Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bow Hunting => Topic started by: gutsnthegrass on December 23, 2015, 12:21:38 PM

Title: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: gutsnthegrass on December 23, 2015, 12:21:38 PM: With the season coming to a close, I was wondering how all the guys that changed to mechanical broadheads thought they performed. Did they hold up, or let you down? I was thinking about trying them this year, but was hesitant and stuck to my Shuttle T's. I was concerned about their durability when used on elk, but I think deer would be fine. I figured I would wait a year or two to see how well they do. So, what do you guys that tried them think??
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: elkoholic on December 23, 2015, 12:38:14 PM: Killed my deer and elk this year shooting 125gr Hypodermics, both passed through's elk @52 and deer @30...
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: bhawley76 on December 23, 2015, 12:42:49 PM: Got my bear with a Montec Havolon I don't think he went 10 yards, looked like I shot him with a Kbar.
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: 724wd on December 23, 2015, 02:34:21 PM: Witnessed a failure of some sort with a Rage. Deer was hit at 40 yards slightly quartering towards from a 70 pound draw bow. Arrow penetrated less than 4 inches, deer ran over 200 yards bleeding very little. The arrow appeared to have entered just behind the shoulder and stopped against the ribs when she ran past me at 20 yards. We tracked her until the blood gave out around the 200 yard mark. Very little blood at all. did not recover the deer.

BUUUUT.... very similar scenario with a buck I shot with a fixed head this year and I never did find a drop of blood or cut hair, even at the impact site 30 yards away. I saw the arrow in the deer as he ran away but there was NO blood and we were unable to recover the deer. :dunno:

my review? mixed. I'll probably continue to shoot fixed heads and my partner will likely continue with expandable. Maybe next year we'll have more definitive results.
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: sakoshooter on December 23, 2015, 11:56:24 PM: Complete pass thru on my deer with a Grave Digger. Cut everything clean off the top of the heart. One of the best blood trails I've ever had.
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: YoungGun9 on December 24, 2015, 05:18:22 AM: Used the grim reaper 1 3/8" on my 67lbs mathews no-cam and smacked my deer at 25yrds. Had great massive entry and exit holes, resulting in a continuous blood trail about 60 yards from the shot where he piled up in what felt like a minute. Was really nervous about the mechanical broad heads not opening properly but they worked great, fly great, and are very devastating. Ill for sure be shooting them again next season. Here is the entry hole side of the deer.
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: elkrack on December 27, 2015, 12:25:38 AM: The swackers worked well for me :tup:. As advertised
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: actionshooter on December 27, 2015, 09:45:51 AM: Mine work awesome......never left the quiver... :(
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: blindluck on December 27, 2015, 02:27:30 PM: My friend had a quiver full of swhacker when he was stopped by a warden who began to harass him saying you can't use these broad heads with barbs. What the heck.
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: elkrack on December 27, 2015, 06:58:42 PM: Quote from: blindluck on December 27, 2015, 02:27:30 PM
My friend had a quiver full of swhacker when he was stopped by a warden who began to harass him saying you can't use these broad heads with barbs. What the heck.

Barbs? Mine don't have barbs. If he didn't get a ticket it was probably fine
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: RadSav on December 27, 2015, 07:23:29 PM: Wouldn't matter with how they wrote the new rule. Sounds like he must have been in Monroe/Duvall area.
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: Lucky1 on December 29, 2015, 09:53:42 PM: I used a schwacker 2" head on the little spike blacktail I shot. It was a marginal shot/hit but it did kill him. I think the extra wide cutting blades helped. I will use them again next year.
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: biggfish on December 30, 2015, 01:57:16 AM: Didn't work too bad dropped my deer where it stood, but this is what I looks like now.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20151230/0f8364bedf2a50161f2d585ae4fa4db9.jpg)
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: LeviD1 on December 30, 2015, 02:09:39 PM: Shot a bear in September with a schwacker. Did a good job went about 60 yards, pass through. Then hit a real big buck at 24 yards just slightly forward on shoulder. Arrow went in like 4 inches and fell out. Jumped him 3 hours later and he took off with his doe like a bat out of hell. After that I switched back to my shuttle t's which have yet to ever let me down. Shot a little buck passthrough rib bone exit out opposite shoulder no problem. Ill stick with my shuttle t's from now on. I know theywould have went through that shoulder.
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: sagewalker on December 30, 2015, 02:16:28 PM: Quote from: 724wd on December 23, 2015, 02:34:21 PM
Witnessed a failure of some sort with a Rage. Deer was hit at 40 yards slightly quartering towards from a 70 pound draw bow. Arrow penetrated less than 4 inches, deer ran over 200 yards bleeding very little. The arrow appeared to have entered just behind the shoulder and stopped against the ribs when she ran past me at 20 yards. We tracked her until the blood gave out around the 200 yard mark. Very little blood at all. did not recover the deer.

BUUUUT.... very similar scenario with a buck I shot with a fixed head this year and I never did find a drop of blood or cut hair, even at the impact site 30 yards away. I saw the arrow in the deer as he ran away but there was NO blood and we were unable to recover the deer. :dunno:

my review? mixed. I'll probably continue to shoot fixed heads and my partner will likely continue with expandable. Maybe next year we'll have more definitive results.

I had this exact scenario but with a bear at 14 yards. Arrow went in behind the shoulder only penetrated a couple inches and bear took off with no blood trail at all. Never recovered the bear. Never shooting expendable's again, I don't know why I switched from my fixed blade Muzzy's.
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: SeaRun1 on January 01, 2016, 06:10:39 PM: My buddy used a Rage to take his buck this year. He had about 8" of penetration but it sliced the heart up nicely. It ran about 40 to 50 yards before expiring. Really prominent blood trail. His shot was from about ten yards.

I shot mine with a Montec and had a pass through from 10 yards. It dropped about 60 yards away without any blood trail whatsoever. I think it might vary from deer to deer but both got the job done. He is sold on them.

SR1
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: coachcw on January 01, 2016, 06:16:37 PM: Grimreaper , holly blood bath
Title: Re: How did the mechanical broadheads do this year?
Post by: KimWar1911 on January 03, 2016, 10:55:57 PM: Complete pass through on my deer with an Xecutioner. Went 50 yards and dropped. Never seen a blood trail like. One blade broke halfway in the brush after it went through the deer. I don't think I will replace the Helix for bigger critters but real happy with them on smaller ones.

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