I think at bow ranges a .410 would work fine, probably even extend your range a bit. There are PLENTY of deer that go down to the .410 to say it doesn't work.

Yes a broad head works by slicing tissue, vanes and arteries (if you use a sharp head). And it causes more more blood loss because a sharp cut bleeds more and the blood does not coagulate as quick.

However the deer dies from the same thing with either weapon. It dies from lack of oxygen to the brain. Either by bleeding out or by choking to death. Both take a fair amount of time.

A .410 does not have near the energy to kill a deer on the spot like a high powered rifle. Then again neither do most 20, 12 and muzzleloaders if you put it in the lungs. I have hunted with all of them and the deer still run before they die if shot in the lungs.

I have gutted deer shot by .410's, believe me they do plenty of damage to the lungs. Just like a bow though, you need to be very criticle of shot placement.

However I do feel the bow has an advantage. If you get a clean pass thru with a bow it doesn't seem to spook the deer as much. Sometimes they remain more calm and will not travel as far before they fall over. The arrow just sort of zipps thru them. They run a little bit and stop trying to figure out what happened. If you don't get a pass thru or shoot them with a lower powered gun there is enough shock that it freaks them out and they sometimes run for everything they have until they fall over. I have seen deer run 100 to 400 yards with a good shot. They are just that quick and have that much stamina.

I will also agree I get better blood trails with a bow than a gun in most cases. I feel it has to do with the trauma of the wound caused by a gun. And if you hit the heart usually the blood trail sucks. It's hard to pump blood every where if the pump doesn't work anymore.

Paul