Change from Fixed Broadheads

[peterk123]

Gonna echo blockcaver. I mean no offense today anyone. Let me be clear. Idc what you shoot. My passion is working a tracking dog. (I will get out of the deerstand to go track) I track 20-25 deer/bear a year. Tracked and recovered 3 in the last week. I hunt traditional now but hunted with a compound over 20 years.
All my findings are my observations, and anecdotal at best. Generally i believe there is no replacement for displacement. That said it doesnt apply to archery. There is no replacement for marginal shots in my experience. What i see is 3_4 fixed put the best "trackable" blood trails with the least amount of sacrifices. Penetrations, failures, etc. What i see in two blades, fixed or mechanicals, is vertically oriented cut esspecially in between ribs have marginal bloodtrails. Single bevels seem to come up short more times than not on blood. And the rotation is very minimal in reality. Blade orientation on entry is out of your control obviously. This is why i like 3_4 blades. I dont care if the deer goes 100_150 if i can follow the bloodtrail. I also only see problems..... People dont pay me to track there deer that paint the woods and fall in sight. I have tracked several that go a hundred plus yards with no blood then pour blood. But generally they bleed or they dont. The broadhead i recommended to my elderly father was the 3 blade cutthroats. (He loves sharpening broadheads). I really think specs rather more than brand and agree with all of those recommended above. Also i realize this was about elk, but if you are shooting whitetails, for godsake dont shoot them head down!
Good luck this season fellas

What an awesome post! Some great first hand experiences and observations. Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Bump79]

most people will miss towards the rear of the deer and not the front.

I'm generally a fixed blade guy, what has me wanting to try mechs more is this fact.

Animals walk forward, animals generally spin away from arrows, if a leg is a lityle back you can easily use that for a reference and more you hit further back. I think statistically much more probable to be the problem. All of my losses are a result of shots too far back or low. None are penetration related.

 

[FlyD10]

I mainly am thinking about if I had had a larger cutting broadhead it increases your chances of causing fatal artery hemorrhaging in the lung I did hit.

I carry 3 fixed and 3 mechanical in my quiver. If I think I'm likely to have a tough angle or might clip some grass / leaves I'll nock a fixed. When I have longer shots in a more open spot with better odds of getting a broadside opportunity I'll nock a mechanical.

Currently using easton axis 340s. Mechanicals are grim reapers and sevrd. Fixed are iron will vented and montec cs. All of them fly pretty good out of my bow - pse at 65lbs / 29" draw.

I used to run a 50grain brass insert instead of the standard, but dropped to a standard aluminum because with the longer mechanicals it was throwing off my dynamic spine and I didn't want the extra weight and bigger pin gaps of switching to 300 spine.

Years ago i shot completely through 2 whitetail doe shoulder bones (bone, not blade) with an old matthews solo cam and the montecs with a differen arrow that weighed only about 325 grains including the broadhead. I think people worry too much about arrow weight. 400-450 is plenty out of most bows guys are shooting today and is more forgiving on misjuding range.

 

[Eastonsgrandpa]

I think people worry too much about arrow weight. 400-450 is plenty out of most bows guys are shooting today and is more forgiving on misjuding range.

This.

One of the worst things to happen is letting fairies off the ranch and then listening to them. I guess when you shoot pigs at seven feet, shoot a piece of rebar.

I’ve settled on 420 grains and carry one fixed blade. Haven’t decided between the deadmeat and Hyde mechanicals yet. Will probably just come down to which flies best. I’m hitting 290-295 fps so nice and flat. I don’t like the idea of my arrow following the lines of a rainbow to get there and being out west, chances are slim to get a 20 yard shot. It’s what I hope for and will work toward if I can but it doesn’t happen that often.