Any ideas which will help my sleep?

I am now in my 44th year of hunting and it has now happened to me. This afternoon towards last light I stuck an Easton 2315 with a Thunderhead 125 diamonized three blade into the shoulder of a nice buck. The shot was about 20 yards, and the Matthews Z-Max was set to about 60 lbs. The buck turned and ran off and as nearly as I could tell the arrow had about 8 inches of penetration. The shot angle was a very slight quatering on, nearly totaly broadside, and the impact was about 2/3's up the body, and truly rocked him. At first light I will be out there, and will find him if I can. I am guessing 150 yards or so, and hopefully less.

I dont think you will sleep much. good luck finding him. jeremy

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Any ideas which will help my sleep?

A couple shots of good Canadian Rye Whiskey.

Good luck in the AM!

Cheers,
Canuck

Good luck tracking down your buck! I made a fairly similar shot on a mature doe a few years back, and never had one drop of blood. She went nearly 400 yards, and unfortunately, unrecovered. Talked with the fellow hunting the next property, and he said he found her about a week after I shot her. Because I hit the shoulder blade, no exit. Here's hoping your story has a better conclusion. Good luck!

gd

Good luck on finding him. If you got 8 inches into him he will be dead somewhere this AM. Once the arrowhead gets behind bone it will work on him every time he moves. If you got less than that, or the arrow turned forward you should be ready to shoot him when he gets up. Go slow and quiet as if you were hunting a bedded, unwounded deer. Now is not the time to rush.

This happened to me, and is the reason I use 2-blade heads now.

For penetration from any angle (and through the shoulder blade) try using a fixed 2-blade broadhead. They split bone and penetrate like nothing else. I've recently tried and liked the Magnus II screw-in BH. Just a quick hone to de-burr the edge and they are ready to go.

The Grizzly is the ultimate in penetration, but they are a hassle to sharpen, and do not come already glued straight on a ferrule like the screw-in Magnus.

The 2 blade SteeForce heads are good, too, but cost twice as much as the Magnus II.

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I've recently tried and liked the Magnus II screw-in BH. Just a quick hone to de-burr the edge and they are ready to go.

Good to hear. I think I will place an order and try them too. I am picking up some SF BHs on Saturday.

Cheers,
Canuck

No Joy to report.

The arrow was found after about 25 yards and was broken off 4 3/4" is missing. Blood trail was picked up shortly there after. Blood was strong but no bubbles or blown splatter pattern. Blood just stopped after about 175 yards.

The bastrad ran to the Lesbian/Lawyers yard! Not that I have anything against Lesbians or Lawyers... but what luck. These neighbors aren't shall we say pro gun or hunting...

My hope is that it is nothing more than a nasty flesh wound and the wife will drill him on the rifle opener this Saturday. We are going to call him "Overtime."

Sorry, Sako, but it happens - with a rifle or a bow.

It sounds like maybe the head was buried in the scapula.

A taxidermist friend says you wouldn't believe what they survive. He has found several heads buried in the spine, shoulder, etc. where the buck had fully recovered and was shot a year or more later.

A two blade head would probably have broken the spine or penetrated to the vitals through the scapula. It is for just these situations that I quit using the 3 and 4 blade Muzzy heads. I never had one of them come apart or bend on me on me. They are well-designed and strong, but no multiblade head will get through bone like a 2 blade - even if they are strong enough to reliably stay together.

You do get a better blood trail from a multiblade, but I think you get a surer kill from the 2 blade.

Hope you get him later.

Canuck,

Don't tell me you are actually getting out of the office and into the woods!

They're gonna take away your gold star!

I have some screw-in adapters that glue into your Journeyman head -- if you want to try them I will mail you some.

My season has sure slowed down - I've only seen the same 2-year-old buck the last several times out.

Don, It is an unfortunate aspect of our passions. I had had a bad incident with a mechanical head years ago and have had superior luck with the Thunderheads ever since. The angle and the bone just don't mix. I guess the Steel Force or the Magnus you recomend will be next years additions. Thanks for the good wishes.

The wife took a buck several years ago which had a this season shot through the stomach which was festered pretty badly, and a broadhead imbedded in his spine! The spine one was encrusted in bone and was a previous year! Her .308 was more tha a match for him though.

Sako,

Yeah, my taxidermist friend has a collection of those bone-encrusted broadheads.

Those bucks are tough.

I got fooled into trying the mechs one year also. Never again. The Muzzy/Thunderhead-type BH is infinitely superior to the mech, but the 2-blade is the ultimate in penetration.

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Canuck,

Don't tell me you are actually getting out of the office and into the woods!

VERY SOON. Bow season is Dec 1 to 20. I am now set up with a half dozen BHs that shoot pretty well...

3 of these...


And 3 of these...


The were a little finnicky to set up...had to have the main blades lined up with the cock fletch (or fairly close), or they'd plane a bit.

They are SHARP though.

When I was at Tim's camp there were tonnes of does...about 7 mild winters in a row has allowed the deer to build up BIG numbers. I can take 2 deer, of which only 1 can be a buck.

Cheers,
Canuck

ps: Sorry for the !

Good luck, Canuck! Isn't it cold up there by now? Those 4 blades will be OK for deer or black bear, but I'd use 2-blades for sure on anything bigger. I've always feared (and heard) that the serrated versions tended to trap hair and slow down. I know that there are fewer "slick" blade versions of the SteelForce this year, which is why I tried the Magnus IIs. I am not an experimenter by nature - SteelForce quit making the long, narrow version that I liked the best.

Say, I have watched that tape twice now - there may be something to this video business after all!


Gotta get out the door to make sure nothing goes by my stand again today ...

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Say, I have watched that tape twice now - there may be something to this video business after all!

ON

I knew you'd come around. You'll really appreciate it one day many moons from now, when we have a few brews and watch it together! Watching my 10yo hunting tapes with the guys that were there with me is a hoot. The stuff you remember collectively is amazing.

It has been really wet and mild here so far this fall/early winter. It is still above freezing most of the time, and the snow is only sticking at higher elevations.

You wouldn't believe all the deer. The wt deer around here this year make the impala at Landelani seem sparse. We should really get you out to Tim's deer camp on of these years.

Its -25 deg C in Chetwynd all week though! And it has been -25 to -35 C in Whitehorse for three straight weeks!

OFF, with apologies (again!)

Cheers,
Canuck

Fellas, ya know I have preached time and time again that light arrows and light broadheads, no matter how fast, will cost you animals. A prime example was just posted.
Jump on me all you want, YOU ARE WRONG!