THE 90% RULE- How I look at Arrow & Broadhead Choice

Until you have just as much experience with fix blades good quality fix blades I think that your mind might be changed! shot expendables for years switch to fix blades about 10 years ago and my success has definitely skyrocketed with pass through! Not only that they don’t even know their hit most the time and run very little if at all Unlike getting hit in the ass with a 2 x 4

I had a big deer take a step on release resulting in a gut shoot, fortunately the broadhead was a Rocket Buck blaster hybrid with 1 in. Fixed and 3 2.75in mechanical blades . The deer went 30 yards and fell over in site. Big holes matter especially when things go wrong!

Clearly most don’t understand forensic’s….lethality of a stab vs. slash 😂

It also sounds like you have no idea how the physiology works. A gaping wound in the chest wall does exactly the same thing as a small wound in the chest wall Because all mammals have a mediastinum. You seem unaware that animals can develop pneumothorax multiple ways.

But that's not even important. I know Randy Ulmer went on and on about pneumothorax, But if you slam the pulmonary vessels instead of just puncturing some parts of the lungs, Animals die way before the new mothorax would develop to the point of being fatal.

What the flying hell? I don't care what you've done in your life or what you've accomplished, you've accomplished it despite your intelligence level not because of it. All your conclusions in this video beyond reason. You keep saying common sense and logic. And you're not even remotely using common sense or logic.

I have worked in a Trauma 1 hospital for over 20 years. I take X-rays and CT, So i'm often the first guy to see what happened to somebody. I have seen hundreds of gunshot wounearly as many stabbing and plenty of other assaults. I would WAY rather be hit with an axe than stabbed with a knife. Anywhere except the head and neck.

An axe and a knife are not even close to a good representation. A mechanical broadhead is not LIKE an axe. An axe has a tremendous amount of momentum as well as follow through behind the impact. It's an inappropriate comparison.

Go back and ask all those people if they'd rather be stabbed with a putty knife or a dagger. That's the real comparison.

Superficial trauma is not in the same league as deep trauma. Internal organs are internal for reason.

Tell you what, you shoud compare getting hit with an axe as hard as an arrow hits, not as hard as lumberjack swings. Shoot that axe out of your bow and see how many people are afraid of it.

God, you're so apples and oranges here. I've never heard of worse comparison of my life. You're so far outside of logic and reason that I cannot believe you are doing anything other than defending the industry that sells people the wrong things. It's offensive, bro.

Every one needs to listen to the owner of tooth of the arrow broadheads who is a surgeon. There is a Misjudgment that trauma kills animals in bow hunting and that big holes kill faster and that isn’t true. The goal is a a heart shot or a double lung shoot. No animal dies from blood loss ,they die from vital organ failure such as a heart not working or 2 deflated lungs. Fixed will always give you penetration and that is second to shot placement.

I don’t get the logic here. Yes, a big mechanical will work if you hit that spot, but so will a good fixed blade. Square up a rib and I would much rather have a good solid fixed blade head, especially if the animal is quartering.

When I accidental cut myself shaving the bleeding is hard to stop. So in essence that is what I want to hunt with a super sharp blade over a blunt blade.

John you are shooting heavy arrows.

I hate Expandable broadheads, I went back to 150 grain bear Razorblades. I don't get penatration with them at all, I lost the biggest buck of my life 3 years ago from not enough blood trail from no exit hole. I looked for him for days.

Pass throughs is the ethical bow hunter goal. Sorry but this is not okay thinking! You can make a plan b with mechanical. Just need a good heavy arrow to do it. You cut the arteries it doesn’t matter but animals move they come in quartering to you, you will want and need a good setup to put it down or you let it walk. You never want the arrow stuck in animal.

Definitely got me thinking. Im a brand new hunter and have settled on a single bevel fixed blade. I pull 63# 28" draw with 420gr arrows. From the research I did using fixed blades lighter arrows seemed best. This has me thinking about that choice when I go to get new arrows. Thanks for the information in a common sense way.

i love big fixed blade broadheads for checking my tune. even if your expandable doesn't open if its a good shot you'll still be successful.

