Ep. 306 | Making Sense of Broadheads with the Ranch Fairy

Mark Boardman sits down with Troy Fowler (The Ranch Fairy) to make sense of broadheads, how they work, things to consider, how to tune your arrows to shoot with broadheads, and more. They navigate a windy conversational path to get your broadheads shooting straight…. And cutting deep! Tune in for the educational and always entertaining, Ranch Fairy.
00:00 - Intro
1:39 - What is Mark Shooting for Broadheads?
17:15 - Single bevel two blade vs. double bevel two blade
26:53 - Tip Style
40:00 - Serrated Edges
53:04 - Different Materials
57:07 - What does a broadhead need to do
1:05:53 - What arrow setup is best for a 30 Yard shot?
1:14:25 - Are more blades better?
As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation™ podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.
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[@mattp9574]

Great content guys, and thank you for continuing to share your experiences and knowledge!

[@Grizzwalker]

Never heard single bevel broadhead ‘till listening to this. Great stuff as always! Happy and successful hunting to all!

[@VortexNation]

🙌🙌🙌 Happy hunting to you as well!

[@walkercustoms]

I know someone with the same name Chris W

[@Grizzwalker]

@@walkercustomsit’s a good ‘n popular name!

[@2tiredpilot459]

425 grains at 280 fps. Hand sharpened magnus stinger. 4/4 on deer. Through shoulders, through ribs doesn't matter. Still pretty scary sharp after going through.

[@EricBynog-zd4rd]

Better hope you don’t have shoot pass 30 yards slow compound bow how in the crap do guys feel confident with thinking go heavy I get the razor sharpe but common sense says heavier arrow going to slow already slow compound bow down man am I glad I got FPS like serious FPS over 500 so I will stick with my crossbow and my sevr Broadheads’s working just fine but you better not try a big buck at 60 with that slow compound bow way to much guessing there

[@westernturkeyhunting574]

@@EricBynog-zd4rdworks him though. most people aren’t taking 60 yard shots, i have a 3 pin sight 10-20-30 yards because i can’t shot any farther than that where i hunt. and 280fps is pretty standard for bows, unless you have the money to spend 3,000$ on a bow.

[@doylethorn9251]

Great show! The broadhead is what does the killing. Put your money on a quality no fail broadhead and learn to sharpen. They are more expensive up front, but you don't have to replace them after one shot. Sharpen them back up and shoot them again. A bad broadhead flying straight is just asking for trouble.

[@VortexNation]

We approve this message!

[@atomicwedgie8176]

Yep... mechanicals are unethical!

[@64samsky]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this video!

[@VortexNation]

👍👍 Always happy to pump out some good intel!

[@justinsalzl1517]

Great video with good information. Try to shoot something accurate, sharp, and reliable. Good luck to everyone out there!

[@russellpatterson9087]

I listen to Troy pretty regularly. I implemented his suggestions around 4 years ago and it’s a whole different ballgame! Animals don’t really realize what’s happening. Those sharp fixed blades just zip thru. When I’ve hit deer with expendables they seemed more aware of the fact they had been hit and RUN. Took my first elk last year complete pass through quartering shot. Really glad this information is being put out there for everyone.

[@user-cv1jf1wq2m]

I used Muzzy One Three fixed Three blade blade broad heads to great effect and success last season as in all game animals that got shot died shortly thereafter! However, This season I am going to try the Magnus Stinger Buzzcut. It probably works wonders! 😅

[@BubbaScreaminSizzlers]

I ran 575gr 200 up front about 19% foc. 28.5" draw, 60#(about 185fps) single bevel kudupoints. Last deer I shot went through a vertebrae and out the back side of scapula. Changed my setup to 535gr 17% foc 70# draw (220fps) for this year. Can't wait to see how it does.

[@Redfisherman007]

Watched your show there is one . One broadhead that has the effect your taking about. Nap made one called a thunderhead razor . It has 3 deg off set blades in a machined center. (3) senecios. 1st I was 16’ high shot slightly quartering to went thru both scapulars . Deer went 60yards piled up. Scapulars we’re still intact. 2nd shot an 8 pt at 20 yards quartering to 20’high . Shot high 6” from the back down just behind the shoulder. Deer dropped buckled on the spot. Evidently I cut the spinal cord ! It dropped but was paralyzed. 3rd shot a 120”lb hog quartering and away20’ high . Placed the shot just behind the last rib it didn’t stop until it jambed between the neck and collar bone. Hog dropped! Looked like a rifle kill when I cleaned it . That 3deg off set wraps the flesh and it blows out like you say. Yes I use a Diamond stone and a strope . Any thoughts?

[@travis9687]

Natives made a hunting arrow that was very similar to a stringray barb….micro blades-used broken flakes on the shaft and attached a very small point…natives would cut two channels in an arrow haft and glue in micro blades with pine pitch glue…. its been said it was a favorite buffalo arrow for ease of penetration and lethality

[@mark-koba]

The interrupted cutting edges on the broadheads reminds me of stone point arrow and spear heads.

[@user-hb5eb7lw9t]

“I don’t care what you’re snacking on, I’m not calling you dad.” 🤣

[@jjgriffin3275]

Slick Trick ViperTrick is IT

[@diggernash1]

Fix your broadheads by using the vertical bow for targets and a flat bow for hunting. 500+ grains at 350 fps makes lots of broadheads work well...just find a quality head that flies well.

