Not happy with blood trail

[WNCTracker]

I’m still relatively new to crossbow hunting (on my third year). I’ve been using the same model broad head since I first started. They flew straight, were accurate, and killed deer. I’ve killed 4 deer with them but since I’ve had no comparison I assumed that all bow kills required intense tracking. At least all 4 of mine did (1 heart, 2 double lungs, 1 single lung stomach....). I’ve seen some people talking about great blood from their mechanicals and I think that I’m not anywhere close to great blood. Few drops here and there. Looking everywhere for tiny drops...backing up...hands knees right up to the deer.

I use 125 gr Rage Crossbow X 2” cut broad heads on the diablo bolt with lumenoks out of my matrix 350SE. I’ve read people saying that Nolt was designed for a 150 gr broadhead as well. If I switch it looks like the best options are either a schwacker mechanical or Boltcutter fixed. Is it worth the switch to the 150 and why? Whatbrosdhead would increase blood trails that you’ve used in a similar setup as I’m shooting? Thanks!!

[Buck]

Used 150 gr Bolt Cutters for years. All deer were recovered with the exception of 1. Some left great blood trails others left a drop every few yards. There are so many factors in play, it’s tough to determine the cause. I did switch to 125gr RamCats last season. Shot and recovered 3 deer with 2 major blood trails and 1 with drops. Was it my shot placement? Maybe. Would I have had the same results with the Bold Cutters? Maybe.

Good luck and hunt safe.

[catclr]

Some questions:
Are you hunting from a tree or ground? If from a tree your entrance hole should be high, & exit hole low & should give a very good blood trail. From a ground blind, both entrance & exit are about same height, & takes longer for the blood to fill the cavity so blood starts to flow out both wounds,

The deer you have already shot, did you have pass thru shots?

Did the entrance hole show the mechanical's opened, & same with a pass through, should have large exit hole? If you did not have either of these, your broad heads failed.

[Deaf jeff]

i use spitfire's. i tried rage a few years ago and was very disappointed with blood trails and even had an issue of opening in flight at times. went back to SF's and will not change again unless they stop making them. in my opinion the 2 blade model BH's is not good cuz the cut does have the chance to close up some and thus restricts blood flow outside the body. again this was many years ago and do not remember the specific model of the rage that i tried

[hankenhunter]

Catcir makes a lot of sense. Twitch to a three blade and aim a bit lower. There will be lots of blood.
Hank

[racking up points]

I’d rethink your whole arrow, but that’s just me. You don’t have enough weight up front to use a Lumenock. That Easton arrow is designed for 150gn heads when using an aluminum rear nock. You’ve added weight to the rear of the arrow and the snout is 25gn lighter than it ought to be. Don’t rule
out the 175gn NAP FOC broadhead. I’ve had great blood trails from these heads but the Matrix 350 might not have enough ooomph for consistent pass thrus. All things being equal, shot placement is key to a great blood trail.

[amythntr]

i use spitfire's. i tried rage a few years ago and was very disappointed with blood trails and even had an issue of opening in flight at times. went back to SF's and will not change again unless they stop making them. in my opinion the 2 blade model BH's is not good cuz the cut does have the chance to close up some and thus restricts blood flow outside the body. again this was many years ago and do not remember the specific model of the rage that i tried

X2 on the Spitfires....ginormous entrance and exit hole....played around with others and have come back to the spitfires....although I have not had issue with the blades opening, I now dental band them as insurance. Fly like FT's

Anthony

[WNCTracker]

Some questions:
Are you hunting from a tree or ground? If from a tree your entrance hole should be high, & exit hole low & should give a very good blood trail. From a ground blind, both entrance & exit are about same height, & takes longer for the blood to fill the cavity so blood starts to flow out both wounds,

The deer you have already shot, did you have pass thru shots?

Did the entrance hole show the mechanical's opened, & same with a pass through, should have large exit hole? If you did not have either of these, your broad heads failed.

Yes all pass through shots from tree stand with what I think to be good sized exits. Cavities full of blood.

[Riflemanz]

Shot placement is the key.

[nchunterkw]

Some questions:
Are you hunting from a tree or ground? If from a tree your entrance hole should be high, & exit hole low & should give a very good blood trail. From a ground blind, both entrance & exit are about same height, & takes longer for the blood to fill the cavity so blood starts to flow out both wounds,

The deer you have already shot, did you have pass thru shots?

Did the entrance hole show the mechanical's opened, & same with a pass through, should have large exit hole? If you did not have either of these, your broad heads failed.

We seem to have this conversation every year...............this is simply not true. The circulatory system of any animal is a pressurized system and every time the heart pumps it pumps out blood. The cavity does not fill up and then blood starts pouring out. I hunt mainly from the ground and use RamCat 125Gr heads. Generally, I have blood at teh shot and the trail starts within a yard or 2 if I hit lungs/heart with a pass through. The big drops start in earnest when the deer starts bleeding from it's nose/mouth because the lungs are full of blood and the breath is pushing it out. Ever notice how your big blood, is always right down the center of the trail and not out to the sides like it is to start?

I find RamCats to have excellent terminal performance on deer and hogs. Slick Tricks as well. 2 blades...not so much. Same with Montecs. For whatever reason I have never had a good BT with that head. I've had deer go 40 yards but no blood with a Montec.

[Normous]

I agree with the above noting shot placement. I have been a mechanical broadhead user since about 1996 and have watched mechanical design improve out of crossbows.

I have my favorites over the years, but settled on the 170 gr FOC with a true two blade 2 3/4" cut since they were released about 6 years ago. 10 deer and 2 bears never made it past 45 yards using the FOC and good shot placement. Blood trails were amazing I might add.

This year I have tipped my arrows with the newly released SWAT X-MAG 100/125 gr. mechanical. The X Mag features 4 blades with a 2" x 1 3/4" cut, for a total of 3 3/4" cut.
Blades are 420 SS and .036 thick and have been tested not to open at up to 470 fps.

EDIT - If any CANADIAN forum members might be interested in the SWAT X-MAG I have 60 (3) packs in stock. Send PM to inquire.
They are not found in any Box Stores and only thru selected dealers.

[hankenhunter]

You bought 60 3packs? That's impressive.
Hank

[longbow joe]

Whatever head you choose 125 grains on a stock bolt will not get you optimum foc . Either get bolts with brass inserts or choose a broadhead with a minimum of 150 grains. I only killed one deer with a shwacker but a friend of mine has killed about 50 with great blood trails. If l had to pick only one 150 grain mechanical crossbow head the new 150 grain shwacker would be my first choice.

[catclr]

Some questions:
Are you hunting from a tree or ground? If from a tree your entrance hole should be high, & exit hole low & should give a very good blood trail. From a ground blind, both entrance & exit are about same height, & takes longer for the blood to fill the cavity so blood starts to flow out both wounds,

The deer you have already shot, did you have pass thru shots?

Did the entrance hole show the mechanical's opened, & same with a pass through, should have large exit hole? If you did not have either of these, your broad heads failed.

Yes all pass through shots from tree stand with what I think to be good sized exits. Cavities full of blood.

I don't hunt from a tree stand, but would think if the exit hole is low, blood trail should not be a problem. Now your exit hole should be as large as your broad head or in your case at least a 2" exit, or larger.
If your cavities have been full of blood, sounds like, as someone else stated your FOC is low & your arrow is doing funny things inside of the deer & arrow is coming out high instead of low.

If you can weigh your arrows what is the total weight with the broad heads you are shooting? Then check the FOC %.

Last year I shot arrows with the Hybrid Broad heads that are COC with 2 1/4" mechanical's out of ground blind, and had good blood from hit on,blood everywhere, both sides of deer. My total arrow weight was 414 gr. with 100 gr. broad heads. This year with 125 gr.broad head my total arrow weight is 450 gr.. Now as for FOC with 125 gr. head got 24%, & with the 100 gr. 18%.

[WNCTracker]

Some questions:
Are you hunting from a tree or ground? If from a tree your entrance hole should be high, & exit hole low & should give a very good blood trail. From a ground blind, both entrance & exit are about same height, & takes longer for the blood to fill the cavity so blood starts to flow out both wounds,

The deer you have already shot, did you have pass thru shots?

Did the entrance hole show the mechanical's opened, & same with a pass through, should have large exit hole? If you did not have either of these, your broad heads failed.

Yes all pass through shots from tree stand with what I think to be good sized exits. Cavities full of blood.

I don't hunt from a tree stand, but would think if the exit hole is low, blood trail should not be a problem. Now your exit hole should be as large as your broad head or in your case at least a 2" exit, or larger.
If your cavities have been full of blood, sounds like, as someone else stated your FOC is low & your arrow is doing funny things inside of the deer & arrow is coming out high instead of low.

If you can weigh your arrows what is the total weight with the broad heads you are shooting? Then check the FOC %.

Last year I shot arrows with the Hybrid Broad heads that are COC with 2 1/4" mechanical's out of ground blind, and had good blood from hit on,blood everywhere, both sides of deer. My total arrow weight was 414 gr. with 100 gr. broad heads. This year with 125 gr.broad head my total arrow weight is 450 gr.. Now as for FOC with 125 gr. head got 24%, & with the 100 gr. 18%.

388.1 gr.
16.26 FOC