Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Biathlonman on March 30, 2017, 03:17:00 PM

Title: Loaded for bear
Post by: Biathlonman on March 30, 2017, 03:17:00 PM
Heading to Stickflingers the first week of June for my first bear hunt and I'm trying to finalize arrow selection.  Both are tuned perfectly off my 54@28 Toelke Pika T/D drawn 28".  What do you all think?

1. 29" Easton 2020 with 160 snuffer on glue in/on insert. 640 grains total

2. 29" GT Trad .400 with a 200 gr. Grizzly instinct with 100 grain steel insert. 630 grains total.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: smokin joe on March 30, 2017, 03:25:00 PM
Sounds like you have things worked out -- perfect flight and good broadheads. If you are feeling a bit "old school" then the 2020 gets the nod. If you are feeling a bit more "up-to-date" then the GT Trad. Either way the job will get done. Good Luck!
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: JimB on March 30, 2017, 03:30:00 PM
Flip a coon.Either will work really well.Good luck on your hunt.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: Michael Arnette on March 30, 2017, 03:50:00 PM
Man I'd go with the snuffer. I did use grizzly heads for my bear last year purely out of financial frameworks since I had some left over from deer season. I blew through that thing like nothing else. Snuffers will inevitably give a better blood trail and surely be adequate in the penetration department.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: YosemiteSam on March 30, 2017, 03:55:00 PM
Flip a coin.  Let the fates decide.  Or ask a 5 year-old.  They're so close, you can't go wrong either way.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: Buckeye1977 on March 30, 2017, 03:58:00 PM
I like the snuffer myself but am also partial to carbons but either one should get the job done if you do your part. I'm hoping to go on a bear trip one day myself. Good luck!
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: Pine on March 30, 2017, 03:59:00 PM
I'm sure either one will get the job done .
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: ron w on March 30, 2017, 04:09:00 PM
Your ready.........have a good hunt.   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: Cyclic-Rivers on March 30, 2017, 04:31:00 PM
You'll be fine either way. Good luck and bring back stories.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: Bill Carlsen on March 30, 2017, 06:06:00 PM
Go with the best FOC for the best penetration. Having said that I haven't found penetration to be a big issue with bears unless you hit the shoulder. I've killed seven and trailed many more. Good luck.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: KodaChuck on March 30, 2017, 06:42:00 PM
The GT that's the one I would expect to have the higher FOC....Agree with Bill's comment above.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: Fattony77 on March 30, 2017, 06:43:00 PM
I would go with the GT/Grizzly 3-blade option, myself. Only because of the carbon arrow's resilience. You never know when something might lean into your arrows during transport (or hunting) and cause a slight bend. The carbons will go right back to straight, whereas if the aluminum  shafts bend, you're screwed. Might be a longshot that something like that might happen, but better safe than sorry.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: kenneth butler on March 30, 2017, 06:47:00 PM
I like the GT. 10 grains less weight with a higher FOC.  The bear won't know the difference though.
>>>------> Ken
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: ermont on March 30, 2017, 06:54:00 PM
That Snuffer may give you a little better chance at a blood trail. Either way you're set.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: huntingarcher on March 30, 2017, 09:33:00 PM
I would go with the snuffer,they leave large holes.
Heck I would even change out one of those grizzly heads and put the snuffer on the goldtip.You will still be over 10 grains per pound,just to see how she flew.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: Biathlonman on March 30, 2017, 09:39:00 PM
Not a lot of difference between the 3 blade grizzly and the snuffer...
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: MnFn on March 31, 2017, 10:37:00 AM
That is what I thought, they must be fairly close in size. Maybe over thinking this.
I will try and save a little bear for you, so it won't matter.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: Michael Arnette on March 31, 2017, 11:44:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by Biathlonman:
Not a lot of difference between the 3 blade grizzly and the snuffer...
Yeah I didn't realize you were shooting the 3 blade instinct...just figured it was the single bevel.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: KentuckyTJ on March 31, 2017, 12:50:00 PM
Brad doesn't need help with trad gear, I think he just is rubbing in he is going to stickflingers!
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: Dave Pagel on March 31, 2017, 01:23:00 PM
I have killed 3 bears with Ryan.  1 at 13 yards with a 160 Snuffer on a Gold Tip.  1 at 8 yards with a 160 VPA Terminator on a tapered Surewood and 1 at 11 yards with a Magnus I 4-blade on a tapered Surewood.  My best blood trail was with the VPA.

That being said, there are a lot of factors to a blood trail.  The Snuffer bear was perfectly broadside and the arrow caught some fat and pulled it out the exit hole.  We trailed fat smears more than blood and found the bear 100 yards away.  

The VPA bear was quartering away and the arrow went in behind the right front leg and came out in front of the left front leg with about 4 inches of arrow sticking out both sides.  He jumped up on the nearest tree and it looked like he had a faucet attached to him.  Once he climbed/fell down and the arrow came out is was a ridiculous trail that only went 40 yards.

The Magnus bear was again perfectly broadside and the arrow went through very quickly.  The arrow was covered and there was blood at the site of the shot, but almost nothing after.  The bear only went 30 yards.  I still can't figure that one out since I had just put a new edge on that broadhead with my KME before we went out.

I would not hesitate to use either setup you mention, but I am becoming partial to non-vented heads as I don't think they will "catch" fat like my Snuffer did.  When I go up again in 2018 I will be shooting the 1 1/4 VPA Terminator.

Believe me, you will have a great time!

D.P.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: on March 31, 2017, 03:13:00 PM
If they are tuned correctly, either of those arrows will slide thru a bear like a hot knife thru butter!!!

Good luck on your hunt!

Bisch
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: Biathlonman on March 31, 2017, 03:57:00 PM
It has been decided and I threw a bit of an audible.  Have decided to split the difference and shoot a 29" 2117 with the 200 grain instinct.  Across several days it seems to be the arrow that consistently flies the best for me both paper tuning and bare shafting.  I grew up shooting aluminum so they just feel right to me.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: huntingarcher on March 31, 2017, 05:13:00 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by KentuckyTJ:
Brad doesn't need help with trad gear, I think he just is rubbing in he is going to stickflingers!
I think your right TJ,I'm thinking the only help this guy needs is dragging that bear out to the trail!    :bigsmyl:   But I can not lie,do wish I was going to Stickflingers.    :p
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: Biathlonman on March 31, 2017, 05:38:00 PM
Huntingarcher, don't encourage him!  lol

I can't wait, my first bear hunt, first time in Canada, first guided hunt.  I'm pretty darn excited.
Title: Re: Loaded for bear
Post by: KentuckyTJ on March 31, 2017, 07:43:00 PM
Yeah Danny, he tried to get me to go but I knew he was just looking for a dragin boy!