[@titot2370]

Expandables are so expensive in Australia. If you’ve hiked a few days and haven’t seen an animal, you’ll take your chances. Experience will show expandable broad heads don’t penetrate, which explains why they are so expensive here.

[@samivey8416]

I've gone from slapping deer and small game to absolutely killing things. Went to 850 grains and no losses. The bow is so quiet now. My trad gear is even better now. My compound is like a rifle and I don't worry about the angle anymore. Bones are not an issue

[@callenscreations574]

Great content. Its kind of a simple but lost point.... if you shoot mechanicals, you have introduced an operation that must occur before the broadhead can do its job. The broadhead must deploy its blades. That is a potential failure point you have voluntarily introduced. Maybe its .01% failure, maybe its 50%. The amount is irrelevant. Its still there. Additionally, youve introduced moving parts and connection points, also voluntarily added failure points.

[@titot2370]

Fixed blades are predictable and cheaper to run as they’re more reusable.

[@Perry2186]

Counter point Cross bow bolts are stright fleched

[@chadillac95]

I haven't made the investment jump into bow hunting yet, but the way I look at it, if I hit a deer with an arrow, I'm not worried about using any part of that arrow again. It's served It's purpose, it did It's job. Just like shooting with a rifle, when I'm at the range, I do my best to pick up my brass to reload it, but I'm not going to waste my time picking up brass while I'm getting ready to track a dead deer

[@Krsjan69]

You may feel differently once you pay for a few $25-$50 arrows. It is not the same as a $0.12 piece of brass

[@chadillac95]

@chrisderoba2859 if only brass were actually 12 cents! With how much we all invest in hunting, between our tags, gear, fuel, etc., is that $25-$50 arrow going to break the bank? Is it worth it to wonder if you're going to be able to get it back to the same cutting ability that it had when new? I'm not saying they're a one use arrow, I'm just saying after it's gone through an animal, it's done it's job

[@samwindisch5596]

The arrow itself will be undamaged after going through an animal. At most a fletching will be ripped off and you just put a new one on. Most bow hunters (including myself) shoot from a stand, so your arrow is ideally in the ground right next to where you shot the animal. It's also the first thing you inspect after shooting the animal if you need to track it, to check for the blood on the shaft to see what you hit. There's no reason to leave your arrow in the field.

[@jmb9099]

Has anyone ever shot Afflictor broadheads? I used the four blade fixed for the first time last year and they’re devastating. I’d love to hear how others have made out with them..?

[@VortexNation]

No one here that we know of has them, but it sounds like they work great for you!

[@samwindisch5596]

I shot the Afflictor K2 fixed on my Xbox for a season. 350fos bow shooting a 535gr 22% FOC bolt going around 290fps at launch. They performed very well for me but the blades do suffer on impact and will need to be resharpened or replaced after each use.

[@travissmith-wz5nc]

I think he is right on his ideas but if little is good a lot is better type of guy.

[@JstSurf]

I don't think it takes 50lb KE to open a mechanical. You can open them with your fingers. Pretty sure the 50lb is to open and penetrant.

[@forgerat]

That’s exactly right. RF has been telling this story and it’s dead wrong. The 50lb warning from mechanical manufacturers means your bow needs to produce 50lb for the head to work perfectly in their testing. He’s implying that just the opening is costing you 50lb which is completely illogical.

[@sethhussey5804]

At some point the "pros" need to realize that TAC isnt hunting... and the hundreds of videos on whitetail w 6 inches of penetration is making troy a rich man

[@gcanaday1]

Am I the only one who first read "making sense of redheads?"

[@Boldheart662]

thats a losing battle. we are enigmas

[@RG-ij7ge]

70#, 470 grains, rage trypans.... and I can tune a bow just fine so I can shoot fixed if I want to. Ive killed elk on frontal shots, bucks on quartering to shots no problem, buried to the fletch. A stick bow has like 30 to 40 ft-lbs, and this guy is saying 80 on a compound isn't enough. Don't get lost in the weeds folks.

[@young_of_the_mill9560]

Troy is great! However, the other guy is talking, but not saying much

[@yourmomiz50]

Y’all are talking bout shit that traditional hunting ppl have known bout for the past like 10,000 years or more U dont need these $1,000 compound bows with all the bells and whistles Just look at what simple Stone Age style of archery can do

[@jjgriffin3275]

Kinetic energy is Mute point when it comes to archery. its a sharp scalpal blade cutting in and through the animal. you made the point of a sharp knife cutting a steak. if you sharpen your knife to the extreme of a scalpal it takes ZERO kinetic energy to cut into and though the steak. this is why Surgeons use scalpals that are are stupid sharp to perform surgery, they are NOT having to bear down with Energy to make that cut in surgery. Cut on contact heads w slim angle is all you need when hunting. blade angle does matter. but long story short, Sharp blades at correct angle is all you need for hunting. NOW speed of your arrow does matter also bc you need the arrow to get to animal as fast as possible before the animal jumps your arrow.

[@african7498]

you obviously don't know much about mechanical advantage

[@bravowhiskey4684]

Who picks “Ranch Fairy” as their nickname? 🤡

[@ammonholloway2302]

He didn't