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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Rabbit Stew on November 24, 2007, 08:40:00 PM

Title: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Rabbit Stew on November 24, 2007, 08:40:00 PM
Okay heres my rabbit hunting set up for this year. 45# bear grizzly recurve with some heavy orange ramin wood arrows tipped with field points. Just wondering will field points kill a rabbit quickly and efficently? They are kinda my only choice as they are glued on. I will be shooting the rabbits in the chest area. Thanks
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Bowspirit on November 24, 2007, 08:46:00 PM
Try screwing a wingnut on the end of that arrow, and sharpening the edges of it. Alot, ALOT, deadlier than a field point. Field points really aren't for use on animals, since they just seem to push flesh outta the way and casue minor tissue damage...
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Rabbit Stew on November 24, 2007, 08:48:00 PM
Also just mentioning, I have a couple carbon arrows with screwed in hex heads but ive always been worried that these will bounce off and just wound the rabbit due to my 45 poundage.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Jason R. Wesbrock on November 24, 2007, 08:58:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Rabbit Stew:
Also just mentioning, I have a couple carbon arrows with screwed in hex heads but ive always been worried that these will bounce off and just wound the rabbit due to my 45 poundage.
It's not a problem. They'll work great.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Rabbit Stew on November 24, 2007, 09:00:00 PM
Really? Hmm maybe ill give them a shot. How far will they penetarte in a shot just behind the shoulder?
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: pintail_drake2004 on November 24, 2007, 09:17:00 PM
field points work great for head shots, i have taken many that way... have not tried the wing nut yet, but will. I still like the judo points though.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Bowspirit on November 24, 2007, 09:56:00 PM
I'd trust hex heads on a lot less poundage than that. I've been witness to what they can do to rabbits out of a 35 pound recurve. 45 should be plenty...
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Cody Roiter on November 24, 2007, 10:02:00 PM
The best bet it to use the Hex head.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Terry Green on November 24, 2007, 10:09:00 PM
Ace Hex heads or Broadheads....those two are the best I've seen at HIGH percentage of kills.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Cody Roiter on November 24, 2007, 10:11:00 PM
I for got to add if you send me your address PM it to me .
I will try and send you some 38 brass shell for your arrows they will fit over a 11/32 and 3/8 arrows. If you want to play with them I will send you some let me know.
Cody
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: leon on November 25, 2007, 07:39:00 AM
I am with Cody.Brass shells work great.And if you live next to a shooting range,all you need free.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Stone Knife on November 25, 2007, 08:39:00 AM
Judo's, hex blunts, or just blunts. Rabbits are not the toughest animal in the field if hit in the vitals or head. I myself would not use field points on any animal unless it was backed up with a washer or something to deliver some shock.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: GingivitisKahn on November 25, 2007, 08:51:00 AM
Those hex heads aren't cheap but man, do they beat the snot out of stuff.  My son is shooting a 45# KMag and his hex heads hit plenty hard.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: tradtusker on November 25, 2007, 03:40:00 PM
ace hex blunts are very good! used them in ozz on the small game and they are tough and kill.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Shawn Leonard on November 25, 2007, 05:07:00 PM
I put in an annual bunny hunt and about 40-50 Trad-gangers attend, judos are a problem as they catch brush and twigs on the way through to a rabbit and cause misses, hex heads and blunts are great and the wing-nut is pretty good, but again catches brush. Terry has the real ticket, Broadheads but they are not allowed at my hunt due to dogs and people in close proximity. Hunting with one or two guys, broadheads are the way to go. Our bunnies(Eastern Cottontails) in NY are very tough and I have seen them take 2-3 arrows to kill them. I myself have found I really like a plain old blunt as the hex heads are pricey. Shawn
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: uncowboy on November 25, 2007, 06:09:00 PM
I also like the 38 Brass. It gives faster arrow flight (Light weight) Hits hard. Feild points are not at all good for rabbits(been there done that)I also have cheap broad heads for when I hunt alone but have not killed any rabbits with them yet. DON'T USE FEILDPOINTS! You will be sorry. J.Michael
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Jason R. Wesbrock on November 25, 2007, 07:48:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Rabbit Stew:
Really? Hmm maybe ill give them a shot. How far will they penetarte in a shot just behind the shoulder?
Don't be surprised if you end up putting that Hex Head clean through them. Cottontails are about as difficult to shoot through as a paper bag, which is to say, they're quite fragile.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Shawn Leonard on November 25, 2007, 08:59:00 PM
I do not know what bunnies Jason is shooting, but I have seen them take a hex head from an 80# great Plains and it only penetrate halfway and the bunny roll over and keep going(right Larry and Gregg)also Guru nail one with his KS 63#s and 650 grain arrow, direct hit mid-body and the rabbit drag the arrow for a long ways. Shawn
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Rabbit Stew on November 25, 2007, 09:02:00 PM
Also to point out these arent jackrabbits or anythingt, they are cottontails in the new brunswick (eastern canada) region of the world.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: GingivitisKahn on November 25, 2007, 11:32:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Rabbit Stew:
How far will they penetarte in a shot just behind the shoulder?
Dunno, but I capped one behind the right ear last year (from pretty close) and it went all the way through the skull and out the other side.  The blood trail was... short.  :-D
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Jason R. Wesbrock on November 25, 2007, 11:43:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Shawn Leonard:
I do not know what bunnies Jason is shooting, but I have seen them take a hex head from an 80# great Plains and it only penetrate halfway and the bunny roll over and keep going(right Larry and Gregg)also Guru nail one with his KS 63#s and 650 grain arrow, direct hit mid-body and the rabbit drag the arrow for a long ways. Shawn
Shawn,

