Looking for better blood trails

[Zac]

Well, I have to add my experience now. Shot two different pigs with a big two blade head and neither one of them left a very good blood trail. One was pretty sparse and the other, which was a lung hit, left basically no blood. I don’t remember have this problem when I was shooting a three blade head or a two blade with a bleeder. Time to go drink some different kool-aid for me.

Edited: I have to admit the shot that left blood was low and forward. The lung shot was as high as you can get lung.

I would say that a higher further back hit will render more blood with more cutting surface. However a 2 blade will leave plenty of blood if you hit forward lower 1/3rd. This is a difficult subject due to all the variables, and will ultimately come down to proper broadhead selection based upon poundage and shaft weight. In the end a low poundage short draw archer with a 2 blade COC is going to have to make a more precise shot than, a high KE setup with a larger cutting surface.

 

[Bill V]

It's going to depend on shot placement of course, but we've been getting a lot of customers reporting great blood trails with our new Wide Series heads. The advantage over mechanicals in my mind is that I can take more shot angles without the chance of failure (shoulder bones, spine, frontal) and still get a 2 1/8" total cut. We just had a customer report a shoulder bone broke completely in two just above the knuckle and a complete pass through. The broadhead looks good and is still sharp.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

I’ve killed 4 deer with Sevrs and watched them all go down but never found a drop on the ground, all of them I was 20+ft high and steep angle close shots, all but one passed through and when I got to them blood coming out the nose and cavity filled but seemed like the exit wound would stick back together and close. Small sample I know, I don’t really care if I watch them pile up. I’ve shot a few with rage and afflictor and looked like a Freddy crouger scene. Slick tricks I’ve had good and no so good trails, shot one with an iron will last year and it bled out good for a fixed head. Shot one with a montec good blood but bent the ferrule.

 

[JayTx]

Blood trails are tricky it seems. Whitetail are fast critters and most will move in my experience which is why I switched to mechanical for them. I started using shwacker last year and have been pleased with the larger cutting diameter, 125gr. 2 1/4" cut. Blood trails aren't massive but there has been a trail to follow. Also all spun and shot true. I can't say that about some of the other heads I've tried such as NAP and grim reaper some just wouldn't shoot or spin out of the package.

 

[longspeak74]

I switched to NAP Spitfire's this year for deer and was very happy with the blood trails I got.

 

[Sanchez]

My experience is consistent with what Beendare observed

" The COC heads go through them effortlessly....many animals don't know they were hit. Contrast that to some of he short chisel or mech heads where you hear a clear "Kerplunk" sound when they hit....that gets those animals moving like their tail is on fire."

I use a very sharp COC (Two blade 125 gr magnus stinger) and the animals do not go far even if is not a perfect shot. I used to use thunderheads which seemed to cause the animals to run much further after the shot with long sometimes difficult blood trails. My recovery rate is much better with the COC head.

 

[MeatBuck]

Your more likely to have better blood when shooting from a tree stand than from the ground. Exits low on the body cavity let blood out faster versus having to fill the cavity to the level of the entry/exit hole first.

 

[justin davis]

I prefer fixed blades. I’ve been shooting Ironwills. Majority of the animals I’ve shot fall within sight. No blood trail Needed.
I would also agree with the reaction of animals on fixed blade vs expandable hits.

 

[WhatToHunt]

I shot fixed blades for years then went through a few-year phase of mechanicals before this past year going back to a fixed blade (Viper Trick). I took my time sharpening the blades to be shaving sharp. And although they may not be true COC heads, the two deer I shot with them this season bounded off a short ways after the initial hit (pass through on both animals) and then stopped momentarily before they tried to make their escape and died shortly from the spot where they paused. I am now a believer in what others have noted, less of a reaction from a sharp fixed blade is a good thing. Even though some of the gushing blood trails from a 2" mechanical were awesome, my focus is sharp blades and a pass through.

Edited to add that I agree with the OP on this: "I'm also trying to teach myself to shoot lower and further forward than I have in the past." I need to be better at this too.

 

[Will_m]

Reporting back on the low and forward approach. Shot a whitetail with 175 grain vpa three blade low and forward, actually got a piece of heart and lung. He went maybe 70 yards.
The broadhead completely broke the front leg bone, not the thinner scapula, and went through probably another 5-10 yards behind the deer. Blood trail was awful but couldn’t believe the broadhead cracked the bone like that and suffered absolutely zero damage.