A 539 grain arrow is not what i see most mechanical shooters using. You snuck into heavy. I certainly wouldn’t compare most of the mechanical heads to a hatchet either unless your hatchet is made of cheap Chinese steel and folds up like a cheap lawn chair if it hits anything more dense than jello. You’re a great shooter John and avoiding bone should be everyone’s goal. Lots of us choose more substantial heads (or go back to them) after witnessing substantial expandable failures. If you’ve never had one fail and you have confidence by all means use what you think is best. But planning to execute a perfect shot every time with no margin for error or contingency plan is not on my list of ethics. Any broadhead or arrow combination does not excuse poor shot selection or passing a bad shot because it’s too risky. YMMV

Where though?

"I'm shooting a 539 grain arrow out of a 74# bow..." and he has what, a 32+" draw length? Yeah that's a HEAVY set up... 🙂

Love JD but I think he’s wrong here. Two holes trauma trumps one wide imo. Iron will Bill has a lot of research in this field. And Most bullets struggle to penetrate things a sharp fixed doesn’t.

I’ll take the axe lodged into my chest and stuck there, rather than a hole blasted through me that is unable to close.

Still not convinced, I do believe in accuracy and shot placement which mechanics absolutely work. With that being said, I can not guarantee every hunting situation will be able to hit “soft spots” where I need to shoot to ethically and efficiently take the animals life without causing the animal a long, painful end of life.

I think we all agree Shop placement is number one. that being said these are live targets and they move constantly if you tell me you put that arrow 100% in a spot you’re aiming every time either you’re a liar or you haven’t shot enough animals. When things go right awesome the deer is dead anyway when things go wrong I want something on the end of my arrow that can take it and keep going!

Logic is terrible. But it’s your opinion. Trailing a deer with two holes means more blood loss on the ground.

That white looks sic!!! Why dont they offer that version!

Man the flight of a bigger fixed blade can be such a bummer, but some of the mechanical heads are so cheap and chinsy.

If you take more than one animal per year I think it makes sense to go with a tough, heavy fixed blade that can be reused. I think we can agree most mechanicals are one and done, and going through more than one of the
Per year gets pricey.

Good one john, i knew where you were goin with that which one you want to be chopped with right of the bat and yeah you shoot arrows that are plenty heavy , i mean those are heavy enough for anything in north america and most of Africa. Im shooting 65 pounds out of a Carbon Air, 440 grain arrow 286 fps and either grim reaper fatal steels or if ive had some fairy dust i might whip out my Exodus and knock something down haha😂. What im saying is i agree theres more than 6 ways to skin a dog so get in your lane and share the road dont push your magic powder on everyone unless they like snorting it hu?

This latest series has convinced me that I never should have left shooting mechanicals. At a 29.5" draw and shooting 490-510gr arrows, penetration isn't going to be an issue with a mechanical, and I'm not sure why I ever dediced I needed to chase more with fixed blade heads. Fixed blades did make me learn how to tune, but even with a tuned bow, I found all but the most compact of fixed blades couldn't tolerate any slight form deviation without ending up off line by several inches at 30 yards.

Choosing between fixed blade and mechanical broadheads depends on the hunter's preference, the type of game being pursued, bow type, and shooting conditions. Both can be highly effective when used properly. It's advisable to experiment with both, understand their characteristics, and choose what aligns with your hunting style and the game you're after. Always ensure that your broadheads are sharp and well-maintained to guarantee optimal performance. Thanks for the video!

Which expandable BH were you using?

I want to shot through Soft tissue...I would think an arrow staying inside has a chance of causing more trauma

18 meters, 11 yards? 😂

Of course no one aims at bone, but everything we do aim at is very well surrounded & protected by bone. That's why we build heavy arrows. One of the most important factors in bowhunting penetration & lethality is structural integrity of the broadhead. There is absolutely no way that an expandable head is more durable than a fixed blade. The gap between ribs narrows with every quartering degree until, eventually, no gap exists at all & you're left shooting at a solid wall of bones at a diagonal angle. Are you going to take that shot with a head that has known and proven weak spots designed to fold those blades backwards? I think not. Which would you rather get stabbed with? A retractable razor knife, or a Bowie knife? And which do you think stands a better chance against bone?

Expandable’s are more like a weak chincey axe with huge cutting diameters and single bevels are the smaller cutting diameter like the knife with the added benefit of a possible bone hit axe splitting power.

Your bring up some good points but logically the single bevel has more advantages then disadvantages. The most negative thing is the drop in speed and flight of the arrow.

That’a a decision of the archer and thier approach/style of hunting with what option will benefit them more.

