# Your arrow/broadhead set ups for hunting



## Public Land Prowler (Aug 3, 2009)

I am sure y'all have posted it time and again.I would appreciate any advice.


I have had VERY poor results with my current set up resulting in 3 non-recovered hogs,and 2 actually ran away with my arrow flapping along side them.Those were 2 good hits that should have done the trick,but I failed to get more than 6" of penetration.1 was a 160# boar at 25yds,and 1 was a 130# boar at 15yds.Yes I know the shields are hurting my penetration.Do you just target smaller hogs?Less than say 100#?

I would like to know what you are shooting for a broadhead(weight as well),are you using a weighted insert,and what arrows are you using...etc..

What weight is your completed arrow as well.I want to build my confidence up to set out with heavier arrows,and go to a 2 blade cut on impact..(Apex's recommendation).I am currently Not going to even thinking about taking another shot at an animal until I figure out this penetration issue.

I'm thinking about 170gr zwicky's,140 to 190gr simmons land sharks,or 125gr magnus with a weighted insert.

Any help is appreciated.


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## MCW1984 (Aug 3, 2009)

i shoot gt traditional 35/55's cut at 29'' 100gr inserts and a 125 4 blade phantom. cant remember overall weight but they penetrate well i think they are a lil over 500gr


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## Slasher (Aug 4, 2009)

29.5 in beman MFX, 100 grn brass inserts, 125 grn eclipse heads w/75 grn steel adapters.. weight 625+... 55# hybrid longbow.. fly like darts and penetrate


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## Apex Predator (Aug 4, 2009)

I hunted a bunch with either Carbon Express 150s or 90s.  I would leave the 150s about 31" long (helps to soften the spine), and the 90s were 29".  I had a 100 grain brass insert in both.  I would then glue a 125 grain screw in adapter into a 125 grain glue on two bladed Magnus I or a Wensel Woodsman.  That would make a 250 grain broadhead.  These finished arrows would weigh around 640 grains and have a very high forward of center balance point.  Shooting these out of 46-52 longbows, penetration was never an issue.  I shot through a couple of shoulder blades on hogs less than 100# and got the goodies on the other side.

Recently I've been experimenting with a lighter weight arrow.  I need lighter spine than most so I started with an Easton Epic 600 cut to 29".  I am using the standard aluminum insert with my glued together 250 grain broadhead.  Due to the light shaft, I'm still at 24% forward of center balance.  They are small in diameter and have a slick finish.  I shot my last hog with them, and had two pass throughs.  It was a small 50-60 pounder, but I think they are gonna work great.  Total arrow weight on these new ones is 508 grains.  These fly well for me out of my 48@27 straight longbow.


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## hogdgz (Aug 4, 2009)

Public Land Prowler,  what weight is your bow?


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## ChrisSpikes (Aug 4, 2009)

The first thing that comes to my mind is what did you hit?  If it was up in the shoulder/leg bone area, there's some pretty heavy stuff up there.  If not, then the next thing that I think of is how well are your arrows tuned to your bow?  Poor tuning probably wouldn't play much of a part on the 25 yard shot as the arrow would have had plenty of time to straighten out, but it could very well cause you some problems at 15.

I'm shooting a 60" Pittsley Predator, 64# @ 28"(I draw 27.5").  I'm shooting 30" GT 3555's with standard inserts and a 200 grain points.  This afternoon I decided to play around a little bit, and tuned a 29.75" GT 3555 with 100 grain brass insert and a 200 grain point.  It bareshafted perfectly all the way out to 40 yards.  

In the past I've always shot Simmons heads, but since they're getting hard to find I'm trying some big 160 Snuffers. 

A well tuned 500 gr. arrow and a good sharp 2-blade out of any bow over 45 lbs. should be good medicine for any critters we have around here......unless you get up into the shoulder area.  Then, more often than not, you're going to run into trouble regardless of your setup.


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## Night Wing (Aug 4, 2009)

I've got two bows at the moment. The first one is a 66", 42# @ 30" Blacktail Elite VL take down recurve. It's cut 3/16" past center. It came with a Dyna97 bowstring. I set the nock set on it at 9/16" high off the shelf. I shoot off the shelf and I use a tab. Split finger, 1 over, 2 under. I've been playing around with various brace height settings and this morning, I settled on an 8" brace height. At this brace height setting, it likes a 32", 2117 aluminum arrow with a 150 point weight. The arrow is fletched with three, 5" right wing parabolic feathers with eleven degrees of right twist. I've settled on a 130 grain STOS glue on 2 blade broadhead and combined with a Zwickey 36 grain long broadhead adapter, this setup weighs around 166 grains. After sharpening the broadhead, the tip weight should be around 150 grains. The entire arrow weighs 589 grains. This gives me a hard hitting heavy arrow setup at 14.02 grains per pound.

