Traditional Bow Question
 

Hey guys,

I don't watch much tv but two days ago I was watching the hunting channel and they were showing guys hunting with traditional bows. They showed lots of shotvideos one after the other. None of them were pass throughs. Actually about 25% of the arrow was still sticking out of the animal as they ran off. Maybe more.

Is this how it is supposed to be? Is the tracking a nightmare?

Please explain I don't know much about Traditional Archery but I'm interested.

Tom

BTW - The arrows look very large and looked like they may have been made out of wood.

RE: Traditional Bow Question
 

With 25% sticking out,there was also 25% coming out the other side too.I'd say the arrow did what it was supposed to do.I've dug every arrow out of the dirt but one and that broadhead got stuck in the far shoulder blade.If you punch both lungs,that deer is gonna drop real quick whether you pass thru or not.And as a byline: When I used to watch those hunting shows,I can't recall too many complete pass-thru's from the compounds.

RE: Traditional Bow Question
 

80% of the time get a passthru with compound, but only shot at one deer with longbow, and missed so I hope to be seeing that 25% sticking out this Nov. I will let you know.

RE: Traditional Bow Question
 

All it takes is 6 inches in a vital organ and the deer will drop, it might run 25 or 100 yrds .but it will lay down and die.
It is up to the hunter to alow the animal enough time to lay down, if you follow it quickly it will keep on running, even with compound bows only about 2% of deer will drop right there.
Unless you hit the spine all wounded animals will run off.

RE: Traditional Bow Question
 

It depends on the draw weight of the bow they were shooting. If they are in the 60 + draw weights with the large heavy wood arrows, they will blow right through an animal. I shoot 51# with a 525 grain cedar arrow tipped with a two blade Zwikey broadhead and get pass throughs most of the time. And no, tracking is not a nightmare. A well placed arrow will drop an animal.

RE: Traditional Bow Question
 

I have killed a bunch of deer with a compound and all were pass throughs. I have only killed three with a recurve, but all of those have been pass throughs as well. I am only shooting 53#'s , but I believe that if you put the arrow where it is supposed to go, and it is tipped with a "scary" sharp broadhead, most of the time you will get a pass through. As others have pointed out, a pass through is not neccessary, and plenty of deer fall to arrows that aren't sticking in the ground on the other side. I just prefer it when they blow all the way through.

RE: Traditional Bow Question
 

Might it be better if the arrow doesn't go all the way through? That is one theory I had after watching it. I was thinking that as the animal runs the broad head will dig around the internal organs causing all kinds of damage and due to the continued damage the deer may lay down to attempt to reduce the pain, therefore running a shorter distance and dying.

Any thoughts on this?

Tom

RE: Traditional Bow Question
 

I had an old Indian tell me that once. He said he liked 40lbs bows just for that reason. He would have used 30-35 if it wasn't illegal.

RE: Traditional Bow Question
 

When I was a kid, a lot of folks considered a non-passthrough the ideal shot, just because they figured the broadhead would flop around inside and do a lot more damage. Then someone came up with the thought that having part of the arrow sticking out of the animal and slapping limbs and twigs as it ran would keep the critter spooked and make it run further before it dropped, and so a passthrough would be ideal.

Neither theory took into account that a wood or aluminum arrow would likely snap off on the first good obstacle it hit, so the broadhead wouldn't be thrashing around inside the chest nor would the arrow still be sticking out to keep spooking the deer and making it run further. Carbon arrows now, they're a lot harder to break so both theories might actually be workable for them.

I do like to have a passthrough so I can get double the blood trail, but I don't worry about it when I don't get a passthrough.