Elk with mechanicals

[jackelope]

Seems like this is not the first time I've read this same story. Always seems to be the case with elk. That's not to say they don't work. I think they're not as "forgiving" if the shot isn't perfect and I also wonder if it's got to do with the thick skin and maybe the range? I was a Slick Trick guy, but I think next set I buy will be RAD heads. I definitely will never use mechanicals.

[Duckslayer89]

Seems like this is not the first time I've read this same story. Always seems to be the case with elk. That's not to say they don't work. I think they're not as "forgiving" if the shot isn't perfect and I also wonder if it's got to do with the thick skin and maybe the range? I was a Slick Trick guy, but I think next set I buy will be RAD heads. I definitely will never use mechanicals.

I think it's the thick hide and 3-4 inch length hair that the blades have to cut through, plus thick rib muscle and everything else I guess. RAD broadheads look sweet too

[Duckslayer89]

Notice how the little tangs that get pushed open to let the blades expand cover up the blades until it's basically all the way open? Idk my fault for not going over it over and over again and just assuming everything was good to go.

[j_h_nimrod]

I decided to jump on the mechanical bandwagon last year with the Rage Hypodermic and without actually harvesting anything I switched back to conventional (Radical MadMan HPV  ) after doing more research, hearing others issues, and having consistency issues.  I don't sit in a stand so having a broadhead that will open up going through brush or if I turn it wrong on my quiver is an inconvenience to say the least. I was also having random issues of inflight opening during practice that just really made me doubt. I think if you are sitting in a stand shooting whitetails they could be just great, but for still hunting and heavier game I'll stick with a conventional.

[cliffordingles]

I took my elk opening morning, ran less than 50 yards. Im shooting grim reaper razorcuts. They work amazing! It was a clean pass through double lung at 28 yards. Theres alot of people that dont think about the other parts of the shot, like speed, arrow weight, and energy. I trust my setup to 90 yards, i wouldnt take that shot but i trust it to deliver enough energy to penetrate. I see alot of people with package bows for cabelas or whatever and think they can shoot to the moon, thats not the case.

So in my opinion, mechanicals work amazing and fly perfectly. But thats my experience with my setup.

[Duckslayer89]

I took my elk opening morning, ran less than 50 yards. Im shooting grim reaper razorcuts. They work amazing! It was a clean pass through double lung at 28 yards. Theres alot of people that dont think about the other parts of the shot, like speed, arrow weight, and energy. I trust my setup to 90 yards, i wouldnt take that shot but i trust it to deliver enough energy to penetrate. I see alot of people with package bows for cabelas or whatever and think they can shoot to the moon, thats not the case.

So in my opinion, mechanicals work amazing and fly perfectly. But thats my experience with my setup.

I'm shooting a 2015 Hoyt Carbon Spyder draw weight 73 pounds with 300 spine gold tip hunter pros. Definetly not a package bow. I think it's the design of this broadhead. I probably shouldn't generalize all mechanicals but I lost any faith in them that I had.

[cliffordingles]

Thats fine to loose your faith in them, everyones got thier own opinion. Just like politics lol. But for the record i am a Trump supporter.

 My hunting partner shoots some G5 mechanicals, and he swears by them. He is also was way better shooter than i am. But he has lost 2 deer that i know of with those broadheads. I personally do not like the way those G5's open but for some reason he does. All mechanicals are different, just like fixed blade, all that matters is using what works for you. For me, im sold on the Grim Reaper Razorcut mechanicals. Biggest thing is shot placement, and that doesnt matter what broadhead a person i shooting.

[gonehuntin68]

Shuttle t lock is the way to go.

[BGhunter]

My brother and I switched to mechanicals last year. We ended up calling a bull into twenty yards broadside and he slipped an arrow right behind its shoulder. It turned and ran out to fifty yards and stopped. My brother hit the bull on the opposite side. When we tracked him down we were surprised to see neather arrow penetrated both lungs. It was double lunged but it took two poorly penetrated arrows to do the job. After seeing that we both switched back to fixed blades.

[hogslayer]

The part I don't like about mechanical heads is that when they expand they seem to transfer a lot of energy into the heads opening up.  This causes penetration issue like people have said.  And when they broad head is inside the elk, the blades are just flopping around relaxed or go back to there original position.  The elk I shot last year was a Texas bullseye and the arrow disappeared.  I knew that it was inside just causes hell on the lungs and organs as it ran.  It went 40 yards and tipped over. 

[Jonathan_S]

The elk I shot this week would have been a disaster with a mechanical. Very steep downhill shot and I hit high. The RAD broadhead crushed through the shoulder and straight through a rib. Still totally intact and razor sharp enough to wreak havoc on the lungs. He crashed 50 yards downhill. Show me a mechanical that will do that every time.

Heck that broadhead still spins true and is on my next arrow downrange 

[Reidus]

My brother and I switched to mechanicals last year. We ended up calling a bull into twenty yards broadside and he slipped an arrow right behind its shoulder. It turned and ran out to fifty yards and stopped. My brother hit the bull on the opposite side. When we tracked him down we were surprised to see neather arrow penetrated both lungs. It was double lunged but it took two poorly penetrated arrows to do the job. After seeing that we both switched back to fixed blades.

Had a similar experience and seen it happen on videos as well.

[biggfish]

I took my elk opening morning, ran less than 50 yards. Im shooting grim reaper razorcuts. They work amazing! It was a clean pass through double lung at 28 yards. Theres alot of people that dont think about the other parts of the shot, like speed, arrow weight, and energy. I trust my setup to 90 yards, i wouldnt take that shot but i trust it to deliver enough energy to penetrate. I see alot of people with package bows for cabelas or whatever and think they can shoot to the moon, thats not the case.

So in my opinion, mechanicals work amazing and fly perfectly. But thats my experience with my setup.

What size blade are you shooting? I've got 1 3/4" I'm not sure if the energy lost in deployment is enough to pass through.

[Thefisherman83]

I killed my bull this year with a Rage hypodermic. He went 10yds and face planted. 65yd shot and the arrow made it all the way to the offside shoulder blade. Nearly split the heart in half, I could almost fit my fist in the wound channel. The doe I shot last year was at 55yds and I had a full pass through, blood trail was insane. Killed a cow last year with one as well, full pass through. Not a great shot, hit back quite a ways and she still only went 150yds. I will never use a fixed blade again, the wound channel and blood trail are insane on the expandables.

[MtnMuley]

I'm sure 75% of the archery kills I have had mechanicals would have been fine. Same results as the post above with fixed blades. Is it worth losing one animal because I chose a mechanical over a fixed blade when they both shoot the same? Never.