whats your fav for lower poundage bows? I love woodsman but Im wondering if I should use a two blade this coming season on wooden shafts.

This question is certain to get a lot of opinions. I shot 41# at 30 last year. 200 grain grizzlies on Surewood shafts. Worked well on both does harvested.

I would think at that poundage a good 2 blade would be best.  However, with good shot placement that woodsman would do fine too.  Depending on your shot percentage and sharpening skill, that should be you deciding factor.  If you can put it right where it needs to be and can sharpen a 3 blade, then go that way, otherwise get a good 2 blade that's sharp out of the package.

Probably a 2 blade and not really wide.

I'm going to use Iron Will "Wides" this year.  It is a 2-blade with small bleeders so 4-blade. A friend killed a bison with this set-up from a 42 pound longbow.  Also killed a Kodiak with the same broadhead but different bow.

I'll be shooting these from a 44-46# recurve.

I know they are expensive, but in a normal year I may only take 1-2 shots at game.

Woodsman, VPA, or two blade.  The 3 blades mentioned are not too wide and with sharp heads will do just fine.

A woodsmen will penetrate more than a two blade .!

Celebrating my 70th later this year so am going down a few pounds to about 40. I'm going to try Zwickey Eskilites at 110 grains on 5/16 POC shafts. I build my own selfbows from hickory I cut in my woods and the combo is shooting great indoors. It's a pretty light setup but I wait (and hope) to be close.
Honest Jon

Shot placement is as important as broadhead selection.  Sharp heads are the deal

I shoot 40 and use Magnus Stinger 2 blade with good results.

Unfortunately shot placement isn't guaranteed by the hunter or the animals.  Even if the hunter is dead on placement in route, animals move. 

I see no reason why you couldn't shoot a 3 blade if you are going after whitetail. But, you didn't list your bow/arrow/draw length specs.

Shoot placement is not always guaranteed, certainly.  What I was referring to was decent attempt at broadside or quartering away, not frontal or Texas heart shot. Point well taken.  Shots happen.

My guy, Larry Dean on here, has me using two blade heads, everything from Schulz Hunter Heads, to 140 grain Hills, to Grizzlies, to my favorite, Eskimos,(mostly because I can keep those sharp myself). My bows are 38 at 26", I draw a little different depending on the bow grip, from 26&1/4" to 26&3/4". They all seem to work, we have never lost a deer that I have hit. In fact, we had some of my deer for lunch today.

Unfortunately the term 'sharp' can mean different things to different people...some liken it to a razor, others to anything that'll slice a potato.  Lots of variation there.  And then there's the 'how hard to sharpen' question.  Most two-blades easily win there.  Add this to the use of a light bow at unknown ranges/angles/hit locations and the odds seem to add some insurance towards two-blade heads for an on-average good results.  I've used two, three and four bladed heads and if had to chose one, regardless of bow weight, it would be a good two-blade.  And something more than 40# (if able), but that's for another thread.

TSP, a factory VPA drug backward on a diamond crock stick is infallible, nothing is easier than that.  You would have to be brain dead to fail.  Some people can't sharpen two blades....I ain't one of them BTW, I've sharpened them on a creek rock in the Cohutta wilderness and gutted a hog.  Neither my friend Keith Westbrook or I had a knife.   

Interesting post and question.  I have only shot a few animals with bows in the 40's, so I don't have the direct experience that some others do.  Just some things to consider:


I have always been of the belief that you increase your odds of finding an animal with better blood on the ground, and with increased cutting area based on the blades.  Even at that poundage on soft animals like a deer, it will be very unlikely that you will get substantial penetration gains using a 2 blade over a woodsman of normal diameter VPA 3 blade.

If you encounter hard bone, which is almost an oxymoron regarding deer, that would be an example of where a 2 blade would be a better choice.  Consider if this is likely to be of more benefit than a larger head in most situations before deciding.  I would argue that if you encounter hard bone, the trajectory/angle of your arrow is in a place unlikely to hit the vitals, and you will likely have problems irrespective of any possible penetration gains.

If you decide to hunt turkey with their tough feathers, you certainly may benefit from a 2 blade on certain angles.  The downside is the vitals are small, and the smaller the head, the tougher it is to hit the vitals.  That being said, A small 3 blade doesn't improve that dramatically.

If you choose to hunt hogs, I would probably choose a 2 blade because every bit of penetration may help on a tough hog.    I shoot more energetic setups, and definitely prefer 3 blades for hogs.


The bottom line for me is, vpa and woodsman heads don't penetrate all that much less than a 2 blade on soft tissues, and generally speaking give a better blood trail, all things being equal, so even with a light weight bow, they would be my choice.  Pro's and Con's to everything.  Good luck with your choice.

I have taken deer with my 40# longbow and stone points. When not using stone I use 125 grain 2 blade Black Diamond heads. Good shot placement helps.

Oh, and regarding sharpening, I don't think there is any broadhead easier to sharpen that the vpa 3 blades.  The combination of having a built in fixed guide and good steel makes it basically idiot proof.  Perfect for me.

I just dropped down to #40 , been shooting Zwickey Delta 4 blades at 175 gr for years from bows 45 to 50 lbs. I'll probably hunt with the 40 lb this coming year, be using the Deltas. So , no experience with them from 40 lb bows but on our whitetails I don't see it being a problem.

I think either will work on deer just fine.  I also agree that the easiest head out of the pack to sharpen is a vpa 3 blade.  I haven't used them much, and I'm not sharpening challenged, but they are a no brainer.

Have fun on your journey.