Whats everyone using for an arrow set-up to shoot pheasants out of the air????? :archer2:
Going to try this year also, I''ll be using a 2020 3 fluflu fletch with a Magnus broadhead
I would use a broadhead and everyone will say that's great but they want dog friendly and I can understand that also so round the tips and grind the sharp edges flat. Dog friendly and will still take down a bird fast. You can also use a regular field point. Avoid snaro heads, blunts, and ace hex heads I had many of them bounce off. If you can keep the arrow in the bird instead of passing through it will bring them down faster. You might want to check out Clark Broadheads they are a sponser here and sell specialty heads for pheasents and other critters. depending on what head set up you use you may not need flu flu's test a few set up's first.
I got mine using just a field point on a flu-flu arrow. The owner of the dogs would not let us use broadheads. A buddy of mine got his with a small snaro bird point. I really think a broadhead would be the best and most effective but i can also see dog owners not wanting a broadhead sticking out when their high dollar dog goes to retrieve the bird.
Bisch
We used Flu Flu arrows and dull broadheads. Seemed to work well.
I am not using a broadhead around bird dogs. Tried lots of stuff...best I found is a field point with a Zwickey Scorpio behind it.
I've killed a bunch with 4"x 4 fletch untrimmed and a two blade broadhead up front. Never had an arrow not pass through or a bird that didn't drop like a rock.
Of course you have to consider the welfare of the dog and the feelings of his owner, but I believe it's a non issue.
Thanks for the info guys.....Im thinking maybe Ill use the broadhead simply for its size, width and shape....maybe a STOS as the back of the blades could act somewhat like a barb, compared to a field point.....and just make sure it IS NOT SHARP AND NOT TOO POINTED....this would not bother the dog any more than a field point Im guessing....Ill run it buy my bud with the dog first of course.
Mr. Lamb, Im using 4 5inchers and opted to trim them just a tad....accuracy is right on now and sound isnt too bad but before I trimmmed, man....they were like heat seeking missles with an air raid siren attached to the back of em'! :laughing: Is that normal and suitable for shooting birds out of the air?
We used Bheads around dogs all 3 times I went...but they were ground flat an point clipped back. Our guides had no problem with them, on all 3 different hunts we went on...
We've tried several things and several heads and mostly stuff we modified.
Check out Clark's Broadheads, they are a Sponsor here and make some heads like we tried. He became a sponsor just after out last hunt or I would have used some of his stuff. He makes a lot of unique items he does...
There's some pics of the heads we used in these threads...
St Jude Pheasant Hunt 2012 (http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=114942#000000)
Another Pheasant Hunt 2011 (http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=102102;p=7)
Our 1st Hunt (http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=101245#000000)
Thanks for digging up those threads Mr. Green, AWESOME! Man, some of those points resemble mid-evil torture tools! :eek: Im looking forward to gettin' after these ring-necks in a few days and my buddy has a great dog so Im optomistic! :bigsmyl:
don't worry about arrow speed or noise. not a problem
I like either spiral fletch or 4 fletch untrimmed on my woodies with Ace Hex Heads (aka - bunny busters) They will not harm your dogs, and have excellent shocking/knockdown power. Going to SD in two weeks - Can't wait!
South Dakotians - get ready for your property values to drop! Ha!
I use regular three fletched parallel cedars with free Hi-Precision broadheads. Since I don't hunt with a dog and most of my pheasants are shot while heading out to where I hunt deer and turkeys, they are sharpened, at least as sharp as a file can get them.
If any part of the arrow remains in the bird, call the dog off of retrieve. Dog may be able to pick up bird, but while running back arrow can hit something and send it through dog. I just use a field point, but if arrow still in bird then think dog safety--love dog too much to have something bad happen.
I'm not a pheasant hunter but what do you guys think of Red Feather Archery's Talon head for pheasants? It looks like it would be fairly safe to use with dogs.
12 ga with #8 shot is my go to pheasant arrow. :laughing:
seriously, you guys that can bring a bird out of the air with a bow are incredible. And not just because you look good doing it. :eek:
I was thinking about pheasant yesterday.....
Looking forward to this again...
(http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f94/Equismith/Pheasant006b-1.jpg)
And yes, no hunt or pheasant is worth an injured dog. Call them off a retrieve if an arrow is still in.
You guys have me itching.
