How much practice with broadheads?

[375 Ruger Fan]

I don't really consider myself an archery hunter, since I do it so infrequently. In reality, I am a hunter that occasionally does an archery hunt. I am preparing for an archery elk hunt in September and have been shooting my bow quite a bit with field points.

My question is, how much practice with broadheads do serious archery hunters typically do?

I am shooting 650 gr total weight arrows, using 200 gr field points or BHs. I have about 23% FOC. Drawing 70 lbs and 29.5" draw length. My bow is a circa 2006 Mathews Switchback XT and I have no idea about the velocity of my current set up. I guess I could go to my local archery shop and shoot over their chrony. I have 3 types of broadheads: VPA, Grizzlystik Maasai and Iron Will. All are two blade, single bevel, RH.

Yesterday, I shot 3 VPA and 3 Iron Will arrows at 30 yards and 40 yards. Total of 12 shots using broadheads. They are a pain to extract from my target blocks! The accuracy and consistency were excellent, with the VPA being slightly better for me. The POI is basically the same as the field points. I think I will set these 6 arrows aside, sharpen the BHs with my Stay Sharp guides and leave them be until the hunt. The VPAs have a 35 degree bevel and the Iron Will have a 32 degree bevel.

Comments?

 

[BourbonTrail]

I don’t shoot them regularly because I use simulators for my Montecs, which line up pretty well. I also use feather fletching for better broadhead control and less deviation, but those are less durable and less user friendly.

In a perfect world, I would have a set of identical, but duller, blades that I use for practice. However, I’m retooling my archery tackle, so I will probably suck it up and have duplicates for when I switch to single bevels.

Oh, strop your broadheads before you hunt or they dull slightly (microscopic steel burrs curl and reduce cutting of capillaries).

 

[mdwest]

In a perfect world, I would have a set of identical, but duller, blades that I use for practice. However, I’m retooling my archery tackle, so I will probably suck it up and have duplicates for when I switch to single bevels.

This is what I’ve done.

I’ve got 3x broadheads that I have shot until they have dulled… I then marked them up with a red sharpie to make them easy to identify as practice broadheads.

I don’t shoot them much… maybe a 1:50 ratio practice broadhead to field tip just to occasionally confirm everything is flying right and consistent…

 

[Josh P]

When regularly practicing, I shoot broadheads into my reinhardt target. Compounds are not in the equation though. Everything is either recurve or longbow. The 300gr VPAs, 300gr field tips, or 150gr Tusker heads all retrieve easily enough. The ratio depends on if I'm in the mood to walk back and forth between each shot to avoid clacking broadheads into one another or not. It's all about confidence in the particular setup. Once I know I'm good it makes a difference.

 

[Firebird]

I shoot broadheads the month or so leading up to the hunt. But I only shoot one or two arrows at a time. My preference is to take the target to the woods and shoot uphill, downhill, through trees etc. just one or two broadheaded arrows at each target, then move it and try try again. You can do that till your arm is tired. I hope you have access to a resource similar to what I have-good luck!

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Of the three different brands of broadheads I have, I think the VPA and Iron Will are the most accurate and fly close enough to the field points. Interestly, the VPAs are the least expensive. I am considering getting another 3 pack of the VPAs and have 3 for practice and save 3 for hunting.

Just for fun and grins, I set up a target bag at 60 yards and downhill. At this distance, I was simply aiming for the center of the bag and was really looking at the arrow flight. My pins are set for 20, 30 and 40 yards. All these shots were with field points. I guesstimated the holdover, a couple of feet and did okay. Confirms why the outfitter really wants us to have a 30 yard or closer shot. The big elk I took in 2007 was at 28 yards.

The couple of arrows that went into the tree, even from 60 yards, achieved amazing penetration (darn hard to remove!)

 

[zip4644]

I shoot nothing but Broadheads 60 days prior to my hunt, I will go through 2 broad head targets on average in getting ready.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

@zip4644 what is the logic on shooting only broadheads? If the BHs and FPs shoot to same POI, why not just shoot FP? Keep in mind, I will be hunting elk, a relatively large animal (target) and trying to call them in to 30 yards or less. I won't be shooting at a deer at 50+ yards.

 

[zip4644]

@zip4644 what is the logic on shooting only broadheads? If the BHs and FPs shoot to same POI, why not just shoot FP? Keep in mind, I will be hunting elk, a relatively large animal (target) and trying to call them in to 30 yards or less. I won't be shooting at a deer at 50+ yards.

Poi may well be the same in controlled conditions and you may not notice at under 30 yards but in my experience fixed blade Broadheads (not a fan of expandable) react to wind differently at distance. there was a time that I never felt the need to shoot field points on my hunting bow. 30 yards is great but not always achievable.