My second bow is a Jim Belcher made copy of a Massie "Longhorn" hybrid longbow. It's 68", 41# @ 30". The brace height is 7". I shoot off the shelf and my nock set is 9/16" high off the shelf. The bowstring is dacron. The longbow likes a 32", 2213 aluminum arrow with a 150 grain point weight. The arrow is fletched the same with three, 5" right wing parabolic feathers with eleven degrees of right twist. I shoot the same tab. Split finger, 1 over, 2 under. I plan on using the same 130 grain STOS 2 blade glue on broadhead with a 36 grain Zwickey long broadhead adapter. After sharpening, the point weight should be around 150 grains. The entire arrow weighs 525 grains which gives me a medium weight arrow at 12.80 grains per pound.


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## robert carter (Aug 4, 2009)

I usually shoot arrows that weigh around 600 grains sometimes a little more or less. I only draw 27" and usually around 50-53 pounds but have hunted with 45-50 a lot as well. I`m shooting 47 @ 27 Widow longbow as well as a 54@27 Apex straight end longbow right now. I shoot BIG broadheads...snuffers , Magnus I, Muzzy Phantom 4 blades, Simmons, zwickey Deltas....you get the picture.

   Not wanting to sound like a smarty but I have never lost a pig or deer because of broadhead design or arrow weight or bow lbs. Critters I lost were because of shot placement.

  Cracking shoulders with a rifle puts`m down quick but there are no vitals behind the shoulder of a broadside hog.You gotta be low in the pocket behind the elbow headed forward is best. I can`t remeber the last hog I shot that went more than 50 -75 yards afterward.I have killed three over 275 lbs but most are little. My biggest three were killed with different setups. 
1. was a Quillen Patriot recurve 57 pounds 600 grain arrow and Simmons . Broad head came out the other side.

 2. G&L Longbow 55 pounds with a Woodsman head. Arrow was stuck in the legbone on the far side after a pass through.

3. Was a 51lb Widow recurve with a 2018 shaft and 3 blade 125 grain Muzzy. Broadhead came out the other side. 

  All three of these boars were over 275 lbs.Which as you know is a purty big swamp hog.RC


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## returntoarchery (Aug 4, 2009)

GT Traditional 5575 30-1/8", left wing 5-1/2" shield turkey fletching, Eclipse left wing grind single bevel 125gr with 125 gr steel adapters and a 50 gr brass insert weight and orange firenoks. Total arrow weight 650gr with an extreme FOC of 20%. At least on targets they penetrate like crazy. I expect the same on game.

I was shooting the same setup except 250gr field points from my Pittsley Predator 51#@28 at the NGT August shoot last weekend. Ask Paul and a couple others who were pulling them on several occasions what the penetration was like. They thought I was shooting a really heaver bow.


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## belle&bows (Aug 4, 2009)

PLP, the set up I use for my Kohannah Kurve which is 60" and 50# @ 28" is:
Full length GT 3555 with 100 grain brass inserts, 125 grain steel adapters, with 145 grain Stos 2 blade. A whopping 370 grains up front (more or less depending on how much sharpening I do) with total arrow weight around 630. Flies very well out of this bow.
Complete penetration on a big doe last year slightly quartering away with the b'head buried in off shoulder blade.
So far doing very well on paper this year
Hope this helps.
David


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## iowa-boy (Aug 4, 2009)

2 blade 100 gr. magnus,2020 aluminum easton arrow @28". comes in right around  550 gr. with everyhting.might not have speed but the ft lbs will let them know they are hit.


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## Jake Allen (Aug 4, 2009)

iowa-boy said:


> 2 blade 100 gr. magnus,2020 aluminum easton arrow @28". comes in right around  550 gr. with everyhting.might not have speed but the ft lbs will let them know they are hit.



That is a stiff arrow, and light up front.
What bow?


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## Jake Allen (Aug 4, 2009)

belle&bows said:


> PLP, the set up I use for my Kohannah Kurve which is 60" and 50# @ 28" is:
> Full length GT 3555 with 100 grain brass inserts, 125 grain steel adapters, with 145 grain Stos 2 blade. A whopping 370 grains up front (more or less depending on how much sharpening I do) with total arrow weight around 630. Flies very well out of this bow.
> Complete penetration on a big doe last year slightly quartering away with the b'head buried in off shoulder blade.
> So far doing very well on paper this year
> ...



I like it; EFOC.

I am trying a 2018 @ 29", 160 grain Magnus 1 and 100 grain steel adaptor from a MOAB, 60" long, 53#.


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## dutchman (Aug 4, 2009)

I shoot a Berry Tucannon longbow, 64", 55#@28". I draw pretty long (with this bow, about 30"), so I just leave the Carbon Express Heritage 350s at full length and add 50 grain inserts and a 125 grain Magnus broadhead. The bow shoot this arrow quite well, though I am going to experiment a bit more before the season. I would like to try a 160 grain STOS broadhead on a 100 grain steel adapter with the 50 grain inserts to see how they perform. I will also try a lighter adapter, just so I'll know. We'll see.


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## returntoarchery (Aug 5, 2009)

PLP,

You might want to look at Dr. Ashby's studies at http://www.alaskabowhunting.com/Tech-Tips-and-Tuning-W3.aspx url.

