Arrow build to break deer leg near joint

[beforethehunt]

I have lost several good bucks to shoulder shots and I’m trying to remedy this. My current setup is 62#. 27.5” draw length. 515 grain arrow with 15% FOC. I have some 125 grain helix (single bevel) but thinking of moving to iron will or QAD exodus. Do you have any recommendations? Do any of you have a similar setup that has broken through the heavier part of bucks leg (below the scapula)? Should I look at changing my setup. My momentum is about .059.


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[jmez]

Humerus is a big bone. Poor place to shoot an animal. Shouldn't be consistently hitting them there. You'd be better served studying anatomy and making better shot selection than looking for a new broadhead.

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[Desk Jockey]

Ummm. Lungs brother. Put a nice hole in each and I tend to find the deer within 5-500 yards. Combo of blood loss, Lung damage and Tension Pneumothorax (collapsed lungs due to air pressure inside chest cavity from the arrow wounds) will tip them over as soon as that burst of adrenaline wears off.

I shoot a bit heavier bow -#75 on a 30 inch draw - current arrow set up is a 438 grain finished weight including a muzzy trocar on the tip flies a shade over 300fps. That set up has passed through every deer I have shot with it, the only exception being a spine shot. Those pass throughs include at least two scapulas and an offside femur on one bad shot. All three of those deer went down pretty fast but I wouldn’t want to make a habit of trying to shoot through leg bones to anchor deer like a mountain sheep. Seems like an inch or two left or right and you could send an arrow through a bunch of muscle and not much else. Depending on how much bleeding occurred that can be a long tracking job and it doesn’t always have a happy ending.

 

[beforethehunt]

I’ve killed a fair number of deer with my bow. I’ve recently in the last 3 years a switched to a heavier arrow and a faster bow but I like to hear other people’s experiences and recommendations


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[jt4]

First, I’m going to assume this is only for
Whitetail.

Agreeing with above, unless you’re on the high end of the spectrum (im shooting over 800grains at whitetail bc my shots are close and it negates any error from me or movement from the animal) If you’re hitting a shoulder the exodus isn’t what you want. Hitting a bone that strong you want as solid of a broad head as possible.

There’s so many variables that play a factor. First starting point, how meticulous is the tuning of your bow/arrow/broad head setup? It makes a lot bigger difference than many people think and most don’t give it a second thought. It doesn’t matter if you’re shooting 515 grains if your bow isn’t tuned and arrows flying the way they should.


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[Mike Islander]

I don't understand your reasoning. Heart/Lung shot = success in archery. Stop hitting the leg?

 

[robtattoo]

Learn to shoot better....... If you keep hitting leg & shoulder, maybe take a look at an anatomical diagram then go practice more.

 

[beforethehunt]

First, I’m going to assume this is only for
Whitetail.

Agreeing with above, unless you’re on the high end of the spectrum (im shooting over 800grains at whitetail bc my shots are close and it negates any error from me or movement from the animal) If you’re hitting a shoulder the exodus isn’t what you want. Hitting a bone that strong you want as solid of a broad head as possible.

There’s so many variables that play a factor. First starting point, how meticulous is the tuning of your bow/arrow/broad head setup? It makes a lot bigger difference than many people think and most don’t give it a second thought. It doesn’t matter if you’re shooting 515 grains if your bow isn’t tuned and arrows flying the way they should.


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What head do u recommend?


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[264win]

As far as broad heads than can penetrate heavy bone, I have seen both quads and shuttle Ts pass through the on shoulder on cow elk and still do their job. Arrow weight was 450-500g total with 70lb draws

 

[robtattoo]

Give 'Dr Ed Ashby reports' a googling.
Long, heavy, single bevel 2 blades are what you're after if you insist on shooting at bones.
Personally, out of my 60# @ 31" recurve, I prefer a good 3-blade. Also though, I tend to try & avoid the hell out of the bony bits.

