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East Meets West Hunt

Ep. 493: Arrow Flight, Forgiveness, and Penetration Science w/ Bill Vanderheyden // Iron Will Outfitters

East Meets West Hunt

Beau Martonik

Sports, Wilderness

4.9796 Ratings

🗓️ 2 June 2026

⏱️ 120 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Beau Martonik sits down with Bill Vanderheyden of Iron Will Outfitters — 10 years of engineering broadheads and arrow systems built around what a setup actually needs to do when conditions are not perfect. They open with Bill's Colorado elk hunt — 10 miles back in the wilderness, a 4-hour chase into dark timber, and a frontal shot at 30 yards through a 3-inch window in the pines. From there the conversation gets into the science behind why that shot worked and what most hunters are getting wrong before they ever get to a moment like that. Topics include what actually makes a bow setup forgiving in hunting conditions, why FOC doesn't tell you what most people think, the physics of penetration and the speed vs. heavy arrow debate, why mechanicals on elk are a bigger risk than most realize, steep shot angles, effective range, and how to practice the shots that actually show up in the field. 00:00:00 – Intro 00:04:37 – Colorado Elk Hunt — 10 Miles Back, Frontal Shot Through the Pines 00:21:41 – Pin Setup and Shot Confidence in the Field 00:24:24 – Bighorn Sheep Hunt — Steep Cliffs, No Rangefinder, 55 Yards 00:34:10 – What Actually Makes a Hunting Setup Forgiving 00:44:42 – Penetration Physics — Momentum, Arrow Flight, and Blade Geometry 00:57:13 – Why Mechanicals on Elk Are a Risk Most Hunters Underestimate 01:02:29 – FOC — What the Number Actually Tells You and What It Doesn't 01:10:15 – Whitetail vs. Western Setup — How Much Actually Needs to Change 01:14:20 – Moving Deer and Shot Timing 01:25:05 – Steep Shot Angles — Tree Stand and Mountain Scenarios 01:32:55 – Holding Under Pressure and Practicing Real Scenarios 01:41:21 – Effective Range — How to Actually Define It for Your Setup 01:47:42 – The Iron Will Wide Broadhead on Elk 01:51:36 – Axis Deer Hunt in Hawaii — Setup Considerations 01:54:58 – Closing + Where to Find Iron Will Instagram:   ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@eastmeetswesthunt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@beau.martonik⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:   ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠East Meets West Outdoors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shop Hunting Gear and Apparel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: Beau Martonik - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Poncho Outdoors - Poncho Outdoors makes tough, sharp-looking, no-BS apparel for hardworking outdoorsmen who put in the time year-round. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ponchooutdoors.com/EASTMEETSWEST⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to save $10 and free shipping Amazon Influencer Page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

He takes like one more step and then turns like straight on looking at me. He's into where I can see through some pine boughs now at him. And I'm still holding waiting. I'm like, there's no way he's going to walk out in the open. And I saw there's like this three inch diameter hole through those pine boughs. So I shoot my boat like three yards, 10 yards, 15 yards, 20 yards. I know at like three yards I got to use my 50 pin.

0:23.2

At 10 yards I can use my 20 pin and it hits right on. At 15 yards I'm a little high with my 20

0:28.8

pin and then 20 am right back on. So if I use my 20 pin at 10 yards, I can shoot through this 3 inch

0:34.2

diameter hole and the words are going to hit the elk. So I draw my bow and as soon as I anchor, saddle pin on and shoot, like within like,

0:43.8

like with less than a second, it buries the arrow at the base of his neck and he goes running down

0:49.9

this steep hillside.

0:51.5

Yes.

0:52.2

I got him.

0:58.3

I was like, well, if I throw a mic on then I can help others the way that these people have all helped me born in the heart of the Pennsylvania deer camp

1:04.7

with the help of experts friends and local legends we bring you valuable knowledge and powerful stories for your

1:14.5

hunting adventures. Welcome to the East Meets West Hunt podcast with your host, Bo Martonic. If you're serious about mobile and saddle hunting,

1:35.5

Timber Ninja outdoors make some of the most proven gear in the woods.

1:39.4

Their saddles, carbon fiber climbing sticks, and the Kunai hybrid platform are designed for hunters who want to go lighter without sacrificing safety and stability.

1:49.4

The ultimate saddle is named Outdoor Life's best overall saddle in both 2024 and 2025, and it's been earned through real-world use, not height.

1:59.2

Timber Ninja is also rolling out the highly anticipated

2:01.8

frostline boot covers, which I help design specifically for cold, late-season hunts when

2:08.2

keeping your feet warm and quiet matters most. You can find Timber Ninja gear at Timber Ninja

2:13.1

Outdoors.com and EastmeetsWesthunt.com in the gear shop.

2:22.0

Use code Eastmeets West for free shipping on Timber Ninja products and sign up for the email newsletter if something's not available right now.

2:25.4

One piece of gear I never leave behind no matter of the season is a good pair of binoculars.

2:30.4

Over the last eight seasons, I have tended to reach for the maven b3 eight by thirties more than any other

2:36.3

glass they're lightweight compact and perfect for covering ground or shed season spring turkey hunts or

...

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