The Ranch Fairy

[PickettSFHunter]

Just curious, is anyone here doing the "ranch fairy" recommendations? Or perhaps you have been for years? I have had trouble with penetration on deer in the past and have been tinkering with this. I have gone from a 385 grain 400 spine to a 550 grain 300 spine arrow with 18% FOC. After a lot of tinkering and watching the Ranch fairy videos, I am shooting bullet holes with bare shafts from 8ft all the way to 45 ft. I never would have believed that. Anyway just looking for those with experience, is it crazy or does this really help a lot? I do know that bare shaft shooting has helped me with form a lot. I am looking for a better penetrating set up for those inadvertent shoulder hits on deer, for bears, and for hogs.

 

[bjohnson]

I've been watching his and others content on heavy arrows and my next arrow build will weigh 500 to 520 TAW. The reason I will not go heavier is because my bow with my draw length (26.5") will be at optimum efficiency, another factor to consider. I was listening to a podcast with the owner of Day Six arrows and he recommends a heavier TAW according bow efficiency. I like alot of Ranch Fairy's tests and agree with him but 650 grains is too much for my setup. I'm currently shooting a 458 grain TAW with a 125 gr fixed blade broadhead with 16% FOC.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I got a more specific weight on my TAW a minute ago, They are between 550-556 grains. 28" draw at 60 pounds. I need some pig test subjects soon.

 

[bjohnson]

That TAW should be good for anything short of Grizzlies. I think 515 TAW will be perfect for my Ritual 35 with 65 lb limbs for deer, elk, and black bear. My next bow will be a PSE Expedite at 75 lbs, then I'll step up to a 550+ TAW. Also hoping I can get to a 27" draw with a thumb release but we'll see.

 

[Bushape]

Came here looking to start this exact thread. Debating going heavy with fixed blades and was curious what kind of fps you guys are getting and what yardage you feel comfortable shooting at deer? Just now found the ranch fairy so I'll start checking out his vids as well. Thanks

 

[tree_ghost]

Man I have switched up arrow combinations dozens of times. My end conclusion is that as long as you have a RAZOR sharp broad head and it's not a mechanical that requires a massive amount of energy to deploy the blades then your going to get a pass through.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I don't have the ability to get my speed at home or anywhere close that I'm aware of. I can say that my poi between the old 385 and 550's is really hardly different out to 30 yards. I haven't shot Past that yet. I hardly ever shoot a deer past that anyway. The latest shooting I did was shooting 3 different broad heads, they all had the same poa/poi, which I thought was awesome. I shot Grizztricks, Muzzy's, and Magnus Stinger Buzzcuts. I can't wait to shoot a hog or bear especially.

 

[Andy S.]

Never heard of it before now. For the last 20+ years, I have shot the same setup. 29" GT 7595 (8.9 grains per inch), 125 grain broadhead (currently using Slick Trick Magnum), total arrow weight around 450 grains, at 275 fps for 73-75 foot-pounds of energy. If I do my job, it shoots through deer and buries up in the ground. Due to this continued success, I have never seen the need to experiment. I keep all shots to 30 and under.

 

[bjohnson]

Current speed with 458gr arrow is 255. That's with a Ritual 35 with 65lb limbs maxed out and a 26.5" draw.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

This is what I wound up with. Ended up around 560 now with some extra wrap. Yes I realize that your supposed to fletch over the wraps but I hate refletching. In retrospect, I could have gone without the extra 20 gr insert weights. Gold Tip 300 spine @28" draw, 27" arrow. 100 gr brass insert plus 20 gr extra brass screw in insert. 100 gr Magnus Stinger Buzzcut will likely be my choice though I do have a pile of grizztricks. There are many other ways to get here, like 200 gr broadheads but I wanted to stick with standard stuff. It's amazing how well these fly, no flip no flap, no wobble when they hit the target. 500 pound bear and 300 pound hogs are not out of the question here. I'll try to find some hogs this week.

 

[tahtah]

I'd never heard of the Ranch Fairy until this post, but since seeing the post have spent some time the last couple of days watching several of his videos. Wow. All the stuff he's saying makes sense. He's entertaining as well. I don't know if I'll try to make any changes, like others have said, my current set up works. At the same time, if I can improve, why not. I'm giving it some thought.

Thanks Pickett for sharing the Ranch Fairy!

