Im gonne be serious about hunting with traditional tackle this deer season. My question is does it really matter much on a blood trail if you use a 2 or 3 blade broadhead? Im not worried about hitting the animal right i just want an easier trail to follow.
I'll have to admit, I think a 3 blade broadhead gives a better blood trail than a 2 blade broadhead.
But, I've seen some wicked and big entry and exit holes from people shooting long wide 2 blade broadheads like the Simmons broadheads. Like someone had spilled lots of paint on the ground.
I'll take the other side. I have not had an exit hole on many 3 blade shots. Dead deer but little blood. Almost 100% pass through on 2 blades and better blood.
Love 3 blades but I can get a 2 blade sharper so I use those.
Gosh! I never really thought about it much. Hmmmmm! Let me think a while and get back to you on page 52.
:thumbsup:
Wow! I came up with the answer faster than I imagined.
Since this is a subject that can arouse some passions let me give the answer that will settle all arguments.
Only guys who shoot sissy weight bows shoot 2 blade heads!!!!
There!! How'd I do? :bigsmyl:
Dang Charlie! Now you've gone and done it. I like the "other" answer you gave better! :D
Charlie Lamb thread on broadheads (http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000099)
LOL now thats funny Mr. Lamb, nothn like a little instigating. In my experiance ive gotten much better blood with three blade heads and have had no penetration issues.
It's pretty simple. Make a bigger hole, whether two or three blades, and more blood gets out. For deer, it's not that difficult to get a pass-through with a three blade or extra-wide two blade.
:coffee: :o
I have this argument with myself every year and have shot game with both from the Howard Hill two blade to the big mangnus 1 two blade and on the other side I've shot game with the Woodsman up to the 160 Snuffer and can honestly say I have had GREAT and Hardly any thing on the ground with BOTH!! I think It has alot to do with shot placement (high exit or low exit) and how sharp the head is!! In most cases it is a confidance issue with me and I love looking down over that big 160 Snuffer. To me it SCREAMS you can't help but hitting vitals!! (of course you can miss but don't tell my brain that). so more than anything I'd say shoot what you have confidance in!!
Shot placement has a lot to do with blood trail size. I shoot two blades, just what I prefer. Hey Charlie, only guys who don't know how to track worth a D..... need a 3 blade bloodtrail.
:biglaugh:
I like 2 blade single bevel Grizley heads sharpened to a fine razor, hair popping edge. I shoot out of a 45# longbow but I still stand up in the mens room Charlie :biglaugh:
Don't matter what kind of "quality" head you use as long as you put it where you are supposed to.
haha Ragnarok Forge.
i also shoot 2 blades and i stand up and pee too!
I've gone back and forth over this issue myself. I use to think 3 or 4 blade heads were best for hogs but then i started using the two blade muzzy phantoms and got pass throughs and the bloodtrails were great. The phantom is a big two blade and for me that seems to work great. On deer I will use the 4 blade pahntoms too.
I use the 175 grain woodsman elite head I can get it the sharpest of heads I have tried and it leaves a bloodtrail Jerry Lee Lewis could follow
If we are talking blood trails... I'll paraphrase a surly character who despite his life, he was an excellent civil war calvaryment... Goes something like this" who get there first with the most wins..." So since more cutting on a multi blade head they'll leave the best blood trail...
Caveat Empor, in my experience a multi blade head causes the deer to run like a bat out of hades as long as he can... I think because I can get a 2 blade head sharper and the deer will run 20-30 yds and then slow down or bed...
Just my limited experience with 3 blades... I am a 2blade man, but neither are wrong...
QuoteOriginally posted by Charlie Lamb:
Wow! Only guys who shoot sissy weight bows shoot 2 blade heads!!!!
There!! How'd I do? :bigsmyl:
CHARLIE! :clapper: :laughing:
I think the most important thing is getting an exit hole. I think with bows of equal weight the two blades will give a better chance of an exit wound.
I can honestly say I have killed more deer with 2 blades. I can also honestly say, in my opinion, 2 blade blood trails suck! That's why I don't plan on using them. That being said if I was going to hunt buffalo or brontasauraus I'll reconsider! ;)
I have shot both over the years, and also 4 blade Magnus and 4 blade Zwickeys. Pass throughs have been the norm up to game such as elk using bows in the upper 50's weight range. I have been mainly shooting Woodsmans the last 5 or 6 seasons, and love them. Blood trails are outstanding. I also prefer the 3 blade over the 2 blade when the shot doesn't end up right where it was supposed to. I really believe that extra blade helps.
Assuming same shot placement and same depth of penetration, the BH with the highest slash factor should yield the larger blood trail.
(BH dia and/or width) div (2) X (# of blades) X (Depth of penetration) = Slash Factor
Example: using 6" depth for full BH penetration
Magnus Stinger 100 gn 1 1/16" 2BL.. would yield a slash factor of 6.375
Big Jim's 'Big 3' 300 1.5"gn 3Bl ....... would yield a slash factor of 13.5
The Big 3 would have 112% more slash
JamesKerr, that reminds me of my first elk. I use a big 3-blade head, and the guide said it was a blood trail that Helen Keller could follow.
Started shooting 2 blades in about 1970,switched to 3 blade last year and was amazed at how much difference it made in blood on the ground
(http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n486/Shedrock1/IMG_0524.jpg)
Woodsman versus elk. 12 yard shot, 40 yard recovery. Arrow passed out other side around 5". 58# longbow, 640 grain arrow.
Heavy bows & 2-blades. 30+ years no problems.
Shoot a shark or a centaur and get 3 blade bloodtrails and 2 blade penetration. Win win all the way
Heavy bows & 2-blades. 30+ years no problems.
