Category Archives: Bows and Arrows

Arrow Shot Placement on Black Bear

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Hunting black bears with bow or crossbow requires some study of bear anatomy for correct shot placement. When I taught bowhunter education years ago we focused largely on whitetail deer.  My Outfitter will cover shot placement as well.

The National Bowhunter Education Foundation sells small synthetic 3D black bears, deer, etc. ($65) where the anatomy can be seen and a pin representing the arrow can be inserted to see what vitals were hit. The next best is a special target sold by Amazon. The company is called “ethikill” anatomy targets. On one side is a broadside bear and the opposite side is the anatomy, bones, heart lungs, liver and intestines. The hunter can shoot it and see the opposite side, e.g., what vital organs were hit. Many experts prefer a slight quartering away shot so the arrow enters and penetrates forward. 

The downside is that bears don’t often stand quartering for such a shot for any length of time. Broadside is still a great shot.

A video from “Bowhunting road” does a great job to educate. Here it is…

The Ethikill target is excellent for broadside shots. 

A double lung hit and your bear won’t go any distance at all, sometimes just feet. 

Good Bear Hunting!

 

Soon – Alberta Bearcation

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The clock is ticking. Getting excited! In just a few weeks I will be in a bear camp. Some folks have a Vacation, but Albertans “and guests” who hunt have a Bearcation.

I shoot my fast 10 Point crossbow daily and play with arrows, fletching and broadheads like a kid in a sandbox with a toy dump truck and bulldozer.

Recently, I watched a video of a family with three generations of bear hunters. Many are teens and 20’s seen whooping dancing and stomping like american indians prepping for the hunt in a large garage below. The senior dad is hunting with his crossbow, like I will be doing. 

Sooo much fun watching the hunting spirit of this family. 

Western Canada has tons of big black bears. Success rates are typically very high. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario are chockablock full of ’em. And as a meat-eater that makes my day. 

My grandkids have just started deer hunting with their dad and me. Maybe get them out on a bearcation in a few years. 

Get Excited! Adventure – Go Hunt!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heavier Crossbow Arrow/Bolt Hunting Thoughts

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Most crossbow companies sell “arrow speed” to sell Crossbows based on say, a 400 grain arrow/bolt.

Yes, sure, that 400 fps equates to delivered kinetic energy to game but what about penetration?

Will a 500 or 600 grain arrow get more momentum thus deeper penetration. On a target butt, you won’t see a dramatic difference because it is the target butts job to stop the arrow. It is not flesh.

The same crossbow will lose some speed with the heavier arrows but gain in penetration.

African bowhunters on really big game use say 800 to 900 grain arrows. Bolts are shorter but a 500 to 600 grain bolt will carry more momentum thus penetration. 

An exit wound for an arrow provides the all important blood trail.

If hunting moose or larger, for example; With crossbow, use a heavier arrow.

Below is what Fred Bear said on the subject; https://www.arkansashunting.net/threads/what-did-fred-bear-say-about-heavy-arrows.95210/

Good Hunting!

Find Lost Arrows – Bought an Inexpensive Metal Detector – It Worked

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I have always been looking for an excuse to buy a metal detector. Costs range from $79 to many hundreds. Mine was $147. Over the years I have lost arrows in fields. Today my crossbow arrows cost $10 or so per arrow. Finding them was not difficult with the metal detector. I found the head of a golf seven iron too. Maybe you need an excuse to buy one. Amazon delivered mine in a day. Assembly was easy.  

Have Fun!

Todays Hunting Crossbows Live Their Useful Lives In Between A Rifle and a Bow and Arrow.

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I am both a bowman and a rifleman and I shoot both very well. Todays crossbows can launch an arrow/bolt at sizzling speeds of over 500 fps, faster than the best compound bows.

Most crossbows today shoot bolts typically in the 300 to 400 fps but the 500’s are out there now. I own two crossbows, a Grizzly recurve from Excalibur which shoots at 300 fps and has taken wild boar and turkey. Full penetration.

Grizzly by Excalibur

My main crossbow is a 10 Point Turbo S1 which launches a 425 grain arrow at around 360 fps. Fast enough and with enough momentum to penetrate the largest of wild game.

