legalizing mechanical broadheads in Washington

[bobcat]

They already re-wrote the law to allow mechanicals. It's in the proposals for the 2015-2017 hunting seasons.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/2015/wsr_15-04-086.pdf

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Mechs will never be legal in WA. We have a no barb rule, a 40lb min hunt weight with a 300grn min arrow weight, and big tough animals like roosevelt elk.

Most of todays expendables are not barbed.  As long as they can rotate forward I see no reason to make them illegal.  Doubtful I would ever shoot an elk with one, but my personal preference should have no bearing on legality.  As I've posted before, I'd take a guy shooting a sharp expandable any day over a guy shooting a dull fixed blade, Toxic or an Atom.

I might try some this year at the house.  My slick trick leaves a huge long cut just like those in the video of the rage.  My fixed broad heads fly like darts if I tune my bow and arrow.  I would think the mechs would fly better in wind and have less wind resistance while in flight. 

[Russ McDonald]

Mechs will never be legal in WA. We have a no barb rule, a 40lb min hunt weight with a 300grn min arrow weight, and big tough animals like roosevelt elk.

Most of todays expendables are not barbed.  As long as they can rotate forward I see no reason to make them illegal.  Doubtful I would ever shoot an elk with one, but my personal preference should have no bearing on legality.  As I've posted before, I'd take a guy shooting a sharp expandable any day over a guy shooting a dull fixed blade, Toxic or an Atom.

I might try some this year at the house.  My slick trick leaves a huge long cut just like those in the video of the rage.  My fixed broad heads fly like darts if I tune my bow and arrow.  I would think the mechs would fly better in wind and have less wind resistance while in flight.

I shot Grim Reapers prior to moving the WA.  They flew just like my field tips.  Hardly had to tune anything for them.  I never harvested anything with the Grim Reapers though but I have seen first hand what they do when I was in Minnesota and couple years ago.  Blew right through the shoulder of a whitetail and the exit wound was 3 fingers wide. 

[bullfisher]

They already re-wrote the law to allow mechanicals. It's in the proposals for the 2015-2017 hunting seasons.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/2015/wsr_15-04-086.pdf

Wow, im outta the loop. So if I read this correctly,  it would be legal for someone to hunt elk with a 40lb bow, a 20 inch arrow weighing 300grns and any mechanical broadhead they choose? Am I interpreting that right?

[Russ McDonald]

They already re-wrote the law to allow mechanicals. It's in the proposals for the 2015-2017 hunting seasons.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/2015/wsr_15-04-086.pdf

Wow, im outta the loop. So if I read this correctly,  it would be legal for someone to hunt elk with a 40lb bow, a 20 inch arrow weighing 300grns and any mechanical broadhead they choose? Am I interpreting that right?

Mechanicals broadheads will be just like fixed so you would be correct in your interpretation.

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

I'm glad they're changing the rules in favor of more oppurtunities. 

[Russ McDonald]

I'm glad they're changing the rules in favor of more oppurtunities.

I agree it should be a hunters choice on what they want to use.

[SGTDuffman]

They already re-wrote the law to allow mechanicals. It's in the proposals for the 2015-2017 hunting seasons.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/2015/wsr_15-04-086.pdf

Wow, im outta the loop. So if I read this correctly,  it would be legal for someone to hunt elk with a 40lb bow, a 20 inch arrow weighing 300grns and any mechanical broadhead they choose? Am I interpreting that right?

Unless they add some sort of caveat or equipment restriction for mechanicals, you're interpretation is most likely correct.

Personally, I would prefer they not allow mechanicals. Generally speaking, I'm all for big boy rules, but in this case, I believe it is an ethics issue. A well placed shot with any kind of broadhead, or no broadhead at all, will ethically kill game. My concern is with poorly placed shots. If, for whatever reason, the shot does not go where intended, the animal has a much better chance of healing/surviving a wound created by clean cutting fixed blade head. The only two reasons I've ever heard for people using a mechanical head are: (1) a bigger wound channel or (2) they fly more like field points. A larger wound is exactly what you do not want on a wounded animal. On an animal that is hit where it's supposed to be hit, it doesn't matter how big the wound is, a hole in the heart or lungs will kill them. I'm against those "new" Toxic broadheads for the same reason. These "coring" design heads failed in the 50's. As far as arrow flight is concerned, I don't buy the argument that mechanicals fly better than fixed. My broadheads fly like field points to at least 70 yds, and if I had anywhere to shoot them farther than that I'm sure they would continue doing so. It seems like mechanicals are often used as a replacement for practice or tuning or both.

[coachcw]

I sure see a bunch off them only going half way into elk on TV ! 

[RadSav]

I sure see a bunch off them only going half way into elk on TV ! 

If guys were shooing 1.5" or 2" fixed broadheads on tv you'd probably be seeing the same thing.  No matter how hard you try to spin your advertising hype sooner or later physics will rule the day. 

I shot 1.25", 1.375" and 1.5" boreheads back in the day of 80# draw weights, too long of draw lengths and 600 grain arrows.  Some of them I really liked!  I didn't have many pass throughs back then either   Now with 390 grain arrows, 28.5" draw length, 62 pounds and 1" broadheads I rarely find an arrow after it goes skipping off through the woods after destroying the boiler room!  And crazy, I know, the animals today seem to go less distance after the shot

Funny how when Duke Savora was in Africa, working with the government testing modern bowhunting equipment, he spoke with native hunters on which head they would shoot for Cape Buffalo, Kudu and Eland.  Unexposed to marketing hype each one chose the smallest head he had for testing (7/8").  At the conclusion of the Chapinda Pools testing it could not prove them wrong!  It's exciting to see those big holes in hide, but in the end it makes little to no difference unless you are whacking them in the Texas heart.

[coachcw]

Right Rav ... two holes are better than one !

[sakoshooter]

I have mixed feelings on 'me' using mech broadheads here in WA but for many situations they'll be great - close shots at deer from tree stands and ground blinds etc.
Also, in the old days that Rad refers to, most of us never had a pass thru but then again, a sharp broadhead lodged in the middle of the chest cavity does a lot os damage when the animal runs off. Kind of like an Eveready battery; keeps on cutting.

[RadSav]

Also, in the old days that Rad refers to, most of us never had a pass thru but then again, a sharp broadhead lodged in the middle of the chest cavity does a lot os damage when the animal runs off. Kind of like an Eveready battery; keeps on cutting.

Adequate penetration and over penetration are always a compromise in certain circumstances.  Especially when dealing with two blade broadheads.  Although if the blade retracts after energy loss best to have it put two holes while open than leave it in there to do nothing, right?