Broad Head Safety

Just as the saying goes, a dull knife is a dangerous knife; the same applies to broad heads. Keeping your broad heads sharp is important for clean, ethical kills on animals and reduced drag in flight. However, a sharp (or dull) broad head is the most common cause of injuries to bow hunters. Most of the time, this is due to carelessness and can easily be prevented with a few safety tips.

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Tools:

There are numerous types of broad head tools available to tighten the blades onto your arrow shaft; the tools typically cover the blades to allow you to grip and tighten without slicing your fingers or hand. Fixed blades obviously have more exposed blade than a mechanical broad head but can still be dangerous with the small amount of blade that is exposed and require just as much care. Sharpening tools are also available for those broad heads that can be re-sharpened, and are tailored to broad heads instead of using a basic knife sharpener. Make sure you have the right tool for the job to prevent injury.

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Storage:

The typical answer for storing your broad heads is on your arrows in a quiver, however, if you are like me, you have more broad heads than arrows, and quivers can’t always hold all of my arrows. Many bow cases include a top portion that will hold your arrows for travel and transport. The biggest mistake hunters make is leaving their broad heads attached to the arrows while they are in the case. This is one of the worst things you can do. As secure as you may think those arrow holders are, NEVER leave your broad heads attached to your arrows during transport. One loose arrow with a broad head on it can not only get knocked around and dull your broad head, but can also knick or cut your bow string inside the case. Even the smallest cut to your bow strings or cables can prove to be dangerous. The problem is you will never know where it was cut, how many cuts it made or if your safety is in danger when you decide to draw back.

I’ll admit, I made this horrible mistake as a rookie bow hunter, but luckily I learned quick and never had any injuries – not everyone is that lucky. I took matters into my own hands and made my own broad head case with a small plastic divided container; some peel and stick felt, and Velcro to hold it in my bow case. Total cost = $5 from WalMart and it’s custom to my arrows and accessories! Ladies you will love it! I also use it to carry my nocks, field points, cotton balls (remember the arrow safety cotton ball test) and of course broad heads.

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Cleaning:

If you harvested an animal one of the most important things to do is clean your broad head if it’s re-usable. This can be very dangerous to scrub a dull blade, especially because it is such a small object. The best method I have found is the soaking method. Don’t try to hold the broad head and scrub it; instead place it in a container with either water and dish soap, or white vinegar. Let it soak overnight if possible and then use a toothbrush to clean out any leftover residue. I have also heard of some people putting their broad heads in the dishwasher to clean them! Either way take extreme care when cleaning your broad heads.

It is also important to note that some harvests may leave a broad head in the animal. This can be very unsafe when cleaning the animal. If you suspect that a piece of the broad head or the entire thing is in your animal, be cautious cleaning around it to ensure all parts are removed. It can be a hard thing to find or see but it should be your main focus until it is removed completely.

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Bottom line, take care of your equipment and don’t overlook the simple things that can cause major damage. You will be around to hunt for years to come and help pass on your knowledge to anyone just starting out!