Okay folks, good question for a newbi to trad gear. In 30+ years of wheel bows, the only cut on contact heads I used were 100gr steel force sabertooths which performed unbelievably well. My first year hunting with trad gear, Im going to use 150gr magnus stingers which I think come in four blade only. Im using a traditional quiver my dad just built for me and we put little "cups" in the bottome to try to keep the broadheads from contacting each other. I imagine the bleeder blades would catch on the insides of the other main blades so we tried to mitigate that. Should I just keep the bleeder blade out? Bowhunting has a way of turning the best of us neurotic so that side of me says....keep the blades...it could be the one that nicks the right spot on a marginal shot. I know practice makes perfect but I like to stack the cards in my favor. haha. :biglaugh:
Been lots of animals taken with two blade broadheads .
Keep it simple .
2 blades are the best. For me anyway
I shot two blade, three blade and 4 blade heads. I now shoot the biggest broadhead I can. My reasoning is this. I use to shoot a two blade thinking if I hit the shoulder I might get enough penetration to still get the deer.
After a bunch of shoulder hits and no penetration I decided to switch to a big four blade and move my shots a little bit away from the shoulder and the results have been great.
I also figured if I hit too far back the bigger broadhead would help get blood on the ground with a gut shot.
Well I made a bad shot on a hog a few years ago with a Palmer extreme cut broadhead. With that big broadhead the blood trail was easy to follow even on a gut shot.
I do keep a grizzly two blade in my quiver in case a big boar comes by.
I don't think the bleeders help much and only hinder in you hit something hard.
I shoot the Stinger 150s with the bleeders in. They have never slowed down going through anything including big hogs and Elk. More cutting surface the better.
I DON'T like the Stinger 150 2 blade broadheads. The ferrule is large and blunt which to me, looks like it would hinder penetration.
all excellent input, thanks. Ill look closely at the ferrule snow that you mention it.
I sometimes use Herters four blade heads. They are a bit of a pain coming out of a back quiver sometimes, but when hunting in switch grass they may give a more immediate blood trail than a long skinny Hunter's head. However, my last two deer were both shot with the long and skinny 3 to 1 heads and the blood trail was not an issue. I am not sure the cups are needed, but a four blade head can scar up the inside of a quiver more. Use what you have confidence in wither way.
Two blade heads come out of a back quiver WAY easier than four blades.
As far as the Stinger head, there are 150 grain 2 blades (we stock them) so if you decide two blade I would go with those. The 4 blade Stinger is not designed to be used without the bleeders, if you want a 2 blade get the 2 blade. But I would find a way to make the 4 blades you have work personally, but with the bleeders in as intended.
Leave the bleeders in and go worry about something else. They can only help.
QuoteOriginally posted by Charlie Lamb:
Leave the bleeders in and go worry about something else. They can only help.
Exactly!
My son shot a buck with 4 blade stingers this year. He only went about 60 yards!
QuoteOriginally posted by Charlie Lamb:
Leave the bleeders in and go worry about something else. They can only help.
X3
The only animal I take the bleeders out of my Eclipse broadheads for are a moose or bison.
Opp's, double post.
QuoteOriginally posted by Walt Francis:
QuoteOriginally posted by Charlie Lamb:
Leave the bleeders in and go worry about something else. They can only help.
X3
The only animal I take the bleeders out of my Eclipse broadheads for are a moose or bison. [/b]
As other have mentioned there is nothing wrong with a good two blade but when it comes to stingers those tiny bleeders really don't inhibit penetration in my experience and they almost always make a big difference in blood trial.
...I've always had great penetration with two blades but I have had way too many white knuckle tracking jobs on a fairly consistent basis and good hits. A single bevel is a bit better when they work right and open a s hole but not always
Me too . . . done it a variety of ways. I leave the bleeders in. I have killed them without, but I sure like a "hole" instead of a "slit."
Dan in KS
I've killed animals with a variety of setups and what I've found (is that) when I put the broadhead in the proper spot, the animal goes down and usually with a good blood trail. I wouldn't worry about the bleeders for or against. Just shoot something that you can be consistent with and go hunt. Sharp broadhead into vitals equals food on the table.
Cant argue about a well placed shot, thats for sure. Here is the double barrel quiver Dad is stitching up for me. I can keep small game arrows on one side for the partridges that invariably walk be me:) He integrated a sheath on the side of the storage pouch for the knife he made out of a file in the 70's. Gotta sew the strap on and she is ready to hunt. (WELL I WROTE THIS NOW I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO UPLOAD THE PICTURE. HAHA)
(http://imgur.com/a/nim8e)
traditional back quiver (http://imgur.com/a/nim8e)
I like the bleeders in my Magnus. By the way the ones with the bleeders are marketed as four blades. They also sale a 2 blade that has no bleeders. If you remove the bleeder blades the little metal retainer will wobble.
Been using 125 grain Magnus with bleeder blades for years. I can't imagine a more tuff broadhead which has never left me down If I did my job. They have hit bone on impact or rocks and roots after a blow through which is normal. I've been shoot Magnus Stingers for years and have never seen the first reason I should change.