Arrows... heavier, quieter, slower or lighter, louder and faster?

You can over think this stuff to a point where it will make your head hurt. I started bow hunting in 1971, we all were shooting recurves and about the only techno stuff that hit the market were Fast flite strings, micro flite arrows and baker tree stands. Heavy arrows were always the number one choice because they were more consistent, hit harder with better penetration and really helped to quiet your bow down. There is a lot to be said for a heavier shaft soaking up more of the bows energy instead of the bow beating itself apart after a light arrow leaves the rest.

 

Agreed,

Plus I want my arrows thumping a deer. Like my arrows to carry knock down power.

 

Heavy & quiet here!

 

First of all, in bowhunting, killing is done by precise incision-like cuts from a very sharp broadhead, not the smackdown power like a bullet delivers (hemorrhagic shockwave). KE means nothing.

If a 392 gr arrow flying at 295 fps can get a complete passthrough on a mature bull elk from a shot distance of 28 yds, it won't have a problem punching through the biggest whitetail ever shot.

 

That's a nice bull

 

I straddle the fence. I don't push the limit on either the light or the heavy side. I'm not overly worried about noise as even with nothing on my bow, with the speed I am better off than my old bows that were noisy and slow.

 

After what happened to me 2day (read live from the stand page 324 onwards) I am going to up my arrow weight from 400-425gr. I am just going to increase my tips from 100-125gr. I said before if a study is done I am willing to change, well a real live study has been done by me and I didn’t like my results. I hang my head in shame for what I did to the deer and myself.

 

1 SUCCESS doesn't justify anything (awesome bull and congrats btw). Shoot if not ribs/bone is contacted a deer is actually or at least should be extremely easy with modern compounds to blow through...however far too many hunters are slinging blazing fast arrows that simply don't punch hard.

Exaggerated example but it is like being hit with a nerf gun at 100mph or a metal tipped dart going just 30mph....I guarantee everyone would choose the nerf gun...

I don't have my exact measurables but I after discussing with folks here (LittleChief to name one), countless research and watching/hearing numerous hunts that fellas were not getting pass throughs made me 100% want a heavy, high FOC arrow and I honestly have never worried or cared about speed for a second. Any modern compound I shoot will easily provide the speed to perform at 40 yards and under with ease. My consistency and groupings tightened immediately when I went heavier...sound went down...all those things make the hunter deadlier.

Not too mention unless two (not just one) major bones are impacting (shoulder or joint) I would be shocked to not at minimum have an exit hole (even if not a pass through).

Having a heavy arrow and high FOC is not necessary to kill whitetails for sure...IF soft tissue and just ribs are involved (although very light set ups struggle with ribs even). I don't choose a heavy arrow and high FOC because of the best case scenarios of impact...I choose it because of the worst case scenarios that can happen. Makes me at least more confident, which I personally perform and shoot better the more confidence I have.