Wingnut...correctamundo.

That is precisely why the Dr.'s work is not debatable.  Bring in better studies and then it will be.

Back to it being gosphel - makes my point about extremists at both ends.

Well, to say it is not "debatable" and to say it is gospel are two different things.  The fact that his is the only study of it's magnitude available makes it difficult to debate given there is not another point of view so well documented.

If that makes any sense!

I love 160gr Ribteks.  There...I said it.  I'll shoot anything in North America with one and remain totally worry free.

As for the good Doctor's finding... What's not to like?  It's a study about bowhunting!  Take from it what you want, or nothing at all.  It's up to you. There's nothing to dispute.

Maybe your favorite broadhead manufacturer will find some piece of FREE study information that can make their heads even better.  Wouldn't that be nice?

One of the great things about trad archery is the number of great products we have a choice of using. I like Grizzly 160's because they are tough, easy to sharpen, fly like field points and penetrate like a hot knife through butter. That said, if Grizzlys were not around I would have many other choices that I would feel just as confident with making meat. Eclipse, Bear, Ace, zwickey etc.All good products and all capable of a humane kill if you do your job. Aint it great to have all these great products to choose from?

Actually there aren't many broadheads that are NOT capable of a humane kill if we do our job by making a perfect shot.  
Richie

anyone one here prefer their own home-made heads over any other?

Wow what a nice deer.  

I don't ever recall Dr Ashby claiming any more than his test results on large African type game seemed very scientific and detailed for something as trivial as a broadhead to me.

All the speculation and debate on what broadhead is and/or isn't needed for North American game is conjured up by bowhunters not Dr Ashby

Dang DTala didn,t anybody tell ya that ya can't kill a deer with a rock LOL nice buck!!

I shoot my own homemade heads if I,m in a stand.I'm concerned with loosing them after they blow out the other side into never never land if I was on the ground.At least from a stand I know where it's going after it's job is done

popcorn's starting to get a bit stale on this one don't ya think??

Rico,

If you think broadheads are trivial, then you need to think again.

A bow is just the rocket launcher...the ONLY thing you use that comes in contact with the game and creates a kill, IS A BROADHEAD.

Its the most important, by a tremendously significant margin- piece of equipment in your 'kit':everything else pales in comparison, and only your shafts coming close.

If you cannot see that outcome testing requires  you make assessments by testing things at the extreme outer limits in order to create an obvious outcome- to learn what will and will not happen to something like a broadhead, then you need to adjust your thinking cap.

If all you tested on was whitetails you would have to do testing till the end of time in order to have enough oddball results to show something significant one way or the other. On the other hand, testing on the biggest bones available, allows you to achieve 'critical mass' on every shot.

And to those who say laboratory testing is the only way to prove something works or not,, then why do they have test pilots for airplanes?

Jedi...since Ed's first report came out in the form of The Natal Study during the mid- eighties...it would be obvious most began shooting them AFTER his reports.

I've been shooting Grizzlies for ten years...before that Simmons safaris, and before that Zwickey Deltas. Dabbled with lots of others all during that time..as many do.

Troy, that's just awesome!

who was the guy that was doing the bloodtrail study, i would like to hear an update on that. i think the debate on penetration has been proven, idon't think anyone would argue that a large 3 blade isn't going to go threw an animal like a little two blade.

the real debate is do you get a good enough bloodtrail to be worth the added penetration.

that is the ...point.. partially; of the single bevel. It is a two blade that leaves an 'S' shape hole and that has the capacity to leave a far better trail than a two blade double bevel; or a three blade that sacrifices penetration; and in many cases I have seen; an exit hole.
Nothing gets us through the winter better than a broadhead debate  

so right, Brian.

I sat for a couple hours yesterday with Ed at an archery shoot and discussed this a good bit with him.

It seems the next segment is due out soon..and sounds as if its some of the most compelling and interesting information so far.

bm22..Ed is doing a bloodtrail study. It requires thousands of reports before conclusions can be made and he is only a couple years into it.

Ray yes a broadhead is trival compared to the effects of some new super drug. When I read that some suggesting that Ashbys test results are not scientific enough I think that his is damn fine work and great detail for something as simple as a broadhead.

I got you, now, Rico. I wasn't thinking in 'greater world' terms as you were. No offense intended. I appreciate the clarification.

Please pardon my awkwardness - this is my first post on any forum - ever.

Dr. Ashby's latest interview in Traditional Bowhunter was interesting to me because of the references to increases in penetration with lightweight bows. (I shoot a 48# Dwyer Defiant and a 50# ChekMate Longhorn longbow).

When I started to look around for arrows with all of the properties he recommends, it got discouraging in a hurry.

Forgewood seems to be closed down and up for sale, and Grizzly broadheads seem to also be out of stock everywhere I've looked; what are others doing to follow his recommendations, especially for lighter bows?

I sharpen my Grizzlies and single bevel hills by sharpening the bevel side first with a file, then I lay the file flat on the flat side and take the paint off and push the up to check the burr, take a few light strokes on the bevel and then rip it from back to front with corner of the file. We get pass throughs, big holes and good blood trails.  Anybody else sharpen them like that?

Jim..  don't get discouraged.  A lot of Trad folks really thrive on a "do it yourself" attitude, if you couldn't already tell that.  We have our ways and sometimes it is tough to get away from that.

Although I think highly of Dr. Ashby's information...don't forget it because it is truly great stuff, the fact is your equipment can be very deadly without single bevels or 650 grains or 20% FOC.  Equipment like yours has been doing fine for centuries.

Get good at your shooting, get your equipment sharp and well tuned,  get close to your prey,  get (and take only) good shots, and you should have no problems at all.  More than that is...well... gravy !

In the mean time....sure... try to use Ashby's hard earned information to help with ideas... but don't let it mire you in grief.
ChuckC