Good broad heads for hogs

[robin]

Hi,I have been hunting hogs for close to 10 years now. My set up is 50lbs long bow and two blade broad heads.

I normally shoot from confident distance of 15 yards in. Most of my shots are aim at the lungs and low. Most shots achieve pass through both lungs.

I am really frustrated as  I have very low recovery rate. Maybe 2 out of 10 being shot.    I track most of my shots to normally 30 to 50 yards, there on I have. Very little or no blood trial to follow through.

Can some one share with me if there is anything wrong with my setup of am I using the wrong BH. I heard that using 3 blade BH will result in better blood trial, I have also tried that but have poor penetration maybe due to using three blade setup.

Can some one advise me how I can increase my rate of recovery. ? Oh , I normally shoot from the ground stalking and behind a blind.

Thanks for your help and advise. RT

[last arrow]

Never hunted hogs but you can't go wrong with a Grizzly broadhead as I don't think you can find a head that penetrates better.  I agree that three blades with a 50 lb bow may not give the penetration you want on a large animal.  Once you have settled on a head, sharpness and tuning are critical.

[Guru]

Look at the sharpness of your broadheads....

Are they just sharp, or are they extremely scary sharp??  Very important!

Shot placement is paramount to everything....you simply need to hit them right!!

Just my thoughts....

[Izzy]

If you actually puncture both lungs you should be recovering more than 20%. Something is wrong with this equation.

[Izzy]

[Todweelz]

RT, look at the shot placement thread, low and in the lungs sounds like you might be missing vitals all together?  need to keep the shot up tight on the shouler leg junction for a pig ?  just a thought, Todd

[dragonheart]

Originally posted by Guru:
Look at the sharpness of your broadheads....

Are they just sharp, or are they extremely scary sharp??  Very important!

Shot placement is paramount to everything....you simply need to hit them right!!

Just my thoughts....

X2!!!

[dragonheart]

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=108224

[dragonheart]

I would suggest if you can get it, a quartering away shot.  I have had the best recovery when I have shot hogs in a quarter away and wait for the front leg to be forward.  Better chance of hitting the vitals and avoiding the shield.

[topGUN]

Besides broadhead sharpness and shot placement as mentioned above, the only other thing I can add is are you confident your arrows/broadhead setup are properly tuned to your bow. If not, you could be losing penetration if not properly tuned.

[daveycrockett]

Originally posted by Izzy:
If you actually puncture both lungs you should be recovering more than 20%. Something is wrong with this equation.

x2 They can't go far with no air.  

[cacciatore]

Originally posted by dragonheart:
I would suggest if you can get it, a quartering away shot.  I have had the best recovery when I have shot hogs in a quarter away and wait for the front leg to be forward.  Better chance of hitting the vitals and avoiding the shield.

When I have a quartering away angle they are down within 30 yards.
Anyway in these days I like to use the huge Simmons Tree Shark,incredible blood trail everytime.

[CRS]

Originally posted by Todweelz:
RT, look at the shot placement thread, low and in the lungs sounds like you might be missing vitals all together?  need to keep the shot up tight on the shouler leg junction for a pig ?  just a thought, odd

I would say this and try quartering away. Look at the hog shot placement thread.

[ChuckC]

Please review the shot placement threads up top.  I taught hunter safety for years and that was one area that most of my students just really didn't know well.  All of them were very certain where to aim.. they had all been told many times, but that place was not correct and leads to bad hits.

If you put a sharp arrow solidly thru both lungs, the animal should not go very far.  If you center the lungs, there is a very good chance you will also take out or damage some of the heart's major plumbing as well.

We all need to review the pictures of actual, honest to God, animals with organs exposed so we know where to shoot.  PLUS, understand that not all critters are put together the same, so you need to study first.

ChuckC

[Bow man]

ACE!!!!! super tough

[killinstuff]

I'll go against the grain here and say any arrow into a hog equals a dead hog except for high on the shoulder and low in the gut.  If folks always wait for quartering away you're not going to get many shots.  Now extra large boars are a different animal then a 75# sow but giant hogs are not what most guys shoot at so IMHO, if you get a shot, shoot. And if you are only recovering 1 out of 5 pigs it's not the shot or the broadhead, it's you. Even an OK sharp BH is a killer. Maybe not the best but still works.  I'd say you need to work on your tracking skills.  Or get a dog to track. You're killing hogs, just not finding them.

[pdk25]

Lots of issues here, IMHO.  I would agree with earlier comments regarding where you believe you are hitting the hog, and a review of hog anatomy may be in order.  Another issue telling exactly where you hit the hog in the heat of battle is a difficult proposition. You said that most shots achieved complete penetration of both lungs, but that can only be said with confidence for the animals that you recovered.

 It would also be nice to know the size of the animal you are shooting, as well.  Most people shooting hogs don't get a complete pass through, but having two holes makes a huge difference in the blood trail, IMHO.  I have shot complete pass through with well placed shots on large Texas hogs already and had a scant blood trail, so there are no guarantees.  A friend of mine had a quartering away shot that grazed the heart earlier this year, and the hog still went over 200 yards.  Fortunately, there was snow on the ground and he was able to track it.  One hole doesn't always give the best blood, especially on a shot where the entrance is below the diaphragm and can clog up with fat.  I am not going to turn this into a heavy versus light debate, but having a little more energy in your setup would give you a better opportunity for two holes as long as you can shoot it accurately.  Another thing to consider, if you are able, is a tracking dog.  If you are sure that you are making lethal hits but are getting a poor blood trail, a tracking dog can be an invaluable tool.

[JB74nola]

I've heard tell of a hog that took an arrow in the eye, ran off with said arrow, only to return to the SAME feeder the next day with the broken shaft still protruding from its face. Last week a friend was in Texas hunting javies and a javie with 3 arrows in it trekked over a mile and wedged itself backwards into a rock cleft where he put 2 more arrows in it as it clattered it's teeth threateningly. If you ask me, pigs are some of the toughest animals on the planet, proper shot placement is key in recovery!

[pdk25]

I guess I should get back to the topic, though.  I know that in theory a 3 blade should put more blood on the ground than a 2 blade, but I have not found that to be true, although I have only shot a few hogs with 3 blades.  In my limited experience, it is hard to beat the simmons style heads for a combination of good penetration and good wound channel/putting blood on the ground.  Something about the 'puckering' it does on entrance widens the wound channel and seems to help keep it from clogging up.  Have had complete pass through with big 3 blade broadheads using my buffalo setup that didn't do any better.  For your setup, I would not think that a 3 blade would be in your best interest.  Another good 2 blade broadhead is the magnus 1 broadhead.  Inexpensive, can be made very sharp with nothing but a file, and has a very sharp tip for getting the cutting started through that tough hair and hide.  An underrated broadhead for hogs, IMHO.

[habujohn]

Just returned from West Texas desert hunt for Javelina and hogs.  I was very lucky to shoot a really nice hog on this hunt.  Used a Eclipse Super two blade at 175 grains and a 57# longbow.  Got complete penetration behind the shoulder on a broad side shot with decent blood trail.  Hog only went about 80 to 100 yards and died on the run.  I shot a 50# Javelina through both shoulders on the same hunt.  The little bugger went at least 150 yards and came out in an opening 15 minutes later.  Stalked down to him and  put one more into his lungs from behind, he lasted only a few seconds.  Talk about a tough critter.  By the way I had a dozen people look at this first shot after skinning him and they could not believe how long he lived.  Both lungs and both shoulders were busted up.