Not turkey related, but looking for advice....

[chatterbox]

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Morning everyone!

So this is a bear hunting related question with archery tackle.
I shoot a High Country bow with 340 grain Easton Carbon arrows, and 100 grain NAP Trophy killzones.
My bow is shooting around 260 FPS.
With solid shot placement, will this setup be good for bear? I believe the draw weight is 55 lbs.
Thanks in advance!

[rakkin6]

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I would say with good shot placement you will be fine. Are you hunting black bear or brown bear?

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[captpete]

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Here is my  Been bow hunting for 30+ years.

I have never hunted bear with a bow or gun, but I have shot a lot big midwest whitetails with a bow. I'm guessing the skin of bear is tougher than that of deer, but don't know. I would say with good shot placement you should probably be OK. With that said, me personally, with your setup, I would get rid of the expandable broadhead and go with a fixed blade head or at least a smaller cut expandable head. That big 2" cut expandable takes a lot of energy to open, cutting down on penetration. The Killzone, being a rear deploy head doesn't use quite as much energy as an over the top style head, but still uses up a lot of energy.
 
My old bow is a Bowtech at 58lbs shoots a 420 gr. arrow at roughly 245 -250 fps. I have tried quite a few expandables over the years and have found that I seldom would get a pass through. When I shoot a fixed blade head, even a big 1 1/4" cut, I almost always get a pass through unless I hit a bone(not including ribs).

Again, just my thoughts...your milage may vary.

[tracker#1]

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I agree with captpete on expandables at that draw weight. Expandables workbetter with higher draw weights. I use that killzone on my crossbow, which is a excellent head with a "cut on contact" small blade at the tip and has no rubber bands and collars to fuss with. I would go with Montec solid head. They fly great and keep cutting. They have a new one out and they can easily be re-sharpened with flat stone. Like with all critters, shot placement is crucial and I would suggest buying a "Bear anatomy" acetate flip chart from the National Bowhunter Education Federation (NBEF) website and study it. Bear anatomy is much different than deer. I believe they are $10 and get one for deer while your at it. Excellent tools...

[Southerngobbler]

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Another vote for the fixed blade head. When things go perfect the big expandable s work great but a fixed blade has more room for error. Unless you really have a knack for getting broadheads razor sharp stick with something that has replaceable razor blades. I like a muzzy.

[Happy]

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Broadside or slightly quartering away and its a dead bear if you put the shot on the money. Personally I would go with a fixed blade broadhead at that poundage but a smaller expandable might make it through as well if no heavy bone is encountered. 340 grains is a little on the light side so anything you can do to help that out would be good. Even a 125 grain head if it doesn't throw your spine out of wack.

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[Chuck1443]

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Fixed


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[Old Timer]

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fixed

[ShootingABN!]

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Fixed blade head, cut on contact.

Ok just food for thought. Some bowhunters do not take the time to get their bow, arrow and themselves tuned.

What I mean is. If a bow, arrow and broadhead combo is tuned they will fly and hit the same point of impact. If you have the arrows that are spined for your draw length and weight. Given that the broadheads spine true and are square to your shaft.

IF you get a quality fixed blade head and it doesn't hit with field points the bow and you need to be tuned up.

Example if your fixed broadheads hit 4" to the left of your field points. You are loosing energy. Well my mech heads hit the same as my field points, however you are still loosing some energy because your arrow is not flying square or true down the path of the string.

I used to move my rest until I had perfect arrow flight. With modern bows all kinds of new tuning tools. My bow has Yokes top and bottom and I have a bow press. So I adjust the cams to get the correct flight path.

PM me if you would like some tips or instructions on tuning and or doing it yourself.

Good luck.

[Sir-diealot]

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Before my car accident in 2001 I was saving up to go on a black bear hunt and did a lot of reading and watching shows or DVD's on bear hunting and they pretty much always stated that it was better to use a fixed blade on bear. Now I know things have improved in many ways since then but I would still only go with a fixed blade myself.

[chatterbox]

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Thank you everyone for the excellent replies!
My bow had been tuned by one of the best in NH, so I am fortunate that way!
I have shot the NAP’s into 3D targets, and they have opened, with good penetration.
That being said, I think the advice here is solid, and I will use my rifle for black bear, and save the bow for whitetails!
Thanks again everyone!


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[chatterbox]

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I would say with good shot placement you will be fine. Are you hunting black bear or brown bear?

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Black bear


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[chatterbox]

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I agree with captpete on expandables at that draw weight. Expandables workbetter with higher draw weights. I use that killzone on my crossbow, which is a excellent head with a "cut on contact" small blade at the tip and has no rubber bands and collars to fuss with. I would go with Montec solid head. They fly great and keep cutting. They have a new one out and they can easily be re-sharpened with flat stone. Like with all critters, shot placement is crucial and I would suggest buying a "Bear anatomy" acetate flip chart from the National Bowhunter Education Federation (NBEF) website and study it. Bear anatomy is much different than deer. I believe they are $10 and get one for deer while your at it. Excellent tools...

Solid advice! Thank you!
I made the terrible mistake of shooting a HUGE black bear last November.
Bear was quartering away, but I shot it like I would a deer. Big mistake. I have since learned of the “middle middle” rule on bear, and now will not ever take what that kind of shot again. Ignorance is no excuse, and I will never make any, but if you learn from your mistakes, you become a better hunter and conservationist.


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