Both rifle and bow are great hunting tools. We just need training and practice to master them!

Good Hunting!

Ten Point Crossbow and Oracle X: It’s A Packer Of A Swhacker For Big Black Bear

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In less than 50 days I’ll be flying 2200 miles across the USA and arriving in Grande Prairie Alberta, Canada for a week of  “two-fer” crossbow black bear hunting.

Tenpoint Turbo S1 Crossbow Package (Vektra Camo)

 

I chose to travel specifically to Alberta to hunt these unusually large color phase black bears. My Ten Point Turbo S1 Arrow/Bolts are equipped with Swhacker 231 broadheads.

With my Burris Oracle X Laser Scope, I practice at 15 to 30 yards for deer and bear and target shoot well beyond to 60 yards and more with supreme accuracy.

 

The laser works best after 20 yards by lighting the aiming point. 

Back to Swhackers; It’s cutting sharp hardened steel trocar tip leads the entry till the sharp swhacker wings enter tissue and swing the 2 1/2 inch razor sharp blades to bear, (pardon the pun).

Literally, broadside exit wounds are nearly assured with crossbows shooting 360 fps. I remember in the 1960’s, reading Fred Bear, said of his two edge broadhead blades…”It makes them lay low.” The swhacker does that in spades. I shot a red practice swhacker head out to my 60 yards target yesterday. Here is a entrance and exit picture.

I was impressed and hit the bullseye too.

Good Shooting!

 

 

 

Frozen Crossbow Vanes A Problem? UPDATE

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Todays arrow vanes are supposed to be soft and supple. Right?  Recently, I was setting up my 10 Point Turbo S1 crossbow and new Oracle X scope in below freezing snow and cold weather because I was tired of cabin fever. You too!

My crossbow arrows, set up with Swhacker 231 practice heads were not grouping as well as I’d like in this freezing weather.

 

What could be the problem, I thought? My new Oracle X  scope needs electronics to run but the stats say my scope should be fine down to minus 15F. Could limbs and cams be affected? Maybe. But, the very next few days, temperature’s were in the high 40’s and mid 50’s. Accordingly, my fears melted away as groups tightened to my expectations even out to 45 yards. Very nice indeed! 

I did not set up an experiment to prove my theory. However, I was shooting a 3.5 inch helical fletch, longer than usual thus it made sense that if the plastic helical fletch was rock hard from the freezing cold, it could have difficulty in the narrow launch ramp and bump during the spin. I switched arrows with a 1 degree offset and a shorter 3 inch vanes.  With temp’s in the 50’sF they flew great, almost identical to my longer warmer helical vanes with practice swhackers. Thus, I believe my frozen helical vane issue was temperature driven. Perhaps switching to the 1 degree offset and shorter vanes is the way to go? Time and many arrows will tell.

UPDATE

Today, March 9th Temperatures were a balmy 35 to 37ºF. I have field points which I have weighted to mimic my Swhacker 231 heads. In addition, I shot both 3 inch 1 degree offset vanes and 3.5 inch helical vanes at 20 yards and at 35 yards with my 10 Point Crossbow/w Oracle X Laser rangefinding scope. The results were that both vane types and offsets at this temperature shot exactly the same even at 35 yards in image below. 

The takeaway here is that really cold vanes below 32F can affect crossbow arrows during launch. 

Secondly, that the helical fletch is not necessary with Swhackers as there is very little blade to plane.  However may add steering value with traditional broadheads. 

Good Shooting!

                        

Hard Time Pulling Crossbow Arrows? UPDATE

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Many crossbow archers are experiencing a very tough time pulling arrows from some of today’s broadhead targets. I recently purchased  a Morrell Yellow Jacket yj-380 target and it stopped my arrows well but had a really hard time pulling my crossbow arrows.

Accordingly, I have purchased the 10 Point Arrow Puller below and it comes with different grip diameters. 

It works great for some layered foam targets but less so for the Yellow Jacket. I really struggled, even sitting on the target! The yellow jacket really grips your arrow.

UPDATE

The Magnum Grip on Amazon below is excellent but costs more. Works great on crossbow arrows and you can twist field point arrows to break the foam grip.

