Well this year is probably the heaviest arrow I have shot. 385-390 gr. for years I shot 70+ lbs and arrows were in the 360-375 gr range. I never not got a pass through other than a spine shot or the scapula shots that happened. All those kills were mainly with a rage 2 blade. This year and last year Im shooting 61# and bumped up to that 385 ish + arrow and will continue to shoot the rage heads but it will be the 1.5" cut . I did kill 3 deer with this set up. 1 pass through and 2 almost. but the 2 were with a 2" cut rage. so I think that really made a difference. It's hard for me and my short draw to get an arrow 400+ gr. without losing a significant amount of speed. I think this set up is going to be perfect for our deer size here in VA. But I aint shooting at the scapula !!
I actually went from 460 to 530 and I love it so far but it will be a few weeks before the results are in
My KE with the set up I have is evidently suitable for cape buffalo why not turn it up to 11 for when the shot is not perfect. Nobody ever said I wish I did not hit that deer so hard with my arrow that is 475 grains.
If things don't pan out with this weight, I will go up to 125 gr heads. I don't think it will effect the spine of the arrows.
I dont think any of us are aiming for it but I've damn sure hit it a couple of times! Lol! I'm still pulling 68lbs and have shot a lighter arrow 360-390gr in the past bc i had a thing for speed, two years ago I replaced my limbs on my PSE X-Force GX and was clocking 342fps on the chrono but speed is kinda overrated imo. Plus, I was pulling 76lbs at the time. Being able to back off the draw weight and float a heavier arrow appeals to me and the fact that I can accept and not bs that every shot I've ever made was oh so effing perfect. Anyone who says every shot they've ever made was perfect is nothing more than a bold faced liar. I like expecting the unexpected and being able to counter for it. Dr. Ashby and the Ranch Fairy make a good point on that with a heavier arrow and it is a valid point. But then again, what do I know.. Im just a bow hunting North American big game junkie looking for a blood trail leading to my fix..
I’ve got a good buddy who is 6’6” 275 lbs. he shoots a Hoyt bow at 80# and 32” draw. (Which is a hair to short for him). He launches an Easton deadly game arrow 17.7 gpi. With a 125 grain head and insert. 750 grain finished weight. He takes any shot he wants
Im just a short fella...5'6 with a 26.5" draw shooting 61# these days.. I let go of the 70+ lbs a few years ago. I can still pull it if I want to but it just hurts now days. If I can shoot out to 25 yds with one pin Im satisfied. what ever arrow weight and # pull that may be.
Vabow I am a freak of nature not tall but freakishly wide have a 29-1/2 draw length, same height as you.
I started out with 2216's/2117's/2315's and finally 2413's with an over draw, I shot Golden Eagle bows for years, I used 85 gr and 100 gr Thunderheads and Muzzy in 4 blade 90 and 100 grs .... then Gold Tip came out with the wrapped all carbon internal insert arrow (Hunter XT's and Pro's)... good bye Aluminums ... I have been shooting Gold Tips since day one when they hit the market, .. I did shoot ACC's for a bit, and still have 9 3-60's left, very good arrows but very expensive now .. for over 20 years my GT weights were 380-395 grs and with my full 30" draw and 70lbs, there wasnt a deer that could stop the arrow, and back in those days arrow speeds were 250-270fps depending on the Bow, good Momentum and KE ... ....as I grew older I dropped draw weight, a few pounds here, a few pounds there and I still blew thru deer, trashing scapulas and destroying leg bones on exit .... I shot the Rocket Sidewinders/Steelheads and then the XL's, again trashing scapulas, leg bones on exits .... then came Slick Trick's, again still blowing thru BIG deer with my Bowtechs, I was then at 65 lbs and now 295-305fps ... Bows became even more efficient, smoother drawing and fast speeds held steady ... so did the killing of BIG deer .... only 2 yrs back did I break the 400 gr weight range with the GT Velocity's and that was when I went to lighted nocks and GT 20gr fact weights to offset the extra rear weight of the nocks .... now at 427/430 grs and using the BH's in my signature, I am STILL killing big deer and blowing thru most ..... stay with what makes you happy arrow brand and weight wise ... make sure your bow is tuned and have same FP/BH poi and go kill critters ....... this aint rocket science
I guess I should have clarified that it hit and stuck in offside shoulder both times on quartering away shots. No exit hole and entry plugged by the arrow. In both instances I was forced to stop tracking due to crossed property lines without permission to track. But, gold stars to all the newbies around here that heart shoot every deer and falls over where it stands. Hats off to all the real life Legolas’ out there.
anyone on this thread; please watch this video. I know RF can be tough to take, but he's 100% right on this. "center punching" or anything close is for ignoramuses.