 

[mdwest]

Poi may well be the same in controlled conditions and you may not notice at under 30 yards but in my experience fixed blade Broadheads (not a fan of expandable) react to wind differently at distance. there was a time that I never felt the need to shoot field points on my hunting bow. 30 yards is great but not always achievable.

Probably a lot of truth in that statement...

And this is why I am thankful that where I'm bowhunting in South Africa next month... the "long shots" are 30 yards.. most shots available are 15-20...

(mdwest = a decent, but not great archer...)...

 

[rookhawk]

I don't really consider myself an archery hunter, since I do it so infrequently. In reality, I am a hunter that occasionally does an archery hunt. I am preparing for an archery elk hunt in September and have been shooting my bow quite a bit with field points.

My question is, how much practice with broadheads do serious archery hunters typically do?

I am shooting 650 gr total weight arrows, using 200 gr field points or BHs. I have about 23% FOC. Drawing 70 lbs and 29.5" draw length. My bow is a circa 2006 Mathews Switchback XT and I have no idea about the velocity of my current set up. I guess I could go to my local archery shop and shoot over their chrony. I have 3 types of broadheads: VPA, Grizzlystik Maasai and Iron Will. All are two blade, single bevel, RH.

Yesterday, I shot 3 VPA and 3 Iron Will arrows at 30 yards and 40 yards. Total of 12 shots using broadheads. They are a pain to extract from my target blocks! The accuracy and consistency were excellent, with the VPA being slightly better for me. The POI is basically the same as the field points. I think I will set these 6 arrows aside, sharpen the BHs with my Stay Sharp guides and leave them be until the hunt. The VPAs have a 35 degree bevel and the Iron Will have a 32 degree bevel.

Comments?

I don't practice with broadheads. They are hell to sharpen and they are hard on targets. Are you familiar with walk-back tuning? If an arrow is shot with a field point, then an arrow without vanes is shot, and your form is perfect, and if the bow rest is perfectly tuned, both arrows go to the same exact spot. You start at ten yards. You then walk back 5 yards and repeat. If you can put arrow shafts without vanes into a target in the same group with fletched arrows at 30 yards or more, your bow is tuned.

Now try one or two broadhead shots at the same distances or further. It is very likely that they fly exactly the same as your field points. The reason being, you already have a perfectly tuned bow, and whatever wind resistance and weird stuff gets added by the broadhead, the vanes will likely correct for it.

Shooting a broadhead is the last step to validate a perfectly tuned bow, but practicing with them is just ruining broadheads.

 

[woods0824]

I believe in shooting as many shots with broadheads as possible leading up to the hunt as well as shooting and being proficient at a distance twice as far as I would actually shoot on the hunt. Doesn't hurt to be over prepared and makes that 35 yard shot look like like 20 when the time comes. Elk may be big, but you still have to consider the angle and pick a spot. Your arrows will certainly do the job with any of the broadheads you've got on hand.

 

[ET1775]

I don't practice with broadheads. They are hell to sharpen and they are hard on targets. Are you familiar with walk-back tuning? If an arrow is shot with a field point, then an arrow without vanes is shot, and your form is perfect, and if the bow rest is perfectly tuned, both arrows go to the same exact spot. You start at ten yards. You then walk back 5 yards and repeat. If you can put arrow shafts without vanes into a target in the same group with fletched arrows at 30 yards or more, your bow is tuned.

Now try one or two broadhead shots at the same distances or further. It is very likely that they fly exactly the same as your field points. The reason being, you already have a perfectly tuned bow, and whatever wind resistance and weird stuff gets added by the broadhead, the vanes will likely correct for it.

Shooting a broadhead is the last step to validate a perfectly tuned bow, but practicing with them is just ruining broadheads.

Exactly as Rookhawk says.

 

[BSO Dave]

My question is, how much practice with broadheads do serious archery hunters typically do?

It is an absolute necessity that you practice with broadheads to the extent that they are tuned with your field points. Once that is achieved, it is not really necessary to shoot your broadheads in everyday practice.

Many of the modern, compact broadhead designs will fly with your field points with little to no tuning. However, the larger designs like many of the 2-blade types will require broadhead tuning to some extent. Regardless, don't ever assume that your broadheads will have the same POI just because the manufacturer claims it in their marketing advertisements. Even though it is true that some designs fly like field points, you always need to shoot them before hunting with them...

There are many online tutorials for broadhead tuning. This one below is one of the simplest to follow.

@zip4644 what is the logic on shooting only broadheads? If the BHs and FPs shoot to same POI, why not just shoot FP? Keep in mind, I will be hunting elk, a relatively large animal (target) and trying to call them in to 30 yards or less. I won't be shooting at a deer at 50+ yards.

I agree with @zip4644 in that any tuning issues with broadheads with or without wind will become amplified as your shot distance increases. A POI difference of 1" at 20 yards can easily become 5-6" at 50-60 yards. Wind will certainly affect the flight of a big 2-blade broadhead much more than a smaller head like a mechanical (although I still do not recommend using them for many other reasons)..

