Rian Horn recently interviewed Ryan Rothhaar from Rothhaar Snuffers and ask him a few questions about this well-known treeblade broadhead.

Q: I really love the name Snuffer. How did this name come about?
A: The story is that in the early days a local rancher in Colorado stated that those heads Dad brought out really “Snuffed out the deer”, hence the name.

Q: Ryan, I see the name Rothhaar Snuffer on my new six-pack Snuffer premium broadheads. Your surname is Rothhaar; how do you fit into the picture?
A: My father invented the Snuffer back in the early 1960s and our family manufactured the head until the early 90s when it was sold to Delta Industries. After a few years Delta sold the head to Mike Sohm at Magnus, who asked Dad if he could keep the name “Rothhaar” associated with the head.

Q: America is famous for backyard inventions that stunned the world, like Apple Macintosh computers. Is the Rothhaar Snuffer one of these backyard wonders?
A: The Snuffer was developed at a time when there was not the selection of quality broadheads that there is today. It was designed to address a specific issue – hunting whitetails with relatively heavyweight equipment. Pound for pound, mature whitetails are among the toughest animals out there. The Snuffer was made to cause maximum damage to give short bloodtrails, even on marginal hits.

Q: What came first, the Snuffer or the Wensel woodsman?
A: The Woodsman was developed in the late 1990s by a collaborative effort involving the Wensel brothers and several other people to bring to market a head geared towards the followers of the Hill opinion of a 3:1 length to width ratio being best for maximum penetration. When the Woodsman was being geared up for production (Mike Sohm at Magnus manufactures the head), it was determined that the most cost-effective way to produce the head was to use Snuffer parts (most particularly the ferrule) to save on machining costs. The Woodsman is a fine head for those who do not shoot heavy enough equipment to attain full penetration with a larger broadhead, or who for other reasons, do not prefer a large diameter broadhead.

Q: Did the Snuffer always look like it does today, or were there a few broken arrows between the first design and the current one?
A: The head was developed over several years, starting from two-blade Ben Pearson Deadheads that Dad cut up and soldered back together into three-bladed heads. The “Biscuit Cutters”, as they were called, cut a huge hole, but were difficult to sharpen owing to the curved blades. Adequate penetration was also an issue. My father worked as a tool and die maker so he had the skills and knowledge to “build a better mousetrap” as it were, and he started working on the design. Over the years he built many different sizes of heads, and in the 60s in Colorado he gave out a lot of heads to try to keep records of deer killed with them. From these records, of many mule deer killed with different sizes of Snuffers, he decided that the 1.5-inch diameter gave the best balance of penetration and killing efficiency.

Q: What is the geographical birthplace of the Rothhaar Snuffer?
A: Northcentral, Ohio.

Q What was the first recorded harvest with a Rothhaar Snuffer and when and where did this momentous event take place?
A: The first kills were whitetails in Ohio back in the early 60’s.

Q: What was the grain weight of the first commercial made batch of Snuffers (excluding adaptors)? Please go into detail.
A: Early on, when Dad was silver-soldering heads together by hand in the basement, grain weight most likely varied considerably. Even into the 1980s the heads could vary by 15 grains or so across a dozen (target weight 165 grains without screw-in adaptor). This was not a problem from a marketing point of view until the compound bow came on the scene. With many new archers entering the market with very little practical archery experience, small grain weight variations hurt from a perspective of the perception of the head’s quality. Although very few people can shoot the difference in 10 or 15 grains of point weight, the consumer’s hypersensitivity to grain weight kept us primarily in the traditional market. The process was improved to assure more consistency in head weight, but the “standard” broadhead weight by that time in the industry had become 125 grains. Dad would not manufacture a lighter weight head, refusing to compromise his design to boost sales, so the 165-grain head was the standard Snuffer until the business was sold.

Q: Does your whole family hunt with bow and arrow?
A: The three men in the family, my father, my older brother and I all hunt. My mother, sister-in-law and my wife are all involved to differing degrees in the outdoor lifestyle. Mom spends a lot of time with a video camera in her hand on the family farm in Iowa videotaping deer all year round. My sister-in-law and wife like to get out whenever they can (and when the weather is good) to watch and photograph wildlife. The women are all very supportive of the time and money spent chasing animals with stick and string. This support is very important to enjoying a hunting lifestyle and we are all very blessed in that regard.

