[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Heavy Bows – Are they now a part of our past #39899

Posted the following elsewhere, but it seems to fit in (somewhat) with the discussion here. Yes, technology has given us more efficient bows, and some will equal or outperform less efficient bows that are as much as 20# heavier in draw weight. And, yes, we sure as heck know how to make our arrows perform a lot better at any given level of arrow force. And, sadly yes, there are a lot of us getting a bit long on the tooth. Still, there is no such thing as ‘overkill’ when hunting with a bow. Use all the bow you can handle with the best arrow setup you can devise. I’ve never, ever (not a single time) heard a bowhunter complain, “I wish I’d used less bow on that animal” or “I wish my arrow hadn’t penetrated so deep”.

Quote: “Just to keep anyone from misunderstanding, I’m in the “there’s no such thing as too much penetration” camp when it comes to bowhunting. You should use ALL THE BOW WEIGHT YOU CAN HANDLE (and the best arrow setup you can possibly develop for your hunting needs), and ‘handle’ is the operative word.

All that notwithstanding, it seems ever more frequent that I’m seeing some folks hunting with marginal bow weight by choice (certainly marginal based on the DEMONSTARTED TERMINAL PERFORMANCE of arrow setups like they are using with that bow force). Is it simply because it takes too much time, or too much effort and routine practice to keep the muscles tones enough to ‘handle’ a heavier draw weight bow? I don’t know, but it sure seems a lot more common nowadays than ‘back when’. Will their bow and arrow setup work when everything goes right? Certainly it will, but it leaves little or no room for error.

I also keep seeing reference to the ‘low draw weight bows’ used by everyone in years past, and the success that had using them. Not to start a firestorm, and knowing that there are a few old bowhunters around that say this too, but I don’t know where or when they hunted big game with all these folks who were using low draw weight bows.

It’s been over 50 years since I started hunting big game with a bow, and my first bowhunted deer was taken over 51 years ago. I had the pleasure of hunting on the first ‘bowhunting only’ deer lease in Texas. We had 120 bowhunters on that lease. I wish I had the actual data, but I would estimate that the average weight of the bows being used would be well over 50 pounds. As a mater of fact, in the 4 years we had that lease I can only remember three bowhunters who used a bow drawing less than 50#. Most used bows over that.

Though I was still a mere pup back then (still in my teens), I hunted only one year on that lease with a bow below 50#; it was a 45# Bear Grizzly. After that I began moving successively up; first to a 55# Colt bow, then a 60# Pearson longbow, followed by a 70# Bear Kodiak and then a 74# Pearson Mustang. Why did I move up in bow weight? Simply because almost everyone hunting around me was hunting with bows in those heavier draw weights. It was the ‘norm’. Bob Lee was using his 55# Red Wing Hunter, Fred Bear used a 65# Kodiak and Ben Person used a 75# Bushmaster. One older hunter (I think he was the oldest hunter on the lease, but I don’t remember his name) used a longbow pulling 100#; which my youthful eyes beheld with wonder, considering that he looked old and frail!. Not all (and in my experience, not even most) of those bowhunting years ago were hunting with bow’s drawing 40# or 45#.”

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: ABS Ashby single bevel BH #39749

I tested the earlier Abowyer’s extensively, and it was that testing which led to the new Abowyer BH designs. I’ve not tested the new Brown Bear yet but, judging from the quality of the earlier Abowyer BH’s and their performance, the Brown Bear should only be a better version of an already good broadhead. I suspect it will be a top performer.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: ABS Ashby single bevel BH #39647

Patrick’s correct. However, the ‘effective’ blade length, as far as calculating the BH’s MA, is longer. That’s because the Tanto tip truncates the length of the cutting edge; but it doesn’t change the “slope”; or “degree of grade”, if you prefer; of the edge.

I figured that they hadn’t bothered to put the exact dimensions on their web site because most of their customers are compound shooters – most of whom are not accustomed to being bothered with such details (too accustomed to just being told ‘this is what you MUST use’ :lol:.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Shoulder Shots 2 #39640

Dude, that should “get’er done”! Can hardly wait to hear the results. Be sure to double-check David’s work on the broadhead sharpening. Just can’t be too careful these days!:lol::lol::lol:

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: I increased my FOC!!!! #39634

Chris, that ‘lip’ on the insert won’t be a problem so long as it still represents a ‘step down’ from the diameter of the broadhead’s ferrule and/or the diameter of any broadhead adaptor used. Basically, from the broadhead ferrule backwards you want ever change in the arrow’s diameter to represent a decrease in diameter as the arrow penetrates.

Hope that helped,

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Shoulder Shots 2 #39610

Just to keep anyone from misunderstanding, I’m in the “there’s no such thing as too much penetration” camp when it comes to bowhunting. You should use ALL THE BOW WEIGHT YOU CAN HANDLE (and the best arrow setup you can possibly develop for your hunting needs), and ‘handle’ is the operative word.

