Pick my broadhead - Cape Buffalo

[BWS]

Can't decide which head I should use. All fly great. Killed a bison with the valkyrie head, but no kills with the other two. The valkyrie was amazing on the bison. I have read all the posts I can find, but still can't decide. Some say single bevel, others say GK or Iron will. Tell me which I should use! Thanks

1. Iron will 250
2. Valkyrie Blood eagle 250
3. Cutthroat 250 single bevel

Setup: Hoyt carbon defiant 27.5, 77lbs, FMJ dg total arrow weight of 840 gr at 216 fps. All heads fly perfect to 50 yards.

 

[buckmarkhunter]

I used a 175 gr Strickland helix, I know it’s not on your list but definitely single bevel. The 175 are all stainless and pretty tough. I shot your same bow but 30 inch draw, fmj arrows, 804 gr total weight. Shot at 26 yds, buff went 45 yds and expired 1 arrow. I shot the GK in 200 gr but for me they didn’t work the best. I think find the best set up for you and go with it. Just have confidence and take time in your shot. Best of luck in your selection.

 

[Hunter101]

From what I have seen iron will all the way

 

[firehuntfish]

1. Iron will 250
2. Valkyrie Blood eagle 250
3. Cutthroat 250 single bevel

Of these three, assuming they all fly equally well as you state, I would recommend the solid, 2-blade single-bevel, Cutthroat. The Iron Will looks to be well designed except for that it is not a solid, 1-piece design, or single-beveled, and you will loose the bone splitting benefits of using a 2-blade, single-bevel design with the 3-bladed Valkyrie.....

Hunting Cape buffalo, you really don't want to leave anything to chance, and you certainly want every possible advantage stacked in your favor. In my experience having seen dozens of Cape Buffalo taken with a bow over the years, the most penetration generated and the least amount of component failures have been with solid, 1-piece, 2-bladed, single-bevel broadhead designs. I chose a Bishop Archery broadhead design very similar to the Cutthroat and had very good results on my buffalo..... Good luck, and be safe!

 

[BWS]

Thanks Dan. I will actually be at Limcroma for the hunt in a few weeks. Looking forward to it.

 

[BWS]

Yes, thanks. My third trip with Limcroma, but first for dangerous game. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[jeff]

I echo Firehuntfish's recommendation.

 

[206moose]

Cutthroats are my favorite. Hard to beat a solid one piece single bevel head.

 

[Gerhard]

I had 1st hand experience with the Valkyrie BH systems and I would not hesitate to let the Valkyrie fly

 

[BWS]

I had 1st hand experience with the Valkyrie BH systems and I would not hesitate to let the Valkyrie fly

Please tell....valkyrie on a cape buffalo?

 

[Bowhuntr64]

I do a ton of broadhead testing; you can see my testing vids on my YouTube Channel at Lusk Archery Adventures. All of the ones you've referenced are very good. I'm going next year for a Cape Buffalo and I have found the Bishop Holy Trinity to be the toughest, best designed single bevel made. But the second best that I've tested is the Cutthroat--and for the price, it is very hard to beat.

 

[BWS]

Love your videos. Thanks for doing them.....I think I've seen them all at least twice! My friend is using the bishops at 315gr, but I did my initial setup with 250 gr heads, thinking I would be using the iron will. Now, second guessing my choice, I didn't have enough time to try the bishops. But I am very impressed with the Cutthroat heads. Shot them out to 50 today with great, accurate flight. Thanks again.

 

[206moose]

I do a ton of broadhead testing; you can see my testing vids on my YouTube Channel at Lusk Archery Adventures. All of the ones you've referenced are very good. I'm going next year for a Cape Buffalo and I have found the Bishop Holy Trinity to be the toughest, best designed single bevel made. But the second best that I've tested is the Cutthroat--and for the price, it is very hard to beat.

Do the bishops outperform the cutthroats enough to justify the price difference? I know that’s a very subjective question. Your broadheads and arrows are the last thing you want to skimp on.

 

[jeff]

I do a ton of broadhead testing; you can see my testing vids on my YouTube Channel at Lusk Archery Adventures. All of the ones you've referenced are very good. I'm going next year for a Cape Buffalo and I have found the Bishop Holy Trinity to be the toughest, best designed single bevel made. But the second best that I've tested is the Cutthroat--and for the price, it is very hard to beat.

Hi, have you tested the Ashby head from Alaska Bowhunting supply?

 

[Gerhard]

Please tell....valkyrie on a cape buffalo?

Not on Cape Buffalo,

But on Kudu, Gemsbuck, Blue Wildebeest and Impala.

The blades were still sharp after providing full penetration, broke the Kudu bull’s shoulder bone on entry and still had enough kinetic energy to continue in a straight line, brake the opposite rib and exit.

The extreme FOC on tha Valkyrie Archery System is perfect to punch through thick hide and overlapping rib bones of a Cape Buffalo.

On your setup I would actually look at going to the 300gr heads.

 

[jpomazi]

Just got back from RSA. I used the Easton FMJ dangerous game 250’s with the Iron Will Buff 250’s. Arrow weight right at 900 grains. Got a 31 yard slightly quartering away shot and got about 25” of penetration. Did go about 250 yards but was piled up. Very happy with the performance. Used the Iron Will v100’s on plains game and was impressed with them also. Did a lot of research and was leaning towards the grizzly stick with Ashby broad head until I saw multiple negative reviews on an archery site. As a side note on the day I got my buffalo another guy in camp shot one in the evening. Placed his arrow right where his PH told him but only got about 8” of penetration. Luckily we were able to find it and finished it with a rifle. He was shooting grizzly sticks with a 315 Ashby. Not trying to bash them just telling the facts. Some people love them and swear by them. I’ll stick with the Iron wills.

 

[jeff]

Dries Visser safaris are big proponents of Grizzly sticks and swear by them. I suspicion the poor penetration of the other hunter was what bone the arrow hit, maybe turning some and the edges of the ribs overlapped or poorly tuned bow and arrow not flying straight. They have video of complete pass through's on buffalo and even elephant.

 

[206moose]

Those forged heads made by grizzly stick are junk. They are very brittle and break easily. Well known issue with those heads.

 

[jeff]

Those forged heads made by grizzly stick are junk. They are very brittle and break easily. Well known issue with those heads.

Which heads are you referring to or is it all Grizzly stick heads including the Ashby?

 

[firehuntfish]

Those forged heads made by grizzly stick are junk. They are very brittle and break easily. Well known issue with those heads.

For what it's worth, according to the owners, this issue was resolved by Grizzlystik last year.... There was a problem that they acknowledged and they changed the temper and the forging process to make the heads less brittle. I am not endorsing them one way or the other, and they were not my broadhead of choice when I did my Cape buffalo hunt in 2017 specifically because of these concerns. However, several of our clients have taken Cape buffalo with them this and last season with very good results.