Q: Is there a preference among your hunting relatives for traditional equipment or for compound equipment? Don’t be afraid to enter into detail.
A: We all shoot exclusively traditional equipment and, of course, use Snuffer heads whenever possible.

Q: The traditional side of your family, are they longbow men or recurve?
A: We all shoot recurves. A longbow is a completely different animal. I respect guys who can really shoot accurately with a longbow, but I’ve never been interested in shooting one.

Q: Are there a few trophy records in the family or are you more meat hunters? (They are called biltong hunters in South Africa owing to the local jerky recipe and love for this product).
A: My father is an accomplished “trophy” whitetail hunter. I put the word “trophy” in parentheses because although he has killed more giant whitetails with traditional archery equipment than anyone else, none of them are entered in any record books. We hunt mature whitetails and we measure them for comparison purposes, but none of our record book animals are entered. Hunting “big” or mature animals heightens the challenge, but none of our family is in this to see our names in a book. We eat the meat from the animals we hunt, when possible, but meat hunting is not the primary goal either. I tell guys around home that talk about hunting deer for “the meat” that they are fooling themselves. When you figure the money you spend hunting in a year, including your time, you could buy the best beef around for perhaps a quarter of the cost of venison. Hunting is something you have to do for the sake of hunting itself, not as a means to other ends.

Q: Could you imagine your family without the added nature adventures of bowhunting and are there other nature pastimes that you combine with archery to make your experiences more rewarding?
A: Hunting is such a huge part of all of our lives that I cannot imagine a life without bowhunting.

Q: Do you eat what you shoot? What is your favorite “hunted” meal, a short info snippet on preparation would not hurt.
A: Whenever possible I make use of the meat of animals I harvest. My tastes run pretty plain when it comes to game preparation. Medium-rare grilled tenderloin is about the best wild game preparation, in my opinion.

Q: I also know you shoot a heavy arrow at a rather high speed for traditional equipment. What is your draw-length, arrow weight, pounds and general fps?
A: Well, I am generally pretty loyal when it comes to equipment. I find a bow-and-arrow combination I like and stick with it. For the past 16 years I have shot Black Widow recurves exclusively. I like longer bows and have always preferred the 64-inch Widows. My usual hunting setups for North American game are between 58 and 65 pounds at 29 inches, shooting arrows that generally end up around 10 grains per pound of draw-weight. I have used aluminum most of the time, but over the past few years I’ve been trying out the larger diameter carbon arrows (21/64-inch) and I really like them. I’ve killed five animals with carbon arrows and all were total pass-through penetration. I recently changed over to an Ancient Spirits Thunderhawk recurve, 65 pounds at 29 inches, and I have been impressed. I’m achieving around 185 fps with heavy (680-grain) carbon arrows with this setup and it has proven very potent on whitetails. I would gladly give up a few fps for arrow weight and bow silence. A heavy, slow arrow will out-penetrate a light, fast one every time. Coupled with the fact that my average shot on a big game animal is between 12 and 13 yards, a quiet, hard-hitting bow is my preference.

Q: Your favorite Snuffer weight and why (you can have more then one)?
A: The Snuffer was originally designed to be a big (1.5-inch cutting diameter), heavy (165-grain) head. When Snuffers are made smaller – by grinding them down – I believe that they lose many of the advantages that were designed into them. I use the biggest ones I can find, and on normal game, say up to moose-sized animals, penetration has been a non-issue for me.

Q: You recently returned from a hunt. Who did you hunt with and where is your preferred hunting ground?
A: My latest “big hunt” was a three-week hunt in the Northern Territory of Australia for Asiatic water buffalo and hogs. The hunt was fantastic, with an abundance of game, great weather, and conditions conducive to stalking. I took a trophy buffalo and several big hogs and had a wonderful time. The outfitter was Andrew Mackay of Hotspur Outfitters and we hunted on Mountain Valley Station, a 750 000-acre working cattle ranch in the Outback. This is an amazing free-range hunting area and a great opportunity for bowhunting dangerous game. Several people I’ve talked to that have taken both water buffalo and Cape buffalo rank the animals dead even regarding the difficulty of bowhunting them. I killed my buffalo with a 75-pound Black Widow recurve shooting a duplex aluminum arrow with a 160-grain STOS broadhead for a total arrow weight of 1000 grains. Penetration was to the offside rib cage, and the buffalo was down in 150 yards.
I’m still looking for my preferred hunting grounds! The most exciting part of hunting to me is getting to experience different places, animals and people. My dream hunt is whatever hunt I’m going on next and I enjoy them all, whether half way around the world or in my back yard.

