Broad head stuck in animal

[Jpmiller]

So all my archery successes have either passed through or come out on their own but has anyone ever had a broad head that wouldn't come out? My wife asked me what I would do today if that happened and I didn't have a good answer. I suppose you could always just unscrew it from the arrow but if it is embedded in a shoulder or something. That poses an awful hazard while gutting the animal.

Anyone ever come across this or know what a good way to remedy it is without slicing yourself up? Not gonna lie I am a little nervous about it now.

[northwesthunter84]

Yes 3 times. My first archery whitetail and my last one, both in the spine due to jumping string and coincidentally both were with mechanicals. And my 2013 bull, that one lodged in the offside shoulder joint. The key is to knowing where it ended up based on wound track. Deal with everything else first. The is a reason that I have a multi tool in my pack. Another issue is broken blades just take you time. Another option is to pack cut resistant gloves, that's what my dad made wear until I proved I could break down a deer without loosing a finger. Also watch out for jagged bones, just as sharp.

[shmacker]

I helped gut/butcher a deer last season that was hit in the underside of the spine with the first shot, so I was really careful when reaching into the body cavity to loosen the gut sack.  My advice would be to not unscrew the arrow, so you at least have a reference to where the broadhead is inside the animal.

[Jonathan_S]

Another reason to not gut

[jburkett]

  I make a point to check/ locate my broad head after  every shot for many obvious reasons but one major reason is to count blades to make sure that there aren't any floating around  in the guts . I Used to shoot satellite broad heads and they always loose blades in the animal

[Born2late]

Had that happen on a deer of my dads years ago, Just left the arrow in for reference and worked around it.
Another one was my dad killed a 5pt bull elk over by forks years ago and he and i gutted it. He kept working around this white cartilage shaft down the center of his chest cavity until i realized it was a entire arrow. Someone had shot it straight on the year before and that bull fully recovered with a full length shaft with broadhead inside it totally covered in cartilage.
I think taking your time and going slow is the biggest thing to keep from cutting yourself.

[Jpmiller]

Thanks for the advice. Not something I really thought about before and I am glad my wife asked me before it happened in the field. May need to look into the gutless method a little bit more and just keep hoping for pass throughs or easy removals.

[teanawayslayer]

Another reason to not gut

I'm not understanding the reasoning behind this statement.

[Jonathan_S]

Another reason to not gut

I'm not understanding the reasoning behind this statement.

Probably because you gut   

[buglebrush]

Gutless method. 

[Wanttohuntmore]

Also gutless method.   And i run mono lithic heads so they do not come apart ( or less likely to)... 

[j_h_nimrod]

Had that happen on a deer of my dads years ago, Just left the arrow in for reference and worked around it.
Another one was my dad killed a 5pt bull elk over by forks years ago and he and i gutted it. He kept working around this white cartilage shaft down the center of his chest cavity until i realized it was a entire arrow. Someone had shot it straight on the year before and that bull fully recovered with a full length shaft with broadhead inside it totally covered in cartilage.
I think taking your time and going slow is the biggest thing to keep from cutting yourself.

Exactly!  I always wondered how people injured themselves until I saw a couple of the rip and slash speed cleaners. People spend hours and days hunting patiently, but as soon as something is down it seems like a race to get back home or to camp. Just take your time, it makes for cleaner meat and a less dangerous experience. My buck last year ended up with a broadhead stuck in the lower spine.  Then after rolling down the hill the shaft broke inside the shoulder, I just carefully felt and cut until I found the head and then gave it a prudent space while working in the area.

I use the gutless method when I have to bone out or quarter an animal but many times have put in the extra effort to pull out whole (gutted).  I still gut in the end because there is no other way to salvage all the meat I feel it is necessary to salvage.

[buglebrush]

Had that happen on a deer of my dads years ago, Just left the arrow in for reference and worked around it.
Another one was my dad killed a 5pt bull elk over by forks years ago and he and i gutted it. He kept working around this white cartilage shaft down the center of his chest cavity until i realized it was a entire arrow. Someone had shot it straight on the year before and that bull fully recovered with a full length shaft with broadhead inside it totally covered in cartilage.
I think taking your time and going slow is the biggest thing to keep from cutting yourself.

Exactly!  I always wondered how people injured themselves until I saw a couple of the rip and slash speed cleaners. People spend hours and days hunting patiently, but as soon as something is down it seems like a race to get back home or to camp. Just take your time, it makes for cleaner meat and a less dangerous experience. My buck last year ended up with a broadhead stuck in the lower spine.  Then after rolling down the hill the shaft broke inside the shoulder, I just carefully felt and cut until I found the head and then gave it a prudent space while working in the area.

I use the gutless method when I have to bone out or quarter an animal but many times have put in the extra effort to pull out whole (gutted).  I still gut in the end because there is no other way to salvage all the meat I feel it is necessary to salvage.

The only thing you cannot salvage gutless is the organs...

[dscubame]

In my opinion this broadhead in the animal issue is being over thought.

[bowhunterforever]

In my opinion this broadhead in the animal issue is being over thought.

Just be careful when gutting your animal if your broadhead is stuck in it.