I have found several arrow lubricants that aid in pulling arrows. Most lubes cost around 15 bucks. You can find them on Amazon. But I’m using some recommended shoe shine polish at $6.70 dollars on Amazon. Others use Ivory soap on a few inches of the arrow tip to keep the cost down. I will try that too. 

I will update what I find works. The key is, don’t get arrow lube on your hands or you will find it almost impossible to pull your arrows. 

 

This polish has a brush you can use to apply to the first few inches of your arrow.

I have two 3D Targets coming, A bear and a deer. We will see how my crossbow bolts pull from them with some lubricant. 

Good Shooting and Easier Arrow Pulling!

Burris Oracle X Crossbow Scope Review

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I bought this Burris Oracle X scope hoping to extend the fun and accuracy I can have in my backyard and in big game hunting. Cost: $644 on Amazon. This is definitely not a toy.

 

 

The warranty includes lifetime fix or replacement, no questions asked whether new or used. Wow!

The video below is excellent!

I own a very accurate 10 Point Turbo S1 Crossbow below (before adding the new scope) .

 

The scope can be setup for 2 different arrow weights, aka target and broadhead hunting setups. When I am in summer mode, I can setup to target shoot out to 75 to 100 yards for fun. In fall, I can setup for max 50 yards in the deer woods with heavier broadhead tipped arrows.

Things I will need to setup the scope:

  • A very steady rest. I have a great adjustable clamp type Death Grip tripod. It works! You can use a bench rest too.
  • I needed to purchase a 10 Point raised cheek comb to have better eye alignment. 

  • Get a torque wrench for clamping the scope to the picatinny or weaver base, and torque to 40 to 70 in-lbs. I own a Wheeler Fat Wrench. Test for eye relief distance before torquing down screws.

 

  • A few Extra Lithium Batteries. CR123 or CR123A work. I like Duracell but the scope does come with a battery.

 

My practice priority is for the hunting setup with my 125g Swhacker 231 practice broadheads. I get close with field points at 20 yards then switch to the practice Swhacker heads and make minor adjustments. 

The most important thing, Oracle says,  is to shoot accurately at the get-go for 20 yards. I mean within 1/4 inch of center if possible.

Read the short Instruction Manual. Takes 10 minutes.

 

Next, I began the electronic truing at hunting yardages of 35 yards. The software allows for two arrow types and gives you a max of four truing points. Set Range (SR) 1 to SR 4. I began with just SR 1. It was dead on at the 35 yard target. It was for my first and only 35 yard shot today as I have a family gathering.  More soon for SR 2 at 50 yards. Then, go hunt!!

Wow! I like this laser rangefinding scope!!

Good Shooting!

 

 

 

 

Crossbow Hunting Arrow Vanes – Stock Vanes Or Your Own Mounted Vanes – Update

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Today crossbow arrow vanes usually come as stock with one degree offset. Sometimes it is hard to see the one degree offset. 

Offset fletching works fine with field points and mechanical broadheads that hide much of the blade. But as I have said before, not so well for fixed blade accuracy.

I was happy with the offset vanes and swhackers but I felt stuck in that nich with no flexibility. I pushed myself to break out of that nich and try some helical vanes.  I own a bitzenburger fletch tool that was set up for right hand helical fletch, and had some slightly longer green Bohning vanes in my cupboard. I tried them on a single arrow, and boy did they fly well! Same POI as the one degree offset. 

 

ACI Bitzenburger Jig W/Clamps Right Helical

 

 

I used a magic marker to denote the downside cock feather like a barred feather. I shot at 20 and 30 yards and they had the same point of impact as my one degree offset but spun faster. My fixed blades flew a bit better but I am a stickler for accuracy. 

UPDATE PHOTOS  20 and 30 yards 

20 yard 1 inch group with field point and Swhacker 231 practice head

30 yard 2 inch group with field point and Swhacker 231 practice head

 

I get a higher level of confidence with the helical fletch as they spin a bit faster and allow fixed blades more forgiveness. As I said in an earlier article, experiment, experiment, experiment. 

Good Hunting!!