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What are Field Points Used For?

A field point tip allows for your arrow to have the most precise projection. You will be able to easily adjust your sight pins using your most accurate tips as your reference point.

A field point is a tip that goes on the end of your arrow. They are meant to only be used for archery practice. One reason that all archers use these types of tips is that they do less damage to your archery target than broadheads do. This will help you get the best bang for your buck when picking out the best archery target for you.

Field points range in grain (weight) from 75 to 150 grains. What grain you should shoot will depend on the type of bow, the draw weight, and the arrow types you are using.

I shoot carbon arrows with my PSE Evoke 31 at 60 pounds draw weight and that has me using 100-grain tips. On the other hand, my dad shoots a recurve, and he uses 125-grain tips. As I stated above if you are not 100% sure about what type of tips are best for your set-up, go talk to a worker at an archery store near you.

If you are looking to get some more field points or just getting into archery, Click Here to see them on Amazon. They do not vary much so you do not need to worry about ‘buying the brand name.’

What are Broadheads Used For?

The broadhead tips that you use should match the grain of your other tips. Broadheads will be the only type of tip that you will use for hunting any sort of big game animal such as whitetail deer. The reason for that is the cutting abilities of broadheads give you the best chance of killing an animal ethically.

The type of broadhead that you choose will also affect the way that you practice. There are mechanical and fixed blade broadheads. Each serves a different purpose. Broadheads do a lot of damage to your archery target and that is why I do not recommend only practicing with broadheads. Rather, use them to ensure your aiming point and your shot still align before you go hunting.

You can also get a variety of different types of broadheads. The two main types are fixed blades and mechanical blades. I always have and always will shoot Muzzy 3 fixed blade because I do not like moving parts that could potentially malfunction in the woods. If you like mechanical, I recommend the Muzzy Hybrid Broadheads which have two mechanical blades and two fixed blades.

If you would like to look into some broadheads, I recommend Muzzy Fixed 3 blade Broadheads. Check them out here on Amazon! (They do damage and give you confidence your broadhead will never malfunction)

How do the Flight Patterns Differ?

Field points have a much different design than broadheads. The design of a field point is straight and pointy. They are designed to reduce wind resistance and fly on the truest projection of an arrow. Therefore, hunters and archers practice with these tips more often. They will allow you to shoot and analyze your shot form more accurately.

Broadheads on the other hand are designed to do as much cutting damage as possible. The cutting diameter, type of blade, and sharpness of the blade are all essential to ethically killing an animal. The broadhead does come with some slightly negative attributes because of this design. Wind can cause the arrow to be thrown off its truest flight projection. This is only amplified when you are practicing with broadheads. The blades of your broadhead will cause an increase in wind friction and can slow down your arrow faster than shooting a field point.

Broadheads may be slightly off compared to your other tips. That doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with your arrows or your form, it could just be the broadhead catching wind and that will throw the arrow off its natural projection towards your target. The misdirection should not be significant enough to make you worried. On average, I have noticed my broadheads off less than an inch.

Should You Practice with Field Points?

Field points should be the main type of tip that use to practice on a regular basis. They will give you the most consistent arrow projection and will allow you to tweak your form and become like robin hood.

They will also preserve your archery target for a longer time. You will in return be getting a better bang for your hard-earned dollars. There are a lot of benefits to field points if you use them properly. They should only be used for archery practice and never for archery hunting.

Once again make sure that they are the correct grain for your arrows because that will help you stay consistent once you switch over to your broadheads.

Should You Practice with Broadheads?

Yes, you should be practicing with broadheads; however, you should only practice with broadheads every so often. I only practice with my broadheads about once a month in the spring and summer just to double-check that my broadheads are still flying as true as they possibly can. Once the whitetail hunting season rolls around, I will take about 3 shots with my broadheads before heading up north to where I hunt.

That is my own personal schedule of when I shoot my broadheads for practice. You should want to come up with your own schedule or strategy that fits your needs.

You also want to have a set of practice broadheads that you will target shoot with. You do not want to be dulling down your actual hunting broadheads. That would lower your chances of shooting a deer and making an ethical kill.

Also, practicing with your broadheads will destroy your archery target much faster. You will want to make sure that you are using the proper type of archery target while practicing with broadheads. To ensure that you are using the right archery target Click Here.

How Should You Fix Your Broadhead Groupings?

You shouldn’t have to switch up your pins at all and your broadheads should be aligned with your other tips.

You cannot always control the wind speeds in the woods, but you can control how well you place your pin in a lethal area to make a lethal shot.

Fixing your broadhead groupings should be minor adjustments to your sight pins. You should just have to move slightly up or down. Nothing should be completely game-changing. That is why when I practice with broadheads, I do not look to completely zero in my shot. I look to have my arrow within half an inch of where I shoot my field points. If that is the case, then I know that I am good to go into the woods and slay the big buck coming my way.

Conclusion

Field points and broadheads are two very different types of tips. They have different purposes, but each one serves its purpose well. If you are wondering what you should be practicing with daily, go with your field points. If you are wondering if it is okay to practice with broadheads, it most definitely is recommended. Make sure not to shoot your broadheads into a bag-type archery target. Your broadheads will get stuck inside the bag.

There you have it! The difference between field points and broadheads and how to use each one to maximize your potential to succeed in the woods.

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The Whitetail Teacher