Shooting broadheads
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: climb.on
30-Aug-15
I'm changing to Stick Trick Standard 125 this year. I've always shot Rage in the past and I would just practice with their practice heads. I never practiced with the actual broadhead that I would hunt with.
How do you guys do it with your fixed blades? Do you practice with the exact same arrows and heads as you hunt with or do you designate a few broadheads / arrows just for practice and just use the same type to hunt with even though you've never actually shot that exact arrow.
From: Bear Track
30-Aug-15
Some brands have a practice head, others don't. I switched to Stingers this year and the best thing to do is sacrifice one head to be your practice head. Most heads hold up after being shot and pulled back out of your shooting butt.
From: r-man
30-Aug-15
every arrow is shot multiple times, they are numbered, not everyone flys the same, align nocks. best pics are hunting arrows, now heads. I use the exacts same heads I practice with as hunt, two are chosen from them and only for practice. all heads are weight matched, I don't take companys word that they are the weight stated, as most are not, I get less then 5grains difference in hunting arrows. I also have 2 doz arrows to chose from
From: dmann
30-Aug-15
I normally choose one to tune with,once BH and FP flight is the same,I'll only shoot a BH arrow every once in a while to check my tune. Keeps from shooting/dulling BH all year.
From: SDHNTR(home)
30-Aug-15
One of the reasons why I like to shoot a one piece head. I practice shoot each hunting arrow multiple times. Then I just touch back up with a diamond hone and go hunt. I don't even unscrew them. Confidence!
From: RogBow
30-Aug-15
Yeah for sure a solid one piece broadhead that you can shoot a lot, then sharpen when it's time to hunt. No parts to come loose or fitment issues.
I do have several packs of ST on hand as backup to what I like. I like ST for grouse, turkey, coyotes etc. Have killed elk and deer with them too. Not a bad head for a replaceable BH.
From: spike78
30-Aug-15
I bought 2 packs of Slick tricks and practiced with two heads and use 4 for hunting. If I need more than the 4 I buy replacement blades. This was a few years ago now I just bought a 4 pack to go with the few others I have left. Here in MA that should last awhile.
From: deerman406
30-Aug-15
That is why I went to VPA heads, they are very easy to sharpen and I shoot all my broadheads and than hunt with them. I just touch them up and I am ready to go. I have killed a bunch of deer with the same broadhead. I believe 7 in one season. Shawn
From: climb.on
30-Aug-15
You've all pretty much confirmed what I was thinking. I think I will shoot all the heads I plan to hunt with at least once and have a couple others designated as practice heads that I shoot more often. Since ST aren't really designed to be sharpened, do you think one or 2 shots into a foam target are going to dull the blades enough to justify replacement before hunting with them?
From: raghorn
30-Aug-15
climb .on would you mind terribly if your surgeon practiced on a block of foam with the scalpel before he starting cutting on you?
From: mikesohm/magnus
30-Aug-15
On our heads use one for practice or two at the end of the season send them in and we will replace. lifetime replacement guarantee. good hunting to everyone
From: Chris in PA*
30-Aug-15
I shoot Magnus Snuffers. I Practice with the actual arrow/head that I will be using. I use a Sharpie on all 3 sides and drag them across a fine diamond stone until all of the black is gone. In the quiver and ready to go.
From: Tajue17
30-Aug-15
I use old blades in place of the new ones for practicing,,, I do have a few dull standard blades if you want me to send you a set to get started.
From: SBH
30-Aug-15
I would not use a slick trick that was shot through a target for hunting. That's just me. I have been using them for the last few years and they won't hold their edge after being shot. Replace the blades and you'll be good to go.
From: climb.on
30-Aug-15
Thanks guys. Raghorn - love the analogy. I'd be more worried that he was practicing on foam in the first place! LOL But the point is well taken.
Tajue17 that is very cool of you to offer (people on Bowsite rock). I think I will just dedicate a couple for practice heads and move those blades from those heads around as I shoot/tune the hunting arrows. Hopefully the ST's aren't a PITA to swap out. The Rages kinda sucked to replace.
From: nijimasu
31-Aug-15
I shoot slick trick heads, too. For practice and sighting in, I'll use dull blades that have already been shot if they are not bent or anything. I'm cheap, so I just put in replacement blades and load themin my quiver, or sharpen them with my lansky and a leather hone I made and put them back together. If all my broadheads spin perfectly, I've found that slick tricks will group just as tight as target tips for me.. They out-perform my shooting ability , pretty much.
From: Alzy
31-Aug-15
I'm super anal like r-man with my broadheads and arrows. I shoot each head and arrow together numerous times to ensure accuracy; I then sharpen and set aside for hunting. I never unscrew a head and place it on another arrow to hunt with until they have been shot together. I also ensure all blades and fletching line up the exact same way on each arrow. I always have a favorite; one arrow and broadhead that seem to fly a little better than all the others - I mark it with a jiffy and thats the first out of my quiver when hunting.
From: 12yards
31-Aug-15
I was shooting my 100 gr. Magnus Stingers yesterday and they were hitting a couple inches low and about an inch to the right of my field tips. Does this mean I need to move my rest up and to the left a touch?
From: Beendare
31-Aug-15
I'm with r-man and alzy- I shoot each one, touch up and in the quiver.
Its the only sure way to know that each arrow groups
From: R. Hale
31-Aug-15
Once my bow is dialed in I only shoot broadheads. I just pick a few and mark them.
From: Bake
31-Aug-15
I shoot each one on the numbered arrow that it will be on, then resharpen and in the quiver.
After I shoot an animal with it, I will shoot again, sharpen, and put back in the quiver
From: nijimasu
01-Sep-15
12 yards, that would be a start. And as you said, move just a touch at a time. I've found that for me it works best just to worry about the up and down first, and after I get target tips and heads shooting the same there, then I work on getting the horizontal zeroed together. If moving the rest doesn't do the trick, you can also move your nocking point down a hair at a time to bring the impact of your broadheads up. This is all my opinion,; there are a lot of guys on here that know a lot more about this than me.
From: CurveBow
01-Sep-15
With replaceable blade heads, what I have done is have practice blades. I shoot every arrow & broadhead combination using the practice blades. Then, I rank them as some shoot great, other arrows are designated for field point use only. I have often numbered them. Before the season opens, my top 4 arrows & broadheads got new sharp blades installed.
Some years, because a practice arrow & broadhead I kept in my target quiver shot so well and I was so confident in it, I replaced the blades with new ones and that became my #1 arrow.
With solid heads, I simply sharpened them up and placed them in my quiver. I carry 5 arrows total, 4 broadheads and one with a rubber blunt.
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From: CurveBow
01-Sep-15
One more thing - when shooting broadheads, even with dull blades, shoot at different aiming points! Otherwise, you will be replacing lots of vanes/feathers & nocks!
When shooting broadheads & field points at the same bullseye, shoot the broadhead first, then the field point. Less damage is likely to occur if you're a Robin Hood shot! LOL
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From: ahunter55
01-Sep-15
I use old blades, number my arrows & shoot them ALL. If any "flyers", rare with 3 blades I take out of the hunting arrows.
