the reason I tell people not to practice by shooting at aerial discs because that is just trick shooting (the trick is to hit them at the peak, at that point  they are no longer moving targets)As you can see in the slow mo of that hen shot I had to lead that bird by several feet.  You dont learn that kind of lead by shooting at targets thrown straight up in the air. As far as losing arrows goes. Pheas hunting with a bow should be performed as a highly organized activity (large fields with cover planted in rows) this makes finding arrows very easy.  And, if you dont find them, the next hunting party will. You can pick them up at the office the next time you hunt. I have recently submitted a query to TBM proposing another pheas story which will include this info and much more including some great photos and a link to a video (which will include the footage you see here and much more) EVERY trad archer should try pheas hunting at least once in their lifetime!

you certainly have some experience, i would cordially(in the most friendly way) like to add that i have a product that has "flexible wires" (that you havnet used)and i have taken 75 pheasant, chuker, etc. with them. And the bolts coming out  of the front of the spear will tear tissue and take the bird down, trust me(if you dont believe me let shoot your arm) I agree the g5 is a great product, and the ace heads, claws etc. will all work on them as well, some cheaper too... There are a dozen poeple or more here on tradgang that make there own  home made squirrel heads that would rival the industries best on tissue damage, and there free!!!!!(lets see those pics again) as far as practicing on aeriel disk, baloons etc. I think that is great practice, and have watched poeple improve greatly in a short period of time. I think you would maybe have a different opinion on practice if you watched Derrick Oxnans(tradgang sponsor)"Itro to in aeriel archery" ,  

anyway, cheers!!! lets hunt together sometime

oh, and i agree about the 200gr thing,if your using flu flu arrows.  i dont use flu flu arrows with most of my designs and dont have that isssue

jeremy

[Gen273]

That sounds like fun!!!

[instinctivebowman]

bowzonly, i watched some of your video. Fun stuff, if your going thruogh illinois get hold of me, i have a place we can shoot a lot of pheasants, and i want to see you bust one with my spear.lol  or g5,  or both. as along as your having fun its all godd.

P.s. you can place a g5 behind the pheasant head(not spear) and use regular fletch arrows. that will work fine as close as your shots were on that video, and it will increase your harvest(or your money back).
jeremy

[oxnam]

I like the SGH but there is no way it will be consistantly effective with the complete range of bow and arrow combinations and target species.  As mean of a head as it is, it's still a blunt.

Many people shooting lighter setups will be disappointed with blunts because they simply don't pack enough of a punch.  I have folded pheasants with heads as large as the big Magnus Bullhead, but those heads surely wouldn't be that effective with 40# bow.  

A lot of archers really need to use broadheads, even with the risk of glancing shots.  Obviously on certain hunts they aren't allowed, but those lighter setups will surel be at a disadvantage.

Every archer will have shots where a Pheasant Spear or large blade/wire head will take down birds that broadheads, SGH's, or any other blunt wouln't have touched.  Those heads increase the margin of error and are extremely effective on those clipping shots.

I wish there was a one head solutions for aerial archery, but there are just too many variables to offer blanket solutions.  For anyone trying to get started, learn as much as you can from guys like Bisch, instinctivebowman, bowzonly, etc that have a lot of field time and actual experience.  Take away what will work for you and your setup and then share your experinces so we can all benefit.  Good luck!

[instinctivebowman]

glad you chimed in derrick, i was waiting for that.
x2 100%

[ARCHER2]

Thanks bowzonly & oxnam for the info. on the G5 SGH. Gotta get me some of those. I would think they'd be good rabbit hunting heads. Anyone tried them on wabbits?
Charlie

[oxnam]

Originally posted by ARCHER2:
Thanks bowzonly & oxnam for the info. on the G5 SGH. Gotta get me some of those. I would think they'd be good rabbit hunting heads. Anyone tried them on wabbits?
Charlie

Be prepared to hand over some cash.  They are quite expensive compared to other small game heads or even some broadheads.  

Their effectivenvess will be determined by several unmentioned factors: How heavy is your bow (or more accurately, how fast is your arrow going), how heavy is your arrow, how far will your shots be, and what type of rabbit will be pursued (jackrabbits are quite different that cottontails)?  

Here are some random examples.

40# bow with 400gr arrow shooting jackrabbits at 25 yards = SGH not recommended

40# bow with 400gr arrow shooting cottontails at 12 yards = dead rabbit

There are lots of scenarios where it can be great and others, disappointing.  Once again, it's not as simple as thumbs up or thumbs down.  It is a fantastic head if used properly.

[bowzonly]

Any head will take down a pheas if hit in the right spot at close range. And yes there are many variables involved in bowhunting pheas. You will not see any video of me shooting at birds beyond 15 yards, because over the years I have developed the lightning fast reflexes needed to take them at close range LOL, actually I am only partially joking about that, its mostly cause I dont even release an arrow at that range.  Even the SGH can be ineffective at that distance. And yes oxnam, that is due to the blunt surface (which by the way I usually grind down to more of a chisel point) I will even yield on the disc practice statement.  It is a ton of fun and those objects dont stay suspended forever so you need to be able to track them and release at the proper moment in order to hit them.  This can help you develop the split second timing needed to take birds on the wing.

[23feetupandhappy]

Our TG hunt with Jeremy is on Sun and Im stoked  

[oxnam]

Originally posted by bowzonly:
By the way, that video of me shooting the hen is also the reason I tell people not to practice by shooting at aerial discs because that is just trick shooting (the trick is to hit them at the peak, at that point  they are no longer moving targets)As you can see in the slow mo of that hen shot I had to lead that bird by several feet.  You dont learn that kind of lead by shooting at targets thrown straight up in the air.  

I agree that aerial discs are not the end all for bird hunting practice.  They excellent tools to help archers learn the fundamentals of executing moving shots while maintaining their form.  If the archer is not waiting for the pause at it's peak and taking the shot on the rising disk then it is beneficial and applicable to pheasant hunting.  If the shot is taken on the drop, it can be similar to decoying duck or geese.  Once they get the hang of the predictable up and down disk, they can begin to broaden their skills with moderate crossing shots and then rapidly crossing shots.  

Aerial disks can be excellent training for birds with the right practice.  If you want to kill birds, and you get to where you can hit that aerial disk everytime in the little dot, you need to practice something else because you aren't really learning anything new.  This may sound counter productive, but if you aren't missing, your shots are too easy.  And if you you have no realistic expectation of hitting the target, your shot is probably too difficult and you need to simplify it a little.

A nice blend of hits and misses keeps shooting fun and challenging while increasing the archers ability to hit increasingly difficult shots which translates into killing birds.