Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

I know I will catch slack for this, and some will question my shot choice. The reasonI shoot the heaviest setups i can, with what I think is toughest BH are for shots like this one.

The deer was Qrt to me at a pretty good angle. He had run by me 4 times that morning. He was hot on a doe. I screamed at him to stop. He stop Qrt to me, I put the pin right on the blade and pulled the trigger. I was not in the heat of the moment, I knew exactly what I was doing. I know what my setups can do and not do. I am not saying my setups are better than anyone elses, just sharing why I do what I do.


I was shooting a Bowtech Patriot at the time 28'' Draw pulling 74 lbs. 70Lbs of KE, but momentum is more important to me.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Which broadhead were you shooting -how was the penetration

I have taken that shot in the past as well,under the right circumstances - deer haven't made it 50 yards

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

OH yeah BTW Great BUCK

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

I took that shot 3 times last yr and none of the deer made more than 60yds. That's why I pull 73# and shoot fixed blade BH!!! Hell of a shot Germ and nice buck at that!!!

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Germ im glad to see somone around here gets it when it comes to heavy arrow setups and momentum. This coming year I plan on heaving about a 530-550grn arrow out of my Old Glory

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

I was shooting a montec 125

This years arrow is over 550 grains:D The scale would not weight it, LOL Limits out at 550 grains.

Arrow went in up to the fletching about half way.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Some times ... you gotta use what works best for you and it seems like it work out well on this buck , congrats.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Have been considering going heavy instead of light. The perks of a heavy arrow are starting to swing my opinion. I really like the idea of a quieter more forgiving set-up. What arrow/broadhead combo were you using Germ?

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

The arrow was Carbon Express Select Hunter 55-75 12 Grains inch.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Yeah my setup will also have an FOC of just below 21% Lots of weight packing a punch up front on that baby;)

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

O.K. I'll bite:D. That's a very nice buck, no doubt about that. But why the intentional shoulder busting? What's the point of doing that? Not to sound hypercritical, it just seems like a bad idea.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

On a quartering-to shot that is the route the arrow must take to hit the vitals square and it just so happens that it is through the shoulder blade. Germ was that an MI or OH-IO buck? LOL

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

MI Buck

Doegirl I shot the deer their to kill it, it was qrt too me and to hit both lungs that is where i needed to hit him.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Thats a great MI kill my friend!!! Hell thats a good deer anywhere!!!

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

I used to shoot an onida eagle at 80 lbs with a 2317 and shoot them in the shoulder drop them in there tracks more than once

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

And exactly why the front quartering angle not a recommended shot.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

oh nice deer

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

I agree Doegirl, but Germ had no reason to think that his set-up wouldn't get sufficiant penetration since that is what he built the arrow for.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

I took the similar shot this year on my buck although i aimed slightly lower and inside the shoulder blade to take out the heart and lung it was a complete pass through. Shot distance 30yards recovery 25yards
My setup: Bowtech Allegiance 28" DL 64 lbs
carbon Excel 400 8.1 gpi
4 blade 100g muzzy

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

I agree and your right but if you have a extreamy heavy set up and you know what your doing you get away with it i do not take these shots with my set up now but when I used to shoot my onida eagle at 80 with a 2317 and snuffer i shot one on one knee coming right at me at 15 yrds the arrow entered front of chest came out rear qwauter i new what that set up would do.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Damn nice shot!

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

No problem at all with this shot under the circumstances. People have this perception that deer are this magical creature thathasanunpenetrable scapula. Its simply not the case.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

AND,exactly why he uses a heavy arrow and heavy poundage,most of us can't shoot that kind of poundage comfortably which is what makes it a bad idea for most.

I have takenvery similar shots on much smaller deer ,I too know what my setup will do and it probably wouldn't have good results on this animal.;)

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Looks like a good shot to me did the job, I understand what you are talking about though with a heavy set up.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

same arrows I'm hunting with this year, hopefully same results. good shot

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

I see nothing wrong with that shot, it's not a dead on chest shot doegirl, penetrating the shoulder blade is not that hard to do if you pull the right weight and heavy arrows, question is....could a Rage do this???????[:o]

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

The key here is do not try to take this shot if you can't shoot through the shoulder.It is quite possible to slip the arrow in behind the shoulder and catch lung(depending on angle) BUT,the arrow will exit through the guts and you have a good chance of only hitting 1 lung and having the intestines plugging the exit hole.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Well, while I still don't quite agree with intentional shoulder shots, everyone here seems to know it takes a stout setup to pull it off. I'll stick with rib bustin';).
Now back to Germ, since it is his thread.:D

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

I also shoot a carbon express terminator tippped with a 125 muzzy and I would have no problem pulling off that shot.500 grns total arrow weight at 260 fps packs a wallop.All the tv shows has everyone brainwashed into thinking that evry detail has to be perfect before taking a shot,which we who hunted for years knows that is rarly the case.You must be able to make the tricky shots sometimes because nobody has told the deer the rules yet or if they have been told the rules they don't play by them.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

ME TOO,unless it is one of those realsmall ones.[8D]

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Question for ya, Germ... did you actually scrutinize what part of the shoulder your broadhead went through upon field dressing it? I'm talking about looking at the actual bones after the meat was removed?

