All about where ya' hit 'em and whether you do or don't get 2 holes.

fdp about sums it up, but I prefer at least a 1 1/2 wide head for a 2 blade and absolutely razor sharp and an arrow weight heavy enuff for complete pass thru penetration, the only 4 blades that I've used were zwicky with bleeders and they worked very well also but I think I've seen better results with the wider 2 blades,

Usually, good blood trails happen when there is an entrance and exit wound. When I was shooting heavier (more than 60#)bows, I got complete pass throughs with 2, 3 and 4 blade broadheads and all produced good blood trails. With the aging process, I’ve dropped down in bow weight (now 45#) and find it’s easier to get pass throughs with a two blade head. I quit using 4 blade heads when I found I did not get complete penetration and poorer blood trails as a result.

I have made shots with 2,3 and 4 blade heads that seemed to be the exact same hit. Every bloodtrail is different, some will be excellent and some poor for unknown reasons.BUT a sharp 2 blade seems to not excite the critters as much IMO. An exit hole is always best!

yes its about where the hit is,, its a trade off for me,, I used both with confidence,, cant go wrong with two blade with bleeders

We all know if you hit them in the spot your gonna kill them . If you hit in the right spot with a tire tool your gonna kill them . As for myself like to hear from some one who has had experience both 2and 4 blade to comment . I have always used 2 blades seems to work but maybe we could learn something

Some folks who have experience with both have commented.

I’ve seen good and bad blood with both 2&4 blade. I really think it has to do with the design of the 4 blade and an exit hole and how high or low that exit hole is on the animal. With that said I really do prefer a 3 blade woodsman, snuffer style head, I seem to get more blood on the ground with that style head. 2 holes the the size of a quarter is easier for blood to pour out than a slit. I don’t know if this adds anything but, it’s much easier to sew up a slit in a animal hide than a hole. It seems 4 blade heads that have equal size 4 blades make a hole also. Hope this adds something.

Shot game with both, tell ya the truth, all shots around 20 yds, couldn’t tell the difference.

High lung often results in the chest cavity filling with blood rather than leaking out....

Lower exit hole usually gives a better bloodtrail.

I say usually because there always seems to be those times when things don't pan out like you thought they should.

The broadened is rarely the problem.

I've used and shot deer with 2 blade, 3 blade and 4 blade..

I've settled on a good simple razor sharp 2 blade broadhead.... It seems to give the best penetration overall.

Far as a bloodtrail, I just need to be able to track them, I don't need a lot, I just need something, good bloodtrails are easy, but if there is none, and it will happen eventually regardless, then we have to learn to follow and track without it...best we can anyhow...

Blundering around ruining any sign is probably the worst thing you can do, when blood is scarce....surveyers tape can really help to give you a line of travel, but for Pete's sake take it with you...I hate to see that stuff left hanging.

And after you've shot enough deer sometimes you just get that sixth sense or gut feeling about which direction he turned, etc...

Anyway sorry for the long response, but truthfully either will work...something needs to be said about bow poundage also..I don't want to start a debate on poundage, but if your shooting lower poundage and lighter arrows, id surely go with a 2 blade.

I have used two three and four blade. I go along with a two blade if you are using a lighter draw bow. The only thing I would add here is that whatever you use it needs to be razor sharp. That is what I found to make more of a difference as far as being able to recover a dead deer. Shamefully, I have had two, and seen several others shot by friends that were complete pass thru's from a tree stand. They had the low exit, were a complete pass thru and started out a fantastic blood trail. The kind where you expect to see a dead deer laying up ahead with each step. "no way this thing can bleed like this and we don't find him"......except when the blood stops 100 yards or so down the trail. I don't kill a lot of deer these days, just don't have time, but the last four of five I saw drop and used nothing different and hit them all in the chest. I attribute that to broadheads you could literally shave with.

The best blood trail I ever had was with a four blade zwickey. The deer was five yards in front of my stand. The arrow entered high lung with a low exit on the off side . Second best was also with a 4 blade zwickey,broadside double lung. Both deer ran 100 yards. It has been my experience they don't run as far with a two blade.

