Who shoots a narrow two blade?

[TxAg]

For normal sized game like deer? Have you had bad blood trail experiences? Is there a positive to shooting say a 1.125" head vs a 1.5" head or a multi-blade.

[Orion]

I shoot Zwickey Deltas, 1 3/8 inches wide (fairly wide for a 2-blade) and STOS 1 1/8 inches wide (fairly narrow) and Abowyer single bevel Wapitis ( 1 1/4 inches wide), in the middle.  All razor sharp.  Good blood trails, all. Most times I don't need them.  I see the animal fall. Slmost any two-blade head will completely penetrate deer size critters if they're sharp and the arrow is flying straight.

[Gordon Jabben]

I shoot a narrow broadhead because they are just more accurate for me.  I feel like I have had good luck with them.  I doubt that an extra quarter inch in width makes much difference.

[Wheels2]

Having Bear Razorhead flashback?

[Pat B]

My first trad kill was with an original
grizzly 125gr.

[SuperK]

I have had more bad blood trail experiences with broadheads that did NOT give me an exit,no matter how many blades it had.  Multi-blades and wide 2 blades work great, if you have enough horsepower to RELIABLY get them out the other side from all angles.  Since I have dropped in bow weight, I'm back with standard 2 blades like Zwickey Eskimos, and Magnus II.  The Zwickey No Mercys are probably gonna get a another look too.

[Paul Shirek]

Have used some narrow ones. Had less than great experience with one of them. Then switched to wide 4 blade heads for deer and have had really good experiences. Even on marginal hits (which is probably the only time it matters) the big 4 blades have helped me bring home game.

We have killed a bunch of deer with Hills.  A couple of times the blood trails were scarce, but steady enough to let us find the deer.  Some years back I met a couple of compounders file sharpening 140 Hills.  Talking with them, they explained that with their faster bows the Walmart mechanicals did not function properly and their arrows had a speed limit for being stable.  They were convinced that the filed sharpened 140 Hills were the best flying deadliest broadheads that they had ever found.  Later that week they borrowed my deer cart, that particular blood trail leading to a fat doe was short and massive.

When I first started shooting the GK Silverflame heads, all they had was 1 1/8" wide heads. I loved the looks and flight of these heads. I proceeded to kill several nice critters with these heads. Two particular deer made me almost go to something else. I shot two nice deer in one season and made textbook shots on both bucks. When I went to trail these deer, I had nearly no blood on the ground. In both cases, the deer only made it 40-50yds and I found both. After confirming that the shots were as good as I thought they were, I could not believe that the blood trails were as bad as they were.

I emailed GK and asked Marcus if they made a wider head because I was concerned about the lack of a good blood trail. That was right when they came out with the XL (1.5" wide). He sent me a pack to try out.

I have not kept any scientific records, but I can tell you that the extra 3/8" makes a huge difference. The blood trails with the XL's are consistently better than with the standard 1 1/8" model.

I still have and use both size heads. I use the wider heads for deer, small pigs, and any critters in that class. I use the narrow heads for large pigs or tough critters that I might worry about penetration with.

I really think a guy should shoot the most draw weight he can shoot well, with the widest head he can consistently get entry AND exit holes with.

Bisch

[SlowBowinMO]

I used to shoot deer with Grizzlies and similar heads.  They were very lethal no doubt, the deer seldom went far but blood trails were inconsistent.  Since my arrows were going through the deer so fast it looked like they weren't even slowing down, I started shooting bigger heads.  I figured I was wasting cutting power in the dirt.

The longer I hunt deer the bigger my broadheads get.  Now I shoot mostly multi-blades or BIG two blades like a Simmons, or Tusker/Zwickey Deltas at deer.  I still get two holes from my 50-ish pound bows so why not?

[Rob W.]

I have put a few narrow heads into the opposite shoulder or angled up into the narrow part of the rib cage. Dead deer but some tough tracking jobs in thick stuff or wet leaves.

I have since had much better results with larger heads. Mostly 1 1/4" VPA's and Treesharks.

This pic is from a Treeshark that angled up forward on a quartering deer. I only got one hole from all the bones the head hit but the trail looked like this for 100 yrds.

 

Sometimes things don't go as planned and I'm a firm believer that big heads have saved my butt a few times.

[TxAg]

Anyone else?

[Bowwild]

I've hunted with different weight Helix 2-blades that are from 100, 125, and 200 grains at 1 1/8" and 1 1/4". Great luck with them.

[longrifle]

Used to shoot Zwickey Eskimos, and the Hunters  Head much like a Hill. Had no problem on the blood trail if the arrow was in the right spot. But now I shoot the Simmons Safari and Interceptor and like the trails even better.

[bendotwood]

I used to shoot Zwickey Eskimos, now shoot Grizzly Kodiaks.  No problems with them.

[LB_hntr]

I have been shooting both 1.25 wide magnus II 2 blades and 1.5 wide magnus I 2 blades for 20 years. the 1.5 wide for sure leaves a bigger blood trail in most cases and in a couple cases saved me by just nicking arteries (once a jugular on a deflection, once a femorial on a bad shot, and on a double lung hit that was almost a one lung hit by nicking the bottom of the far lung).

I have not shot the narrower magnus in about 10 years because i like the wider ones better. Only times I dont get a full pass thru on any game is when i hit the oppisite shoulder. but i never got full pass throughs on opposite shoulders with the narrow ones either.

[joe skipp]

Been shooting Zwickey 2 blade Eskimos since '79 and also the 2 blade Deltas. I also like the Schulz Hunter Head.

[mnbwhtr]

I used schulz hunter heads on 3 deer, all died quickly bit no blood trail to follow. (I saw them go down)The last one went through so  fast the deer didn't know it was hit. It snorted at me and took 2 jumps and down. When I shoot 2 blades now it's zwicky deltas or ribtek 145's both leave excellent blood trails. Lately I've been using WW with good success.

I have seen with narrow heads where the blood trail is very sparse for the first bit and then gets heavier down the trail.  In those situations where a prominent initial blood trail is more important than complete penetration, I switch to a large Deadhead or a Herters four blade.

[Bill Leeming]

STOS 160 grain work fine for me - clear thru a buck and into the ground from a 44# recurve.