Best Plains Game Broadhead
International
I have a trip scheduled next year for plains game animals. The PH suggested Slick Tricks and Grim Reapers. I change to the GR for deer season and I have not been too pleased. Broken blades and "okay" blood trail. Over the past 4 years I have shot Rage, please don't start, with no issues. I am willing to change broad heads, but I am not sure what heads will work best.
Who has gone for plains game and what did you use?
Thanks for your time.
I just got back from there in August with African Barefoot Safaris. I used a fixed blade (125 grain WacEm XL) and had 8 animals with 8 shots. I also used a heavy arrow with a 50 grain insert up front.
On his website the PH says fixed only, but once we got there he told me he was going to change that and that he actually prefers mechanicals also. He kills everything with mechanicals including giraffe and plans a Cape Buffalo hunt with one too. I just don't remember which one he uses. You may want to pm Reon (He's a Bowsite Sponsor) and ask him. He's probably killed more African game than almost anybody on here.
I had hunted 4 times for plains game. I had used Muzzy and Thunderheads Both worked very well
I would consider nothing but Cut-On-Contact BH's.
If you have used Rage successfully in the past, and like them, I would continue to do so. Several of us have used them on plains game multiple times with no issues at all. The majority of species have very little hair to cut through, and we've had no problems with penetration. I tend to use a little heavier arrow when I shoot them, FMJ, but we've shot Zebra, several very large Warthogs, Kudu, Waterbuck, Impala, Blue Wildebeest, Gemsbok and several others and have never had a problem with any of them going very far.
Some safari companies won't allow mechanicals, so make sure yours will. I think this is changing over time, however, as they see how effective they are on plains game.
Exodus by QAD is what I used. 8 pass through out 9 shots. Awsome broadhead
Wasp Boss 100 grain. Worked well for me on Kudu, Gemsbok, Wildebeest, Waterbuck & several smaller species.
The best piece of advice I can give you is study the vitals on your target animals very closely. I made what looked to be an awesome broadside shot on my Gemsbok. Got the shot on video as well. I ended up having to shoot it again 7 hours after the first shot. I was probably only 1'' too high but that was all it took.
It would have been a certain killing shot on any N. American game.
Who are you hunting with Dan? You will have a ball!
I shoot WASP 125's myself
Slick Tricks are hard to beat...I used them on my trip over there. Nyala, impala, warthog..all pass thru except nyala because I hit the opposite shoulder
i dont know the best but shot 14 with Montec 125 very happy
Take whatever you are comfortable with deer. It will work sufficiently on plains game. I would try to keep my arrow at 450 grains or more but I shot quite a few animals in RSA with a 420 gr. arrow and had no issues.
Your broadhead selection may depend on which plains game animals you are targeting. You have impala on one end that are easy to penetrate and then you have eland which are the size of a moose. A thin, light head that may work great on impala may not work as well on an eland. I suggest selecting a broadhead that will do the job on the biggest plains game animal you may encounter and it will work on smaller stuff as well.
I am targeting; Zebra, Impala, wildebeest, Kudu and Gemsbok. Has anyone shot a Zebra? Is the hide a thicker skin?
Do I need a broad head with a larger cutting surface, or will the 1 inch to 1 3/8 inch be enough?
Slick tricks come in a 150 grain option. Do I need to go that heavy?
600 grain arrow and Alaskan Bow Hunting Supply single bevel Massi heads. Abowyer Bonehead is another to look at, 200 gr screw in, also in a single bevel.
I shot the striker 1.5 inch last time I went..
If i were going right now i would probably be shooting NAP kill zones and QAD exodus. Anything smaller than a Kudu probably would get the mechanical
I shot easton axis arrows, with 100 gr Slick Trick standard heads...total weight was 420 gr. Had no issues...Like it's been said a hundred times.. it's all about the shot placement, I aimed straight up the leg, a third of the way up...good luck, I'm seriously jealous, can't wait to go back
I just came back from Africa in August and I used Montecs. I chose them because I could resharpen them if I needed to, they worked fine. I would check with the PH because some of them don't like mechanicals. I also would study the kill zones on African animals as they are farther forward than North American game.
