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Hunting & Fishing Light arrow weight results.

STI_1911_Guy

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Minuteman
Feb 1, 2011
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Michigan
So after hearing all of the debate over "to light of an arrow" i decided to run some tests of my own. Last year we were in need of reducing the doe population on our land and a friends and hear in michigan the DNR is in need of money badly enough to allow you to buy all the private land doe tags you want so no problem there. So i decided to put my money were my mouth is and try a "light arrow" at high speed and here was my setup. Mathews DXT high country speed pro max arrows and 2 blade 100gr rage at 347 FPS with a total arrow weight of 280 grains. Well below the 5gr per lb rule but that is not the subject here. So first doe 12 yds broke the spine going in and exited the chest (so far so good). Second doe 37 yds broke shoulder going in and coming out complete pass through. 3rd doe 23 yds double lung pass through. 4th doe 53 yds broke 4 ribs going in double lung and pass through out the other side. 5th and final doe was 33 yds quatering away broke 4 ribs and the opposite side shoulder on the way out. So while my "tests" are not a thousand years of stats i think if the light arrow was going to have a problem i would have seen something. So with that said i believe i will not have a problem shooting a lighter arrow as long as i can send it fast enough. And if i can push a 2 inch cut through a good amount of deer there would be no problem with a cut on contact tip or a smaller broadhead. Just my opinons.
 
Re: Light arrow weight results.

Be careful how you put light arrow, depending on the make up of the materials used your GPI can change drastically, I just want to clear that up for some new guys if they read this, go off of the deflection of the spine at what ever pound bow you shoot or the arrow will EXPLODE not in a cool way.

But thanks for the neat input, wish my state would get a little smarter about the doe population.
 
Re: Light arrow weight results.

Most modern day bow limbs can withstand thousands of dry fires without breaking so that is not as big of an issue as it used to be. This being said, I will never hunt a bigger game animal with that light of an arrow, but I also don't hunt with as heavy of an arrow as I used to. I have shot and killed hundreds of critters with arrows so I have a fairly sizable test set. With most modern compounds you should be shooting an arrow weighing in at around the 380 to 430 grain range. In all realitly, the slower the bow the heavier of an arrow that you need to shoot. Recurve shooters will mostly be shooting arrows that weigh in the 600-700 grain range to gain the penetration they need. Momentum of the arrow is more important than the kinetic energy of the arrow when all is said and done, but a faster arrow can build a good deal of both.

On most all bowhunts and especially those from a treestand, speed is not really that much of a factor. Shoot a group of arrows weighing 500 grains at the 20 yard mark and then do the same thing with a group weighing 400 grains and see just how huge of a difference it makes. You lose about 1-2 fps for each 5 grains of arrow weight added. You will lose about the same for every pound of draw weight that you decrease. For every inch of draw length you change the equivalent change in speed will be about 8-10 fps.

The number one most critical item to consider when killing stuff with a bow is the same as it has always been from day one. Shot placement. Everything else is secondary. Great shot placement will work whether you are using a 280 or a 380 or a 580 grain arrow and whether it is tipped with a field tip or a 2 inch broadhead, the end results are the same and that is a dead critter.
 
Re: Light arrow weight results.

I saw your post over on ArcheryTalk STI_1911_Guy

It's some pretty interesting stuff if you ask me. Thank you for posting the results.
 
Re: Light arrow weight results.

You're results are similar to mine. Never had an issue with penetration at high velocity with a super light arrow running expandable big broadheads. Never lost an animal due to penetration.

I shot a buck that was quartering away and going down a steep hill. (43yrd) Some how I clipped his hind quarters and entered in the vacinity of the last rib and stopped on the offside shoulder. He ran almost 80yds.
 
Re: Light arrow weight results.

I found some interesting information over on alaskabowhunting.com Dr. Ed Ashby did a ton of research on arrow/broadhead design and factors that influence penetration. There is a LOT of reading there. I never would have believed a pass thru on elephants/water buffalo would have been possible, even with today's high tech equipment.
 
Re: Light arrow weight results.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ARPredatorHunter</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> This being said, I will never hunt a bigger game animal with that light of an arrow, but I also don't hunt with as heavy of an arrow as I used to. </div></div>

I agree.

IMO whitetails are a fairly "poor" indicator of what your rig is capable of, if you ever aspire to take on something tougher or more substantial that is. Whities are pretty fine boned and thin skinned.

Ive always said, pigs are the end all be all test of a bowhunting rigs ability to punch bone, penetrate, and kill.

There isnt a bone on a whitetail im afraid of. But a shoulder/plate on a big pig is a completely different case.
 
Re: Light arrow weight results.

I agree with Goose but my choice is Elk. Their hide and bones are considerably tougher. But like ARP said shot placement is the answer. I have seen deer killed with target points. A result of nocking the squirrel arrow on accident. When going to larger game a balance of speed and energy is the best bet. The choices in bows today can give plenty of both with shootability.
 
Re: Light arrow weight results.

I was eight years old when i killed my first black bear, it was with a Hoyt and draw weight of 28 lbs. Both lungs with a pass through. The bear went 18 yards. I think it's about a good sharp broadhead more then anything.