HUNTINGsmart! USA Knowledge Base
Module 12 - BOWHUNTING
BROADHEADS
Broadheads are the arrowheads you need to use to bring down the big boys. They’re designed to kill through major blood loss and although gory, they’re actually the most ethical way to bring down a big game animal with an arrow. Broadheads are bigger and heavier—they must be mounted on the shaft perfectly straight or the arrow will not fly true.
FIXED POINT BROADHEADS
These traditional broadheads are usually two-bladed, three-bladed or they may have two main blades with two smaller 'bleeder blades'.
MECHANICAL BROADHEADS
Mechanical broadheads fly more like field points because the blades are folded in during flight. Once a mechanical broadhead makes impact with the target, the blades open up to sever blood vessels. The mechanical design that allows the blades to open on impact requires additional energy and should only be used by bows that have a rating of 50 lbs. or greater.
Wise Words: Sharpen Your Broadheads
Broadheads must be extremely sharp because they need to cut through major blood vessels that are tough and rubbery. If the broadhead isn’t sharp enough to cut through the blood vessels and it only manages to push the blood vessels aside, the game animal would only be badly injured. It may die from the wound, but only after much suffering and once it’s had time to move on to an area that is no longer anywhere near you. This is considered unethical hunting. Replace or sharpen your broadheads often and never hunt with dull ones.
