Rage heartache

tyrajam · October 20, 2009, 02:07 PM

I am really dissapointed right now. I just got back from one of the best hunting trips of my life, not only because of the great deer woods but because of the time spent with Robert and Dave. Dave put us in some of his honey holes and set us up on deer. It was a fantastic time, with one tragic flaw.
This year I switched to the 3 blade rage. Heard great things about them, and that they had worked out their deployment issues. But Ihad some. Thursday afternoon I shot a doe, it was about 40 yards and I hit her low right behind the shoulder. Whack! She ran about 20 yards and bedded down. Yes! I decided to stay in my stand until dark since I didn't want to get down and ruin Robert and Daves hunt, because they were near me. Finally came down, went to where she had been, and she was gone. Picked up the blood trail, followed her for about half a mile, and jumped her. Four hours after being shot, she jumped up and ran. We backed out and decided to give it the night. I came back the next day and found her not far away, and on dressing her, found that it was a perfect shot, blades just didn't open. Oh well, I got her.
Friday night didn't go quite so well. Dave put me in a good stand, and it wasn't long before a buck caught my eye. e knew something was wrong, but he was slowly coming. Few steps, stop, wait, few more steps. I couldn't believe he kept coming, I prayed that I would see a buck, and here I WAS ABOUT TO GET MY FIRST BUCK WITH A BOW! I can't tell you how excited I was! When he stepped behind a tree at 25 yards I drew. He stepped out from behind it broadside, froze, and stared straight at me. I let fly. WHACK! Right behind the shoulder and a little high, I watched my luminok dissapear into his chest. Knees were shaking, he wasn't a big buck, but he was my first bow buck!I gave him a half an hour and climbed down. When I went to where I last saw him, I was stunned. Three little drops of blood on a leaf, and no trail. No arrow. Nothing. Dave and Robert came and helped me search, but we never found any more blood. We finally gave up for the night, but I spent the next day scouring those woods and never found a sign of him. My excitement has turned to heartache, and what should have been a wonderfull chapter in my hunting book is spoiled. I of course second guess myself: should I have waited? Did I hit to high? Maybe, maybe not. But I do know I shot a rage through two deer's rib cages, and neither one should have made it 100 yards. The rage didn't open on my first deer, and it did nothing on my buck. I'll get over it I guess, and I hope my buck does too. But I won't carry rages into the field again, that is for sure.

FrontSight · October 20, 2009, 02:21 PM

Damn, really sorry to hear. "Experience is a harsh teacher...it gives the quiz first, and the lesson second."

You will have more chances...

hogdogs · October 20, 2009, 02:26 PM

If I were a bow man I would not go with the mechanical broad heads... Give me a 3 or 4 bladed fixed head everytime...
Design says it oughta work but physics and Murphy will pee in my coffee everytime...
Brent

davlandrum · October 20, 2009, 02:35 PM

Sorry to hear about the experience.

Oregon does not allow mechanical broadheads for big game. I thought that might be antiquated, given the improvements, but maybe not.

I am not a big fan of all the "advancements" in bow hunting. I don't use a release, don't use a drop-away rest, etc. To me, in the heat of the moment, I do not need any additional things to go wrong.

Smokey Joe · October 20, 2009, 02:37 PM

with Hogdogs, Tyrajam. A plain old Muzzy 4 blade has no moving parts to not work.

Quote:

it oughta work but physics and Murphy will pee in my coffee everytime...

Pul-eeeze!

The mental image alone is agony!

Seriously--We owe it to our quarry to be as humanely lethal as possible. Gadgetry just gets in the way.

simonkenton · October 20, 2009, 04:04 PM

Why do you think the bow and arrow are called "primitive weapons."

.284 · October 20, 2009, 04:23 PM

Sorry to hear about your bad experience.

I think that the TV personalities that pimp these products haven't even used them.

