Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Penetration on TV

I watch a lot of the hunting shows on TV and it seems like a lot of the archery shots I see do not get good penetration. It seems that a lot of the shots have half of the arrow or more hanging out as the animal as it runs off. They always or at least show the shots that they find the animal...

Are they trying to shoot too light of an arrow?

Or too long of a distance...

Or to light of pull, or to big of broadheads. Most likely a combination of all of them. Shooting a 45lb bow (so they can hold it all day long until they get the camera shot they need) a light arrow and then a 2" Rage head does not equal good penetration!

Or the bow is not tuned just right.

They might not want to spend time tuning it. I notice on Bowhunter TV Curt Wells always seems to have good penetration.

I can't sit there long enough to get to the shot. I have yet to see a hunting or fishing show that was even remotely entertaining.

The tv shows show to much whitetail hunting. Very boring to me. I'd rather hunt a big mule deer buck or bull elk. To answer your question on the bow I shot an elk last year with my Hoyt crx35 long draw and it passed right through. Bow was set at 70pds.

I think reelman nailed it.

I shoot 65#, 265 fps with a fairly heavy arrow, and Muzzy broadheads. I usually kill 2-4 big game animal a year and can't remember the last "non" pass through.

I am amazed at how many shows leave the animal until morning. Seems like that is the accepted way of tracking these days. I think it has more to do with camera light than anything else. Makes me want to reach through the TV and strangle those guys. They must give the meat away because if they were planning on eating it they would do things different. Nasty.

Wait till morning around here and the Wolves get your kill.

I pretty much quit watching most hunting shows this past year, but nothing pissed me off more than this latest thing that most shows have come up with for a better picture/lighting (waiting until the next day for recovery)

Off topic of archery hunting, but I was watching Roger Raglin (spelling) a couple years ago. He was West River here in SD and shot a buck with his rifle. Deer dropped on the spot, but because of shooting light they waited until the next day to recover it.

Well, apparently they couldn't find the deer the following day. The kicker was, apparently later in the season they found the buck (what was left "antlers") and sent it to Roger and he was all thrilled to have recovered his deer. What a crock of chit.

Couldn't pay me to watch his crap TV after that.


Anyways, rant over...

Wait till morning for camera light and then haul the deer all around with the guts in so the pictures look better than if it was field dressed!

I know it's not bowhunting but the other thing on hunting shows that bothers me is ultra long range with rifles. I wonder how many shots they don't show on TV because they can't find the animal. When you are shooing at an animal 800yds+ away if it doesn't drop good luck even finding where the animal was standing to start looking for blood!

Last time I did that the coyotes ate everything except the bones and hide. Nothing left the next morning.

It was about 20+ years ago. It was a buddy of mine that took the shot. Not a good hit. I tracked it for him, after he had no luck, and I jumped the deer up 3 or 4 times. Finally went down in a swampy area and I figured it would have to wait until morning as we were late in the day. next day - zip.

Too much speed and to much expansion. Everyone is shooting these super fast bows light arrows and expanding broadheads. No different than shooting a deer with a 223 and varmint bullets. Speed does not always kill.

I know that a lot are not fans of him but look at Uncle Ted. He is shooting around 55 pounds average speed bow, not superlight arrows and standard two blade broadheads. Don't remember the last time I did not see one of his arrows zip right on through a critter of any size. Nor do I remember the last time I seen him do a next day recovery.

Mike, It's not only the light arrow that's doing it. I've shot light arrows (5gr/lb) for at least 15 years and have never had an arrow stop in a deer (except one staight down spine shot) and I've run everything from 1" 3 blade fixed to 2" 4 blade Rocket expandables. The last couple years I've been running a 300gr arrow at 59lbs. and it zips right through all the deer I shot with it with a 3 blade Muzzy on the end.

Not all expandables are equal either. Rage heads, that are so popular on TV shows, are terrible in regards to penetration due to their blunt tips.

Expandables SUCK!

nothing to do with draw weight. I shot thru may deer, cariboo bear shooting 180 fps with heavy arrow coc broadhead.

I know it it a combination of things. Nothing wrong with light arrows. Trouble is when they are combined with a poor head. The light arrow cannot overcome the shortfalls of the head in the penetration department. They deliver less energy and a huge amount of that energy is expended upon impact as the head opens up. You simple have to have enough energy behind the broadhead for it perform properly. Exapandables seem to have a very small window of arrow weight and speed that they will perform acceptable at, and a even smaller window they will perform exceptional in. Nearly any fixed blade will perform acceptable to exceptional with most any combination of arrow weight and speed.

The real issue on TV I think is the fact that the right combination is not often chosen. They have to go without ever combination is paying the bills. As with so many ugly things we see on outdoor TV it comes down to the advertisement and sponsorship dollars being the first and in some cases the only concern.

We can't shoot deer here in May, without a crop control permit! LOL

Expandables still SUCK.

I couldn't agree more!

I think too light of arrows and expandable junk heads result in very poor penetration. Simple enough.

you guys don't watch the same shows that i do because everyone i watch they get the perfect pass thru shot and the arrow is always found very easily. i'm always thinking that its to perfect on tv. i almost always have a hard time finding my arrow and its hardly ever any good if i find it. if you hit them bhind the shoulder it take very little draw weight to get a clean pass thru. i gave up on expandables a few years back but only because they weren't opening all the time.