Show Notes
Imagine this: Wyoming. Antelope tag in your pocket. Tough hunt. Then a giant buck steps out at 400 yards. You’re seated. Bipod down. Crosshairs steady. And you’re asking yourself one question: Do I take the shot? Last week we talked long range. Today we’re talking about the part nobody really wants to admit — just because you can hit steel at 400… doesn’t mean you should shoot that buck at 400.
Brian breaks down the Shot Decision Triangle — the three variables that actually determine your effective range: • Your caliber and bullet construction (energy, velocity thresholds, expansion windows) • Your personal shooting ability and practice standard • The real-time scenario (wind, animal movement, angle, stability, time of flight) He walks through minimum energy benchmarks for common western species, explains how different bullet types behave at varying impact velocities, and lays out a practical field rule: cut the animal’s vital zone in half during practice to establish your real effective range. The episode then transitions into archery — fixed vs expandable broadheads, penetration vs cut width, pass-through priorities, deer ducking strings, and how to honestly evaluate your range with a bow. This isn’t about giving you a magic number. It’s about building a system so the answer becomes obvious when the moment arrives. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram. If this episode sharpened your thinking, leave a 5-star rating and share it with a buddy who needs to hear it.
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00:00–08:45 — The 400-Yard PronghornDecision 08:45–24:30 — Bullet Construction, Energy & Velocity Explained 24:30–34:45 — The Practice Standard: Cut the Kill Zone in Half 34:45–44:30 — Wind, Angles, Stability & Time of Flight 44:30–56:45 — Archery: Broadheads, Penetration & Range Limits
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How do you choose hunting optics without spending money on magnification and features you don’t need? I break down how to choose a spotting scope, binoculars, and a laser rangefinder for western hunting and whitetail scouting. From angled vs. straight spotting scopes to 10x vs. 12x binoculars, I explain the tradeoffs behind my glassing setup and what I’d look for before upgrading. I use my Maven S3 spotting scope, B6 12x50 binoculars, and RF1 rangefinder to demonstrate, but the buying considerations apply across optics brands. · Angled vs. straight spotting scopes—and why I switched to angled · Choosing spotting scope magnification to complement your binoculars · Why I prefer 12x50 binoculars for western hunting and whitetails · When higher-power binoculars might replace a spotting scope · Tripod mounting, binocular diopter adjustment, and digiscoping adapters · What rangefinder distance ratings mean for different targets · Angle compensation, brightness controls, and field/forest modes Subscribe to Drawn West and leave a rating and review. Sign up for the newsletter through the link below, and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram. For the hands-on demonstrations, watch on YouTube or Spotify. Stay drawn.
Last Day to Win a Custom Bow! Enter at: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/giveaways And get 10x entries when you shop Drawn West Apparel! https://www.getdrawnwest.com/shop Your broadhead might work great when everything goes right. But what happens when an elk turns, your arrow catches a shoulder, or the blood trail disappears? I sit down with Dr. Ed Ashby to talk arrow penetration, single-bevel broadheads, and building a hunting arrow for more than a perfect broadside shot. I’ve followed his research since I started changing my arrow setup for elk hunting, and I brought out a box of broadheads to ask the questions I’ve always wondered about. We get into the Natal study, why structural integrity and arrow flight come before chasing high FOC, and what the roughly 650-grain heavy-bone threshold actually means. I also push on the other side of the equation: if my arrow already passes through, could a wider cut help me recover a deer in thick Minnesota cover? Ashby shares his perspective on blood trails, bleeder blades, and why breaking through bone doesn’t guarantee lethal penetration. What we cover: · How four unrecovered whitetails sparked Ashby’s arrow-performance research. · Lessons from testing 32 broadhead designs during the Natal study. · Why you shouldn’t sacrifice arrow flight for higher FOC. · How tip shape, ferrule design, and single bevels affect penetration. · What the 650-grain threshold does—and doesn’t—tell you. · Cutting width, blood trails, and recovering animals when the hit isn’t perfect. If this gives you something to think about before your next hunt, follow the podcast and share it with someone working on their arrow setup. Follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram to keep up with what we’re doing.
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