What do you use for rabbits and hares? I was thinking of buying some steel blunts that Big Jim sells but just read they tend to go right through small game... Also, I'll be hunting deep snow in Idaho on skis - any suggestions or insight would be much appreciated!

Many Thanks and Happy Holidays!

I am gonna try some zwickey Condors this year for bunnies in the snow.  They are judos on steroids.

I like judos, but I have experienced what many others have, pass thrus on bunnies.  They die, but they sometimes make it to their burrow.  I bet if I hit one with a Condor it won't pass thru.  Another option in snow might be a rubber or plastic bludgeon head.  If nothing else it will make a heck of a hole in the snow for finding the arrow.

We have snow here, but nothing like in the mountains where 3-6' base might not be unusual.

Broadheads. Especially on Jackrabbits.

Hexhead blunt/points blow a big hole in them w/o taking your arrow

Hexhead blunts X2

I like the RFA Talons for small game hunting.  They do good damage, blend shock and cutting damage, don't skip under grass very bad, fly like darts, and are incredibly durable against rocks/tree trunks that they bounce off of.

http://www.broadheadtalk.com/fixed-blade-broadheads/439-rfa-talon-overview-vids.html

Charlie Lamb has hunted bunnies in the deep snow as much as anybody, lets see what he says.
ChuckC

My hunting buddy and I use  wicket judo point all
winter in the snow with generally no problems. I won't say I've never lost an arrow but no mater how deep the snow it usually fetches up on something and can be found. We have over 40 inches on the ground now.I may have to check out the zwickeycondor

A washer works pretty good

What always got it done day after day for me were plain old steel blunts. They do provide shock which helps stop the rabbit/hare pretty good... nothing is 100%.

The current manifestations of the steel blunt should work super. Especially if you never miss. Though not terribly bad arrow mortality is to be expected so the special blunts tend to drive the losing cost up.

Back when I was shooting 55#+ bows I killed a lot of cottontails and snowshoes with HTM rubber blunts. They would really anchor a bunny.

Except for Jackrabbits where they are mandatory, broadheads are overkill not to mention that they glance badly on frozen ground and deflect just as bad in brush. And of course there is the expense when arrows are lost.

I wouldn't worry myself about lost arrows. I found a long time ago that you usually don't lose many even in deep snow. Consider it the price of the sport.

The trick to minimizing arrow loss, if there is one, is to look for them right away. Don't get carried away shooting multiple shots unless you are ready to lose arrows. This is especially true in snow.

The arrow is going to make a hole in the snow that will help lead you to it if you don't tromp around and destroy the evidence of its passing.

I've heard of guys using a 3 foot piece of thread on the arrow to help find it in snow as well as putting carpenters chalk on it for the same purpose.

I don't recommend using scrap arrows for small game. I mean why would you expect success on small difficult targets with less than well matched arrows.
 

Good advice Charlie, thanks for sharing

Hi

To me its broadheads just for the sake of fast and clean kill. My bows are 43 - 54# and and lighter bow dont give adequate punch with any kind of blunts - but perhaps we have thougher Hares here    :D
And it is amazing, how far a arrow travels under snow, so you really have to give it time to plow through that snow to your arrow...chartreuse fletching and arrowwrap do help to recover a snow buried arrow...

Charlie, who's that young guy in your post?  

riivioristo...

I have seen some of the hares in Europe.  Don't know about everywhere, but I saw some in a field in Poland that I thought were calves !  WAY bigger than anything I have ever seen here.  Probably mean and bloodthirsty too !
Merry Christmas
ChuckC

FYI- For those not familiar with hexhead blunts- the front end is especially tooled so as the edges forming the hex head are actually sharp (and can be sharpened some). It surprising how they blow a big hole through critters.

Just more info. . .

Dan in KS

I use SGT from VPA they work very good with my setup.

I have used hex heads (and they are a favorite for stumping and for skwerls), but it seems they go right thru rabbits, same with smaller judos.  Yup, they die, but often make it back to their burrow.  I have lost several that way.  That's why I am gonna try the Kondors ( K, not C) this year.  I hope there is enough wing to keep them from blowing thru the bunny.  Of course, they are not perfect.  With that much wing they would be impractical if the bunnies are in thick cover..  Also playing with just plain .357 cases.  I have a bunch of woodies that seem to be too soft for my bow.  Maybe that will get them useable.

Chuck- Good input on hexheads.  Though that is why you hit them in the head or the boiler room.         Merry Christmas. .

On another note- if losing them was the issue I would back the Ace hex blunt with the Zwickey Broadhead Stopper (Judo spring that goes over the shaft.)  It slides down the shaft as needed upon the hit.

Dan in KS

That might be a good idea too.  I will give that a try.   I aim for the head, but I often don't hit the head... (trying to say I suck nicely).
ChuckC

I use hex blunts, Zwickey Judos and HTM rubber blunts. Usually carry one or two of each in my quiver, plus a broad head or two for open shots.  A hit in the head or boiler room, and any of the heads will anchor a bunny.  Like Chuck, I have had them slip the arrow and make it to their borrow/hole before dying, when shot in other areas.