arrows / broadheads for lighter pound bow

[abbatoys]

I just picked up a Maddog prairie predator that is 41# draw. I shoot about a true 28" draw so most of my arrows are 30". I am thinking 55-60lb woodies with a 125 - 135 grain head. With a lighter arrow will I be better off shooting a 2 blade broadhead or try my 145 gr 3 blade snuffers??

[Producer]

I would go with a two blade for that light a bow. The Ziwicky Eskilite would be a great choice coming in at around 140 grain new. I have been told by people with a lot more experience that a three blade would not be your best choice with a bow at that weight range.

[KentuckyTJ]

2 blade for deer and up

[PEARL DRUMS]

I think a 50-55 spine would be a better bet.

[jamesh76]

I have one 43#  had alot of trouble with 11/32 I  40 to 55# spines varying length and point weight. .  5/16 might be a better option for that shelf if you want to shoot wood.   Currently using gt 1535 with 225 grain point enough for a pass through lst week with magnus 1s.   Flys straight.

[Bob Moran]

I had a pass through on a deer at 10-12yds with a 43lb recurve and 125gr Woodsman 3 blades. Total weight was 450gr.

[KyStickbow]

I shoot 40#...and 2 blade magnus heads work great!

[Bob Moran]

I had a pass through on a deer at 10-12yds with a 43lb recurve and 125gr Woodsman 3 blades. Total weight was 450gr.

[NY Yankee]

I would recommend a Douglas fir shaft and a Zwickey Eskimo 125 or Ace Standard 125 2 blade. 3 5 inch helical feathers. That should go through a deer like a hot knife through butter.

[LostNation_Larry]

I would seriously consider 145 to 160 grain heads and yes, I would stick to two blade.  Personally I like the STOS heads.  You are shooting plenty in bow weight to kill a deer but you want a lethal setup.

[Butch Speer]

Not to offend or ruffle anybody's feathers but, when some one asks about broadheads for a light poundage bow, nobody offers experience with broadheads being too big. Has anbody shot an animal with a very sharp broadhead in the proper place with good arrow flight and didn't get good results because they felt the broadhead was too large? Always wondered about this.

[Fletcher]

I'm a little different than most, but having played with lighter weights and wood arrows I'll offer my perspective.  Myself and others get our best arrow performance with a higher FOC and 500+ grains of arrow weight.  Sitka Spruce makes for a lightweight, tough and very good shoooting shaft that can be teamed with a heavy broadhead to give good finished arrow weight and excellent performance on game.  A 2 blade single bevel Grizzly or Griz Kodiak head would be my choice, but you would probably be fine with a narrow 3 blade like a VPA or Griz Instinct.  All of these can be had in the 200 gr range,providing good FOC and total arrow weight.

For many years, 40-45 lb was the most common draw weight for deer hunters and they killed tons of deer with cedar arrows and 125 gr points.  Most of those however, were shot from the ground and quite frankly, we lost quite a few, too.  Most whitetails are hunted from treestaands these days and the higher shot angle requires more penetration to get an exit hole which is very important for a good blood trail.  Anything that can be done to optimize arrow performance will help.

[Fletcher]

Originally posted by Butch Speer:
Not to offend or ruffle anybody's feathers but, when some one asks about broadheads for a light poundage bow, nobody offers experience with broadheads being too big. Has anbody shot an animal with a very sharp broadhead in the proper place with good arrow flight and didn't get good results because they felt the broadhead was too large? Always wondered about this.

I don't know, Butch, I've not tried to push the issue.  If everything worked out just right the big head would probably be fine, but rarely does everything go just right for me.  I like to cut myself a little slack just in case.

[Kelly]

Didn't have any problem with 160 grain 3 blade Snuffers out of 42# on this buck. Two holes and a short blood trail.

 

That said, it was a very high FOC carbon shaft. Now when I am hunting with wood arrows I still try to get high FOC by using 160 or 190 grain heads and am opting for two blade this year just because 3 blade don't come out of a back quiver very well.

[Bernie B.]

That's a great looking buck Kelly!  By the way, I'm using the Wing Vantage Pro that I bought from you last spring for deer this fall.  What a great shooting bow!    

Bernie

[Butch Speer]

Sorry if I highjacked the thread. Fletcher & Kelly, Thanks for the replies.

[SuperK]

Hey Butch, A problem with "too large of a broadhead" comes from a lack of power to produce an exit wound.  (at least in my experience)  Many of the sparse bloodtrails I have been on are a result of no exit wound.  I remember a large doe I hit tight behind the shoulder with a Bear Razorhead with the "bleeder blade".  Very little blood on the ground.  I literally stumbled up on her in a thick reed mash.  The "bleeder blade" was broken off on one side and the other side was twisted 90 degrees.  It was acting like a "snow plow" and prevented a pass thru.  Another time I shot a small buck nearly straight down with the same broadhead.  I short drew the bow because of the side rails on the climbing stand.  No exit wound.  Probably only got one lung too.  A week later the buzzards led me to him.  In what was left of him was my broadhead on a section of fiberglass arrow shafting I was using.  
Now I'm not knocking Bear Razorheads.  I have used them for years and years.  Nothing screams deer season like clicking in the bleeders on one of them and IF you have enough bow, they are one of the best.   I hit one doe in the liver with them.  I really think that the only reason I recovered her was due to the big cut of that broadhead.  BUT, when shooting bows that are in the 40ish pound range, it is better to error on the side of penetration.  I love Zwickey 2 edge Deltas.  But now that I have dropped down to about the same bow weight as Abbatoys Maddog, I no longer fell confident using them.  Would I get a pass thru with a close shot in a low tree stand?  Probably yes.  Would I get a pass thru on a 16 feet ladder stand, close shot with a high hit near the top of the ribs?  Probably no.  I agree with Fletcher, "If everything worked out just right the big head would probably be fine, but rarely does everything go just right for me.  I like to cut myself a little slack just in case."
So to address the original question...I'd go with a "standard" 2 blade.

[abbatoys]

I have a nice supply of 125 gr 2 blade zwickeys and a few 135 gr I think I will try when the bow arrives. Thanks for all the input. Guessing I will probably pick up something in a 160 gr too along the way..