 

[PathFinder]

There's not a single thing wrong with smashing through a shoulder joint. It's a pretty poor arrow setup that won't break one. Reality is that it's very close the golden triangle, and stuff happens.
I think weight wise you're close, if not there. The head is the next part. Anything one piece, with a long skinny (3:1)design will do it. I shoot Valkyrie Jaggers and they make very short work of deer shoulder joints (545 TAW at 262). Iron Wills definitely will hold up, but the Exodus is no shoulder breaker; avoid anything with paper thin replaceable blades. The Helix might do OK but the long, unsupported point may be an issue. It doesn't take anything spectacular to break deer shoulders, the setup I shoot now isn't anything crazy and it blows them apart much more easily than I expected.
It's absolutely silly to shoot an arrow that won't break a deer shoulder. It's right next to the vitals, even more so on a quartering to shot. It's worse anatomically to avoid the shoulder than hug it tight. Take that "avoid the shoulder" mentality to Africa, and you'll have some tough tracking jobs and likely some lost animals.

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[S.Clancy]

A bullet.

 

[Wrench]

Think about what is physically happening. You first have to have an arrow flying like a dart....dead straight. You need enough momentum to pack the steam to shove the head home. You need a head that is sharp from initial contact, tough enough to not roll a tip and narrow enough to not stall out from the resistance of its journey.

There's a pile of heads that fit that bill, none are "cheap" but if you want to shoot that far forward, that's what you need. I'd stick to two blades as its more likely to plow through the humerus IMO.

If time is of no value, you can get something as cheap as a zwickey shaped and sharpened to do this....or, bust open your wallet and look at the hardened steel offerings.

 

[Stalker69]

Humerus is a big bone. Poor place to shoot an animal. Shouldn't be consistently hitting them there. You'd be better served studying anatomy and making better shot selection than looking for a new broadhead.

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Totally agree, arrows and broad heads are very poor choice for braking heavier bone. And it is a poor shot that would put you in that situation. 50bmg is your best option.

 

[beforethehunt]

There's not a single thing wrong with smashing through a shoulder joint. It's a pretty poor arrow setup that won't break one. Reality is that it's very close the golden triangle, and stuff happens.
I think weight wise you're close, if not there. The head is the next part. Anything one piece, with a long skinny (3:1)design will do it. I shoot Valkyrie Jaggers and they make very short work of deer shoulder joints (545 TAW at 262). Iron Wills definitely will hold up, but the Exodus is no shoulder breaker; avoid anything with paper thin replaceable blades. The Helix might do OK but the long, unsupported point may be an issue. It doesn't take anything spectacular to break deer shoulders, the setup I shoot now isn't anything crazy and it blows them apart much more easily than I expected.
It's absolutely silly to shoot an arrow that won't break a deer shoulder. It's right next to the vitals, even more so on a quartering to shot. It's worse anatomically to avoid the shoulder than hug it tight. Take that "avoid the shoulder" mentality to Africa, and you'll have some tough tracking jobs and likely some lost animals.

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Thanks for understanding. I realize that shot placement is paramount but fewer move, things happen etc.
So 542 is your arrow weight. What does 262 mean? What’s your draw length and bow weight? Arrow speed? Have you busted through the humerus/lower leg?


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[Gumbo]

Thanks for understanding. I realize that shot placement is paramount but fewer move, things happen etc.
So 542 is your arrow weight. What does 262 mean? What’s your draw length and bow weight? Arrow speed? Have you busted through the humerus/lower leg?


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He is referring to arrow speed, in FPS. There is no magic broadhead that will do what you want every time, Iron Will or any number of similar heads will be fine. I agree to focus on shot placement and shoot for the lungs, especially with a low poundage, short draw setup like you have. It ain't the broadhead...it's the Indian.

 

[Mike Islander]

500+ grain arrow and single bevel 2 blade if you want to cover bad shots.

 

[5MilesBack]

I've put a mechanical head through a big bull's humerus.......on the exit side. But I've also hit the shoulder knuckle on entrance with a fixed head and had it go nowhere. I shoot at 75lbs and 32 1/2" draw with a 500+ grain arrow. I've also put an arrow through both shoulder blades on a buck on a high hit, and I don't think it even slowed down going through. The arrow was about 6" into the hillside behind him. The humerus is just a bone, but I've never hit a deer in that shoulder knuckle.

 

[beforethehunt]

He is referring to arrow speed, in FPS. There is no magic broadhead that will do what you want every time, Iron Will or any number of similar heads will be fine. I agree to focus on shot placement and shoot for the lungs, especially with a low poundage, short draw setup like you have. It ain't the broadhead...it's the Indian.

Thanks


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[beforethehunt]

500+ grain arrow and single bevel 2 blade if you want to cover bad shots.

Thanks mike. I tend to agree. Do you have a similar setup?


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