I know many folks have discounted his studies and methods, and their applicability on North American game,  but at least he's following a testing protocol to come up with his conclusions. The one I found the most interesting was the study where he found arrows, built with penetration enhancing techniques, shot from a 54# bow would penetrate as well as "normal arrows" shot from bows with draw weights 29# heavier.

Those "penetration enhancing techniques" are relatively simple to implement.

RTA


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## returntoarchery (Aug 5, 2009)

PLP,

You might want to look at Dr. Ashby's studies at http://www.alaskabowhunting.com/Tech-Tips-and-Tuning-W3.aspx url.

I know many folks have discounted his studies and methods, and their applicability to North American game,  but at least he's following a testing protocol to come up with his conclusions. The one I found the most interesting was the study where he found arrows, built with penetration enhancing techniques, shot from a 54# bow would penetrate as well as "normal arrows" shot bows with draw weights 29# heavier.

RTA


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## Public Land Prowler (Aug 5, 2009)

I got some arrows,and heads to try out from Apex.Maybe I can get this fixed.




hogdgz said:


> Public Land Prowler,  what weight is your bow?


It says it is 52# at 28"



HookedN21 said:


> The first thing that comes to my mind is what did you hit?



First time I think I hit in the shoulder,close to dark..hard to tell.He toted arrow off.I saw it hanging.2nd time I hit high,and I think I just got backstrap,3rd hog I shot was real good,but after talking with marty,maybe it was a hair back,possibly taking out 1 lung and liver.That one was definately hit the best,and I have no doubt if I had just backed out I would have recovered him,but I was anxious,and bumped him..



robert carter said:


> Not wanting to sound like a smarty but I have never lost a pig or deer because of broadhead design or arrow weight or bow lbs. Critters I lost were because of shot placement.
> 
> RC


Could play part in it.According to Apex the broadheads I shoot take nearly 10x the energy to penetrate as a 2 blade cut on impact.I have never lost one with my compound due to broadhead design or arrow weight or bow lbs.

From what I am reading trad equipment is weak as far as KE.Were talking a 477gr arrow at 155fps,that's only 25ft lbs.My compound is shooting a 400gr arrow 277fps..That's 68ft lbs!Huge difference!Broadhead design,and blade sharpness has got to make a huge difference when dealing with low KE such as that.It's been a while since I was into archery much,so please correct me if I am wrong.I'm willing to let you use one of my arrows when we go out hunting..

Thanks RC,and everyone else for the time you have taken to reply.


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## returntoarchery (Aug 5, 2009)

PLP,

Read Ashby's reports. You might find some interesting information regarding Kinetic Energy as it relates to penetration.

rta


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## ChrisSpikes (Aug 5, 2009)

Copied from a post I made 2-3 years ago.

"About five years ago I took a shot at a spike buck. If I remember correctly he was about 17-20 yards. I was at least 25 feet up a small tree with absolutely no cover. I tried to get the arrow too tight to the front leg and ended up hitting the shoulder blade for whatever reason ( shot high, jumped string, etc.). According to my broken arrow that I later found, I got around 6 inches of penetration including length of point. I thought surely this would be enough to get both lungs. Followed the trail for close to 150 yards before it finally ran out. At the time I was shooting a 93lb. Hoyt, 30.5 inch 2419 shafts with 160 grain 2-blade cut on contact broadhead(Simmons Landshark). Total arrow weight was just over 650 grains. Chronoed at 236 fps. giving a little over 80 ft/lbs. kinetic energy. The point is, if you hit the right (or wrong) thing, nothing is certain even on an animal no larger than a whitetail."


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## matt schuster (Aug 5, 2009)

RC makes good points, as do most of the other posts.    A couple of years ago I started loading up arrows and am getting a lot better penetration on hogs than I used to get.    I shoot 57 lbs, and put 9 inches of a 2016 inside a 2216 then load put 225 grains on the front.   Usually a Zwickey, Magnus, or Wensel Woodsman.      Also, it is critical that the arrow being flying straight.    Nothing kills penetration like a wobbly arrow.


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## Public Land Prowler (Aug 5, 2009)

Went out today with some arrows APEX gave me to test with.The only thing I really did was stick the 200gr field tips on,and started noticing penetration improved DRASTICALLY.Bow was quieter as well.

Then I tried a penetration test from 15yds.200gr total weight zwicky eskimo 2 blade buried almost to the fletchings in my block style target.I shot 2 times with a (close to same weight)magnus I and it fell short about 3-4" on average,next I shot my thunderhead 125's again,and barely made it through.Was about 7" less than the magnus,and 10" less penetration than the zwicky's!!

I respect,and appreciate everyones advice. I believe what I see....and what I see is the smaller cutting diameter of the zwicky,coupled 75grs more weight makes a world of difference....Got me some on order,and I will be out there again this weekend hopefully.


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## SELFBOW (Aug 5, 2009)

I told you that was all that was wrong.


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## FVR (Aug 8, 2009)

Let's see, I'm shooting a little 45" sinew backed recurve pulling 65lbs at 24".

I am shooting tapered solid birch arrows with wolverine broadheads that weigh 140 or 160 grains.  Well, total set up is weighing in at 617.3grains.

It will get the job done within 20 yards.


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