I'm not sure what to say. I blow right through fox and gray squirrel with Hex Heads and well-tuned carbons all the time. Took a gray squirrel straight away with one last year and he looked like a squirel-kabob. Broadside cottontails barely slow them down, but they sure do a ton of damage going through.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: jeff / sc on November 26, 2007, 10:10:00 AM
If you can safely do it..sharp broadheads are the best I've seen...judo's are probably the worst.  Although I have not yet tried them on a rabbit, I really like the hex heads on a heavy arrow.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Shawn Leonard on November 26, 2007, 06:26:00 PM
We very seldom at myhunt get pass thrus. We killed 16 last year and we may of had 2 pass thrus. Gregg who I spoke of in my other post is a big dude and shoots 80# bows, this year he did the rabbit kabob as you said, but again we do not get many passthrus. Shawn
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Roadkill on November 26, 2007, 07:00:00 PM
Stop hunting cottontails next to army bases where they have access to flak jackets.  I saw Tamure put a rubber blunt thru a rabbit, Traxx boings them with hex headss and i favor judos.  hit them in the chest or head and they are yours.  I have not seen a decent hit rabbit bounce an arrow.  I like the idea of using broadheads, too, but wouldn't want to look for them in the brush when I missed-and i miss a lot more than I hit!
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Traxx on November 27, 2007, 12:15:00 AM
Ive had complete blowthroughs,with hex heads.In fact,with one of em,if i hadnt heard that loud THWOP,id have thought i completely missed em.Rabbit ran bout 15 ft and died.Whent right through the heart.I was shootin 52 lbs and a Goldtip arrow.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: JEFF B on November 27, 2007, 02:45:00 AM
yup 38 cal brass good bunny food  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Stone Knife on November 27, 2007, 05:33:00 AM
I like the job that hex heads do but they tend to brake the tip off your arrow if you miss and hit something hard. I used judo's at last years bunny hunt and even managed to kill a rabbit with one, they snag up on the brush so much i won't use then this year. I'm going with the run of the mill blunt to get the job done on the bunnies this year, theres a couple running around in the yard, that look like they want to be stew   :bigsmyl:
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: JBiorn on November 27, 2007, 10:48:00 AM
Shawn---those must be some TOUGH critters over there. I consistently drive a judo on a flu-flu clean thru these blacktail jackrabbits we have--regardless of where I hit them.
 I like those dome-shaped blunts you get at the video archery range, too.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Apex Predator on November 27, 2007, 02:19:00 PM
Judos are deadly in the open, but do hang up in thick cover.  I made some good heads by filing off the very front of a field tip.  Start by finding some washers with the right size hole to match the shank on your field tips.  I file enough point off to almost equal in weight what you are adding with the washer.  I think mine were 15 grains.  I then file a cross into the flattened tip.  Make sure your washers aren't too big in diameter.  Just the standard ones work fine.  Works awesome and they are cheap!
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: Jeremy on November 27, 2007, 02:50:00 PM
The last three rabbits I've taken were all with different heads (judo, hex head and .38 shell casing) and I pinned them to the ground in each case.  I think the cases where the rabbit can roll with the punch, so to speak, are where we don't see penetration.  

Any shot angle that puts the rabbit between the arrow and a portion of the ground and I seem to get good penetration.  Same with treerats.  Shots where they are moving and I really knock 'em and get 'em tumbling and I don't see the penetration.
Title: Re: Hows my rabbit set up?
Post by: laddy on November 27, 2007, 03:53:00 PM
In our town years ago here was a High Precision plant, they made three blade broadheads.  The metal was so soft you could put teeth marks in it.  I had been given a couple dozen some time back, when used with just a step filed into them they make great bunny stoppers.  I think MA3s and Bodkins would work the same.  Anyway it does my heart good to hear folks taking bunnies and bows seriously, because it makes for serious fun.