# Highlight of day! Gopher shot at 34 yards.



## proctorbc2005 (Jun 25, 2007)

Depending on the settings of your bow, IE draw weight, arrow speed, etc. it is not uncommon to kill small game with a blunt tip. IN fact I would be shocked if your blunt did not pass thru your prey.

I hunt rabbits all the time, I have taken shots out as far as 50 yards, and I have never, not had my blunt completly pass thru the rabbit.


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## bowman_79 (Jun 23, 2006)

*reply*

are u talk woodchucks casue they are not rabbits for one rabbits r thin fured and soft boddied animals woodchucks are tough and ive seen them get hit in the head with a 22 at 20 feet and the bullet bounce off so i wouldnt be to upset that he rolled in his hole he prolly died in there. and at that distance dont worry about a pass threw with a blunt on a woodchuck. but good shooting


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## tulikiwi (Mar 24, 2007)

Hi there!

when you guys write blunts, do you mean blunt iron tips or rubber bludgeons?

i have tried out all sorts of tips for hunting a variety of small game but come to the conclusion that only broadheads do the job for sure unless you can guarantee a head-shot.
but that depends probably on many factors, just my personal observations. 

good hunting

Nik


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## proctorbc2005 (Jun 25, 2007)

tulikiwi said:


> Hi there!
> 
> when you guys write blunts, do you mean blunt iron tips or rubber bludgeons?
> 
> ...


This depends on what/where I am hunting. I have 3 types of small game heads I will use.

Neet Small Game Stopper
Eastman Outfitters Shocker 
Plain old rubber bludgeons.

I have some that I custom made for bird hunting as well. Drilled 2 holes in a 100g field point (in an x patern) and make a clover shape (4 loops) with a single strand of .040 guage steel wire. Works great with small birds like sparrows adn doves.

Ill post a pic as soon as I get home.


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## cath8r (Jan 17, 2003)

Nothing beats broadheads for all game, except maybe grouse and spruce hens (I love blunts for them). 
Anything with fur I use broadheads anymore. I've hit rabbits with blunts only to have them get away. They probably died and was wasted and killed for nothing. Can't beat a sharp broadhead for everything. Dead for certain and helps you find the animal by blood trail. Just my $.02. Rob.


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## cc46 (Jan 22, 2005)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourview/2007/07/room_board_and_ammo_tourists_g.html

say this on gogher hunting in Sask., start of a new sport? live 3D, food and board included???


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## tulikiwi (Mar 24, 2007)

fun article, man i wish i had the money for the fare to sask 

the comments of the readers remind me of the same lame "discussion" about shooting rabbits and possums back in NZ. i used to make a living of shooting and trapping pests, but there were always some do-gooders to condone my killing of those CUUUUUUUUTE little innocent things.

dont get me wrong; i think it needs a very good reason to take a live, any live, but pest control is a reason well good enough.

sorry, i went abit OT i reckon.

Nik


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## Alan in GA (Oct 21, 2005)

*Judos*

I enjoy gopher shooting when in Montana with JUDO points. 
Feed the golden eagles~!
Hey,,bring my arrow back!
Eagles love gophers, too.

Alan in GA


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## Ken.C (May 13, 2007)

Hawks always take gophers that I have shot. I like the Judo heads as well, the springs catch the grass and stop your arrow or at least make it bounce well.

I have plenty of gophers in Alberta to shoot, but I am going to Saskatchewan next weekend with my bow. There are way more gophers and less waiting around for them to come out of their holes.


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## Alan in GA (Oct 21, 2005)

*Judo points in Montana...*

a good friend in Wilsall Mt encouraged a couple of us to ship our bows ahead and get some gopher shooting in with arrows instead of only bullets. We practised on tennis balls in his front yard and THAT is great fun, too!

Montana is a secret,,,don't let everyone know about it.

Alan in GA


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## Ken.C (May 13, 2007)

Montana is nice just under me in Alberta.


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## xXStanXx (May 18, 2007)

If it didn't kill it I will be surprised. My dads friends shhot gophers @ 40yds with blunt arrows and kill them every time.


