Broadheads for Black Bear

[Blacktailbowhunter]

I just wanted to get some opinions on Broadhead selection for black bears. I'm shooting 56 lbs, a 455 grain arrow with 125 Slick Trick magnums. Last week I shot a good sized bear at 20 yards broadside and didn't get a whole lot of penetration, about 10 inches. My buddy who used to guide said it was a giant, so maybe the lack of penetration was due to the thicker hide and bigger bones... I hit him middle of the body about 6 inches behind the shoulder and saw the arrow go in with a nockturnal lighted nock. I was stoked and thought for sure I would find him not too far from where I shot him. After waiting 3 hours to track I found very little blood and sub par penetration. The broadhead broke off inside him and left the remainder of the arrow about 20 feet away. We tracked him 6 hours one day until it got dark and then a bunch of hours the following day. We got very little blood and got a couple hundred yards before the trail went completely cold. I feel like I looked everywhere and just couldn't find him. It was a very dense and you couldn't see more then 10 yards. I do know that bears have porous fat layers and fur that suck up the blood. I just maxed out my bow at 60 lbs and I'm looking for possibly a better Broadhead. I'm thinking Slick Trick Viper Tricks or VPA. Any thoughts on Broadhead selection or what I could have done different would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Bowhuntr64]

Wow, that is kind of strange. So sorry for your experience. I've typically considered black bears as fairly easy to pass through, unless you hit the shoulder. The Viper Tricks are a good option. But you also may want to consider a three blade for even better penetration, or even a two blade if you need it. I've liked the Bishop Holy Trinity, which is a three blade. Their too tier model is amazing but super pricey. They make the same head in a new type of stainless for less money. The reason their good is they hold their edge extremely well all the way through an animal. Most folks only gauge a heads sharpness by how it feels out of the box, but that is only one factor in penetration. If it loses its edge 5" into the animal, it won't penetrate a lot further. But one that is of a top tier steel will hold its edge further and thus penetrate further. Another great choice is the Exodus; those also hold their edge way way better than Slick Tricks. I've taken many animals with Slick Tricks but several years ago switched to Exodus and Bishop for this exact reason. Good luck!


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[oldgrowth]

I don't have a lot of experience on the different options out there, but I just took a bear at 22 yards last weekend. I was running at 60lbs with my bow. Shooting a 408 grain arrow with 100 grain wac em heads. I hit him too far forward and got the back side of both shoulders, but the arrow came out the other side and he broke off the part sticking out. The back half of the arrow was still in his shoulder and chest in pieces. The blood trail was the hardest trail to follow I have ever seen. There was heavy blood spots anywhere he paused or when he brushed against a tree, but almost nothing in between even in heavy brush. I found most blood in the brush deposited on the underside of the leaves but not as heavy as I would have thought. Looking from a standing position you couldn't see anything and none on the ground (did a lot of crawling). I attributed the lack of blood in most areas to a fast pace coupled with heavy fur to soak up the blood because there were a few areas where the bleeding was heavy as mentioned earlier. I was impressed with the penetration, considering the light arrow, poor shot (hit shoulders), and that I had turned my bow down due to a shoulder injury last year.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Ditto Bowhuntr64's comments, very SORRY ! IMO, Try a stoutly spined tough, Arrow, 3 Blade sharp B-H ( G5 Striker, WacEm's or, VPA's,.. "stropped" ! ) and 13-17% FOC with, the 56 pound Bow ! See my Arrow (under importance of FOC post) for, exact spec's as I shoot 54-55 pounds and this Arrow, flies great and,.. PENETRATES !! PS; I do not know all the "tough" arrows but, do know that, GoldTip XT Hunters ARE tough ! My son shot, a Shiras Moose and a 5X5 Elk here in Idaho last year and the Arrows did NOT break, both pass thru's ( he is shooting one Arrow heavier than me .300 spine 510 gr's, 68 lb bow) We have taken 10 Animals ( elk / Moose size ) they "work",.. great ! He is shooting the Exodus B-H ! Hope this help's ! Doug

 

[Idaho Lefty]

PSS; My Family ALL shoot,.. 100 Grain, 3 Blades as listed previously, and use heavier Inserts, Plus Fact weights, instead of, 125's and 4 Blades as, they do not seem, to penetrate as, well for us ! And you are right, Bears don't bleed as well as, Deer , Elk etc., due to the Fur and Fat !
One thing I might mention is, "FOR ME" the Exodus ( 1 1/4" 100's ) was NOT very, "Forgiving" at past,.. 30 yards for some reason ( possibly my hand Torque not perfect ? ). Be sure to shoot, the suggested heads for, accuracy, before choosing one ! Good luck !!

 

[motts]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience - I used (and sometimes still use) Slick Trick Magnums for a number of years without issue. As several others have said though, the QAD Exodus is an impressive broadhead and it's what I will be using on my one bow (70lb Elite) for bear and deer here in NJ. Very sharp, very durable, and I didn't have any issues getting it tuned out to 60 yards - much farther than I will ever likely have a shot here in the East.

I also switched to Gold Tip Pro Hunter and XT Hunter arrows on all of my bows last year or the year before after having used Easton ACC's and Axis type arrows prior to that. Gold Tips are TOUGH! It's also nice being able to add weight behind the insert with their FACT system.

I hope you have better luck with whatever you choose in the future!

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I have used the 1-3/8" cut Grim Reaper Razortips for years with great results, a couple of years ago I switched to 2" cut Grim Reapers with great results. I pull 60lbs with a 28" draw, and the arrow comes in at 425 grains.