Q: We read that people hunt turkeys in America. Here we only have introduced species of domesticated turkey and they are real easy to hunt. Is this the case in the States?
A: The wild turkeys in the US are the original stock from which the domesticated breeds were developed. Wild birds bear about as much resemblance to domesticated ones as antelope do to domestic cows. Wild turkeys have the best eyesight of any animal I’ve ever hunted and have zero curiosity. If they see something they don’t like, they’re gone. Our Eastern birds would be very tough to kill with a bow without the use of quality blinds. Some guys do kill them without blinds, and they have my respect.

Q: What is a Gobbler, (I assume it is slang for a male Turkey)?
A: A gobbler, or Tom, is a male turkey, two years old or better. After their first year they are called “Jakes” and are basically large poults (or chicks). After the second year they develop the characteristic beard and spurs of an adult bird. They are so called because they gobble loudly in the spring, during mating season.

Q: In the USA and Alaska, what is your favourite game animal? We don’t mind if you have more then one.
A: My favourite animal of all is the whitetail. Deer are the ubiquitous game animal for much of North America and can be hunted in probably 80 per cent of the country. Big old whitetail buck are among the cagiest animals on the continent and have a disconcerting way of humbling even the most experienced hunters. The magic of whitetails is that the biggest buck in the county could live under your back porch while you are completely unaware of it. Their ability to survive and even thrive with people is amazing and this familiarity with people makes them more difficult, not less difficult, to hunt.

Q: Do you prefer arid or savanna or woodland or forest areas when hunting?
A: Yes!

Q: Are you more attracted to flatlands or mountains?
A: Yes!

Q: What would your ideal imaginary hunting grounds look like if you came to Africa for a hunt, (we don’t want you to run to the book on Africa fauna and flora, just speak from the heart)?
A: I guess, like everyone else that has thought of hunting Africa I have read many of the old hunting books from the days of the ivory trade. This leads to romantic thoughts of the “good old days” but realistically, the “good old days” are gone everywhere. My ideal hunting grounds in Africa would be like my ideal grounds anywhere – enough game, in a wild state, to give good opportunities with archery equipment, but I don’t want any guarantees. The real joy of hunting in a new place is experiencing the “local flavor” – game, terrain and people. I try not to go to new hunting grounds with too many preconceived notions. I’ve never had a bad hunt when I went into a new area with an open mind (and good hunting companions!).

Q: If you ever came to South Africa for a bowhunting safari, what would your bowhunting interest be and why?
A: I would be interested in a less “packaged” hunt than most of what we see advertised in the US. I have friends that have had great hunts in SA, and have come home with some great trophies, but I would prefer a stalking situation, or setup on the spur of the moment based on game trails, water usage etc. than the permanent hides on waterholes I see in the videos. I understand the economics of wildlife and land usage or management in SA, but coming from the US, I’m leery of fences. Personally, I would gladly come home with fewer trophies, or “average” heads, and have a more “wild” experience. As far as game goes, warthogs are the most interesting critters over there to me and probably a close second would be eland. Of course, I’d love to collect a big Cape buffalo someday, but the cost of such a hunt is prohibitive right now.

Q: On bigger game like Cape buffalo or even elephant, is there a way to get a Snuffer in more hardened and more durable steel with more support to the blade on special request? (I know this is a difficult question – please don’t see it as a negative remark on the Snuffers. We know that bigger game is expensive and the hunters do not try to save money on getting a really good broadhead [none that are alive after the hunt does], so some might take a less commercial root. We also know that broadheads must be commercially viable to manufacture and sell successfully.)
A: I have only limited experience with large/dangerous game, but I certainly would not recommend the Snuffer for use on such. The head was originally designed for use on whitetail deer being hunted from treestands. The broadhead was made to give maximum damage and maximum blood trail on animals for which arrow penetration is not a problem. We have successfully used Snuffers on animals up to bison and moose in North America, and I have friends that have killed eland with Snuffers in Africa, but I would recommend a high-quality two-blade head for armour-plated animals like Cape buffalo and larger. Heads like the Magnus, STOS and Grizzly have a good track record on dangerous game and the German Kinetics heads are clearly in a league of their own, quality wise.

