broadheads, broadheads, broadheads, broadheads, broadheads,

[wabi]

Long story behind this pic -


I had been using both fixed blade and mechanicals for several years, trying to find the "perfect" broadhead. I had pretty well decided on the Wasp JakHammer 1¾" cut mechanical as being it. I had shot several (didn't keep exact count) deer with the JakHammer and even a poor shot (liver) resulted in a quick kill.
The deer in the pic was a case of mistaken identity by me. I thought it was a doe, but it turned out to be a button buck. It came in to my feeder in the quickly fading light of evening (in a north/south valley and when the sun dips behind the western treeline it's still well before the legal time to quit, but it gets dark quickly). I had my son with me in the ground blind 18 yards away and I was mentally debating whether to take the shot when my son whispered, "Those backstraps sure would be tasty dad." On hearing that I aimed for the heart on the deer which was quartering away. I made the shot, and everything looked good although I couldn't see the arrow hit the deer in the fading light. The deer whirled to it's right as I heard the arrow impact, crossed a deep ditch, and was lost from sight because of the trees and brush along the ditch line. I gave it about 10 minutes, then we went to check the spot where it had been standing. Not much blood where it was shot, but the blood trail was easy to see (and follow) from where it had landed when it jumped the ditch (about 3 feet deep and 4-5 feet wide). Since the light was fading I slowly took the trail and found it didn't go far. The deer was lying about 50-60 yards from where I had hit it and was quite dead. Another hunter on that property happened to be leaving and I caught his attention with my flashlight beam. He was good enough to snap a couple pics for me then my camera batteries died (that's why it not a great pic). He helped me drag the deer to the field so I could field dress it. I dressed it quickly because I wanted to get it tagged and in the processor's cooler ASAP since the weather was still a bit warm. I didn't do my usual autopsy since I was in a hurry, but I did take note of the hole through the heart and didn't really focus on the fact that the hole was much smaller than it should have been.
Next morning I went back to the kill site in good light to look for my arrow. I found it quickly and when I picked it up I was shocked to find the blades on the broadhead still banded closed! No wonder the hole through the heart looked small! Even with the blades closed it still punched about a ¾" hole through the heart, enough to quickly drop the deer, but certainly not a shot I'd recommend or try on purpose!
I examined the broadhead careful and could find no apparent reason for the malfunction. The blades were free to pivot when I slid the band back and the shot had not been at a really extreme angle. All I could come up with as a theory is that it possibly missed hitting hard ribs and the tender hide and muscles of a young deer just weren't enough resistance to open the blades.

Whatever the cause of the failure I don't want to repeat it, so I switched to my favorite fixed blade broadhead for the rest of the season (G-5 Montec). The next season a buddy had some new Wac'Em Exit 4 blade broadheads he wanted to trade me for some arrows and Montecs. I took the trade and managed to shoot 2 deer with the Exits last season. Both of those were good hits through both lungs, and both deer were easily recovered as they only went a short distance.

My conclusion from all this simply is to repeat what all the "experts" have always said. Use a very sharp broadhead, put it where it should go (through the heart/lung area), and you will have plenty of venison to eat!

I will admit the mechanical probably was the reason the one bad shot (too far back and hit the liver - actually cut it in two) was an easy recovery, but for now I'll stick with fixed blades and just be very selective about shot placement and the angle of the deer at the time of the shot.

[sumner4991]

wabi . . . just wondering, was that broadhead used prior to that shot or was it new? I still think double banding with a O-ring is a bad idea.

I will state it again . . .I love the Stricknines. Trophy Ridge improved the ferrule, the last two deer I took didn't have a chance. 35 and 40 yards, with the Max.

The faster your bow shoots and the longer your range, the more you will be forced to shooting an expandable. Those little heads just don't do enough cutting. The tracking jobs are long and there are more lost deer credited to the small heads.

Longer tracking jobs can be blamed on poor shot delivery or selection . . .however, it can also be due to poor flight.

All I know for sure is I have not tracked a deer shot with a 2" cut, 3 blade broadhead. I'll be shooting them again come Oct. 3.

The Buckblasters . . .I would love to see what that thing would do to a deer. However, I would be reluctant to shoot past 20 yards . . .I'm reluctant to shoot any fixed blade more than 20 yards. I think you would need to set it up a little heavy . . .you will need more KE to get all those blades through a deer. Man . . .I'd bet it would just knock a deer on it's rump.

Just pick out which broadhead you would want coming at you . . .the expandable or that little fixed head?

[wabi]

wabi . . . just wondering, was that broadhead used prior to that shot or was it new? I still think double banding with a O-ring is a bad idea.

