arrowheads I have killed deer with

[iowabow]

I often read posts where new knappers want to know what works in terms of size for arrowheads. These points killed my last three deer. The pink one is 100 grains and the other two are 145 grains. Total wt of arrows were about 530 grains and the bows were about 55 pounds.

[Trapper Rob]

About how long do you make them.

[Adam]

That is helpful to see, thanks for posting them.  Is there any test to determine how sharp they need to be for hunting?  I don't know that that is a question that can be answered without actually holding a point and feeling it, but I've been reluctant to use my points because I'm afraid they're too dull and won't penetrate enough for a clean kill.

[iowabow]

Adam this is a very good question. How sharp does a point need to be? The follow is my opinion only and will differ from others I am sure. First consider a fire hardened tip likely killed many deer. A fire hardened tip has no sharp edges only a sharp point. Before I learned how to make a primitive bow and arrow I taught myself how to knap. I thought at this time I had made a really nice arrowhead. I used jb weld to glue it to a notched field point and began hunting with it. I shot a deer at 15 yards and killed it with the point in the picture. With what I know today and the skill I have learned from this site I would likely never use a point like it again. Here is the reason why. Although that point did kill the deer it was not constructed in a manor that would continue to cause damage after entry. A sharp point if inside the deer will continue working to bring down the animal. So my suggestion is do your best and halve your points and do your best on shot placement. If you follow that "code" you should have no worries. I think you would be very surprised at what points took game. I think it is more important to be skilled at halving

[Zuma]

Cool thread,
Where the stone meets the bone. lol
Coon hunting was " When the tail gate drops, the bs stops."
I have always thought a slight serration is best for bleeding.
Something for the capillaries to be severed with.
The more blood the easier tracking. Of course heart and lung shots are best.
Zuma

[JW_Halverson]

That screw in stone point is so ugly I just threw up in my mouth, Farmer John!!!   

[PrimitiveTim]

thanks for showing us these.  I always love hearing from primary sources about hunting with stone points.

[iowabow]

That screw in stone point is so ugly I just threw up in my mouth, Farmer John!!!   

That was before I found ABO

[iowabow]

Cool thread,
Where the stone meets the bone. lol
Coon hunting was " When the tail gate drops, the bs stops."
I have always thought a slight serration is best for bleeding.
Something for the capillaries to be severed with.
The more blood the easier tracking. Of course heart and lung shots are best.
Zuma

Lol and great input

[Adam]

Thanks for the explanation. It's great getting insight from people who have so much experience.

[xin]

What is "halving"?

[iowabow]

What is "halving"?

sorry I meant hafting: the notching, gluing,  tying and then resetting of the point with heat.

[Jodocus]

There's real poetry in that point, iowabow. I love it! 

[JW_Halverson]

There's real poetry in that point, iowabow. I love it! 

Yeah, real poetry in Farmer John's points...."dirty" limericks.  Hehehe!   

[iowabow]

My archery skills were instinctually developed during my 4 years of combat training.  Continually and with urgency they drill us on how to "take cover" and my favorite was "HIT THE DIRT"!!!!!!