Pennsylvania Game News - March 2023 - 56

latter broadhead because it never failed,
zipping through deer with lethal results
while producing excellent blood trails.
They were economical, too.
Today, broadheads come in four
blade configurations: fixed, replaceable,
mechanical and hybrid.
Fixed-blade broadheads come in
three- or four-blade configurations and
are extremely durable because they have
heavier blades and no separate parts.
They're also particularly effective, reliably
able to break through a shoulder
blade or rib, simple in design and can be
resharpened if needed.
They look different than fixed-blade
broadheads of old, though. Today's
models generally feature shorter ferrules
- measuring an inch or less - and blades.
Yet those blades, between 0.035 to 0.045
inches thick, still present a large cutting
diameter, usually an inch or more, making
them durable as well as deadly.
Broadheads with replaceable blades
are popular because, once shot, hunters
simply swap in new blades rather than
sharpening the now-used ones. It's a faster
way to get back in business.
Mechanical broadheads came about
thanks to the development of better, faster
bows shooting lighter arrows. The resulting
increased arrow speed caused some
broadheads to plane badly. Accuracy
suffered.
The earliest mechanical broadheads
meant to address that weren't always so
good, though. Some early versions failed
to deploy properly, especially when shot
from an older, slower bow. They weren't
always as durable as other heads, either.
Those woes are largely gone. Today's
mechanical broadheads are made with
hardened steel replaceable blades and
come in a variety of blade angle configurations,
tip styles and grain weights.
56
Some expand up to 2 inches, resulting in
a much larger wound channel and a better
blood trail.
This style of broadhead is popular
nowadays thanks in part to the proliferation
of crossbows, many of which send
arrows downrange at more than 400
feet per second. Because the blades of
mechanical broadheads don't deploy until
impact, their low profile greatly reduces
wind planning.
Hybrid broadheads are the latest to
come to market. They feature two fixed
blades coupled with a pair of mechanical
blades. The idea is that if the swept-back
movable blades fail to deploy the two
remaining fixed blades will still deliver a
lethal hit. I've never tried them, but they
are popular with some hunters.
So, which broadhead should you use?
In all cases, accuracy and penetration
are the key factors to consider. But picking
the " right " broadheads able to best exhibit
those traits can seem overwhelming, given
the options in tip styles, grain weights and
blade configurations. Currently, Kinsey's
Outdoors lists more than 200 different
broadhead models in its catalog.
As a general rule, hunters shooting a
low-poundage bow might want to consider
a well-made fixed-blade broadhead,
while those hunting with a crossbow may
find a mechanical head to be a better
choice.
But spend some time experimenting.
Shoot several models to determine
how they fly out of your setup. Every
broadhead will fly and impact a target
differently, so it's often necessary to make
small adjustments in your rest or sight to
be certain they fly where they're aimed.
Practice will tell you which are best for
you, and which will have you best positioned
to fill a tag when the opportunity
presents itself.
Pennsylvania Game News - March 2023

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