All that notwithstanding, it seems ever more frequent that I’m seeing some folks hunting with marginal bow weight by choice (certainly marginal based on the DEMONSTARTED TERMINAL PERFORMANCE of arrow setups like they are using with that bow force). Is it simply because it takes too much time, or too much effort and routine practice to keep the muscles tones enough to ‘handle’ a heavier draw weight bow? I don’t know, but it sure seems a lot more common nowadays than ‘back when’. Will their bow and arrow setup work when everything goes right? Certainly it will, but it leaves little or no room for error.

I also keep seeing reference to the ‘low draw weight bows’ used by everyone ❓ in years past, and the success that had using them. Not to start a firestorm, and knowing that there are a few old bowhunters around that say this too, but I don’t know where or when they hunted big game with all these folks who were using low draw weight bows.

It’s been over 50 years since I started hunting big game with a bow, and my first bowhunted deer was taken over 51 years ago. I had the pleasure of hunting on the first ‘bowhunting only’ deer lease in Texas. We had 120 bowhunters on that lease. I wish I had the actual data, but I would estimate that the average weight of the bows being used would be well over 50 pounds. As a mater of fact, in the 4 years we had that lease I can only remember three bowhunters who used a bow drawing less than 50#. Most used bows over that.

Though I was still a mere pup back then (still in my teens), I hunted only one year on that lease with a bow below 50#; it was a 45# Bear Grizzly. After that I began moving successively up; first to a 55# Colt bow, then a 60# Pearson longbow, followed by a 70# Bear Kodiak and then a 74# Pearson Mustang. Why did I move up in bow weight? Simply because almost everyone hunting around me was hunting with bows in those heavier draw weights. It was the ‘norm’. Bob Lee was using his 55# Red Wing Hunter, Fred Bear used a 65# Kodiak and Ben Person used a 75# Bushmaster. One older hunter (I think he was the oldest hunter on the lease, but I don’t remember his name) used a longbow pulling 100#; which my youthful eyes beheld with wonder, considering that he looked old and frail!. Not all (and in my experience, not even most) of those bowhunting years ago were hunting with bow’s drawing 40# or 45#.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: How much bow and arrow for hogs? #39562

I’ll vote to have David be the proxy when it comes to arrows on HOGS (as opposed to a mere piggy). On HOGS he is not “Kingwouldbe”, he is the undisputed King! 😀

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: 3 to 1 geometry ratio #39501

Patrick has it right, for a 2 blade broadhead. I always work in ‘broadhead mechanical advantage’ rather than ‘ratio’. The ‘ratio’ has been misused at times.

One particulat 3 blade BH was (and often still is) widely touted as having a 3:1 ratio, because each individual blade was 3 times as long as it was tall … when the ‘cut width’ was measured from the ferrule’s surface, and not from the center line of the ferrule, which gives the true cutting height of each blade. Very, very misleading, at best.

MA considers the cut width of each blade, from center line of the ferrule, and multiplies this by the number of blades. This becomes the “total cut width”. The “length of the blade” is a straight forward measurement of the length OF THE CUTTING EDGE (not the length down the center of the blade). The formula is: the distance the ‘load’ is moved divided by the distance the ‘load’ is raised. That’s the correct way to measure the MA of a wedge or inclined plane. Therefore, to obtain the MA we divide the length of the blade’s cutting edge (just one edge) by the TOTAL cut width of ALL THE BLADES.

The MA formula becomes more complex when the BH has blades of differing heights/widths, such as when bleeder blades are present.

In the case of a single blade BH 1″ wide by 3″ long, the MA of the blade will be a true 3:1 MA, and that’s the 3:1 ratio to which Howard Hill was referring. Be cautious of misuse of the term 3:1 ratio.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: back quiver pattern #39464

nybubba, it’s not a pattern, but (if my memory is correct) in ‘Hunting the Hard Way’ Howard Hill give the specific dimensions (and a sketch, I think) for his back quiver, I made a couple of them in years back, and they are still as servicable as when new. Hope that helps.

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: My Java Man Elkheart: The Four Year Wait Is Over #39455

Shazam! The anticipation always hightens the pleasure! Looks like you are in for lots of pleasure, Patrick.:D

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Center Shot ain't always good! #39405

The help’s appreciated, Patrick! :lol::lol::lol:

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Shoulder Shots 2 #39395

Steve, :lol::lol::lol:

David, you can also look at it this way, a really good major league pitcher can hit 100 mph with a fastball pitch. That’s 146.67 feet per second. That velocity will give exit wounds on Asian buffalo – with the right arrow setup!

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Center Shot ain't always good! #38405

Patrick, have a drink for me too. With all the things to deal with just trying to walk I’m already too unstable to consider having one! 🙁 Boy, I do miss my sundowners. 😥 How I would love to be looking forward to a good Wild Turkey 101 about the time the sun greets the desert sands!:)

Cheers,
Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Custom building a 2 piece stainless steel broadhead #38393

Looks to me like all of you are having WAY too much fun! 😆

Ed

[Ed Ashby]

in reply to: Shoulder Shots 2 #38381

Steve, no argument on that! What could (and should) be done and what we’re ever likely to see are too different things. Just look how stupid and misguided the ‘minimum KE’ requirements in South Africa and Namibia are!

Ed

[Author]

Posts