Bowhunting Around the Country with Bill Vanderheyden aka Ironwill Bill

Bowhunting Around the Country with Bill Vanderheyden

 

Show Notes:

 

Bill Vanderheyden from Iron Will joins me today. He’s the owner, founder, and lead engineer for Iron Will Broadheads. Bill’s been bow hunting for 50 years, a mechanical engineer for 30, and designing broadheads for 17. Bow hunting is his passion – he goes out and tests his products and is always asking how he can apply science to make the best models. His new single bevel is something I’ve been using, and it’s been great.

 

Bill’s had some good hunts this year and went to Hawaii in June. A friend took him out on the Big Island, to hunt some sheep in the mountains. The terrain was mostly lava rocks and thick trees which made things tough, but he wound up getting a good shot on a ram. He also hunted areas off the coast in some hills where he spotted more rams, goats, and pigs. The older sheep were pretty wise and were onto him, but he shot a big wild hog in that spot. 

 

In mid-August, Bill went Caribou hunting in Alaska, going after northwest Arctic herd. They flew out 160 miles from the nearest village, where the true wilderness is. Last year, him and his crew got their bulls early and were pulled out. This year, he took his time so he could spend the whole ten days.

Bill also drew a tag in Wyoming. When he went, conditions weren’t great, it was crazy warm. On his seventh day out, he found out where a bunch of elk were and got right in on first light. He wasn’t confident and the herd split, but then he worked his way back around them. He waited until the thermals were right and then a bull walked out about 30 yards in front, and he smoked it. Bill used a broadhead and got a double lung hit in the mid-body. 

 

In North Texas, Bill’s friend has a ranch, and he spent some time elk hunting there. He also shot an 8-point in Indiana in November with his 4 brothers, sister-in-law, and son. They put down 5 bucks in 4 days! He also hunted in his hometown in Wisconsin and shot a nice heavy buck with good antler mass. Finally, he came back to Colorado for a mule deer tag.

It’s possible to have great success with bow hunting, but no matter how many times you do it, you never feel like an expert. Sometimes it feels impossible and other times it seems easy. You always get a reality check when you expect to fill all your tags and wind up getting humbled. Make sure to check out Bill’s products on his website below.

What’s Inside:

• My experience using Bill’s new single bevel.
• Hunting stories from Bill’s trips to Hawaii and Alaska.
• Bill’s elk hunt in Wyoming.
• Bill’s trips shooting deer in North Texas, Indiana, and Colorado.
• How Bill tested some of his products on wild hogs.

Mentioned in this episode:

Phoenix Shooting Bags save 20% with code johnstallone

Days In The Wild

JohnStallone.me
Iron Will Outfitters

 

Short Description:.

Bill “Iron Will” Vanderheyden is the founder of Iron Will Broadheads. He makes a great single bevel that I’ve been using. He’s got a ton of stories from hunts this year from Alaska to Hawaii and everywhere in between. He’s had some solid opportunities to test and develop his products and got some decent shots along the way.

 

Tags:

big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, big buck hunting, hunting stories, elk hunting, archery hunting, broadheads, sheep hunting, single bevel