2 Blade Fixed Broadhead, No Blood Trail

[tdub24]

Question for all you fixed blade broadhead hunters, I shot my first archery cow on August 11th. It was a double lung shot and she ran off 300 yards. I was unable to find a blood trail but being that it was open sage, she was found by my rescue party pretty easily. My question is, is it normal that I did not get a blood trail until the last 30 yards when using a 2 two blade fixed broadhead?? Broadhead used, Northern Evo Wide Cut 125 grains, entrance hole about 6-8 inches from shoulder blade, exit wound closer to the heart but not in the shoulder blade. I assume it deflected off a rib. Arrow did get hung up in the skin at the fletchings.

 

[mallardsx2]

This is why most people go with one with "Bleeder blades" I trailed an elk shot with a steel force broadhead for 500 yards one time. VERY little blood. The broadhead went in perfect but bent 45 degrees and ended up coming out clear back by the bulls "member"

So your story doesn't surprise me.

Glad you found her!

Tuff animals so they are.

 

[Maxhunter]

I've taken a lot of elk with two blade Magnus Stinger Buzzcuts 100 & 125. There was no bleeder blade. The blood trails were pretty easy to follow. I've had other people mention the same thing you posted. I've also helped track some other hunters elk using three blades and the blood trails were pretty sparse at best.

I'm not questioning your shot, but all the double lung elk I've taken have went less than 50yds or fell within sight.

At least you found the elk! Congrats!

 

[Yell Co AR Hunter]

No experience with elk and two blade broad heads. But I have killed many whitetail deer with them and most fell with in sight and plenty of blood. One thing to consider is all the deer I shot were from elevated stands and a lower exit hole. On a large animal like elk and shooting from ground level I would expect a higher exit hole. That might take a while for blood to drain out. I still like the fixed two blade for my hunting, but I don't hunt out West with my bow. Out West several other things to consider like greater distance and wind on the head.

 

[tdub24]

Please excuse the grimace but my inner thighs were cramping bad and the guy taking the photo was yelling for me to get in there!! Anyways, the red circle represents the entrance location with the bubbling spot the exit wound.

 

[mallardsx2]

Good shot dude!

 

[Hilltop]

Blood trails in sage/desert type dirt can be difficult to see. When blood hits that dirt it can become almost invisible immediately. Sage also has a way of hiding blood. 2 blade heads do leave a little less of a blood trail but I'm guessing she spilled enough to follow if it would have been in easier terrain.

 

[tdub24]

I'm not questioning your shot, but all the double lung elk I've taken have went less than 50yds or fell within sight.

I was shocked at the distance she made it. We back tracked and ran out of a blood trail only 30 yards or so from where she lay dead. Of the "rescue party", one guy offered to go find my arrow. He spent approximately 1.5 hours looking and couldn't find it or any other blood. This is my first year using a 2 blade fixed broadhead so I figured I would ask those with more eperience.

 

[JimP]

Elk are tough animals. I have shot them with a rifle and had them go a long ways where they should of been laying withing 20 yards of where I hit them.

For broad heads I like at least 3 blades but most of the elk that I killed with a bow I shot with a 4 blade broadhead. Some would bleed like a stuck pig from the spot where they were hit, some didn't bleed hardly at all. I looked at a couple that didn't leave much of a blood trail and realized that the muscles almost closed the entrance wound and if it hadn't been for the exit wound just about all the blood would of been in the body cavity.

 

[87TT]

I've noticed that no matter what head if the hit is higher, it can take a while for the lung cavity to fill up to the point it leaks out. And by then some tissue can partly plug the hole.

 

[mosquito]

I have no experience with elk but a lot with deer . I have only killed a few deer with 2 blade broadheads all perfect shots . 1 bleed out out like a serial killer got ahold of it the next one was quite a bit ,but normal. The last time i used one nothing. A clean top of lung one and out the bottom of lung 2 ( high tree stand shot). No blood. After examining with a buddy it cut so clean it was like it sealed itself up . We found it it didn't make it 60 yards but it was very thick . When i didn't find blood i backed out and waited a while before looking again . Whole ordeal lasted several hours and it was super close . No blood not a drop. Went back to 3 blade and never looked back. I was just happy my lesson ended well. One of several stories i don't tell often because i would be saying bs if someone told it to me.

 

[Slugz]

1st off congrats. Any elk bow kill is a trophy.
All the points are above already but I'll summarize my thoughts

Mostly level ground, shot probably just a touch higher than you wanted = blood pooling in the cavity.
Maybe some deflection.
Whole different story if there is steeper terrain. Animal forced to change position going up and down and = more blood
300 yards is not far for an elk.

And lastly.....that aint no grimace.....tha'ts called an elk smile brother!!! Congrats!!

 

[WapitiBob]

Congrats. I shot a Bull with a large 3 blade, pass thru, and got zero blood as well.
Weird stuff can happen at times.

 

[tdub24]

Thank you all for your experiences, I am ecstatic the results were good but worry a little about this broadhead. I like that it shot the same spot as my field points but I don't know if the stress is worth it. I still have a deer tag to fill and not much time to switch broadheads, but I may consider it before heading back into the field. Thanks again for all your help, it is truly appreciated!

 

[JimP]

For a deer I wouldn't worry about it, they are constructed nothing like a elk and your broadheads should work just fine on them.

I have always said don't change horses in the middle of the stream during hunting seasons, stick with what you have and then after the season check out the new stuff.

 

[Hilltop]

I agree with Jim. Your 2 blades should work fine on deer. If you are set on a change, consider expandable heads. They shouldn't require any tuning.

 

[hunttrap]

Tunned arrow that is heavy with appropriate foc should fly right through whatever herbivore your going after. I didn't pay attention to arrow weight a few years ago and shot a goat right behind the shoulder. Arrow changed course after hitting a rib and came out the goats neck. Took another hour of hunting until I got that goat killed. Learned a valiable lesson on tunning arrows, and weight forward momentum. Just a thought

 

[tdub24]

Arrow is 430 grains, for the life of me, I cannot remember what the FOC right now.

 

[87TT]

So I switched to Kudupoint two blade single bevel broadheads last year and was waiting to see the blood trail. I had a pass through on a young bull at maybe ten yards. He ran out about 100 yards and stood there wobbling. Then he slowly walked up and over a hill. As I was waiting before tracking, It busted out raining. It poured hard for about ten minutes. Any blood that had been there was GONE. Turned out he just walked over that hill and died. I really liked the flight and cut on contact with the Kudupoints and now this year they added bleeder blades so can't wait.

 

[lang]

My entire group uses 2 blade stinger for elk and love them. One in our group has a short draw length and tried them. After seeing the results we all switched. Your shot looks just right, exit hole is perfect. If entrance was high and back you could have missed the close lung or just hit the periphery of that lung. All lung tissue isn't the same. There are separate lobes, it's not the all or nothing we tend to make lungs into. I work in radiology and the farther out from the heart you go the less vascularity there is= longer tracking and less blood. I wouldn't hesitate to keep using them if I were you. Elk are big and tough, keep making two holes through the vitals and you'll do fine.