Would highly recommend a total arrow weight in the neighborhood of 500 grains.
I shoot 125 gr. heads
I have used 2-Blade Stinger Buzzcuts, Slick Tricks (regular), 2-blade VPA's and 3-blade Woodsmen Elite. Have been successful with all heads.
Proper Shot Placement is the key !!!!! Aim for deltoid in front shoulder and you are in "pay dirt".
The zebra was probably my most treasured trophy on my hunt. If your lucky enough to get one within range. I didn't even seen one until day 8. I wouldn't say it has thick skin but definitely has alot of muscle. My zebra was my easiest recovery as i watched it fall 20 yards away with my exodus broadhead.
I used Montec, 100 Gr. Carbon Steel broadheads on my plains game hunt and had good success. I heavied up my arrow weight from my regular whitetail set-up. As others have said, shot placement is key. Get the Dries Visser Videos. Vol. 9 has shot placement instructions for the most common plains game animals. Most shots will be 25 yards or less unless you decide to get out of the hide and do some stalking.
"I am targeting; Zebra, Impala, wildebeest, Kudu and Gemsbok. Has anyone shot a Zebra? Is the hide a thicker skin?"
I shot a zebra at thirty-five yards with a NAP Spitfire. Short trailing job. Well actually we saw him once we stepped out of the blind. Also shot the others you list, plus warthog, baboon and Klipspringer. Ten animals all together with a mix of Spitfire, Slick Trick and a Rage on the Impala. My PH was a HUGE Rage fan. Me not so much.
I don't think you can go wrong with any quality broadhead that flies well for you.
Nice thing is, the Zebra has it's own built in "bullseye"!
Definitely pre-arrange the permit for baboon.!!
make it sharp and make it accurate. frankly after that it is not fighting about.. been there 4 times
Slick trick standards with 500 total grain arrow.Seven for seven easy blood trails and a big taxidermy bill .Have fun relax and pinwheel em.
Woodie
all with Muzzy and Thunderhead
all with Muzzy and Thunderhead
Think tough. Kill zones tend to be tight to the shoulder on African game.
175 grain VPA 3 blade, great head easy to sharpen. No zebra are not that thick skinned, but sold muscle. I have shot 4.I shoot Easton 20/20 alum arrows 175 grain VPA 3 blade broadheads total weight 615 grains. Forrest
"Think tough. Kill zones tend to be tight to the shoulder on African game."
They (Killzones) are also a great Broad head. :)
I tend to want a tough broadhead in 125g on a heavier arrow. Started years back with Thunderheads which worked just fine except for the occasional snapped/bent insert blade, but I moved to 125g Slick Trick Mags for the more recent hunts with excellent results.
As has been said: keep it sharp, use something tough enough for the game and put it in the right place. That formula should work on all your plains game including eland.
14 Plains game animals and all with Thunderhead 100s. No problem. Everything from Cape Eland to Kudu. Zebra and Blue Wildebeest. 420 grain arrow all in.
If you go for larger game then you'll want to go to a heavier arrow 900 to 1100 grains which includes a heavier broadhead. I used a Grizzly Stik Safari arrow with a 315 grain Ashby two blade single bevel broadhead. Used that on Cape Buffalo, Livingston Eland and Sable although the Thunderhead 100s would have worked fine on the Livingston Eland and Sable. I just didn't want to switch set-ups from the Cape Buffalo rig for that trip. Good luck and have a ball.
I've been twice.. I used Muzzy 125 3 blade behind a 525 grain arrow and it worked well for us. Our guide requested we not use mechanicals although I have successfully taken elk with grim reapers.
I killed 5 Plains Game animals in a row with the same exact BH. Just pulled out of the dirt, resharpened and back in the quiver. VPA 3Blade.
Toby, was your Black Wildebeest taken at Tshepe Safaris in South Africa? The Hide looks familiar.
I used Magnus Buzz Cuts on all my critters. Nothing go away.
TBB
G5 Montecs. Killed everything from kudu to diker.