Blood trails are never a sure thing. Good double lung shot results in a very short dash and crash. If an archer is always having trouble finding deer they have arrowed, I would suggest studying deer anatomy, think about angles and wait for high percentage shots that give the best chance of popping BOTH lungs. I would bet most deer not found after a solid chest hit are running one lung.

shade mt +1

I've got a lot of experience (58 yrs) of using different broadheads 2, 3 and 4 blade. I've seen good and bad blood trails with every broadhead but my best have been with a 4 blade like a Bear Razorhead and Zwicky Delta 4 blade. A large 2 blade like Zwicky delta and Ribtec 145 seem to give the next best bloodtrails. Now I'm going to say something that might sound funny but like jegs.mi said above bloodtails seem to be shorter using a 2 blade. I hunted a residential area (5 deer limit) on 2 huntable acres of land for a few years where I didn't want the animal to leave that property! I found out I could shoot deer with a narrow 2 blade (usually a Schultz hunters head) and many times watch them not have very little reaction to being hit and drop in sight. I even had one snort at me after being hit. No blood trail needed!

X2 FDP, Shade Mt, and the rest! Lots of factors, but arrow placement is most important. Using two blade heads, I’ve shot critters through the boiler room and gotten two holes leaving a blood trail a blind man could follow. I’ve also shot critters in the shoulder and gotten essentially zero blood on the ground.

In theory, all things being equal with two holes through the vitals, 3 and 4 blade heads SHOULD leave more blood on the ground. However, in theory, all things being equal, 2 blades heads SHOULD get better penetration leading better chance of two holes.

I’ve used both 2 blade and 3-blade, but have not shot an animal with a 3-blade so no real world experience.

I have shot animals big and small with 2,3 and 4 blade heads after having alot of experiences the only two blades I will use are the Simmons type .

I quit using 2 blades in the 90s due to sparse or no blood trails in most cases . We have had a few deer run some distance with lung hits ,they dont all go down right away as some say, I have stepped of a few that went over 300yds. If we didnt have blood trails we more than likely wouldn't have found the deer . We call a pass through when the arrow completely exits a deer and complete penetration when the broadhead pokes through the opposite side . I hung up a intact buck not gutted and shot different heads through it the Wensel Woodsman out penetrated all the 2 blades I would use that on a light bow not a 2 blade .

I have to agree with 2 holes though the lungs with anything. I have shot deer with a round ball muzzleloader that made one hole. Hard to track but been lucky finding them until I beefed up my powder a bit. Always found ball in between skin and meat on other side. Stretchy stuff with a round projectile. Razor blades of any type a different story. Cut yourself sharpening......... there should be a blood trail to the bandaid box.

I’ve shot whitetails with just about every type of fixed head…I’m an admitted broadhead junkie…

Have to say, the more blades the better when you goof up and hit too far back. A small single blade to the gut is a long heartbreaking day.

Two blades work very well but there is often less blood on the ground….with the larger heads 1.5”+ the difference seems to be less. Makes sense to me, more cut more blood.

I have have taken deer with 2, 3, and 4 blade heads. And would add, I have lost deer shot with 2, 3, and 4 blade heads. But, this has been over a 52 year span. I have had deer go down in sight after being hit with each type of head. The deer I lost (3) after being hit with 2 blade heads left little to no blood trails. My biggest buck (a bruiser from Kansas) was a double lung with only an entrance wound with a single bevel 2 blade. Luckily he went down in sight at 80 yards, But, Not one drop of blood from where he was hit to where he went down. All the deer I have take with 3 and 4 blade heads left adequate to good blood trails. Some short trails and some more than a 100 yards. The two deer I lost hit with 3 blade heads (Wensel Woodsman and a Snuffer) left enough blood on the ground that I was able to follow for hundreds of yards before losing sign. Of all the heads I have used over this long period, the 125grain 3 blade thunderhead provided the best and most consistent blood trail. With a bear 4 blade razor head next. Just my experience.

I shot several deer with a 2 blade(no single bevel) and there as no bloodtrail on the ground. Arrow zipped through their heart. Their fat layer just closed the wound up. Was close to dark and no moon. I could not pick up any drops of blood. I came back the next morning and looked really hard and found the deer, but still no blood. The coyotes didn't find it either. I prefer 3 blades or heads with bleeder blades for deer in the eastern woodlands. Much better bloodtrails.

I've only killed deer with multiple blade heads so I cannot compare with two blades. My belief and experience is that more blades offer more cutting surface. They may impede penetration over a two blade so it's a tradeoff. I have to drop bow weight this year and was considering shooting a two blade like a Zwickey Eskimo but after rethinking it and listening to a Tradlab report on The Push podcast I'm either going with a Woodsman or Bear Razorhead with insert.