My advice is use a dulled and bob-pointed broadhead. I've seen washer backed field points bounce off with solid hits. On the one I remember the bird had a broken wing though.
QuoteOriginally posted by JimB:
I'm not a pheasant hunter but what do you guys think of Red Feather Archery's Talon head for pheasants? It looks like it would be fairly safe to use with dogs.
I think pheasants are incredibly tough. I have bounced Judos and Hexheads off them, a big snaro head is pretty useless from what I have seen. Ideally you should use a broadhead, but I could not live with myself if I hurt the dog we were using. That Talon looks like a VERY good candidate...I would just make sure it was dull. I may just have to order some to actually see and touch them in person :thumbsup:
Good eye Jim.
I've killed a pheasant in flight all I used was a wooden shaft 23/64 and a 38 special spent casing on the end for a blunt. Blew through it no problem.Safe for dogs also.
It's been a while, but great memories...and they are tough as nails. I've seen them fly a loooong way with a blunt through them.
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/pheasrise1.jpg)
I only shoot them on the ground here when they are running and I use whatever I use on deer except a dull broadhead. I'll bring a flu flu or two just in case but for me I'm after stocked birds that won't fly,,,
strategy--> after all the birdgunners leave I show up around 12 to 1 and I use my binos to search the edges of the roads and trails,, when I see a bird I stalk up the side just inside the woods for a good shot same as hunting hogs on corned roads I would think..
if I hit them they usually don't go too far and if I miss I usually can find the arrow and the bird will run in and hide and in an hour be back out at the edge...
then at 3-4 I have an afternoon deer stand 1/2 mile down the road,, its all good..
Sounds like a blast....I cant wait to get after them!!!
With a heavy longbow the old hard plastic bludgeons worked pretty well. With lighter bows, HTMs are not really suitable, but 160 steel blunts have always worked, so far, but most of my pheasants are shot while I am deer hunting. No dog then, so I use broadheads. The cocker that I had, my best buddy for 12 years, died this year. When I would shoot a pheasant, the first thing he would do is rip all of the feathers off the arrow, one at a time, every time. He would then bring the arrow back to me and leave the pheasant, until I took the arrow from him. Cocker spaniels are crazy, now I have one that is scared of loud noises and has fleas.
Pavan sorry about the cocker passing away that is the worse feeling,, I actually gave up pheasant hunting when my dog died and took up bowhunting.
now going for birds is just to kill some time and get some walking exercise, or spend some time with the blackpowder double.
Been hunting pheas with a bow for about 14 years and have taken at least 70 in flight. The absolute hands down number one head for birds in flight is the SGH from montec. I should have a story coming out in TBM's next small game issue that also shows a homemade launcher and homemade "pheas" that is unlike any practice target I have ever seen and is so realistic I gaurantee if you can hit this target you can hit a pheas in flight.
RFA's talons are awesome on small game. If I were running dogs though, I'd want to use rubber blunts. The talons are brutal and would certainly hurt your dog.
I used to use a modified field point that had a flange type at the base if the point. They were cut 1/4" at the bottom and then pulled out ant twisted in a spiral pattern. I sharpen edge with small file. They are very similar to a game nabber they sell now. I pulled the fins up a little more to get more of a cutting surface. I shoot the bird or small animal and it goes in and stays in and when animal moves it cuts. Never lost a bird or small animal when I made a good hit. I also use dull bodkins with 1/2" cut off Blunt and cutting edge in one. I also got cheap rubber blunts and put a exacto blade in center it hits with a blade and normally falls off when the blunt section impacts it. Put down grouse and pheasants for me. I used 3 or 4 fletch flu flus and also a 3 inch feather and then added either a spiral wrapped or 2" full length glued up behind the feathers. Your mileage will vary. Gonna have to play and see what works for you
My new cocker spaniel, was used as a breader, she is just under 5 years old and is terrified of guns. She is scared of them just looking at them in the house. No matter, I gave my shotgun away. She is not sacred of bows and arrows and the other day when out for a walk, she got birdy started zig-zgging through the weeds and locked up on point, 12 yards from four pheasants. There is hunt in my dog. I will be using blunts, because when I shot a pigeon at a farm to see what she would do for a retrieve, she ran up to the bird and held it down with her mouth until I got to it. I will take a long point, and that search and hold down any day over a retrieve and no point. This little girl is real shy, that is why I think she points.