Main Discussion Area > Shooting and Hunting

Shooting Light Arrows

(1/8) > >>

Mechslasher:
don't know if this belongs here are arrows, but here goes.  there is a thread on the leatherwall where someone asked about hunting with light arrows.  i posted that i have heard and seen evidence of light arrows bouncing off ribs.  long story short, i was called crazy as hell.  i have skinned in the neighborhood of 700-1000 deer and found broadheads in ribs and other bones.  after about 20+ posts, i went to check out some stuff written by dr. ashby.  i feel safe in saying that he is the foremost expert on arrow performance and this is some of his experiences with light arrows:

"Three times I've seen arrows stopped on nearly broadside
shots by the entrance-side ribs of modest size pigs – with two
of those bouncing back. All three of those shots were with
high-poundage bows (the lightest-draw being a 65# compound),
but with poorly selected arrow setups. One PH I was co-guiding
with, Ben Bronkhorst, also had a client's arrow bounce back
from a warthog's rib. The arrow swapped ends and passed
between himself and the client. That was on a shot from 15
feet. The very light weight carbon arrow, from a 70# compound,
tipped with a light-weight multi-blade broadhead hit only a
rib on entrance. Total penetration, measured against the blood
and tissue on the broadhead was a mere 22 millimeters (0.87").
I've also seen arrows stopped by whitetail and impala
ribs, scapulas, shoulder bones, hip bones, leg bones and
spines. My collection of broadheads recovered by meat
processors from rifle killed deer is steadily growing. There's
no question that someone, somewhere is definitely having
penetration problems, even on whitetails!"

several are back peddling now and saying anything is possible.  all of a sudden, maybe i'm not crazy as hell.

mullet:
 On a hunting trip to Kentucky several years ago, one of the locals had shot a deer with his compound. My buddies little Dachsund trailed it for a mile and a half before he jumped the deer and ended up chewing it's hamstring, or back leg tendon. If that hadn't happened it would have got up and probally run another mile.
 
 We got it back to camp and skinned it for camp meat. When we went home they told us to take what was left with us, While I was cleaning and bagging the rest  I damn near cut my finger off. It had one of those, open on contact blades stuck part way through the scapula and I hit it with my finger. He was shooting light weight points and arrows and got about 2" of penetration.

Justin Snyder:

--- Quote from: Mechslasher on January 25, 2010, 10:19:37 pm --- all of a sudden, maybe i'm not crazy as hell.

--- End quote ---
I don't know about that, you go hunting with Eddie don't you.

There is absolutely a point where the arrow becomes too light and will bounce off. I can reproduce this on a Styrofoam target in my back yard. The first bows I made for my kids were super light. If you shot the light arrows they bounced off. I could shoot one of my 500 grain arrows from the same bow and it would stick, provided I could lob it enough to hit the target.  ;)

Mechslasher:
i've now had a couple of these fellows contact me to say that ashby only worked with large african game, but the above quote clearly says mid-size pig, whitetails, and other mid-size animals.  i guess ron "tater salad" white is right afteral, you can't cure stupid.

Hillbilly:
I'm a firm believer in heavy arrows for hunting. I'll take kinetic energy over speed any day.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page