The Tradlab report looked at penetration and blood trails was based on input from hunters that got the animal they shot at. It's fascinating in that it offers insight to real world results, not test tube theory. To summarize it - based on successful hunter's reports - the average distance for blood to start is about 30 yards. If hit the heart and/or lungs and you should be fine with any broadhead. If you hit further back you would do best with a multiple blade head. Exit holes provide a better blood trail. On average two-blades penetrate best but multiple blades leave a better blood trail. Convex heads seem to penetrate better than other heads. Simmons Landshark users reported the best blood trail among two blades. Iron Will Wide series and Cutthroat 3-blades were reported as having the best overall blood trails. Apparently there is a benefit to a convex head, which may be why I have always liked the Bear Razorhead.

What I found interesting is that even though all the reporting hunters were successful their results were almost evenly divided into three categories of blood trails being not-so-good, OK and great. And as we all know, there are so many variables involved it's not scientific, just anecdotal reporting.

Honestly - by far, the best blood trails I have had have been with my 3-blade heads (VPA 175gr).

I've never used 4-blade, unless you count 2-blade with bleeders as 4-blade, and the 3-blade VPA's still come out on top.

That said, I've seldom had a bad blood trail with just 2-blade heads. As has been stated above - get two holes with a good/sharp broadhead, and the blood trail is gonna be pretty good regardless.

Rick

I’ve had my best blood trail with a 2 blade and the worst with a 2 blade so I have zero input. Lol. Will say with wensel woodsman’s I’ve had consistent blood trails. Not great but I have never lost a animal with any head yet but I know it’s bound to happen someday. I can get 2 blades truly scary sharp so have been using them last few years. If I could get the woodsman’s that sharp I’d probably use them as like I said there not great but very consistent blood trails at least.

I've killed a lot of critters with two blade and 4 bladed Zwickey Deltas. As fdp said in the first response to your question. It depends where you hit them and if you get an exit hole. I've had excellent blood trails with each, and not so good blood trails with each.

I should add that I probably used four blade heads twice as much as two blade heads because of their greater cutting potential. Wasn't worried about penetration on deer size critters. The four blade heads usually resulted in pass throughs, as did the two blades, unless I hit the offside leg.

If you hit them through the lungs or heart it won’t matter.

So the "if you hit them in the right spot" comments are really frustrating. Could there be an intellectually less rigorous answer? Yes... of course... we all endeavor to hit the crease 1/3 of the way up on a slightly quartering away deer... get two holes and the deer runs in an open field and we watch them die.

You guys must be absolute machines with your shot placement - I, however, am not. With the exception of ONE turkey... and ONE Zebra... once, have I ever hit EXACTLY where I wanted to on an animal... with the animal oriented perfectly.

I think increasing successful hunting outcomes is in the space of optimization when things aren't perfect.

So - to answer the question - in my bro-science opinion - # of blades is important (more blades = more blood) but blood trails have more to do with # of holes than # of blades/cutting surface.

I too "want a blood trail." For our 110 pound Central Texas whitetails I shoot 3 or 4 blades because even my lowest poundage set up will most likely get pass-through. For Nilgai? Even with my heaviest set-up I'm worried about penetration - 2 blade VPA's up!

Best wishes - Jar

"Both hits were high lung."....there ya's go. The hits were in an area of the body, and at such an angle as to not allow a significant amount of blood to reach the ground.

I noticed no one mentioned the amount of fat on a animal. I have had good hits plug up with fat and make it hard to trail.

Hmmm.

Man I sure do like 3 blade heads (Snuffer/VPA)these days, but with that being said. I have killed multiple deer with 2 blade heads (Zwickey Eskimo, No Mercy, Delta, Magnus). I have lost count on 4 blade kills using Magnus and primarily Zwickey. Still shooting 4 blade Zwickey heads on some of my setups. Based on my experiences I stopped hunting with 2 blades probably 10 to 15 years ago. Yes, I consistently got pass throughs, but I would classify a 2 blade exit as a slit. With a slit the skin can shift, internal tissue can obstruct blood flow, even seen some interesting clotting of blood in the slits. A 4 blade or even a 3 blade exit is a hole. To me the exit hole of a 3 or 4 blade head leads to more flow. Let me say this is just my experience with my hunting setups. I hunt areas with very liberal bag limits for deer. This has allowed me to find out what works best for me. Good luck to all this fall>>~>

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