What ever happened to a Cedar arrow & 125gr BH

[pdk25]

AWPForester, maybe you could list some references to lightweight setups being used to kill cape buffalo or asiatic buffalo in the remote past.  My searches on the internet haven't been very succesful.

[toddster]

I love and still use Cedar shafts, but upgraded to Simmons broadheads, they are awesome.

[ishoot4thrills]

Originally posted by DesertDude:
I want to say this, This post was never ment to say what is better than the other....


DD

Surely you knew that anytime you mention carbon and wood in the same sentence it's gonna open up a can of worms, bro.

[wollelybugger]

Cedar and old bear greenies for me out of my self bow. Have started using some bone and stone heads but still like my old bears and Zwickeys.

[Tajue17]

just recieved 2doz 5/16 cedars with the 125 zwickey deltas from Elite Archery,,, shoot as good as aluminums for me..

[Scarne]

It all "worked" didn't it?  We have the photos, we have the written accounts.  So do flat bows but I don't see many around here using them. As did the model "T" but I don't see anybody here opting for that over thier pick'em up truck.

You know why you don't opt in for the old stuff?  I'll tell ya...Margin of error/failure.  

I get so tired of hearing about puttin "it" in the right place.  No duh.  In the traditional world, all you have is the best use of the materials that fall into that catagory, why not use them to your advantage?

Personally, if I have an arrow set-up that can punch through both shoulders of a 160 pound deer
within 15 yards I've just decreased my margin of error and opened up the front 1/3 of the chest area haven't I?  Say yes, because I have.

Is the shoulder my intended point of impact?  Certainly not, but it makes it easier to put "it" in the "BEST place" which is "just below and behind" the shoulder when I'm not subconciously worried about hitting the shoulder.

IMHO that's where a large number of gut shots come from...fear of the shoulder.  Why fear it when you don't have to?

So if my 695 grain heavy FOC (21%) single bevel out of my little 53 pound laminated recurve happens to hit the shoulder, or the deers angle isn't "perfect", I don't care, my arrow is still headed home, and that deer isn't going far, if anywhere.

Case in point, my last 175 pound Illinois buck the shaft entered about 10 inches behind the shoulder blades alongside the spine, and exited (punched through completely) the sternum at the bend in the chest.  Penetration stopped at the feathers.  The deer went 10 yards and tipped.

Oh and he knew he was hit, he just about dropped to his knees.  I kinda like having a shaft setup with that kind of performance out of such a minimal draw weight.  Imagine the possibilities out of a 63 pound rig and 825 grain arrow set-up!

Don't tell me I got lucky, that shaft went through the top of the rib cage, entire chest cavity, and the center of the sternum with authority.  Cedars and 125's have no chance of that performance.  We also have the wrtten accounts of that don't we?  Unfortunately very few photographs.

Are you going to push a 3 blade through all that with a 53 pound recurve?  No chance.  You going to do that with 10 GPP set up?  No chance.  Are you going to do that with a non-3:1 BH? Yes, I did it with an DB Ace.  (Today I have SB grizzly's)

I had a shot opportunity I could take because of mechanical advantage.  It didn't cost any more to create that opportunity either.  Just some planning and a bit of patience.

[DesertDude]

Again this is not about which is better, I fully understand what carbons with high FOC have to offer.  I have them made up for my bow, I'm just saying  "Remember When "......... Nothing more..

[YORNOC]

I shoot both but from different bows. I have an old Chastain Wapiti that screams cedar and Zwickey. Last time I reached for it with a quiver of FOC carbons it spit at me.
Okay I said,so I have a quiver full of home made woodies just for it.
My other bows are not so opinionated, so I experiment with those.I do shoot a lot of FOC setups. Especially from my ILF, they shoot really well.
My big animals I've taken with heavy heads. Whitetails and smaller I've used both.
That Chastain has killed a lot of game.
I'm extremely confident with both.
And I'm blessed to be able to choose what I hunt with.
If I had to survive on game, I would hardly use a bow or gun. I'd have snares set up everywhere.

[Shakes.602]

I understand what yer saying Mark. I am a "Sentimental Old Fuddy-Duddy" too, according to my Children. I dont mind, the Past is so full of Rich Memories and Gathered Knowledge, its hard not to be a Nostalgiac.     (sp) My Kids Favorite Saying is: "Yeah Dad, the way they did it 'Back In The Day'....".  

[Shedrock]

330# bear taken down with my wimpy 52# longbow, light cedar shaft tipped with a 125 grain 3 blade. This was a pass-through. I have 100% confidence in cedar arrows and 125 gr heads. All my bows love 9-10 grains per pound, and cedar and other wood arrows with 125-160 up front does the trick.

[Fritz]

I just made up some cedars with 125gr heads that fly great out of my selfbow. I have no doubt it will get the job done.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I use cedar or doug fir with 125-130 tips. Still works for me.  from the look of this thread, I'm not the only one  

[YORNOC]

Hey Mark, what are you smokin' in your avatar? Haven't had me a good cigar in many moons.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

My favorite for many years was 427 grain arrow with 100 grain broad heads. but the most popular broadhead weight was 125's. i think the last count was 67 elk taken in our little hunting party over the last 20 years.... all of them with light weight arrows and light weight broad heads.


Yup.... i remember .....  What i shoot now has nothing to do with the thread really. But it's human nature to want to find a more efficient system on anything you do.

[Tree Killer]

I still have lots of cedar shafts and arrows, but have pre-firred doug fir for the last 20 years. 125 to 145 broadheads are all I've ever used.

I've never bought into all the FOC craze, and don't intend to. I like my gear and hunting as simple and uncomplicated as possible.

Happy hunting!    

[Brock]

my brother and my nephew are now getting into traditional archery and hopefully bowhunting.  While I shoot doug fir with 160 heads mostly...I started with Zwickey Eskimos and only switched to Ribteks after a couple welds came loose on ferrule of two eskimos.

setting up my brother and nephew...I am recommending sitka spruce arrows and 125gr Zwickey heads.    

[YORNOC]

Those Ribteks are a great head. I got some from the St.Judes auction.

[Hoyt]

I think it's all good, just that my fondest remember when's were from about 50yrs ago shooting Dead Heads and Gashawks with aluminum arrows.

[HuronArcher]

DD, Thanks, this is a great topic for a novice like me to read.  It helps me fight the urges of chasing the next best thing and questioning a perfectly good setup. I like tinkering around like most, but I like not having to second guess either.  There are a lot ways to skin a cat, and I think I better perfect one way before moving on to another  

[Brock]

i admit i get tired of the FOC EFOC speed weight 26.943216 sharpening angles on 1.37 sides of the surface with a string made from material with .035% less stretch but .000059 more speed.

I get a bow I like...a string that is made for the bow...I shoot and get them flying where I am looking....practice to ensure broadheads fly where I am looking as well....then I wax the string and check brace height every now and then.  I got away from wheels 20+ years ago to be simpler...not muddy my experience with all this other crap.  

thanks for the perspective...