Iron Will wide vs std

[wildwilderness]

Looking for maximum lethality here for big bears- the brown kind. Do you think an IW wide without the bleeder blade would penetrate as well as the standard with the bleeder in?

Which do you think would be more lethal on a mid body hit? Better blood trail?

I was lucky enough to kill my first brown bear last year over my bait. I hit mid body and the boar was angling more towards me than I thought. Was shooting a 70# with about 460gr arrow @ 282fps and IW standard BH.

based on recovery, seems the arrow went in to the vanes, bear bit the end off, then the shaft worked back into the opposite ham and eventually to the hide as it ran about 50 yds and died. That’s a lot of bear to travel through.

the bhead worked as advertised, but I would have preferred a solid pass through and two holes and a better blood trail. Just thinking of what to use this year?

 

[Billy Goat]

In my experience for blood trails you are going to want the bleeder blades. You are shooting a head that should be close to maximizing your penetration, might look at other factors. Make sure the bow is tuned precisely so the arrow is coming out dead straight, a little wobble in the arrow will effect penetration at close range. Look at adding some weight, I think for something like Brownies you would be best to be looking at something around 575-600 grains, especially given bait hunting, shouldn't be shooting as far. Also only taking perfect broadside shots.

Don't have any experience with Brown Bear tho, I know Black Bear aren't anything hard to kill so long as you hit them in the right spot. Just thinking weight Wise it would be a fair amount to go thru, however maybe not much more than a bull elk. Bear can also be difficult to blood trail in general.

 

[Trial153]

First I would stay away from mid body hit on brownies.

Second your splitting hairs both as both heads will work just fine.
Personally if I was going to shoot a two bladed head I would pick something that designed as two bladed head with a Soild ferrule. Not that I think the bleeder hole in a IW will make much difference, however I would not use with it missing. I would use it as designed.
IW bleeders are the best bleeders I see on a broadhead when from a durability and retention stand point. I would use them.


I would go with the standard size for maximum penetration. After all you cant get much better results then what you had when you used them the first time, those results should have given you confidence not questions.

 

[Zac]

I suppose you might get away with something like the Silver Flame XXL if you were running a very heavy shaft. That coupled with a Rampage 150, or Easton Dangerous Game shaft would probably get you into the 700s.

 

[wildwilderness]

I will have a new bow/ arrow set up for this year with about 100 more grains in the arrow. So shooting around 550grs @ 260 fps. Perfect angles on Big Spooky brownies always looking at you while on bait in the half light at midnight has been my experience the last couple years.

I do have confidence in the standard Iron Will with bleeder, also killed a moose with it this year. I just always want to know if there is something "better". If I use a two blade would like a wider cut. My experience on bears has been "middle of the middle" is better than too far forward. shoulders are massive and reduce penetration.

 

[Zac]

Ironwill already makes a no bleeder version called the Buff series.

S Series Broadheads — Iron Will Outfitters

Known for quiet and accurate flight and the best penetration for quick kills, Iron Will S Series Broadheads are precision engineered to be as reliable as science allows for once-in-a-lifetime hunts.

www.ironwilloutfitters.com

 

[wildwilderness]

Ironwill already makes a no bleeder version called the Buff series.

S Series Broadheads — Iron Will Outfitters

Known for quiet and accurate flight and the best penetration for quick kills, Iron Will S Series Broadheads are precision engineered to be as reliable as science allows for once-in-a-lifetime hunts.

www.ironwilloutfitters.com

Yes, I saw those but the do not make a WIDE version in the Buff series and the lightest is 150gr. At least i couldn't find a cut measurement on the buff series. That's why I was wondering about a WIDE without the bleeder...

 

[Bill V]

Check out our website on Friday and you will see a buff125 option. You could put the wide 125 blade in that head if you want a wide head with no-bleeder. Personally, I would probably shoot our wide head as is with bleeders if you will be at 550 grains and 260 fps, assuming you are not taking long shots and want more blood on the ground. I plan to use it to shoot a 600 lb black bear my friends have spotted in Saskatchewan if they ever open up the border.