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## Ken.C (May 13, 2007)

XxstanxX,

Where in Calgary are you practicing? I've seen a few archery targets at the Calgary Firearms Center. I am going to give them a call it looks like they range out to 40 yards.


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## Ken.C (May 13, 2007)

I found out today that my bow kills gophers at the 30+ yard mark. I shot a gopher at 32 yards today and the arrow and blunt head went right through him.


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## russ (Jul 29, 2002)

I've been using rubber blunts for years to hunt gophers. There's an article in the 2nd last Alberta Bowhunters Association newsletter about small game hunting. I'll post a link to PDF once it's posted on their site.


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## Ken.C (May 13, 2007)

Russ,

I look forward to reading that article Russ. I can't wait for the link.

Ken.C


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## Ken.C (May 13, 2007)

Just a ? about the slide on rubber blunts. Do you screw your field point out and then slide the blunt on? I have been using hard screw in plastic blunts but my arrows are breaking in two the odd time when they hit the dirt. I have to switch to the rubber type to absorb more shock.


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## russ (Jul 29, 2002)

I use the Martin screw in blunts, I have some slip overs, I just don't use them. The link to the newsletter is http://bowhunters.ca/files/resourcesmodule/@random425fd44de9aa9/1185455796_qtr1_2007.pdf 

It's a big file it's a PDF over 10 meg. The article you're interested starts on page 8.


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## Ken.C (May 13, 2007)

The Martin screw in blunts are the ones I use. I just bought some rubber Martin slipovers today. Are you shooting ant radial weave or carbon light arrows? Or have you had any arrows break in two?


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## stalk-and-drop (Mar 1, 2007)

proctorbc2005 said:


> Depending on the settings of your bow, IE draw weight, arrow speed, etc. it is not uncommon to kill small game with a blunt tip. IN fact I would be shocked if your blunt did not pass thru your prey.
> 
> I hunt rabbits all the time, I have taken shots out as far as 50 yards, and I have never, not had my blunt completly pass thru the rabbit.


I agree.
Nothing that I have shot with a blunt has survived. At longer yardages I use Judo's, only because they seem to hold onto their accuracy a little better.


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## russ (Jul 29, 2002)

Ken, 

I hunt with aluminums & aluminum-carbons mostly. I change to rubber blunts to save the arrows from rocks and found they did a better job of staying on top of the grass along the way.


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## Ken.C (May 13, 2007)

I read your article Russ. I could not agree with you more. I had a light to shade shot the other day. I missed a shot and the gopher ran under a spruce tree. I could see him a little bit in the dark, I shot and nailed him at 16 yards.


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## arrow flinger (Aug 3, 2007)

*blunts and fluflu's*

I use 165 grain screwin blunts with 50# recurve on flu flu arrows to kill pesky squirrels in my yard. They have yet to break the skin, but every one that I have killed has been consumed at the breakfast table. How do you cook gophers????


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## russ (Jul 29, 2002)

arrow flinger said:


> I use 165 grain screwin blunts with 50# recurve on flu flu arrows to kill pesky squirrels in my yard. They have yet to break the skin, but every one that I have killed has been consumed at the breakfast table. How do you cook gophers????



Considering it's a squirrel, technically you already know the answer to your question. However these guys might be a 1/2 lb live weight for a monster.


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## SASKwatch (Jul 19, 2007)

arrow flinger said:


> I use 165 grain screwin blunts with 50# recurve on flu flu arrows to kill pesky squirrels in my yard. They have yet to break the skin, but every one that I have killed has been consumed at the breakfast table. How do you cook gophers????


OK I have never been to Bama State but I hope you are just $h*tting us about eating them little buggers. 

I admit eating squirrel once but it was after being dropped out the back of a 
C 130 Hercules in Northern Canada for a survival training exercise with the Canadian Forces. I had the choice between them or these big ugly crickets.

One lesson learned there was make sure you burn that little bugger good.


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## Ken.C (May 13, 2007)

You never know what type of poison the gopher has been getting into. I would not dare eat them.


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