By Bernie Barringer

The rage in bowhunting is to send an arrow traveling at a high rate of speed. The faster the better, right? We all want a missile traveling on a flat trajectory getting to the target in a hurry. Well, that may be great for deer and small game bowhunters, but for bears, it’s another story. Things like kinetic energy and momentum also come into play. Let’s dive into this a little more.

Don’t despair, I won’t go too scientific on you, but a definition of each is in order. Speed, of course, is a measurement of how fast your arrow is moving. Simple enough, people talk about arrow speed a lot. Bows are even rated for speed, which can be deceiving. If your bow says it’s rated for say, 234 feet per second, you must realize that those measurements are taken with a 70-pound bow, with an arrow 30 inches long and weighing 5 grams per inch, at a 30-inch draw. Almost certainly, that’s not what you are shooting.

Kinetic energy (KE) is a measure of how much energy the arrow has when it contacts the target. I won’t bore you with formulas, but KE is affected by arrow weight, distance and the most important factor, arrow speed. It’s measured in foot-pounds of energy. As we go through this, keep in mind the principle advanced by Sir Isaac Newton, “An object in motions tends to stay in motion until acted upon by an outside force.” Which brings us to momentum.

Speed, weight and momentum are all connected. While the most important factor in KE is speed, the most important factor in momentum is weight. Momentum is the energy needed to drive the object through the target. Friction is the enemy of momentum. See where I am going with this? I have mentioned many times that the goal of bear hunting with a bow is to have a low exit wound to ensure a good blood trail. “I’ll take two small holes over one big hole every single time.” has been my mantra.

Here’s just a note on friction before I move on because several things can add friction to your arrow and broadhead. A super sharp broadhead reduces friction. A wider broadhead adds surface area and therefore more friction. A mechanical broadhead that needs energy to open and create a wide channel is a momentum killer. Hitting a bone, even a glancing blow, can really kill momentum. An arrow that’s not moving straight and true can create a lot of friction and reduce penetration. You get the idea.

Part of my job as an outdoor communicator is to keep tabs on what people are talking about on social media and online hunting forums. It’s definitely not the best part of the job but an important one. There’s something I have learned about people using these platforms: they don’t have to know what they are talking about to feel comfortable giving advice on a subject. I see this all the time; people with little to no experience eagerly explain their opinions as if they have a doctorate on the subject. This is so true when it comes to bowhunting for bears.

Here’s an incredibly common theme. Someone states they are going on their first bear hunt and they are asking for advice on bow, arrow and broadhead set up. I guarantee you, someone is going to say this, “Whatever you use for deer is fine for bears.” I guarantee it. Every single time. Here’s the amazing thing, the person making that statement has no idea what they are using for deer! They also have no idea if the new hunter is going to have a 100-pound bear or a 400-pound bear in front of their arrow. I just roll my eyes and try to clean it up and give them some advice they can actually use.

First let me say that I am not opposed to using mechanical broadheads for bears with the right arrow and bow equipment. I would advise at least 75 pounds of KE and an arrow that’s at least 6.5 grains per inch to improve your momentum. To get this you’re going to be shooting at least 60 pounds and 27 inches draw length, and these are rough estimates just to let you know if you’re close.

Personally, I shot a lot of bears with expandables and I have just gotten away from them because they limit your margin for error and are more likely to clip a rib or other bone while deploying, which greatly affects the straight-and-true aspects of arrow flight and can significantly reduce momentum. In my opinion, a super sharp cut-on-contact broadhead offers me the best chance to get a pass-through even if my shot isn’t perfect. And let’s be honest, people who can shoot arrows through Life Savers candies at the range can blow the shot when a big bear is in front of them. That’s one of the things we love about them.

In addition to the issues regarding tissues, bones and deflections, keep in mind that bears come in a lot of sizes. Getting an arrow through a 120-pound bear is a lot easier than getting that important low exit wound on a giant that tips the scales to 400 or even 500 pounds. A lot of people have killed average bears and until you have actually sent an arrow into a black, furry VW, you don’t realize just how much more energy, in the form of momentum, it takes to get that low exit wound.

So the answer to the question, “does speed kill?” is this: “You’re not asking the right question.”

Speed is one component and adds to Kinetic Energy which is important in all bowhunting. If you’re hunting elk and your shots may be 50-60 yards, you’ll take all the speed you can get, and enjoy a flatter arc of the arrow on its way to the target. But if you’re sitting 20 yards from a bear bait, you’re going to want a heavier projectile with a lot of energy behind it. Trajectory is low on your priority list, momentum is what really kills. And just as important, it leaves the blood trail you’re hoping for.