So I've been reading all these pass through complaints and I sit on the fence. Yes the blood trail, I get that. This said, when I started out I was set up with a 2115 lt easton 100 gr head. Rarely getting a pass through. I have say thankfully. Because on a marginal shot that broadhead swung around inside that deer with every leap hit trees and brush just slicing and dicing. I made a point of never taking my eyes off the deer and learned tracking by every sign not just blood. I've found them by foot prints and one buck by his rut scent in golden rod. Lost one doe but not due to poor blood she ran down hill to a swamp. She made it in but after losing a shoe, and my hunting tag and knife I called home for a pick up and had to give up.There was just no getting in there. Had deer search with me on a pass through buck that he kicked up 8 hours after shot with a massive blood trail. I called because he'd got to a 30 acre goldenrod field and I just couldn't figure it out he found it right away and at the jump found a pool of blood. Said he can't go far with this much loss . Well as we trail a clear blood trail a gun shot rang out. He said there goes your deer and sure enough lost all track right behind houses. Point, pass throughs are not guarantees. I big cutting area on a solid head is a bit more important to me,that and placement with getting a good grip on deer body language. JMT
I struggle with two things with RF. First, his voice and delivery make me want to punch his face. He is that annoying guy at a get together that everyone tries to avoid. I know that isn't real nice to say, but wow. For whatever reason I just can't listen/watch him without feeling stressed and annoyed about 30 seconds in. RF, I apologize for that. Second, he must be able to judge yardage every single time within 2 yards, and/or has a fairly long draw length so he maintains some decent FPS, and/or simply never shoots one of his piece of rebar arrows without first being able to use a rangefinder. I'm also a whopping 5',6" guy, a 28" DL, 27.5" with a d-loop, shot 70 lbs for years and have dropped back to about 67-68. My cheapo digital scale claims 65 lbs, but when I checked my BIL's bow right after he'd been at a pro shop and their scale showed 71 lbs, my cheapo scale showed 68 lbs. So I'm really probably around 68 when I've been thinking I was at 65. Getting 300 FPS is near impossible except for with an arrow within about 20 grains of minimum dry fire weight. I generally target about 400 grain arrows and am getting about 276 out of my current GT XT's at 403 grains. I have really only hunted elk with a bow and 99% of my archery experience is elk...well except for turkeys. Only shot one deer with a bow. I've hit exactly two elk in the scapula. The first one was with a 70 lbs Alpine bow, I think a Silverado "quiet cam", at 28" DL and a 2512 aluminum arrow that weighed about 390 grains, tipped with a 3 blade original Muzzy. No idea on FPS. Shot was 35 yards. Loud crack! when I hit it, but almost zero penetration. Elk ran about 50 yards and stopped when I cow called. Walked another 20 and stopped again when I cow called, chuckled at me one last time, and then walked away. Probably a 3.5 year old 5 point. Didn't find enough blood to fill a thimble. The next one was with another Alpine bow, my Fatal Impact. I remember distinctly the Fatal Impact only did about 250 FPS with a 380 grain arrow, very slow, which was a 5575 GT with a 125 grain 3 blade Muzzy (yes, probably way underspined). Young spike bull at 20 yards. How on earth I shot it in the scapula from 20 yards I still don't know, but I sure as heck did. This bull I did make it through the near side scapula, about 9" of penetration. He broke the arrow off right away, so that 9" of arrow and BH stayed in him. We figured one lung and so gave him all night. Found him the next morning, he'd walked a giant loop of about a mile but we ironically found him about 300 yards from where I'd originally shot him. So I average using a 400 grain arrow, 70 lbs., doing around 265-275 FPS. ALL broad side elk have been pass throughs. All quartering away have stopped in the far shoulder. All recovered easily, farthest was a cow that went about 110-120 yards from a quartering away hit. I always hold for center lungs for the most leeway it provides. Half the elk I've shot I judged the yardage vs. being able to call them into an area where I'd already zapped several things and knew the yardage or they were simply so close that it was a no brainer top pin hold. I'm simply a balance guy. I'll always have to avoid a scapula hit, and I'll always hold center lungs to get away from that "shoulder". I'll never take quartering to shots, only broad side or quartering away. I'm hunting deer here and there from a stand more and more and will treat them the same way. I am more concerned about my hit on them than I am elk, whitetail "jump the string" more often than not. Elk just flat stand still 98% of the time until the arrow actually hits. I'm fine with that. With my set up and aiming point if I misjudge the yardage by 5 yards they're still going to die in short order assuming no left/right issues. If someone wants to shoot a chunk of rebar out of their bow, good for them. Glad they like their set up and it works for them. I like mine and it works for me too.
