Fixed? Expandable? Doesn't matter? Looking for advice from someone who has archery bear hunted. Watching videos, looks like a decent arrow does the job. Drew a tag near Ely, MN. Can't wait.
Archery
broadhead for bear hunting?
For bear, I would use a good fixed head. I like Wac'Em 3-blade and have had great success with them. Blades are wicked sharp out of the package and they fly like darts out of my bow. If you decide to go expandable, I would use something with a stainless ferrule and would shy away from 2+" cutting diameters. Wounded deer don't fight back, wounded bears DO! Choose a head that will do the job and practice up! Good luck!
Never got a shot. Saw 2 bear on my first night, 1st one came right at me at 15 yards, then spun and left. At dark-had one come in. Too dark-couldn't tell if front shoulder was forward. Another year will do it again. My schedule says this year is over for bear and starting for deer.
I took 1 bear with a fixed head and it went 40 yards and piled up.306lbs dressed out
Took my 2nd bear with an expandable and it went maybe 75 yards . 197 dressed out
The biggest part as mentioned before is shot placement. Both of the bears I shot were close (15 yards, that's a rush) and broadside. Do a little research as far as shot placement between a deer and bear. Good luck on your hunt . LIEBE
For me, it’s the same choice as for any other game: a good, fixed, cut on contact (COC) head you shoot well with your set up. I truly believe COC is second only to shot placement in animal recovery. You don’t get the blood trails you get with expandables, but with a good shot you will watch the animal go down more times than not.
Good luck on your hunt.
To me, shot placement is more important than blade type. Practice, practice, practice. I've only arrowed one bear, using the same 100-grain, fixed 4-blade Muzzy I use on deer, because of the confidence I have in them. But, I'll say it was a darn good shot with his body in the perfect position. He ran 50 yards, bounced off a tree and ran 25 yards back at me and piled up.
Set up your practice target to be exactly like your hunting stand - same distance, same stand height, same body angle to the target. Know your bear anatomy and don't take an iffy shot. The summer I drew my tag I was grouping 5 arrows into a golf ball leading into the hunt.
I've tried mechanicals in the past but lacked confidence in them. Maybe they've come a long way in development, but someone else with more experience using them can give their opinion. I know a deer my brother-in-law shot last fall spraypainted the landscape, made it look like he launched a double-bitted axe at it (but it went farther than my bear........)