DIY Wood Arrow Squirrel Point

Squirrels are tough customers for the bow and arrow hunter.  Yes, I have killed squirrels with the standard steel blunt, but I have also lost quite a few I've hit hard.  

Don't get me wrong, I have no issue shooting the occasional broadhead at a squirrel, but that can get expensive if you plan to shoot a lot of arrows. 

I started trying to find an economical way to create effective squirrel hunting points for my wood shafts.  Squirrels are hard to hit, are fast, and the points needed to be inexpensive to allow "no-holds barred" arrow flinging at bushy tails.

They also needed to be quite blunt to not penetrate deeply into tree trunks and allow those elevated canopy shots up in the trees.

Squirrels have very tough hides though, and something extra was needed to help get through the hide even with heavy bows. 

After much testing, I came about using the augmented standard .38 / .357 caliber spent shell casing.  I slide the hull over the 11/32nd shaft and use a nail set spaced in 3 spots around the shaft to pinch/peen the point onto the shaft.  No glue needed.

I then drill a small pilot hole through the spent primer into the shaft, screwing in a short drywall screw only about 1/2 way down the cartridge.  I'll leave the screw head long enough to cut off with my mini cut-off saw and abrasive wheel / dremel, and then sharpen the protruding screw to a point leaving about 1/8 inch of sharp screw.  

Just long enough to get through the hide, but it will usually bounce or be easily removed, from a tree trunk.

It is also an effective stumping head and, unlike the expensive judo, it will not snag other arrows and is easy to withdraw from the back quiver. 

So when the deer are not cooperating, I'll turn my attention to the squirrels.