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Anyone gone down The Ranch Fairy rabbit hole...

Posted on 7/4/21 at 4:33 pm
Posted by TexasHand
Mississippi
Member since Sep 2013
974 posts
Posted on 7/4/21 at 4:33 pm
one youtube?
Posted by Rize
Spring Texas
Member since Sep 2011
15751 posts
Posted on 7/4/21 at 4:37 pm to
I’ve seen a few of his videos.
Posted by TexasHand
Mississippi
Member since Sep 2013
974 posts
Posted on 7/4/21 at 4:41 pm to
It’s interesting as hell. The Hunting Public guys seem to agree.
Posted by Success
Member since Sep 2015
1721 posts
Posted on 7/4/21 at 5:23 pm to
I did last year. Kinda weird guy but agree about shooting heavy arrows.
Posted by headedwest21
Member since Dec 2016
1108 posts
Posted on 7/4/21 at 5:36 pm to
While I agree with somewhat heavier arrows since I shot them for a while, I don’t agree with his approach. The videos I’ve seen he basically says your dumb if you don’t shoot heavy. I know tons of people who smoke deer with light arrows. We aren’t shooting elk and moose here. Also if he is such a huge heavyweight guy, he needs to start shooting traditional with us.
Posted by TexasHand
Mississippi
Member since Sep 2013
974 posts
Posted on 7/4/21 at 5:46 pm to
Oh no doubt, i’ve been killing deer for years with light stuff. I’ve recently gotten into public land hunting Kansas and Missouri and his logic is sound for those types of hunts, specifically quartering shots.
Posted by TexasHand
Mississippi
Member since Sep 2013
974 posts
Posted on 7/4/21 at 5:48 pm to
I believe he does hunt with a long bow also, but his focus i suppose is all the compound shooters using light arrows and mechanicals. Most traditional guys already use heavy stuff.
Posted by Cowboyfan89
Member since Sep 2015
12701 posts
Posted on 7/4/21 at 6:51 pm to
quote:

While I agree with somewhat heavier arrows since I shot them for a while, I don’t agree with his approach. The videos I’ve seen he basically says your dumb if you don’t shoot heavy.

I've watched several of his videos, and he can definitely be abrasive about it.

However, what's equally as funny to me is how defensive the "flapper" guys get when anyone starts talking about heavy arrows. It's nothing but a "fad" according to them.

Not sure how an argument based on physics is a "fad", considering it's been a trad thing for a long time.

I switched from a 400ish grain setup to a 530 grain setup last year. I lost some distance and speed for sure (not saying much for an 11 year old Diamond), but it's still plenty fast enough for the shorter shots (30 and less) I'm typically going to see, and I've noticed that my bow is quieter and my shots group better. That likely has as more to do with the fact that I started building my own arrows as it does the heavier arrow, but that was a side effect of going heavier that I'm happy to have found. Now I have another thing to spend time (and money) doing...lol!
This post was edited on 7/4/21 at 6:52 pm
Posted by bigbuckdj
Member since Sep 2011
1830 posts
Posted on 7/4/21 at 7:17 pm to
I think you can take his extreme ideas and concepts and take them back down to earth and use them. Is foc good? Yes. Is a heavy arrow good? Yes. Are fixed blades more reliable and sharper? Generally yes. You don’t need a 700 grain price of rebar with 30% foc and a single bevel to kill a whitetail. Expect problems if you are trying to push a 375 grain arrow with a 2.5” mechanical through the shoulder blade of anything.

I personally think the sweet spot for most is around 500 grains and 15ish foc. You’ll have a nice quiet deadly arrow.

There’s a kifarucast out there with the iron will guys that talk about the importance of sharpness. I never understood it really until I listened to that. I realized I was punching a rage extreme through deer and not really slicing a whole lot.
Posted by Ol boy
Member since Oct 2018
2928 posts
Posted on 7/4/21 at 7:53 pm to
quote:

will guys that talk about the importance of sharpness. I never understood it really until I listened to that.

Haven’t watched the videos but will just to see what it’s about. I have shot heavy 2117 Easton aluminum out of a recurve and shot pencil thin beemans and killed deer with both. One thing a mentor preached to me is the importance of shooting razor sharp broadheads and I can remember stropping a bear razor head till it was scalpel sharp.
He used the analogy of how a slice with a razor while shaving would not quit bleeding but that a jagged cut with a piece of scrap metal would quit fairly quick!! Also cutting vessels and arteries is doubled if you add blades was his thought “4 is better than 2”.
Posted by bobdylan
Cankton
Member since Aug 2018
1530 posts
Posted on 7/4/21 at 8:22 pm to
I personally don’t care for his personality but I’ve learned several things on his channel, including knock tuning and a process of how to find an arrow your bow shoots well. I also didn’t put much of an emphasis on maintaining my broad heads before his shows, too.

I was told about Ed Ashby when I got into bow hunting and the high FOC and heavier arrow science all made sense to me. I think questioning the status quo is good for the sport.

To the “you don’t need that to kill a whitetail” crowd, other than velocity I don’t understand the con(s) of an overkill arrow... It’s not like a you’re gonna damage more meat with a heavier arrow or something so if you can live with a drop of speed why not.
Posted by CalcasieuTiger
Member since Mar 2014
645 posts
Posted on 7/4/21 at 9:29 pm to
quote:

However, what's equally as funny to me is how defensive the "flapper" guys get when anyone starts talking about heavy arrows. It's nothing but a "fad" according to them.