Heavy bows, heavy arrows & 160 snuffers, only 20 yrs, no problems. 2 holes except if you shoot something lengthwise, then just buried 30 inches to the nock.
Two or three blade heads wont do you any good on a bad hit. I have seen my son shoot through a doe with a three blade muzzy through the boiler maker and hardly no blood, the fat plugged her holes up even though it was a perfect hit. Hit them high in the lungs and you wont get much blood and hit them low and the blood pours out. I think it had more to do with where you hit them than what head you are using.
I like a four blade head with small bleeder blades, currently Magnus Stingers. Fred Bear knew what he was doing when he designed the Bear Razorhead. I like the penetration of two blade heads, but often didn't get good blood trails.
Up until last year I only used 2 blade heads. Like everyone here, I have had awesome and lousy bloodtrails. I think sometimes real fat acorn fed deer seal up thier holes like a 3D target.
Anyway, last year I tried Kustom Kings Trailmaker 3 blade. It's the only 3 blade I can get sharp. I killed 2 deer with them and I was very impressed. Outstanding, SHORT bloodtrails. Complete penetration both times.
This bloodtrail is from a fat, Fall bear. Shot with a 3 blade Razorcap. The trail was better than the pics
show. (http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Arrowworks/Beartrail3.jpg)
(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Arrowworks/Beartrail2.jpg)
There is no guarantee that one broadhead or another will leave a better blood trail. Use the one you can get razor sharp and shoot accurately.
I love my 200 grain El Grande Griz.
Gilbert
QuoteOriginally posted by Charlie Lamb:
Wow! I came up with the answer faster than I imagined.
Since this is a subject that can arouse some passions let me give the answer that will settle all arguments.
Only guys who shoot sissy weight bows shoot 2 blade heads!!!!
There!! How'd I do? :bigsmyl:
That describes my bows perfectly!!! The critters I shoot are also just as dead as the ones you shoot with your he-man bows.
How'd I do?
Bisch
QuoteOriginally posted by amicus:
There is no guarantee that one broadhead or another will leave a better blood trail. Use the one you can get razor sharp and shoot accurately.
I love my 200 grain El Grande Griz.
Gilbert
This is the real answer to this question.
Bisch
I agree with Phillip Fields
Best of both worlds Two blade with a bleeder
150gr. Stingers
This coming from a guy with my handle :confused:
:coffee:
:deadhorse:
2..3..or 4 blades get them sharp, get your gear tuned, hit it in the right spot and every blood trail will lead to a dead animal.
I used two blade heads for years and had OK bloodtrails,a few years ago I switched to Woodsman heads and the bloodtrails are outstanding and no difference in penetration.
Last year I shot a doe muley 20 yard 1/4 to me up hill using 603g arrow and woodsman heads 63lb bow with a 29" draw the arrow went through the front leg and the chest cutting the heart and through the lungs pocked out the other side she went 50 yards with a blood trail a blind man could fallow.
I knew it!!
:laughing:
If I had three broadheads (a single blade, a three blade and a four blade) , equally well made, sharpenable to a real razor egde that they would hold, and they all shot equally well I would be hard pressed to use the two blade when i know a multiple blade will cut more and, from my experience, give me a better blood trail. The choice between the 3 or four blade would be determined by ease of sharpening. In that case I have found that I can sharpen a dozen 3 blade Razorcaps in about the same time it takes me to sharpen 3 four blade Phantom with which I would be encumbered by the use of jigs of some sort to get the best edge. The Razorcaps (or woodsmans) need no jigs or much time to get really, really sharp. For me it's a no brainer.
I didn't know blind folks could follow blood trails. Maybe as I age the blood trails will get better.
Sounds like the BH debate has more to do with eyesight than with BH configuration :laughing:
To me it really has to do with how much blood you can drain from an animal in the shortest amount of time with the odds on the side of a good deal of it hitting the ground.
The longer I hunt deer, the bigger my broadheads get. Something in a 2 blade with small bleeders like a Stinger, Eclipse or Zwickey or a lean 3 blade like a Woodsman would be a good choice IMO.
Whatever you choose, make sure they are sharp.
3 blade 160 grain Snuffer
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g128/ad2877/Picture120.jpg)
2 blade Phantom 200 grain
(http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g128/ad2877/020.jpg)
71# longbow and 2 blade stinger on a 2219. I want a pass through and I want my arrow stuck in the tree behind the deer so I don't have to look for my arrow in the tall grass.
QuoteOriginally posted by Rick McGowan:
ITS GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH THE NUMBER OF BLADES, it has everything to do with what gets cut. I want the biggest EXIT wound I can get, so I use the biggest head that I can be reasonably confident will go all the way through, on a 90# doe, that may be a Snuffer, on an animal the size of an elk that would be a two blade Delta or Magnus, on a 2200# buffalo that would be 190 Grizzly, its pointless to get hung up on the number of blades. I can guarantee that an 1 1/2" wide 160 Magnus will cut a hole as every bit as big as a Woodsman. Sometimes a two blade will slide between the ribs, where a multi blade wouldn't, I've seen it, multiple times. A lot depends on your gear, if you are shooting a moose with a 50# bow, you might want to emphathize penetration, where a guy shooting average whitetails with a 70# bow, might go with the Snuffer for the maximum esit. So the answer is there is NO ANSWER, except maybe for you, on a specific hunt. I have different bows, with dedicated arrows and specific heads for different hunting conditions, BUT I do know that, if I have a broadhead good for elephants, it will probably kill a southern Georgia whitetail too and not necessarily the other way around.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper: