Small Game Bow Hunting

[GreenWing]

Recently got some Zwickey Judo points and did a little target/stump shooting with them. They seem to be extremely tough and come out of a dead log with relative ease. I would like to hear from others that have used points like this for small game, mostly squirrels. My deer bow is a 60 lb compound that I'm pretty comfortable with. My wife also has a 30ish lb bow (pink camo of course) that she never uses. I'd prefer to use my bow so I could take two broad heads and two judos in my quiver to target deer and get some squirrels as well. Is this too much power for squirrels? And do most people body or head shot squirrels with a bow? 20 yards will probably be my max distance. Thanks in advance.

 

[illinoisburt]

60 pound compound will definitely kill squirrels. Squirrels are small targets and getting arrows out of trees may be really challenging. If you are shooting them on the ground should be fine though will likely tear them up on any connecting shot.

 

[Kingcreek]

Those judo blunt points are meant to deliver a blow without penetrating. I used to use them with a 28# recurve. With your 60# compound they are going to blow thru small game like squirrels and stick in trees anyway.
Nothing wrong with the points but your choice of bow is wrong for small game.

 

[buck460XVR]

Back when I first used "Judo" type points for small game(50 years ago), the idea behind the prongs was not to stop them from penetrating small game, but to keep them from sliding under grass/leaves and other debris and becoming lost. There used to be oversized rubber blunt tips that worked similarly. High poundage bows ripped the prongs off or bent them to the point they don't work. The idea was the prongs would catch on the ground and tip the arrow up and keep it on top of surface clutter and thus easily found. Biggest issue with archery for small game is the loss of arrows. Same as why one uses Flu-Flus for bird hunting.

 

[GreenWing]

Those judo blunt points are meant to deliver a blow without penetrating. I used to use them with a 28# recurve. With your 60# compound they are going to blow thru small game like squirrels and stick in trees anyway.
Nothing wrong with the points but your choice of bow is wrong for small game.

So wife's 30lb pink bow?

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

So wife's 30lb pink bow?

You can always camo tape it.

 

[GreenWing]

You can always camo tape it.

Nah, I'm going with the pink camo.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Nah, I'm going with the pink camo.

 

[Flintknapper]

I don't recommend Judo points for squirrels or rabbits. It does not kill them quickly and you will have a lot of 'run offs' trying to pull your arrow behind a mostly eviscerated animal.

I have over 50 yrs of bow-hunting experience and can tell you that the best thing for squirrels and rabbits are the large rubber blunts (NOT the small, hard, plastic ones). They knock small game dead...right on the spot (with any decent shot). Decent meaning anything forward of the crease in the front leg. They are devastating.

Judo points are for 'roving' and practice so you don't lose your arrow up under the grass.

 

[Patocazador]

I use judo points to de-cock my crossbow. I lose 1 or 2 a season by shooting into debris and roots.

Last week I shot into a palmetto patch and had to unscrew my arrow from the judo point. I could not free it from the trunk of the palmetto.