Any designs for steel arrow heads for bird hunting?

[Hermitking]

I'm looking for a diverse selection of design options for bird hunting arrow heads. I want to hunt small birds like grouse and need somthing that stuns or smashes them rather than peircing them.

I had one bird completely impaled through the chest and it still flew away with my arrow and was never recovered.

Also, do bird arrows generally have extra fletching to create more drag, like modern bird arrows?

[JJ]

Mesolithic solution (Snowball wood)... Neolithic solution (Antler and Snowball wood)...


JJ

[Hermitking]

The big wooden knob point is one I like for rabbits and target shooting. It seems to absorb a lot of shock and make arrows more durable. I drill holes in scrap wood and then carve them into blunt torpedo shapes, then glue them on the shaft. Cheap, easy, and durable.

I was thinking more along the lines of heads that spread out with two or more arms or points that increase the chances of hitting the bird, like the spread of bird shot from a shot gun. I've seen photos of Japanese, and other such split heads, but I have no info on construction methods.

I was considering a head made from 1/2 inch mild steel rod, cut lengthwise about 1 1/2 inch down. The cut again to split the point into four points. Then when red hot taper them and spread them out, and shape a tang on the head. The result woudl be a four pronged heaed that has a radius of about 2-3 inches.

My theory is that even if one doesn't hit with pinpoint accuracy the spread of the head may still get a little lethal grab on the bird while going by. I j want to increase the rate of lethal shots. The kill zone on a grouse is so small that a spread really helps.

[Patrick Menzies]

You can make a good one by using Bamboo and wrapping a collar a couple of inches down the shaft and then splitting the end so that it fans out. The collar stops the split from extending. Then drive a piece of tapered dowel in the end to keep it fanned it out. You could add a point to the central dowel piece so that there is a bit more weight.

[Hermitking]

The bamboo split is similar to some native american and eskimo bird arrows. They tied on secondary wooden prongs, splayed out at angles. I'm looking for something made of steel, mild or high carbon. I remember seeing samples in books about japanese arms, but I can't find the books anymore.

[KenH]

So why not make what Peter described from a piece of steel tube and some stiff wire. You can bend the wires to give as big or small of 'footprint' as you want.

[Patrick Menzies]

You can use an old garden rake as a source for spring steel.