Small Game Bowhunting: Judo Points and Blunts

Arrows for squirrel hunting and rabbit hunting usually carry a Judo point or a blunt rather than a plain field point. You can use field points for hunting small game, but MeatEater's Steven Rinella says they are "not a great choice": they tend to slip under grass and leaves, and you lose arrows. Judo points and blunts are built to stop on top of the ground, though which heads are legal for which species depends on your state.

Why field points skip and bury

A field point is designed to slide smoothly into a target. That same shape means it slides just as easily under leaf litter and grass when you miss, or when the arrow passes through a rabbit or squirrel. Rinella notes that with field points "the odds of simply wounding the animal despite a clean pass-through are quite good," as well as the risk of arrows burrowing out of sight.

Saunders Archery, which makes the Bludgeon blunt, describes the same problem with older blunts: on ground targets, they "had a nasty habit of snaking under the grass, making them virtually impossible to see."

Judo points vs blunts vs small-game heads

Judo points. MeatEater says that "usually, a Judo point will cause the arrow to hop end over end upon impact, making retrieval very easy." They also suit roving: shooting at stumps and grass clumps on a walk.

Blunts. The Nebraska hunter education course says blunts "may be used for small game animals such as rabbits, squirrels, ptarmigan, and grouse." Saunders sells its Bludgeon in screw-in and slip-on styles from 65 to 145 grains, and says the head "reduces shaft breakage when the arrow hits a hard object."

Small-game heads. G5 sells its S.G.H. in 100 and 125 grains. Its blades may matter legally.

Whichever you pick, match its weight to your usual field points if you can, so your sight marks stay close. Point weight also changes how stiff an arrow behaves, which our guide to choosing arrows by spine, length and weight explains.

Legality varies: check your state

Each state decides whether archery is allowed for squirrels, rabbits and other small game, in which seasons, and with what heads. New Jersey's regulations show how specific this can get: arrows for "deer, turkey, coyote, fox, black bear, or woodchuck must be fitted with an edged head of well-sharpened metal and a minimum width of ¾ inches." A Judo or blunt would not meet that for a woodchuck there. Hunter-education courses explain what heads are for, but they are not the law. Read your state wildlife agency's current regulations for each species.

Shot distance and backstop

Squirrels and rabbits are small, so keep shots close enough to hit a vital area that size reliably. A Judo or blunt that hops end over end can end up somewhere unexpected, so be sure of what lies beyond, especially on shots up into trees, where a miss comes back down. For practice at home, our backyard archery range guide covers safe backstops.

You can browse Zwickey Judo points or blunt arrow points for small game on Amazon; treat any listing as an example to consider. Moving up to deer? See our guide to hunting deer with a bow.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use field points for hunting?

For small game, field points can kill, but MeatEater calls them "not a great choice": they can wound despite a clean pass-through and often burrow under grass. Whatever you hunt, check your state's rules on legal arrow heads for that species before the season.

What arrows are best for squirrel hunting?

You don't need special shafts: fit a Judo point, blunt or small-game head to arrows that suit your bow. Saunders says metal blunts were developed for squirrels and birds using flu-flu arrows, because a blunt is less likely to stick in a limb. Match the point weight to your field points and confirm squirrel archery rules locally.

Are Judo points legal for rabbits?

That depends on your state. Hunter-education material lists blunts and Judo points as small-game heads, but some states set specific head rules for certain small game, as New Jersey does for woodchuck. Read your state wildlife agency's current regulations for rabbits before you hunt.