On episode 43 @Justin and Todd talk about shooting a field point from your stand(in the years past)for a practice shot and how it’s illegal now. I do this all the time with a dull broadhead of the type I am shooting at that moment. I didn’t know it was illegal and to better understand the reasoning, is it because of the ability to grab the wrong arrow in the dark? So now what do you say about having a dull practice arrow? Justin you mentioned a blunt tip for small game for practice. Why not use a broadhead to match exactly what you shooting for the best 1 arrow practice shot?
I don't think this is illegal. We actually looked it up after the show and couldn't find anything that would stop you from carrying a field point, judo point, etc in your quiver. You obviously can't shoot a deer with one, but it's not illegal to carry one with you. At least the best of my understanding and what we could find looking at the regulations.
I couldn't imagine it being illegal to carry a field point arrow in your quiver while hunting. I have for many years to take a practice shot if I ever felt the need to do so from my stand. What the difference between that and a mechanical head that is gonna fail and not open up on the next deer you shoot?
I always carry a pair of arrows in my quiver with small game points for squirrels. I mainly use them for morning hunts - if I am about to climb down and there are squirrels in the area I’ll switch over to the small game points and pop a couple squirrels so I don’t go home empty handed. It makes for exceptional practice - those little furry bastards move way more than deer and the next time a deer comes out after you’ve been shooting squirrels for a couple hunts it makes the vitals on a deer seem giant. I’ve also used them a time or 2 mid hunt when I’ve had one of those exceptionally annoying squirrels that won’t stop scratching trees nearby or on a crow that won’t stop squawking right beside you. Not something I do often but there are times I just get so annoyed that it’s kind of messing up my hunt and putting me into a bad mood so it’s nice to have the option of taking out the problem without screwing up an expensive arrow and broadhead. I even used one in self defense a couple seasons ago. Had a beaver come up and start trying to chop down my tree with me still in it. I threw my binos down at him and that hit him pretty good and he ran off so I figured he was dealt with. Then half an hour later I see him crawl out of the creek and start heading my way again. Swapped out my arrow real quick and sent it. Missed with my first one, but he kept heading my way so I put my second one on and waited until he was about 15 yds and sent it. He didn’t go 20. As far as keeping the small game point arrows separate from the ones with broadheads I bought some cheap Chinese knock-off red luminoks a few years ago because I’m a cheapskate but they turned out to be so dim that you couldn’t see them during daylight so I use those on the small game arrows (since shot placement really doesn’t matter on a squirrel, it’s just hit or miss) and then put my genuine green luminoks on my broadhead arrows. Also my quiver has two arrow spots that are kind of recessed compared to the other 3 spots and it’s really hard to get an arrow out of those two spots quietly so I never grab a follow up arrow from either of them anyways so that’s where I keep the small game points. Plus the small game points are a lot shorter than a broadhead so the arrows are also shorter in the quiver so it’s pretty easy to tell them apart without even looking.
even if this was illegal in IL, doesn't mean that it's illegal anywhere else. As always, check your state/local regulations. If it's not expressly prohibited, it's legal. Know your target and beyond.
