Why Broadheads Fail: Arrow Penetration and Recovery with Dr. Ed Ashby

Last Day to Win a Custom Bow! Enter at: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/giveaways And get 10x entries when you shop Drawn West Apparel! https://www.getdrawnwest.com/shop Your broadhead might work great when everything goes right. But what happens when an elk turns, your arrow catches a shoulder, or the blood trail disappears? I sit down with Dr. Ed Ashby to talk arrow penetration, single-bevel broadheads, and building a hunting arrow for more than a perfect broadside shot. I’ve followed his research since I started changing my arrow setup for elk hunting, and I brought out a box of broadheads to ask the questions I’ve always wondered about. We get into the Natal study, why structural integrity and arrow flight come before chasing high FOC, and what the roughly 650-grain heavy-bone threshold actually means. I also push on the other side of the equation: if my arrow already passes through, could a wider cut help me recover a deer in thick Minnesota cover? Ashby shares his perspective on blood trails, bleeder blades, and why breaking through bone doesn’t guarantee lethal penetration. What we cover: ·         How four unrecovered whitetails sparked Ashby’s arrow-performance research. ·         Lessons from testing 32 broadhead designs during the Natal study. ·         Why you shouldn’t sacrifice arrow flight for higher FOC. ·         How tip shape, ferrule design, and single bevels affect penetration. ·         What the 650-grain threshold does—and doesn’t—tell you. ·         Cutting width, blood trails, and recovering animals when the hit isn’t perfect. If this gives you something to think about before your next hunt, follow the podcast and share it with someone working on their arrow setup. Follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram to keep up with what we’re doing.       Stay Ahead of Hunting Season with the Drawn West Newsletter. Get practical emails on deadlines, draw strategy, new episodes, and giveaway updates. Join Here: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/newsletter Looking for more content from Drawn West? Check out our latest article! Check out Drawn West Apparel:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/shop   FREE Gear Checklist: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gear Connect with Brian Krebs https://linktr.ee/getdrawnwest Have Questions or Comments? Send an email to [email protected]! Sponsors and Discounts: GOHUNT Insider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/g3aa8L4 GOHUNT Gear Shop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4u Save 10% on Maverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwest Save 20% On Reveal Cell Cams & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST20 https://www.tactacam.com/ Best Prices on Trauma Kits & First Aid at Jase.com https://rstr.co/jasemedical/getdrawnwest   00:00:00 ARC giveaway final announcement 00:04:09 Dr. Ed Ashby and the origins of his research 00:14:18 Natal study: testing broadheads on real animals 00:22:52 Broadhead failures and bone penetration 00:29:39 Bone deflection, tip design, and single bevels 00:40:57 Recovery records and modern arrow setups 00:45:29 High FOC versus proper arrow flight 00:50:28 The 650-grain threshold and shot selection 00:54:56 Blood trails, cutting width, and bleeder blades 01:14:59 Modern bow testing and African dangerous game 01:31:07 Conservation and close calls in Africa 01:40:04 Heavy-bone thresholds, shot placement, and final takeaways