Regardless, I do recommend shooting your broadheads to the full extent of your effective practical range during the tuning process, but once you have your broadheads consistently hitting with your field points, I really don't see the benefit to practice exclusively with broadheads unless it's a confidence builder which certainly has its own merits.

In regard to your assumption that your shot will be at a large animal (elk) at 30 yards or less I would only say this... If you feel that your effective confident range is 30 yards, I recommend practicing out to 60 regularly. Not only will you be more confident at that range, but a 30-yard shot will look and feel like a chip shot. Good luck on your hunt!

 

[Dee S]

Train like you hunt, hunt like you train

30 days out, with fixed heads, nothing but broadheads going down range. I leave for Africa in a month, with that in mind, I will be switching to broadheads next week and I have five brand new cores for my broadhead target.
I'll carry two bows, with four sights. Each bow will have a sight for my 630 grain arrows, and one sight for my 917 grain buffalo arrows.
Spending the first two weeks in Natal going after plains game. Both bows will be rigged for the 630 arrows. Then to Zambia for buffalo. Swap out the sights, and ready for the 917 arrows. Get the buffalo in the salt, hopefully, then swap out the sights again and go to the 630's again.
I'll take two dozen arrows and will practice with each one, with a broadhead. You'd be surprised to find that out of two dozen arrows, you'll have the cock feather in the wrong spot on a couple. Spine is off. Gotta track it, mark the arrow, and re-fletch. Pain in the ass, but if you have a 'flyer' that won't hit the X, and the others are, probably the spine position.

 

[Hunter101]

I will shoot them all year. Now that I am two months out from deer and elk season. I will shoot them daily. I just paper tune my elite Omnia and will continue to tweak everything until my hunt. My favorite broadhead is magnus 4 blade Blk hornet Fly like darts out to 120. Speed kills i like a arrow weight around 410 to 450 grains. Complete Pass through on everything I shot plains game wise in Africa. My opinion elk are tougher then any plains game that I have killed. Sharp broadheads kill fast

 

[BSO Dave]

Speed kills

Actually, this is not true in regard to bowhunting..

With that many pass-thrus and a 410 grain arrow, I will assume that you are shooting 70+lbs of draw, and a draw lenght of greater than 28" to overcome the limitations of that light of a total arrow weight? I'm glad to hear that this combination works for you, however, ligher arrows are simply not the best options for achieving maximum penetration especially for those limited in draw lenght and draw weight....

 

[Aimlowrobin]

If I couldn't practice with my broadheads and easily resharpen them afterwards, I'd find another brand head. My Magnus Black Hornet Ser Razors always kill multiple animals with a touch up in between and that included my SA trip last year. On that trip I bumped up to 440g arrow weight from my usual 400ish. Being I only shoot 60lbs at 27.5", I won't say "speed kills" but I sure don't consider my arrows to be "light" or a "limitation". I've killed WAY too many animals of all sizes to prove otherwise.

 

[BSO Dave]

Being I only shoot 60lbs at 27.5", I won't say "speed kills" but I sure don't consider my arrows to be "light" or a "limitation".

Your's is the exact type of set-up that would benefit most from increasing your total arrow weight and front of center weight..

If you are honestly getting good results meaning consistent pass-thru penetration on most well-placed shots, then by all means stay with what has been working for you... If not, I would guarantee that you would be amazed at the penetration performance you would gain by building an arrow with a compact broadhead design, a TAW of at least 550 grains, and 20% or greater FOC...

Lots of bowhunters are killing lots of aniamls with all sorts of arrow builds that may appear to work yet they are not achieving their potential efficency by maximizing momentum. In all honesty, I would equate what you are currently shooting as a .22 when you could be shooting a .45 ACP...

 

[Aimlowrobin]

Your's is the exact type of set-up that would benefit most from increasing your total arrow weight and front of center weight..

If you are honestly getting good results meaning consistent pass-thru penetration on most well-placed shots, then by all means stay with what has been working for you... If not, I would guarantee that you would be amazed at the penetration performance you would gain by building an arrow with a compact broadhead design, a TAW of at least 550 grains, and 20% or greater FOC...

Lots of bowhunters are killing lots of aniamls with all sorts of arrow builds that may appear to work yet they are not achieving their potential efficency by maximizing momentum. In all honesty, I would equate what you are currently shooting as a .22 when you could be shooting a .45 ACP...

I've killed well over 200 animals with a bow. My set up doesn't "appear to work", it actually works. You couldn't pay me to shoot 550g at my draw weight and length, unless I was targeting a select few animals. I always get a kick out of the heavy arrow and FOC guys who want to tell me how I'm doing it wrong or how somehow I could be "better" without having any sort of clue just how much stuff I've killed in my lifetime.