Mechanical Broadheads

[boneaddict]

IT appears to me that as technology keeps advancing, the farther we get from having the need for primitive seasons.  Long distance shooting, etc. all take away from the "disadvantage" a bowhunter might have thus making less sense to have longer better seasons.  If the weapon is just as effecient as a rifle, then why not have a modern season.  Same can be said for muzzelloaders.  If you wnat the advantage to longer seaosns with better timing, then stay primitive.  Feel free to try to tag me with being an elitist, or a purist, but I own all weapon types, have been successful with all weapon types, and currently hunt modern with a Trad bow.  I am sickened with increased let offs, FOB's and a few other things.  Learn to shoot, learn to shoot well.  Be a "BOWHUNTER".  Is it all about the kill?  Do you enjoy the challenge?  Mechanicals are just one more step to try to make it easier, make a bow yet more effecient.  Why not come up with something new to push the 100 yard shot.   We could learn to stalk instead.  Somewhere, there is a limit to what we can do to be super efficient predators and run out of game to hunt.  Oppurunities will get less and less as we become more and more effecient as killers.  Cover scents, camo, scentlock, releases, rangefinders, on and on and on.  Where is the line?

[timmyg]

Bone and most on here have killed more animals than I have seen, but I have shot mechanicals at my targets at various distances, and have read a bit out them.  I think the mechanical should be allowed since it is a better product leading to more efficient kills at the end of the day, and likely less wounded animals.  I think this is a good thing for bowhunting.  I respect all the others opinion about the possibility of the blades causing infection should they be left in an unharvested animal.  I do not buy into the fact that the bow is anywhere as "efficient as a rifle, then why not have a modern season, "as they are by no means close to as efficient in my opinion no matter what you screw on the end of them.


Mostly, I have been reading a lot of posts and haven't given my 2 pennies for a while.   

[Ray]

The mechanicals are barbed. I agree with the law.

Everyone wants an ethical kill but how far do you really need to take ethical as the basis of your justification? It's used as the main argument almost all the time regarding technology. Seems like more crutches to stand on and make it easier to harvest the game to me. Especially when you can achieve an ethical kill with a normal broadhead. Crossbows are ethical too.

On the lumenocks discussion as well - just use reflective tape on the tip of your arrow and a small flashlight.

[boneaddict]

  are always welcomed

leading to more efficient kills at the end of the day, and likely less wounded animals

This is the cry often weilded by folks to defend a product.  One can often twist it the other way as well.  Folks tend to increase the risk of a long shot (80+) yards because they feel their product may have better flight etc.  Thats just one point.  I am guessing that many of the other broadheads tuned correctly and shot correctly and practiced with correctly, yeild similiar results.
Same with lumilocks, sure they may improve you finding your kill, but some could argue that it encourages folks to shoot later in the day.


I'm curious, how do you practice with mechanicals or remove them from targets liek the block?  Serious ?, as I don't know

[timmyg]

It is quite expensive to do, as it costs about 200 dollars per practice session, and I have razor blades in my deer target which gets my hands a bit bloody over time. I would assume you do not own any Bone, so it is a fair question.  Rage and other folks make a practice version that does not expand when hitting the target. 

I do think a crossbow is closer to a bow than a rifle though per Ray's post.

[Ray]

I do think a crossbow is closer to a bow than a rifle though per Ray's post.

It's an interesting subject and I bet many would agree. Not a surprise that someone would say that.

I didn't actually suggest a crossbow was closer to a bow or a rifle but I did throw it out there to think about. A crossbow does not require the practice, skill and attention that a compound bow or stick bow does. For all historic purposes it is a primitive weapon type. That does not necessarily mean they should be permitted in the archery season. I agree with the uses we have for crossbows in Washington. Limited uses for no firearm  zones and for the handicapped. Otherwise I think they should live in a modern rifle season. Especially when people can group the bolts at 1/2 inch for 100 yards.

[timmyg]

In the forum "Bow hunting" and topic "Mechanical Broadheads", I gave my opinion that the ones I have tried and the reading I have done leads me to believe that they are a good product.  Good product from the standpoint that they perform well if used properly, and in my opinion would not leave more wounded animals in the woods.  Somehow that lead Bone and Ray to get into Rifles and crossbows.  I personally don't think the comparisons between those weapons are valid, especially a rifle. (Yes even with let-off, fancy rests, daul cams, fast arrows, or mechanical broadheads).