I'm not sure if it was new, but I think it was. It had new blades for sure! It was double banded with O-rings, but that had worked for me before!
I always test my broadhead/arrow combination in a foam target, then replace the blades before I hunt with it. (I keep old used blades for testing, so it really isn't all that expensive to test the combination)

Both deer I shot last year were taken from ground blinds with the Wac'Em Exit (very similar to the slick trick in cut) and blood trails were good with a double lung hit. I keep my shots under 30 yards and at that range the Exit is still flying perfectly. Haven't tried the farther, because I'm not going to shoot past that distance!

I agree faster arrows speed can cause real problems with tuning fixed blade heads for good flight, and the mechanicals offer a solution to those problems, but that one failure on the deer is not the only problem I have had with mechanicals. A couple other brands I tried opened in flight and that is really a disaster as far as accuracy. I may try mechanicals again in the future, but I figure the longer I wait, the better the designs will get!

[sumner4991]

It was double banded with O-rings, but that had worked for me before!

I just don't like those O-rings. I got to checking into them after your issue. They will react differently in different temperatures. They can also dry rot and it would be hard to tell if they were still elastic enough to do their job.

Seems like the expandables went through a series of "improvements" that weren't really improvements before they actually started making them better. The simple lever type expandable is a good design. The thing the manufacturers didn't do was make a rubberband with strick specs designed just for these faster bows. They started opening upon launch and everyone got scared of them. When all they needed was the proper banding.

I like the dental rubberbands. They are perfect for the expandables. Looks like the manufacturers would just use a better rubberband . . .I'll have to make that suggestion.

Regardless of the broadhead we use, proper care needs to be taken to ensure they work as advertised before taking them to the woods.

[mdcrossbow]

I have no problem what others want to use but I will stick with what has done good for me over the past years. Just find one that shoots GREAT out of your bow and stick with it.

[nchunter]

I've used Rocket Aeroheads (2-inch expandable) on numerous deer, and they leave an large blood trail. A couple times the deer have dropped and bled out right on the spot! With the aluminum ferrule they are a one-time use broadhead though. But unless you plan on shooting a dozen deer a year, replacing a broadhead after you shoot a deer is a minor expense.

I agree with others that with expandables the dental bands are the way to go. I tried the Wasp Jackhammers and NEVER got a pass-through with them - which I think is due to their use of O-rings instead of rubberbands. Of course I only shoot a 175-lb exocet - if you have a more powerful bow the extra kinetic energy may overcome the extra opening force that O-rings require.

[Big D]

one shot scott,

I used the buckblaster for my first 15 crossbow deer harvest. Which included 5 total buck kills and also my first buck ever in 1996. I was using the barnett demon at the time which is a bow they have not made for years. This crossbow only shot around 265 feet per sec. The 2-3/4 inch cut from the buckblaster did make a big hole but the 3 expandable blades were bent bad and could not be used again. From this bow the heads would fly 4-5 inches high to the right from my target tips with 2219 alum. so I glued the 3 blades shut with super glue and sighted in the head like any other fixed head. After I purchase my new quad 300 I was recommended to use spitfires and never looked back. My last 25 kills have been with spitfire 125 including 7 of them with my new equinox the last two years. If you could get the buckblaster to fly well it would be a great broadhead but again don't plan on shooting it twice. In my 13 years of crossbow hunting and I have only used 2 broadheads; however, this year for fun I will start the year with rage 2blade then I will try the g5 striker, magnus ss snuffer and like always my spitfire 125. Good luck if you use the buckblasters they are devastating on the deer huge blood trail. Just remember to glue one head when you sight it in and use it over and over and screw a new one on and go hunting otherwise ou will be buying alot of buckblasters.

Good luck Big D

Favorite Bible verse: John 3:16

[michiganman]

trophy ridge rocket has revamped the stricknine,and hammerhead.blades should hold up better.these are both 2" cutting heads.stricknine flew great at 40 yards.stricknine is 125 grains,and hammerhead 100grain.

[Shotnbeer]

has anyone tried Snyper expandables

[mdale]

Hello all, new to the forum here. I just recently purchased an Exocet 200. The bow shoots outstanding groups. i want to keep that accuracy with the BH. I have used Spitfires with my Diamond Rapture in the past with great results. Last season I made a terrible shot 1/4 to me. the doe dropped her head to turn and I hit her in the head just above her right eye. The arrow came out the back of her head with the fletching stopping at the entry hole. She dropped in her tracks. Upon examining the broadhead, the blades were not even bent. This is a Spitfire that I'm not sure is avilable any longer. It's an 85 grain 2-blade. I bought some off of ebay shortly after this hunt. My bow is only set at 53 lbs, so not that fast. What I'm wondering is, has anyone had issues with Spitfires opening due to the force of the Excalibur crossbows?

[sumner4991]

What I'm wondering is, has anyone had issues with Spitfires opening due to the force of the Excalibur crossbows?

Not with a new Spitfire . . . however, after use they can open upon launch and I have experienced that with my Exomax. I started adding a single rubberband and have no issues what-so-ever. I like the Spitfire.