Lets talk elk and broadheads.

[Finch]

This is exactly the same thing I do. Every arrow out to at least 60 and sometimes 80 yards before they earn a spot in my quiver.

NC

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Great minds...

 

[5MilesBack]

This is exactly the same thing I do. Every arrow out to at least 60 and sometimes 80 yards before they earn a spot in my quiver.

This is a given for me. Some arrows won't even make into the quiver for 3D, let alone hunting.

 

[PowellSixO]

Really curious of why you two would shoot a fixed head at closer distances and mechanicals further. I realize mechanicals fly better but you're also going to want a better penetrating head at further distances? Seems very backward to me but would love to hear the reasoning, I've heard this a lot over the years and never have understood the logic.




I totally agree, if it were legal everywhere I would never shoot a fixed head again. There is nothing more stressful than the time from when you start following a poor blood trail to when you find your elk. I'm color blind as well so it's very difficult to see blood in the first place.

I might be wrong with my thought process, but in my mind it makes sense. I practice out to 100 yards every single day. However I limit my hunting shots to 60 and closer. In open areas, where I might have to make a 60 yard shot, I want absolute accuracy. It doesn't matter what broadhead you shoot, if you can't hit where you are aiming. While I can get my broadheads tuned with my field tips, out to 100, I'm still capable of making mistakes. Mistakes with a fixed broadhead, show themselves far greater than a mechanical. So to eliminate potential mistakes (wind, or bad form), I prefer to make longer shots with a mechanical. When shooting mechanicals, I also limit my shots. If it's not a quartering away shot, or a broadside shot, I don't take it. To up my chances, I shoot a heavier arrow, with good foc. I'm shooting my bow at 72#, 29.5" draw, and a 500 grain arrow. I'm sitting at 290 fps.

When I'm going to be hunting thicker stuff, I then switch to my fixed blade broadhead. I choose this, because we all know a fixed blade broadhead will penetrate better than a mechanical. I choose the fixed blade for thick stuff, because you can't always get the best shot angle. I feel better taking a frontal shot, or putting an arrow through a shoulder blade at 30 yards and closer with a fixed blade. I feel I have the energy to put a good fixed blade broadhead through bone, if I absolutely must. At closer distances, I feel my mistakes will be smaller, and being off by a couple of inches isn't the end of the world.

I have confidence in this setup, so I'm sticking with it.

 

[Beendare]

Cheap stamped steel blades don't do it for me......I prefer better steel like in the VPA's, they stay sharper through the animals.

a Slick Trick Gary gave me [back when they were made better than they are now] recovered from a bull elk.

 

[Finch]

Cheap stamped steel blades don't do it for me......I prefer better steel like in the VPA's, they stay sharper through the animals.

a Slick Trick Gary gave me [back when they were made better than they are now] recovered from a bull elk.
View attachment 197586

I was shooting Slick trick standards 125gr last year but I'm thinking of switching to Magnus Black Hornet ser razors this year. You have an opinion on those? I think they are at least better than the slick tricks. The black hornet blades are 0.059" thick compared to that of the 0.035 slick tricks.

 

[fatlander]

I was shooting Slick trick standards 125gr last year but I'm thinking of switching to Magnus Black Hornet ser razors this year. You have an opinion on those? I think they are at least better than the slick tricks. The black hornet blades are 0.059" thick compared to that of the 0.035 slick tricks.

Magnus is a great company with amazing customer service that makes good broadheads. I’ve killed plenty of critters with their heads.

With that said, for the money it’s really hard to beat a VPA. They’re just so much more robust than magnus heads for darn near the same price. They are made from better steel and can be sharpened much easier.


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[raptor16]

Cheap stamped steel blades don't do it for me......I prefer better steel like in the VPA's, they stay sharper through the animals.

a Slick Trick Gary gave me [back when they were made better than they are now] recovered from a bull elk.
View attachment 197586

Man alive, that looks rough. Where'd you hit him? Right through both shoulder blades?

 

[ElkNut1]

Personally, I wouldn't allow a head with beat up blades alter my decision on head performance. I'll gladly trade a broadhead for a dead bull anyday, I don't normally reuse them anyway!

It's like saying since the Slick Trick came out tweaked that other similar heads such as Muzzy, Thunderhead, Exodus, Waecem, Strykers, etc. arent decent elk medicine! Broadheads are not designed to shoot through solid bone, it's up to us as hunters to hit them where they live! I have 100% confidence in the Viper Trick by Slick Trick, the rest is up to me!

ElkNut

 

[Beendare]

Man alive, that looks rough. Where'd you hit him? Right through both shoulder blades?

Almost broadside...but slightly quartering away. The head was stuck in the offside shoulder. The quality on those has gone way downhill...I wouldn't shoot the Mags....bad blade angle.... the standards have a better blade angle if you are partial to ST's- a decent short and cheap head option.

I've shot the Magnus Snuffer ss, Stinger and Buzzcut. The Snuffer is ok but I broke a couple and blades can be slightly off due to welds making all edges hard to get razor sharp [Hellrazor is a little better for that style head]

I think the straight 2 blade Stinger and Buzzcut is about the best cheap head on the market...I KNOW, I KNOW, some guys don't like 2 blades....IMO, they are arguably the best performing head I've seen on game....animals just don't feel the hit....which has many advantages for a bowhunter.

"Arguably" being the operative term on a forum- grin

_____

 

[ElkNut1]

Bruce, one thing for sure, I respect your thoughts! So are you saying that broadhead didn't hit any more bone than ribs before its final resting place?