Obviously archery entails a lot of choices.  From what type of bow to shoot, as well as the many bells and whistles available today.  A lot of things go into those choices on what equipment we choose.  Some may want to stay "primitive" or "traditional", while others may want to buy the latest and greatest.  Some folks might not be able to afford that latest and greatest, but would go there if they could.  And I am sure there are various other reasons why people hunt with the equipment they do.  Maybe it is what they are used to and just like it.  I agree that there are much more serious issues at hand as Ray mentioned earlier I believe.  I think some people who are "purists" in their mind feel they are "better", and some who have the newest, latest, and greatest feel they are "better", but they hopefully just make choices on how they want to enjoy a great sport.  I generally have found that I have a liking for people who hunt and have been doing so for a long time, because I can learn something from them and share life a little.

On the mechanical broadhead issue, I don't use them in WA because they are illegal, if that changes, I will likely use them.

[adam.WI]

I used a set of rockets once for deer in WI. I had a good buck that was about 20 yards with minimal veg about 2' in front of him. I had no hesitation to shoot through the brush because it was so close to the animal and there really wasnt much there. I shot the arrow hit one of the twigs and the nock hit the deer. Completely flipped the arrow. I took my block out there and placed it in the same area and shot three muzzy's through the same stuff. Hit every time. So to me, mechanical broadheads suck, but they do make a pretty wicked blood trail when it works.

I feel the big push came out of laziness and not wanting to deal with tuning a bow. Fixed blades can shoot flawlessly so I see no reason to change that law

[timmyg]

I stand corrected Bones rifle comments were prior to my first post on here.  I asked a gamewarden about this issue of mechanical broadheads and he didn't have a good answer.  He hunts archery as well. 

[Ray]

I don't think I'm better for my choices. I just think they are my choices to live by. I do think hunters would be wise to really consider the advancement of some techniques and technologies.

I also offered something up in regards to how I view these sort of gadgets because someone commented on the effect that it was other archers who object to these gadgets and not game wardens or the game department. I concur. I object to these because they are not necessary. Advancing technology is not necessarily advancing the sport. In fact I believe going too far detracts from the image of hunters. Why do they need all of these advantages and where do outdoorsmen let it end?

I don't believe anyone suggested a compound bow was a rifle. I offered up the subject of crossbows to give folks some thought about how far they think archery should expand to. I would suggest that many archers treat their bow somewhat like a rifle from my perspective. That's simply an opinion and people don't have to agree or like it and it certainly well may be a minority opinion which doesn't count. I certainly think traditional archery is another game altogether but in the end I support most every aspect of modern archery as well.

A quality product does not necessarily equate to correct application for hunting in my book. Especially when there are many ways to dispatch the game which are effective today. I am glad others agree who matter.

If I am guilty for offering insight regarding my thought process so be it. However you would never understand it or believe it existed if nobody mentioned something right? I can certainly suggest that there are others who share some of both our opinions on the matter.

[WDFW-SUX]

Im not a fan of mechanicals..but what ever to each his own I guess..just dont be shooting 3 elk and wondering why you can't find any of them.

[Intruder]

Well said Ray.

I don't think I would use em even if they were legal.  Not so much based on a philosophical perspective, I'm just not convinced that they are "better".  Anything mechanical seems like another failure point to me.  Plus your point about gadgets and gimmicks.  Archery reminds me a lot of flyfishing 15 years ago.  There was more useless *censored* put out there that didn't help a guy catch 1 more fish... just helped seperate people from their $. 

[Ray]

Most importantly - are they not barbed and less likely to work their way out of an animal that is hit in a non-lethal engagement? Isn't that one of the main reasons for the law?

Also - How would the proposed language be to only include these mechanical expanding broadheads if they were able to work their way out of animals and yet still outlaw other barbed broadheads? That seems like the segway to justifying them to me.

[tlbradford]

I may be wrong, but I thought mechanicals were less effecient than fixed blades.  Doesn't the action of the blades opening direct energy laterally which takes away from your forward energy which gives you penetration?  

[SpokaneSlayer]

I wouldn't use them if they were legal for the pure fact that I don't think they would perform well with my set up.  My fixed broadheads fly just fine.

Ray - Did you mean that they ARE barbed and less likely to work their way out?