Fact. It’s hilarious.

Frankly I like the guy’s personality, be it he is a little kooky. Of course you don’t need a 700 grain arrow to kill a whitetail but, why wouldn’t you want to improve your chances of killing the animal ethically.
Posted by bigbuckdj
Member since Sep 2011
1830 posts
Posted on 7/5/21 at 8:22 am to
quote:

To the “you don’t need that to kill a whitetail” crowd, other than velocity I don’t understand the con(s) of an overkill arrow... It’s not like a you’re gonna damage more meat with a heavier arrow or something so if you can live with a drop of speed why not.


With a 700 grain arrow you better know the exact yardage of the deer you’re shooting at beyond 30 yards, that’s the only downside.
Posted by baldona
Florida
Member since Feb 2016
20386 posts
Posted on 7/5/21 at 9:01 am to
quote:

With a 700 grain arrow you better know the exact yardage of the deer you’re shooting at beyond 30 yards, that’s the only downside.



Which is quite huge downside to be honest. I’m many areas 25 yards is plenty especially in the Midwest It gives you a 50 yard coverage. But if you can shoot 50 yards which is very possible and easy that doubles your effective coverage at least, and really much more. Add in the fact that shooting flatter enables you to
More likely hit your spot vertically better, the argument for ‘more ethical’ is questionable at best.
Posted by Cowboyfan89
Member since Sep 2015
12701 posts
Posted on 7/5/21 at 10:14 am to
quote:

Add in the fact that shooting flatter enables you to
More likely hit your spot vertically better, the argument for ‘more ethical’ is questionable at best.

Ethics in archery (and hunting in general) is a tricky subject, anyway. There is no universal ethic when it comes to hunting.

Let's be honest--you can get a pretty flat trajectory with an underspined arrow and a budget broadhead. So which is better at that point: the budget arrow that flies quick, or a "heavy" arrow built to Ranch Fairy Standards?

I don't think either is wrong without context. Both will kill if shot placement is correct. But one has a better chance of getting a kill on a less than perfect shot.

I've killed pigs with Gold Tip Hunter 400s with a G5 on them. Nothing wrong with lighter, faster arrows. But I don't know that I would argue that they are more ethical.
Posted by TheDrunkenTigah
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2011
17314 posts
Posted on 7/5/21 at 11:20 am to
quote:

However, what's equally as funny to me is how defensive the "flapper" guys get when anyone starts talking about heavy arrows. It's nothing but a "fad" according to them.

Not sure how an argument based on physics is a "fad", considering it's been a trad thing for a long time.



He gets way more grief for the massive fixed blades he advocates putting on the front of a heavy arrow, and rightfully so. It doesn’t matter what %foc you’re shooting if you’re sailing them. A lot of people just aren’t going to put in the time or learn how to properly tune their setup, and those massive fixed blades are much less forgiving than your typical rage or low profile fixed.

He gets over the top hollering about how much more dead he made a deer vs speed setups. IMO you want to be in the sweet spot with a little extra up front to get reliable pass throughs without completely tanking speed, and above all else be able to put them where you’re aiming.
Posted by bobdylan
Cankton
Member since Aug 2018
1530 posts
Posted on 7/5/21 at 3:05 pm to
quote:

With a 700 grain arrow you better know the exact yardage of the deer you’re shooting at beyond 30 yards, that’s the only downside.


I agree, I only take 25 yards or in shots at whitetail. A hog I’ll shoot at 30.

Even with close yardage shots, my speed dropped so much that being off 5 yards off matters a lot. I shot a yearling high shooting for 25 and it was at 20. Could have been lethal had I shot it again immediately but I hesitated.

I’m going to try the ez v site to see if it would be a good fit for what I’m after. I currently use a single pin and in hunting situation I don’t want the pressure of getting the exact yardage and adjusting for it on top of the pressure of executing the shot.

My arrows are coming out the bow 235 FPS roughly.
Posted by TexasHand
Mississippi
Member since Sep 2013
974 posts
Posted on 7/5/21 at 9:18 pm to
I don’t see myself going over my current setup. 600 grains with 20% FOC. I practice to 50 with no issues, although i will probably not have a shot over 25-30
Posted by EarlyBird
Member since Jun 2006
4096 posts
Posted on 7/6/21 at 1:29 pm to
I increased my setup because of his videos. It's all Ashby stuff that's been around for a while. I got to 20% FOC and 600 total arrow weight and I'm happy. An EZ V sight is definitely in my future.
Posted by Farmtiger
West "By God" Monroe
Member since Dec 2003
2778 posts
Posted on 7/6/21 at 2:36 pm to
Been watching his videos for a while now. I ordered his test kit and shot it. By the time I roll out to Kansas I'll be shooting 620ish grains with a razor sharp 125gr Cutthroat single bevel. Those things are freaking hard!!

I went to my local bow shop the other day and asked what they thought about heavier arrow setups. You would have thought I shot the dudes dog... It was very comical to me. Then he starts throwing out that the RF is only 30% successful in recovering his animals. I have no idea where the guy got that from.

IMHO, anything that increases my practice/interest and causes me to learn more can't be a bad thing. I know for a fact that my broadheads will have never been as sharp as they will be this fall when I hit the woods.
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