 

[MattB]

That is surprising. Perhaps the low poundage coupled with an inefficient 4 blade was to blame? Could just be bad luck. A more efficient BH is all I would consider.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience - I used (and sometimes still use) Slick Trick Magnums for a number of years without issue. As several others have said though, the QAD Exodus is an impressive broadhead and it's what I will be using on my one bow (70lb Elite) for bear and deer here in NJ. Very sharp, very durable, and I didn't have any issues getting it tuned out to 60 yards - much farther than I will ever likely have a shot here in the East.

I also switched to Gold Tip Pro Hunter and XT Hunter arrows on all of my bows last year or the year before after having used Easton ACC's and Axis type arrows prior to that. Gold Tips are TOUGH! It's also nice being able to add weight behind the insert with their FACT system.

I hope you have better luck with whatever you choose in the future!

Nuther vote for Exodus. Sharp enough outta the box to shave with, hit a moose that was quartering away hard and the BH WAS COMPLETELY BURIED IN THE OPPOSITE SHOULDER.

 

[MuleyFever]

There really is no explanation for your experience. I shot Spitfire expandable for years, even took 2 bears with them both pass through at 63 lbs. One year shot a mule deer and got no penetration. Sometimes crap just happens. You hit a rib just right to leave a would just so that a perfect piece of flesh/fat clogged the wound ect... Chalk it up to statistics and be confident in your Slick Tricks. That's what I use now and have had no issues.

 

[Jacques Etcheverry]

I've harvested 9 black bears and watched 3 more taken with T-Locks. Not yet ready to jump on the expandable yet.


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[PathFinder]

Black bears really are kind of a soft animal. Penetration shouldn't be an issue. Here's just a list of the physical factors that contribute to better penetration:
1. Momentum. Heavy arrow (450+), at high velocity. At least 255. 280s is better. Slow bows and low draw weights are only a handicap. I'm a pretty small guy and 70# is easy for me. I'd get heavier limbs personally.
2. Broadhead design. That Slick Trick is what I call a "punch" type broadhead tip. Think of how much more force is required to push that tip through tissue and hide VS a sharp knife blade. A COC head is far more efficient.
3. Premium micro diameter arrows are also more efficient penetrators. Black Eagle Deep Impact, Zelor, etc.


Personally I thoroughly despise the pathetic cutting diameters of most fixed blade heads. I shoot Grave Digger Hybrids and they are wildly efficient. They've blown through every single animal (7) I've shot with them. Most mechanicals make sort of a distinctive "pop" when they hit, from the resistance of the blades as they open. Diggers don't have that issue, as the blades don't have a dull spot and cut as they open. I was shooting a 480 gr arrow at ~263, with a trocar tipped Digger. I shot my bear at 26 yards and the arrow blew through it and sunk 3" into a log behind the bear. It made it a grand total of 5 yards.

To summarize :
1. Heavy arrow at high velocity
2. Efficient broadhead. COC, and a really efficient mechanical or hybrid if you have the momentum to push it.
3. Micro diameter, high GPI arrow. Heavy outset or weight system up front.

Budget archery gear sucks. Cutting corners = lost critters. Crap happens, but most incidents of poor penetration are preventable. I learned the hard way. Sold all my old junk and never looked back. Best of luck with your setup, it's worth every dime to get it right!

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[Nick Muche]

Expandables for me on a 450ish grain arrow.

If you hit him 6" behind the shoulder, I can't believe he didn't die?

Blood trails are usually pretty weak on bears and with a good shot they die very quick.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

I'd like to point out a few things to the "posters", Nick and Pathfinder, above,..
1) Expandables, Swept back B-H's, Curved Blades & Barbed B-H's, are,.. all ILLEGAL in Idaho and some, other States. ( thus, one of the reasons WHY Fixed B-H's are talked about, extensively, PLUS, TON's of,.."failures of Penetration" of Large, tough animals hitting Bone ).
2) Not ALL People, can "ACCURATELY" shoot or, even pull,.. "heavier Poundage" due to, AGE, SEX, strength, Physical ailments, etc. and have to make "DO" with,.. 40 to 60 Pound Bows !
THUS,.. the IMPORTANCE of,.. arrow strength, balance and weight, correct spine, FOC, SHARP, COC,.. 2 or, 3 Blades, etc., my 2cents !

 

[Nick Muche]

I'd like to point out to the poster "Idaho Lefty" that I was responding to the OP, who lives in California, not Idaho.

I'd also like to point out that I am aware of the law in Idaho concerning Mechs, I used to live there and killed a few bears with fixed blades.

I agree with 2) though, I shoot a 60lb bow and it's killed bison/musk ox and plenty of bears both black and brown... no issues with mechanicals for me, even on bigger game.

 

[cody covey]

Idaho Lefty HAS smoked one too many "left handed" cigarettes TODAY!

 

[MattB]

Nick, you missed out on admonishing the occasional and inappropriate use of the cap lock.

 

[MattB]

..and the fact that it was a fixed blade that resulted in "failures of Penetration". Maybe if he was shooting a mechanical instead, he would have killed the bear?

 

[Blacktailbowhunter]

Thanks all you guys for sharing all your experiences and insights! I shot my bow tonight at 60 pounds and I'm surprised at the four pound difference. It seems it has significantly more speed and penetration. I must of hit the rib perfectly to get such little penetration...? I do like the idea of a coc head and more foc. Do you think I should up my arrow weight now that I'm shooting 60 pounds. I'm gonna test my fps next week and see where I'm at too.

 

[Bill V]

I'm no expert on bears, but I shot this boar on Saturday with an Iron Will broadhead (v100). It is fairly compact compared to what many people use for bear, but the blood trail was great and I heard the death moan within 5-10 seconds. Penetration with this head is truly impressive.