Broadheads

I recently read a magazine article about which broadheads are best for shooting deer.  The article concluded by saying that some guys prefer some broadheads and others prefer others.  I thought that this was totally useless.

I've shot about 12 deer with a bow.  The first 8 were shot with a Bear Razorhead.

Bear Razorhead Broadheads

These were the traditional broadhead invented by Fred Bear.  (The picture is of broadheads from 1959, 1960, and 1964.)

My experience with them was to miss my first two shots at deer.  Although the broadhead I shot the second time is still stuck in the then 1" diameter tree that I didn't see and hit instead of the deer.

My third shot at a deer hit a buck in the heart, he did a u-turn and ran about 30 yards.

My fourth shot at a deer hit a buck in the back leg.  He ran in a large arc and I saw a softball sized amount of blood run down his leg.  he went about 80 yards.

My fifth shot at a buck also hit the buck in the back leg, he went 60 yards (I don't recommend hitting the deer there, and I don't know how I did.)

I've shot 3 other bucks in the heart or lungs, and one a bit too far back, with a Bear Razorhead all went less than 60 yards. 

I also shot a fawn with a Bear Razorhead.  I hit both lungs and the deer fell down, got up, and fell down again.

I have recovered every deer that I have ever hit with a Bear Razorhead.  No matter my poor shot placement.

Those broadheads are questioned by some because they have a big flat surface which can "plane," or curve through the air.  This may, perhaps, explain my poor shot placement.

Bear Razorheads have become hard to find.  So I have switched to the standard Muzzy 3 blade.

Muzzy 3 blade screw-in

Muzzy Picture

I have hit several bucks with a Muzzy 3 blade.  Of those that I have recovered: two went about 70 yards, one about 50 yards, and one went about 20 yards.  I also hit one in the guts that went 50 yards and bedded for about an hour.  He then got up and disappeared.  I hit a buck, that would have scored around 140 B&C last year, in the front shoulder.  I had blood drops for 70 yards and then they stopped.

I decided to stay with fixed blade broadheads because I do not like the idea of an expandable not expanding.  A fixed blade does not need to expand.

I liked the Muzzy 3 blade because it has three blades and should, therefore, not "plane" while in-flight.

After, just now, reviewing my experiences I am reminded that I am not satisfied with these Muzzys.

Ideally, I think, a broadhead should be:

• fixed (not expandable) 
• have 3 blades (to prevent "plane-ing") 
• have long blades that start at the tip (unlike the Muzzys).

(Having them able to hold an edge should go without saying.)

When I have looked at broadheads in the past it seemed that I could find only two of those three points in any one broadhead.

I will most likely stick with the Muzzys this year, but I would like to find a broadhead that meets all three of my three qualifications.