One thing I feel confident about, VPA makes a great head.

 

[Killem All]

For the last couple years I have shot VPA 100 gr 3 blades. On a sample size of a few whitetails, they have done the job for a 3 blade fixed head, but blood trails have not been terribly good. I realize a lot of this is shot placement, but I'd like to maximize blood as I rarely hunt in snow and typically deer are out of sight quickly in my area.

I shoot an 08 Bowtech General at 70 lbs and 28'' if I remember correctly. Arrows are GT Velocity with 100gr brass insert. In every case I have seen massive overpenetration, i.e. deep in the dirt on the other side. The only exception was a doe I shot hard quartering to, and the arrow made it almost all the way through the deer stem to stern, with a pretty quick recovery.

I just ordered a couple SEVR 2.o Ti to try. I have had a couple people tell me I have more than enough energy to shoot mechanicals. I'm open to any other suggestions, though.

I'm also trying to teach myself to shoot lower and further forward than I have in the past, as I think that will make more difference than anything else.

Thoughts?

Love G5 Stryker. No need. For bloods trail the did in sight

 

[Tmdtexan]

Best bloodtrails I have had were with Grim Reaper. The Rage NC heads I shot last season did not have near the blood trails.
I like low shots for more blood.

 

[WakePraySlay]

Soooo many variables such as angle of the arrow and animal and obvious the shot placement like others have said. I personally use rage mechanicals. If you’re worried about penetration go to a 100gr mechanical or if you’ve been getting enough kinetic energy go to a 125. Also me personally especially on elk I aim a little further back and not forward. I’d rather clip a lung than shoulder an animal. I lost a booner the hard way.

 

[Beendare]

Fwiw, I’ve

 

[Page Master]

Fwiw, I’ve shot 4 animals with my recurve since my last post on this older thread with my 2 go to heads; Magnus Buzzcut and the German Jager head (about $5 each on Ebay)

The only animal that made it 50 yards was the Coues deer I shot quartering away with the broadheads sticking out through the front shoulder. That buck is the only animal I’ve had turn inside out in a long time when shot with a 2 blade. The hogs and javelina never made it out of sight.

—

I shot a mouflon with a 2'' Sevr at 27 yards and it jumped 10' straight up, ran 15 and tipped over. Just behind the elbow entrance, mid body exit.

 

[wapitibob]

Better blood and faster kills with a spitfire 125 mech than any fixed head. Thunderhead 125 have been good but also the worst; the only time I've seen a pass thru and no blood was with a thunderhead 125. Slick Trick have had good kill distances but not noticeably better blood than other fixed I've used.
Pick whatever you have confidence in, hit where you should, and you won't have any problems.

 

[Dirtbag]

I've had really great luck with SlickTrick Mags. great blood trails, penetration and flight. On one occasion on a black bear, head on shot, arrow passed through the bear lengthwise never to be found again, and the bear died literally at my feet, with enough blood it made taking tasteful photos difficult.

 

[MattB]

Mechanical BH's and shooting farther forward is not a good combination IMO.

 

[mavinwa2]

I've completely switched to Iron Will Solid, 125gr. Anticipate using my new 150gr Wide for fall elk 2021 as these shoot great in practice 30>60+yards. Very little difference to the 125gr.
Prior used Muzzies, Slick Tricks and those performed well for many years.
IW is now all my arrows will be tipped with for this 60 something year old.

I get fantastic penetration with Iron Wills. My bow: 29.5" DL, 65lbs DW, Vertix. Total Arrow weight: 505gr.

--Public land DIY 2020 AZ OTC archery buck in avatar was taken with 15 min light left. 67yard shot, buck went <50yards from clearing thru brush into old, cut field edge and expired less than 30 seconds after shot released. Arrow passed thru and blood trail everywhere on brush, limbs on trail out.

--OTC DIY Colorado public land bull, rag 4x5. I was saddled in tree 15' up sitting a ridgeline, escape trail. 5 cows passed by but I could see the bull coming. 35yd shot, arrow pass thru and penetrated near side scapula. Exited low, busting 2 ribs on bull's opposite side, shot path right through lungs. Bull stopped 30 yards away, gushing thru lower exit, turned then stumbled and dropped another 40 yards away.

best results for blood trails....a very well placed shot!