Best Hunting Arrows for Whitetail Deer
A whitetail arrow does not need to be the heaviest, fastest, or straightest. It needs to fly the same as your practice arrows, hold a broadhead pattern at your treestand distance, and open a wound big enough that a heart shot deer covers 60 yards. That is a 425 to 475 grain arrow with a mechanical or replaceable blade fixed head.
Three whitetail builds worth copying
| Build | Shaft | Insert + broadhead | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Tip Hunter XT 340 | 29 in, 9.3 GPI = 270 gr | 16 gr aluminum + 100 gr Rage Hypodermic NC | 428 grains, 11 percent FOC |
| Easton 5mm Axis 340 | 29 in, 9.5 GPI = 276 gr | 20 gr HIT + 125 gr Iron Will S125 | 459 grains, 13 percent FOC |
| Victory VAP TKO 350 | 29 in, 8.7 GPI = 253 gr | 50 gr brass + 125 gr Sevr 2.0 | 460 grains, 15 percent FOC |
Why these three
Hunter XT plus Rage NC is the treestand default. Mechanical opens on impact, blood trail is short, no penetration worry at 20 yards. Axis 5mm plus Iron Will S125 is the meat-and-potatoes fixed blade build. VAP TKO with brass insert is the wind stable long-shot food plot build for hunters who might stretch to 40 or 45 yards.
Spine
60 to 70 lb draw at 28 to 29 inches wants a 340 spine with 100 to 125 grain heads. 65 lb and up with 125 grain heads and a 30 inch arrow can go to 300 spine.
What Archery Talk keeps saying
A 425 grain arrow with a well tuned fixed blade will kill any whitetail in North America. Anything past that is bragging weight.
Archery Talk hunting arrows sticky, revised 2024