I feel with this video your disregarding the benefits of a single bevel. I never herd anyone say the single bevel will def split an elks scapula. the off chance you hit bone it’s gonna do way better than expandable has bin proven.

Funny ready the comments. I knew the “Ashby” tribe would be chiming in the their 650 grain, bone breaking threshold narrative. Lol those folks are hilarious, it’s almost like a religion for them. 😂😂

Consider this massive detail .

You’re wrong about preferring the arrow to stay in the wound channel. paramedics, EMTs, and first responders are trained that any penetrating wound with a foreign object in it to leave the foreign object in and stabilize whatever is left outside of the wound, because massive hemorrhaging will happen when it is removed. when the object is in the wound channel it is slowing blood loss and preventing the massive drop in blood pressure.

Trauma. Yeah, you’ll be traumatized when that giant buck runs off because your mechanical went boink and penetrated 3 inches.

Well said! I can't image going back to a fixed blade head. Mechanical heads have redefined lethality.

This has been my position for a long time! Why do people get caught up in the, "I need the heaviest arrow I can possible shoot in case I hit bone." There is no magic formula for a bad shot. Why try and hug a shoulder for a heart shot when you have a pie plate to shoot at in the double lung area of an animal? Make ethical soft tissue shots and it will be a quick kill. Well said Dud!! I shoot a 2+" expandable. they fly great for me, they are tuned for my bow and if you wait for your shot they kill quickly.

Now, that is something for us all to really think about and ponder, great explanation brother on your point of view, I also always aim for the soft spot.

Okay so I shoot a EVL 32 60 lb.max Draw 28 inch draw length. What weight of arrow would you suggest that would have that mix of speed and enough weight to push a mechanical through a whitetail chest cavity

The mechanical broadhead market is freaking out after enjoying 30 years of owning the market. Follow the money...

Need the Ranch Fairy to discuss....

Great groups! Thanks for the input JD but Give me pass thrus for my style of hunting all day so I can be home eating back straps with the family by night. . I mainly hunt from a tree saddle at elevation. I only shoot 60 lb from the saddle for ease of draw and execution while swinging from trees. For my style of hunting in my region, its cut on contact around 500 grains to get that paint roller blood trail coming from the exit wound on the lower quarter of the opposite side of the animal. With a COC, bring on the scapula on these smaller southern deer, not that I'm aiming for it but it does happen. I also encounter wild hogs in my neck of the woods occasionally. They give a hefty grunt and hit the thicket with mechs into their shield with extemely difficult vital area (golden triangle). In my experience, mechs make for long nights in the river botooms because these animals in high pressured MS don't hold still very long and perfect 12 rings don't always happen in my experiences. I need blood everywhere in the wet forest floor to make sure I get a quick recovery. Also, the animals react differently when a clean pass thru is achieved. Like Forrest said in the movie: it's like the animal thinks "something just jumped up and bit me"! 😂😂. I've witnessed them bound about 40 yd and just stand there literally dead on their feet until collapse. With mechs, they react like theyve been slapped on the rump with a hearty HA-YAH and they bolt off in a wild sprint. Our regions and hunting styles differ and we must figure out what works best for us as individuals and respect one anothers styles and choices.

Not to be johnny raincloud over here, and i want to make it clear that john Dudley is a phenomenal archer and bow hunter and i have tons of respect for his work, but the analogy with the knife and hatchet is very poor. Comparing them to broadheads. A hatchet is swung with a great deal more force and with a different motion than a knife is used to stab. If you want to make the comparison it would be more accurate to ask whether you would want to be stabbed with a knife, or be stabbed (in the same physical motion with same amount of force) with a hatchet. In that scenario i and most people would pick being stabbed by a hatchet over a knife because it wouldn't penetrate like a knife would. Arrows fly the same and hit with the same motion and ener whether its a mechanical or fixed head (assuming they are the same weight and on the same arrow)

If 90% of our roads are paved, we should never need a 4wd truck

Love your content but don’t be weird with meters just say yards

Agreed I shoot Levi Morgan’s 2.5 Shwacker and practice pump house shots and they don’t go far . Thanks again JD

Who has or would shoot an Elk Frontal shot with a mechanical ?

I’m pretty sure JD can hunt with that hatchet and get it done.

I am shooting a Easton axis 5mm 400g with a wrap and lighted nock with a 100gr broad head any idea what my arrow weights ????