The reason I ask is that I've seen a lot of people (and I'm not necessarily say you're doing the same here) say that "I busted through his shoulder", when what they really busted through was the flat part of the scapula where it's a lot thinner. That spot -- though I think it should be avoided if possible simply due to the close proximity of the ball joint -- is entirely "makeable" to me given a setup that's properly tuned with all the projectile's energy focused behind the tip of the broadhead.

If one exactly hits the ball of the shoulder though, I have my doubts on a high rate of success -- if at all.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Gary,

Nice shot, great looking buck.

I like the slight quarter tooshot as long as I am close. I have taken it three times all 15 yards or closer and I am 3 for 3 with no problems, not so say something couldn't go wrong but I knew my set up could blow right through the shoulders of these animals and they did. Once on a bear at 8 yards, a cow elk at15 yards and a buck at 12yards. All three died very quickly and within 60 yards. I was shooting a Samson VFT Extreme 80 on two of the three with a 500 grain set up. I was shooting an 80lb CWM with a 500 grain set up. I lightened up for a few years from 04 till 07 seeking flatter trajectory. I have since thenswayedback to 525 grains to up myFOC. I am shooting an 04 80lb Liberty. My new arrow set up is a lot like what I shot from 98-03. I am looking for a set of 90 lb limbs for my Bowtech 04 Liberty if they ever made them...I know they did for the VFTsif anyone knows if I can get them, please pm me.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Germ, excellentshooting and congrats on a nice buck. I too like having a heavy set up for reason already mentioned.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Good shot and nice buck. I've done it myself a couple of times.

Part of being a good bow hunter is knowing your equipment and it's limitations.

It is always better to lean towards the heavy side with your equipment.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

That is what I consider the shoulder blade, which is right where I aimed. So yes Iwent through the scapula.

Greg I have the bone somewhere, i will look for it today. It went through the back part of the blade, not quite a dead center hit.

I agree about the ball joint. The deer was 12 yds from me, and the reason I aimed a little high was 1. I am 23 feet up, 2. I did not want to hit the ball joint;) I have hit the ball joint on a deer, and it's about 40/60 chance of getting it. I ended up on the 60. The deer was broadside, I just made a poor shot.

BTW Greg I never said i busted through the shoulder.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Germ, I made a shot simillar to that on a 200 lb deer at 15 yds he was down after running 60 yds. I will make that shot everytime if I have the proper equipment.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

There's no way possible anyone's broad head is going to bust through the knuckle of the shoulder. Impossible!!!! Germ you made a good shot on a very questionable shot, well done! You knew what you were doing!! I would never recommend just anyone to do this. You better know your equipment damn good if your going to be doing what Germ did. To all the new comer bow hunters, stay away from the shoulder. For me shooting with my recurve, not the greatest of ideas although I could probably get away with it but being its questionable for my set up I will never even think about trying it.

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

I or people I have hunted with have shot through the shoulder blade on that angle many times with great success...I have also been on way too many dead end tracking trips after 0 penetration into the shoulder....The strange thing...all the times I have experienced great penetration on the shoulder (or anywhere else for that matter) were with recurve bows, 600+ grain wood arrows, and Magnus cut on contact heads...I know I am a strong believer in shooting HEAVY arrows....

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Makes 2 of us!!

RE: Why a Heavy Setup(picture a little bloodie)
 

Germ, I wasn't trying to bust your balls... I simply don't think that 95% of bowhunters understand the difference between blowing through a relatively thin, flat blade of bone and hittingthe rather bulbous mass of bone that comprises the actual joint.

I've seen less than optimal setups blow right through the scapula, and likewise I've seen extremely heavy setups stopped cold on that ball joint (I speak from experience on this ;)).

It waslate when I replied (I was up until past 1 a.m.), and I didn't remember seeing where you had clarified which one you had blown through... Irrespective of that, I think it's still a valid distinction to point out tothose who may be reading the thread and trying to learn something from those of us who've been there and done it -- or tried it. :)