Aaron,

I am by no means a pro at this, but I believe a 40# bow shooting blunts is more than enough for small game (fur not feathers, birds are a bit different). I will probably get yelled at for this, but I think this is one situation where you can forget about weight and FOC and just get a really light arrow that shoots fast and accurate. Reasoning is, unlike a deer that requires penetration, here (as you stated about the judos and blunts) it is more of the shock that kills. I have heard of people killing squirrels and rabbits with thrown stones. Again, I am no expert by any means. Be well.

Alex

😀

Aaron — That’s a lot of work, but if it works and you enjoying making your own, why not. To answer your question, though, from threads like this before, it seems that most who have tried the hex-head blunts, such as Ace, really like them over anything else. And compared to Judos they are cheap. The head is bigger than on a straight steel blunt with sharp edges so that you get both shock and cutting. Check ’em out.

These are my small game arsenal.

My favorite squirrel head is the Gamenabber (made now by PDP). It is a blunt with teeth around the shoulder. Third in from the left. The Ace Hex is great as well but costs a bit more. The Ace is a better roving head for stumps.

[image]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Stumpkiller/Bowhunting/HPIM2021.jpg[/image]

The Tiger Claw (fifth in from right) gave me some horror story events with shots if they hit too far back and I use them on easier to kill bunnies.

Aaron,

I figured the pros would be able to guide you much better than I could. I remember reading somewhere about making a small-game point out of a hex nut, a spring and some other stuff. I forget the basics (it could have been TBM, but don’t quote me) but the idea was to limit shock on the shafts on misses or hard hits. Beyond that, what you are thinking sounds do-able. Like Dave said, “if you enjoy doing it…” Be well.

Alex

😀

Charlie– Nice arsenal!

Dave beat me to it. Ace hex blunts are my point of choice. In my experience anything that has wings (i.e. Judos) tends to get caught up in sticks, grass, brush, etc. I do, though, like the Zwickey Condor for shooting doves/pigeons. The latest issue of Tradbow had a fun article about squirrel hunting. The author made a mini broadhead out of a small triangle of metal soldered onto a .38 caliber casing. Flu-flus are a must-have when hunting squirrels. There is a picture and description of an extremely effective modified flu-flu in this issue too. I like this style better than my 6×5″ full-size feathered flu-flus. Give it a try, you’ll be pleased.

And, yes! Post your pictures, let’s see what you came up with.

-Ben

I’m no expert either, but in an effort to save $$$’s, I’ve found that flat washers behind standard field points work very well.

I second a washer behind a field point. Nothing works better for less… and a woodchuck aught to know.

AaronRushton wrote:

that sure does look like a mean-head, the gamenabber that is. the one next to the broadhead looks interesting (magnus is think?) have you tried that on squirrels? never heard of having a blade on a small game point. thanks for your help buddy 🙂

Yep. That’s a Magnus Blunt. For Saber Toothed Squirrels. They do work fine but that blade doesn’t hold up. Tree trunk or ground.

If you add raccoon to your small game list a blade – even a broadhead – is necessary. I raise chickens and while out roving near the barn I get targets of opportuity even in the daytime. I even astounded myself once by hitting a weasel with a blunt!

The best one I’ve found is a beer bottle cap. I drill a hole in the bottle cap and screw my field tip through it into the arrow. I’ve killed several squirrels,some grouse and a couple rabbit with this homemade head. Works great and costs nothing.

Now I used to think a washer behind the fieldpoint was the best idea… But if a man has to drink a beer in order to make a clean kill, well, that’s the new best idea in my book 😀

When stumping and hunting small game I have a supply of judo points, starting to dwindle though, that I use and just regular old blunts mostly when stumping with my wood arrows. With aluminum I like a field point with a flat washer or star washer if I can find them.

I’ve got into carbon arrows some and am pleased so far but on a retiree’s budget I just haven’t had the desire to smack them on rocks and trees and whatnot yet. Wood splinters are cheaper. :lol::lol:

I spent a bushel of time hunting small game this year, and managed to arrow 3 Beavers, 2 Grouse, 3 Woodchucks, 2 Snowshoe Hare and 20 or so Red Squirrels. Notice I said arrowed, not recovered. Some of these animals were sadly lost, but I did learn a thing or two.

Firstly the most effective head for ALL small game regardless of size, distance or shot location, was a broadhead (in my case Wensel Woodsmans). Every animal I hit with a broadhead was recovered both quickly and easily (except for the swim I had go though to get my Beavers). The only other head that came close for me was the ACE Hex. But it was only 100% effective on Squirrels, and I did lose a Hare and Grouse using them.

Now my bow is only 35# and that obviously played a part in my experiences. But I still suggest using broadheads on everything, with perhaps the excpetion of treed Squirrels.

R2,

I went from wood to aluminum and now to carbon. I have to say these things are tough. They are not indestructible, but hold up really well. I know these things cost more up front, but I’m convinced they are cheaper in the long run. I had a shot glance off one sapling sideways into another yesterday. That would have made a tomato stake out of an aluminum arrow, but this one was ready to fling again. I started using aluminum collars on my stumping arrows and that has reduced the splintering you can get on a direct his on a rock or frozen stump. Love those judos. dwc