Thinking of trying the Simmons Great White broadheads

[Mike Bolin]

I've shot nothing but 1 1/8" VPA 3 blades since they first hit the market in 2008. I am more than pleased with the performance and durability. That being said, the Simmons Great White interests me. My hunting is limited to Whitetail and Turkey with a 43# Centaur with a total arrow weight of 500 grains. I have had almost all complete pass throughs with the VPAs and those that didn't pass through were lodged in the opposite shoulder or leg. With the width of the Simmons I question if I would get the same results. I know that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" kind of comes into play here, so I guess I'm just looking for some feedback from those of you that have successfully hunted with the Great Whites. Thanks >>>-------->Mike

[frassettor]

I've shot nothing but 1 1/8" VPA 3 blades since they first hit the market in 2008. I am more than pleased with the performance and durability. That being said, the Simmons Great White interests me. My hunting is limited to Whitetail and Turkey with a 43# Centaur with a total arrow weight of 500 grains. I have had almost all complete pass throughs with the VPAs and those that didn't pass through were lodged in the opposite shoulder or leg. With the width of the Simmons I question if I would get the same results. I know that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" kind of comes into play here, so I guess I'm just looking for some feedback from those of you that have successfully hunted with the Great Whites. Thanks >>>-------->Mike

Very interesting topic. I'm watching this one. I was always curious as well. Mike, how was your blood trails with the 1 1/8 VPA? Are you looking for better blood trails or just a curiosity thing? 

[arrow30]

250 grns. and over 2 1/2" wide.   thats a lot of broadhead!  i have been shooting treesharks for quite awhile now,  and bloodtrails are really,really good most of the time, depends on what, and where you hit them, im in the 50 lb range. at 43 lbs that might be a chore. try it and take pics. 

[Mike Bolin]

Very interesting topic. I'm watching this one. I was always curious as well. Mike, how was your blood trails with the 1 1/8 VPA? Are you looking for better blood trails or just a curiosity thing? 

Really just more of a curiosity thing, although more blood on the ground is never a bad thing! My color vision isn't the best. I have a difficult time finding first blood. Once I see it, I am ok. If I have a buddy helping track and he shows me blood, I guess it registers with me and I can follow it from that point on. If my wife is available to help track I just follow her as she can find blood better than me and my hunting buddies. My late friend Richard Jackson was great on blood trails. Richard, my wife and I were on a difficult blood trail one time and my wife was picking up little tiny specs that Richard and I couldn't see. He told my wife she was a great tracker and she lit up with pride. He then added that as short as she is (5') that she had a big advantage being closer to the ground!

[Mint]

I picked up some Tree Sharks this year to try on some hogs and they area little smaller at 2 1/16" wide. I've had great success with Land sharks, Swamp sharks and the interceptors. Blood trails have been impressive. Since the smaller simmons heads worked so well i thought I'd move up to the tree sharks and give them a try.

[LookMomNoSights]

Watching as well.  Broadhead stuff is always very interesting.   A key ingredient to the recipe!  I love the VPA 3 blades,  they are my go to.   I also know Simmons is synonymous with nastiness and devastating  when it comes to broadheads and the mark they make.

[Flingblade]

I've been shooting the Great White since they were introduced.  Tree Sharks before that and Tiger Sharks before that.  I love 'em.  They fly great, take an edge well, hold an edge well and so far I'm batting 1000 with them.  Everything I have shot with them has died and been recovered.  Most within sight.  The head is 2 5/16" wide but the cool thing is at the end of the shaft it's only an inch wide.  Simmons says that reduces tip leverage.  I also think the widest part of the blade being behind the tip of the shaft acts as kind of a forward fletching.  I don't  know how they will do out of a 43# bow.  Maybe someone else can comment on that.  The bows I have used are 52# and 61#.  The only downside to them is they take a lot of quiver space.   
Here's a Michigan turkey I shot with a Great White in 2024.  He made it out of sight but only went about 40 yards and left a good blood trail the whole way.





 

[BrushWolf]

I'm a huge treeshark fan but when great whites came out I had to get a pack. These are all great white deer. Bows I built myself and are 46 lb and 51. I use skinny carbon shafts and got pass thru on all. Deer don't make it very far. Very well pleased with them.

[LookMomNoSights]

Lots of heads do the trick, we know this ...... but you gotta admit,   doesn't seem like there's any bite quite like the Shark bite!  Massive holes

[cacciatore]

I mostly hunt Russian wild boars and in the last few years the Tree Sharks are been my choice. I al plenty satisfied from the blood trails and the ability to kill them. Lately I bought the Great Whites and before taking them hunting I made some tests.
They flew perfectly at any distance even better than  field points. So I to ok one on my next hunt and I shot a medium size boar. The hit was too high on it's back and it runned away without any blood on the ground. For sure my fault, another Great White is ready for the action.

[Zeebob]

I like the Simmons heads. I've been using the swampsharks and timbersharks. My bow is about 42-43lbs at my draw. I've taken a bunch of critters using those heads including a really nice kudu. I watched the kudu tip over at about 75yds.

I do all my deer hunting now with one shark or the other. I'm not sure if my set up is heavy enough for the great white or the tree shark.. good luck to you and hope you will let us know how they work for you!