ElkNut

 

[WVELK]

Almost broadside...but slightly quartering away. The head was stuck in the offside shoulder. The quality on those has gone way downhill...I wouldn't shoot the Mags....bad blade angle.... the standards have a better blade angle if you are partial to ST's- a decent short and cheap head option.

I've shot the Magnus Snuffer ss, Stinger and Buzzcut. The Snuffer is ok but I broke a couple and blades can be slightly off due to welds making all edges hard to get razor sharp [Hellrazor is a little better for that style head]

I think the straight 2 blade Stinger and Buzzcut is about the best cheap head on the market...I KNOW, I KNOW, some guys don't like 2 blades....IMO, they are arguably the best performing head I've seen on game....animals just don't feel the hit....which has many advantages for a bowhunter.

"Arguably" being the operative term on a forum- grin

_____

What are your three favorite heads ?

 

[omegadef]

I recently traveled down the elk broadhead rabbit hole.
I was very close to just buying the iron wills so i didn't have to think about it anymore, but kept getting hung up on my letting them get rusty or something.
After digging through as much as I could find online, I have decided that the 4blade kudupoint has the best balance for what I'm looking for with regards to durability/price/flight. The performance through steel plate in the Lusk videos on youtube is what sold me. Hopefully I send one through this season.

 

[Tradchef]

VPA 2 blades for me.

 

[WVELK]

I recently traveled down the elk broadhead rabbit hole.
I was very close to just buying the iron wills so i didn't have to think about it anymore, but kept getting hung up on my letting them get rusty or something.
After digging through as much as I could find online, I have decided that the 4blade kudupoint has the best balance for what I'm looking for with regards to durability/price/flight. The performance through steel plate in the Lusk videos on youtube is what sold me. Hopefully I send one through this season.

Well I just realized that I lied in my original post (not intentionally of course). I have never tried the Iron Will heads. I just could not talk myself into spending the $ ! Now I would like to shoot one to see how accurate it is (honestly have my doubts but know people rave about them).

 

[ElkNut1]

WVELK, PM me your address & I'll send you a 100 grain one if you'd like!

ElkNut

 

[Beendare]

Bruce, one thing for sure, I respect your thoughts! So are you saying that broadhead didn't hit any more bone than ribs before its final resting place?

ElkNut

He was in a horrible spot when he went down, I was solo....AND it was raining....so no great pictures.


That head was through the rib cage and stuck in the off side shoulder.....so it was rubbing against the offside ribs and off side shoulder when he ran off. FWIW, I think you are right about most all of the replaceable heads would have looked the same in the same situation.

Thats the other thing about those short wide heads....we call it the watermelon effect. Have you ever noticed the sound it makes when those hit an animal? They must compress the hide to get that "Ker Plunk" sound. I've heard the same exact sound with the Muzzys or similar design. Gets the animal moving too and this bull was no different, though he only made it 60 or 70 yds.

My choice of head has been refined down for years, I have multiple reasons that won't apply to everyone;

I want a leading edge blade that slides in effortlessly- animal reaction is lessened...in fact some don't know that have been hit. I want that arrow to go through them so fast they don't react- thus short blood trails or fall in sight.

I want a head that works with my system of checking each hunting arrow. So I like the heavy blade COC heads....and the CNC machined heads as I can shoot them to make sure- no guesswork. I've seen too many bad flying hunting arrows that were supposed to fly like FP's. So with these I can touch them up with a diamond stone or chock sticks and they are typically sharper than out of the pack.

Lastly, I want a head of decent steel that will hold an edge through the animal. A good tapered design helps with that, this design put less pressure on the edge- slips in ...not pushing. There is a negative to this longer tapered design; These can be a little tougher to tune in fine line critical bow setups- fast and light or borderline under spined bow setups.

Lots of good heads IMO... I shoot 150's- I figure more steel in the head is better. I like the straight 2 blade Stinger and Buzzcuts, and the VPA's. I'm going to give those German Jeager heads from Kustom King a try at Roosie's suggestion...they say they are decent steel, and they are cheap- under $10 each.

I think the better steel of the top heads like GK or Iron Will makes them fantastic.

I can tell you with a tapered design, they hold a sharp edge without super steel. I can't justify the price difference but I can understand why guys do- they would be better.

______

 

[Wrench]

Broadhead choice is all about compromise. Some fly better but eat up momentum on contact. Some are sharp, cut on contact that fly through everything in their path but cost three kidneys and don't fly as streamlined as a mechanical. Some are very middle of the road in aerodynamics and cut on contact AND can be bought with cash vs visa. Some require complicated handling, others are tough as an anvil.

It's hard to beat an iron will for ease of penetration and durability.

Vpa is an incredible value.

Most of the designer replaceable blade heads are cheap enough to shoot a lot.

Zwickey will give you something to do in your off months.

That's my perspective.

You'll see a Zwickey that i invested about half my life in and flies great, a couple vpa's and a couple iron will's in my quiver.....and I won't question any of them.

 

[TxxAgg]

Anyone shooting Ace standards? They're tough and easy to sharpen.

 

[5MilesBack]

I have never tried the Iron Will heads. I just could not talk myself into spending the $ ! Now I would like to shoot one to see how accurate it is (honestly have my doubts but know people rave about them).

They are a much smaller head overall than they appear in pictures....at least to me. I bought some and when they showed up I couldn't believe how small they were. So ya, they'll fly better than most heads.

 

[WVELK]

They are a much smaller head overall than they appear in pictures....at least to me. I bought some and when they showed up I couldn't believe how small they were. So ya, they'll fly better than most heads.

Well you are right, the do look enormous in the photos.