Q: For the educated hunters among us who need really sharp Snuffers, could you please disclose all the family secrets on getting the Rothhaar Snuffers so sharp that even a “missed” shot will end up as a successful harvest?
A: My favorite way to sharpen Snuffers is as follows: first, hollow grind the head on a six-inch bench grinder. This takes a little “touch” but with practise becomes easier. With the head mounted on an arrow, draw the broadhead from rear to front gently across the wheel, perpendicular to the wheel, two blades at a time, keeping even pressure on both blades. Care must be taken to not use too much pressure as this will overheat the steel, and not to blunt the tip of the head as you get to the end of the head. When there is a completely new grind on the edge of the blade, this step is finished.
Second, hone on a hard oilstone, placing two blades flat on the stone and moving the head in a circular motion with medium pressure. This will only take eight to ten circles per side.
Third, strop on hard leather pulling the head backwards for six to eight licks per side. This will give a scary sharp edge in a minimum of time.
When I’m in the field I carry a Razor Rake sharpener (pull-through carbide-type sharpener) for touch-up if necessary. These type sharpeners give more of a “wire” or burr edge than the process detailed above, but will work fine. I hunted with only Razor Rake sharpened heads last year and had great success on deer and antelope.

Q: In the years of accumulated hunting experience your family has, are there certain individual hunters who crossed your paths that were hailed as legendary?
A: My father has been hunting a long time and has met many of the “famous” bowhunters of the past. When I was a youngster I remember many of these men and did not know at the time that they were anyone special. I used to bother Fred Bear whenever we were at a show or function where he was. One of my favourite old pictures is one of Fred Bear, his Kodiak bear mount and me. Probably the bowhunter acquaintance that is most special and most inspirational to me, is my friend John Rook, the blind bowhunter from Ohio. John has been a family friend for many years, both before and after losing his sight. John is a great guy and a real study in courage and dedication to never losing his love of archery and bowhunting.

Q: Ryan, what is your day job?
A: I work as a process research chemist with a major pharmaceutical company.

Q: Where do you live and how is the hunting there?
A: I live in western Indiana, which is right in the middle of the Midwest US. The hunting is fair in my area. Unfortunately long gun seasons in my state and poor management lead to a low number of quality deer, but there are plenty around to hunt, and a few big ones to keep things interesting. I am fortunate to have hunting right out my back door and I can hunt every evening after work.

Q: How is the climate where you live? When is the bowhunting season?
A: We live in a temperate climate, with all four seasons. Right now it is getting into mid-winter (December) and is quite cold (-12.2 degrees Celsius). Summers get up into the low 30’s and we have a pleasant fall and spring. Hunting seasons for big game are in the fall/winter, with archery season in Indiana for whitetails running from October 1 to mid-January. With the long seasons, dedicated bowhunters can spend a lot of time in the woods, and this year, with all of my hunts, I will be in the woods at least part of the day for 95 to100 days.

Q: What is the proudest moment in your hunting career?
A: In 2003 I passed up a huge non-typical whitetail that my father had been hunting for three years on the family farm in Iowa. I had the buck dead to rights at 20 yards for 15 minutes and I could not bring myself to shoot him. I did not feel right driving out to the farm, crawling up in one of Dad’s treestands, and shooting the animal he had been pursuing for that long. My wife and I found the shed antlers from that buck the following spring and they scored around 230 inches non-typical. That is a world-class whitetail, and would have been one of the biggest deer taken in the country with archery equipment that year. I have never regretted not shooting that deer, sometimes the ones you do not kill are more meaningful than those you do.

Q: Your most memorable hunt with a Snuffer broadhead as a companion? (It could even be your most recent hunt).
A: My most recent memorable hunt with a Snuffer was the whitetail I took on the family farm in Iowa on 4 November. This buck is special to me for many reasons. I killed him with my new Ancient Spirits recurve that JD Emerson built for me. My father and Jim Emerson (JD’s father) were great friends and I grew up with the Emerson kids. In the early 80s Dad and Jim cut some black locust wood on the farm where my father grew up. Jim passed away and we kind of lost touch with the family. I ran into JD and learned that he had become a custom bowyer – quite a good one actually – and had him build me a bow from the same wood – kind of a second generation carrying on the tradition thing. The buck this year was killed from the same tree, on the same day (two years later), both within five minutes of 8 a.m. and both standing within ten feet of the same spot as my biggest buck that I took in ’03. We also had around a half-hour of video footage of this buck from 15 September to 1 November, and it was a special experience to be able to take him.