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I'm still tinkering a bit. I did shoot a Small hog with a 125 gr Magnus Buzzcut, total arrow weight of 560ish. 15 yard shot slightly quartering away, 120ish pound hog. Arrow went in behind the shoulder and out the opposite shoulder. Hog made it about 40 yards. I'm happy with that but want some bigger test subjects also.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

I like Magnus Stingers and have killed a bunch of deer with them. I'll probably kill a few more with them in the future. But, it's going to be the weak link in your setup for big hogs. It's got a split aluminum ferrule with a set screw in the middle of it. IMO, All of which are negatives when it comes to tough critters. With your setup, I'd be looking into one piece steel broadheads.

 

[TNReb]

I haven't seen his stuff...

Im shooting 434gr at 298fps. That's a KE of about 85.

If I shoot a 525 grain arrow, that's going to bring the speed down to roughly 271 fps. The KE is still 85.

I realize the heavier arrow will have slightly more momentum. But.. we are talking about deer here (usually). A well placed shot is going to get the job done.

Why give up the flatter trajectory?

 

[Andy S.]

Im shooting 434gr at 298fps. That's a KE of about 85.

Impressive, is this theoretical or measured? What bow/setup?

 

[TNReb]

Im shooting 434gr at 298fps. That's a KE of about 85.

Impressive, is this theoretical or measured? What bow/setup?

Hey old timer! I haven't been on here much lately. Hope you're doing well!

I was at Taylors Archery yesterday. They weighed the arrow and I shot it through the chrono. The KE is just calculated by a generic online calculator.

Mathews VXR 31.5
30.5" / 70lb

GoldTip Hunter XT
300 spine
28.5"
100g heads
50g inserts
3 Blazer vanes
AccuLite nock

 

[Andy S.]

Thanks for those details. That's impressive, at least to me it is. 85 ft-lbs will blow through a whitetail and bury up in the dirt on the offside.

Doing well, hope the same can be said for you and yours.

 

[david k.]

I like Magnus Stingers and have killed a bunch of deer with them. I'll probably kill a few more with them in the future. But, it's going to be the weak link in your setup for big hogs. It's got a split aluminum ferrule with a set screw in the middle of it. IMO, All of which are negatives when it comes to tough critters. With your setup, I'd be looking into one piece steel broadheads.

X2.....I've been watching the Ranch Fairy's videos for several years and way back I would have sworn that he was on Magnus' payroll because that's all he shot and all he talked about but now he's gravitated to much, much heavier (and I believe pretty expensive if I'm not mistaken?) broad heads.

If you've never checked them out, look at VPA broad heads...machined from a single piece of steel, spin perfectly, extremely easy to sharpen either their 2 or 3 blade heads on a diamond stone or even a Rosie O'Donnell file.

I'd love to but I've never gotten the chance to shoot at pigs with a bow (yet....) but if I were looking for max penetration on big pigs I'd probably check out their 2 blade heads. I've shot their 3 blade vented and non-vented 100,125 & 150 heads for years and unless I loose any of them I'll be able to pass them along to my grand-kids!

 

[Antler Daddy]

Im shooting 434gr at 298fps. That's a KE of about 85.

Impressive, is this theoretical or measured? What bow/setup?

Hey old timer! I haven't been on here much lately. Hope you're doing well!

I was at Taylors Archery yesterday. They weighed the arrow and I shot it through the chrono. The KE is just calculated by a generic online calculator.

Mathews VXR 31.5
30.5" / 70lb

GoldTip Hunter XT
300 spine
28.5"
100g heads
50g inserts
3 Blazer vanes
AccuLite nock

What heads are you using?

 

[medwc]

I have and will continue to shoot 400 to 420-ish Grain arrows. While what the Fairy is preaching may be accurate for elephants and big hogs, it is overkill for whitetail deer in the southeast. You can hunt elepants with a least a .375 H&H Mag(legally) but I would not recommend that for whitetail. Most reasonable hunters hunt whitetails with a 270, 30-06,50cal MZ and etc. IMO his bashing of regular weighted arrow guys is childish and he is pushing an agenda. He says he has nothing in it but to help fellow hunters out but someone is making $$$ from it. If you want to blow thru both shoulder plates on a big hog then join his "fairy" wagon. It ain't for me though. JMO
:smash: