Testing a new broad head.

[Don_G]

Hi, I'm the broadhead designer and new here. Just got back from using these on Cape Buff in TZ. No issues: arrow penetrated from between the back two ribs on the left side and exited just behind the shoulder on the right side of a bull lying down chewing his cud, well below me across a korongo. That was about 36" of penetration through the buff, then the head went about 9" into the loose volcanic soil before stopping. The arrow was intact until the bull jumped up and crashed through a big bush. The arrow broke in half on the bush with 1/2 staying inside the bull. The bull went about 20 yards, stopped, fell down then gave the death bellow.

I would not have taken a quartering away shot with a lesser head, with a lower FOC, or if the buff had not been perfectly still. I do not recommend quartering shots on Cape Buff.

View attachment 12575

PH: Rainer Josch of Wild Africa Safaris
Location: Mt Losimingoor, northern TZ
Date: July 7, 2012
Bow: Bowtech 101st Airborne, 73# at 29", 227 fps, 86 ft-lb KE
Arrow: GoldTip Kinetic Pro 200, w/2.5" 2014 footer, 111 grain custom SS insert, weight with head 750 grains, 27% FOC
Broadhead: Dauntless Custom 265 grains, machined by Vantage Point Archery
Shot: Quartering away, bedded, 40 yards at a 30 degree downhill angle.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Congratulations on your success.
Please try the photo again. ( or J??)

Be interesting to give them a whirl on Eland next year.

 

[Don_G]

I'll try. What I see is a link to attachment 12575, when I click on it I see the pic.

View attachment 12576

Same result.

I'll try a link:

Don

 

[BRICKBURN]

By the way, Welcome to AH.

Jerome might be able to fix the link in the morning. I don't get it on my machine.
If it is in your gallery J can fix it later.

Don, send a few up here and I'll report back to you on that Eland test next year to.

 

[Don_G]

It cost me a fortune to send them to Fritz, and I'm out of extra heads. After my grizz hunt this fall I might be through with them...

 

[BRICKBURN]

Got the picture now.
Well you have at least put them to work and enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Congratulations, they work.
Good luck on that Bear hunt.

 

[Don_G]

Thanks, BRICKBURN.

Totsiens,
Don

 

[Stretch]

Nice buff Don_G. It appears you might be onto something there.

 

[sestoppelman]

Very impressive performance indeed!!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I'll try. What I see is a link to attachment 12575, when I click on it I see the pic.

View attachment 12576

Same result.

I'll try a link:

Don

Welcome to AH Don. Taking on Nyati with a bow.....a most impressive feat (if slightly crazy)!

 

[Don_G]

Thanks, guys.

Here's a pic of the buff's head and the arrow. The head will win no prizes, but I hunted on foot on a mountain for 7 days to get him. During that time I covered about 60 miles and did about 28,000 ft of elevation change. (Half up, half down.) The bush was very thick, the going was tough and this was the only shot presented. I feel like I earned the right to be proud of it!

Didn't get into a truck/car for 13 days on the mountain. Did not get a chance at a second buff.

Don

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Do you make a lighter version of that broadhead? I bowhunt for elk, probably don't need quite as heavy a broadhead for that.

 

[Fritz Rabe]

Well done and well done Don.
Your brainchild did its job to a T.

You will still get the results on the Giraffe. It was just postponed for a month due to some or other reason but I will make sure that you will be the first person the see the results.

 

[Don_G]

Phil, I'm not in the broadhead business at all. You could not make this head much lighter due to the fat ferrule required to shroud 1/2 inch of 5/16" arrow shaft. But you don't need this ultimate strength for elk. For elk with a compound I think any number of 150-180 grain 2 or 3-blade fixed heads would be adequate. Check out VPA and the German Kinetics Silver Flame products. I used the 100 grain G5 Montec 3-blade for years with good success on elk, but this year I'm moving to the Silver Flame 180 after some exhaustive testing. If I didn't already have have 8 of the SF180s I'd be switching to VPA 2-blade heads.

The Dauntless 265 with an aluminum adapter is just about perfect for a trad bow on elk, I think. I'm just getting started with a trad, so maybe time will tell. I'm not good enough to hunt with one yet.

Hi Fritz. No worries on the giraffe. I expect those heads will last you a long time, and I hope to hear about their escapades when I'm sitting around the fire baking my old bones!

 

[Diamondhitch]

Welcome to AH don. Any buff with a bow is something to be proud of let alone a hard earned one. Congrats.