You're not alone. I bought some of the Jim Shockey gold pellets last year. The stuff wasn't that bad, but it didn't live up to all that Shockey claimed. Very inconsistent in weight.

tyrajam · October 20, 2009, 06:16 PM

.284, I did too! I tried the Shockey gold in my ML and when I was test firing it over a chrono I got variations of over 500fps! Ridiculous how worthless the stuff is.
I had heard a lot of good things about the new rages, Chuck Adams pimped them for crying out loud. And Iof course want to make the most eithical shot on an animal, and if that meant using a $12 broadhead, Iwas willing to do it. They are probably the biggest name in expandables and they were supposed to be the best. Going back to the G5 montecs.

davlandrum · October 20, 2009, 06:28 PM

G5 Montecs are awesome! (and I did not get paid to say that!!).

.284 · October 20, 2009, 06:33 PM

Never never never had a problem with 100 gr. Thunderheads. Yep, been using them for about 15 years now.

wpcexpert · October 20, 2009, 06:42 PM

Sorry to hear about you losing your deer. It's always a gut wrenching feeling. I just don't know about those Rage's. My dad shoots them. The only problem he's had was the ferrul bending. He's always had great wound channels though.

I don't like them. Personally I perfer Grim Reaper Broadheads. Never had a failure to open, always great blood trails, dead deer. There are mixed reviews on everything in the world. I trust the mechanical broadhead that I use. Until it gives me a reason otherwise.

If you are looking for a great mechanical to try out, give the Grim Reapers a look.

Brian Pfleuger · October 20, 2009, 07:10 PM

I hate to blame the hunter but... Well, you obviously didn't hit the vitals on either shot. You can shoot a deer through the lungs with a field point and it won't go very far.

Secondarily, stick with the 2-blade. The 3 blade version is less reliable and no more deadly. However, like I said, hit them where you're supposed to and a field point will kill them VERY quickly.

There are two sections, one above and in front and the other above and behind the lungs, that are "no mans land". Deer will run forever and hardly bleed if hit there. Also, if you hut the shoulder bone and penetration is limited to one lung then the deer will likewise run forever.

444 · October 20, 2009, 07:25 PM

That is a shame. And, I am surprised to hear it.
I just started bow hunting and hunted this year with Rage two blade broadheads. I never got a shot, so no first hand experience. However, prior to buying them, I spent some time reading the various archery forums. It seemed like the Rages were the most frequently discussed broadhead out there and this is the first negative thing I have read about them from somebody that has actually used them.
I don't know about the three blade vs. two blade. I believe everything I read was the two blade.

trooper3385 · October 20, 2009, 08:05 PM

I've been wanting to try the 2 blade rage broadheads but have hesitated because of things like this I hear about mechanicals in general, not just the rage broadheads. I've been usin the G5 Strikers and they have worked good. I have the same POI with the G5's as I do my field points. I haven't used them on deer yet, just hogs and neither one ran more than 20 yds. I bought some thunderheads also and they hit nearly identical to the G5's. I'm going to start using the thunderheads on hogs instead of the G5's since there a little cheaper. I don't mean to hijack this, but does anyone know where you can buy the replacement blades for the strikers? I bought those over the Montecs so I could just replace the blades, but I can't find the replacements anywhere.

.284 · October 20, 2009, 08:55 PM

Pizza makes a good point here. IMHO, broadheads get the blood flowing for tracking purposes....heck, a well placed 22 round will take down a deer, why wouldn't a field tip? I would take stock in his opinion, with a handle "Pizza Killer" he's not going walk too far to track a deer. I doubt he's often mistaken for Brad Pitt.....sorry Pizza.

zahnzieh · October 20, 2009, 09:41 PM

Wow, I'm really sorry to hear about your hunt! I personally shoot mechanicals, but i refuse to shoot 3-bladed ones - just takes too much energy to deploy, wont penetrate. I shoot the predecessor to the Rage - the 2-bladed Snyper broadhead (Rocky MTn. co.)- discontinued in 2007. Bought as many as I could from Cabela's before they quit. Anyway, I've heard bad things about the 2-bladed Rage as well - they are a copy of the Snyper but use an O-ring instead of a rubber band. IMHO O-rings are unreliable - have heard unsatisfactory results despite their "guarantee". So much for all the hype. Hope this helps.

longrange08 · October 21, 2009, 04:35 PM

I started using the rage this year after seeing first hand what my buddies did to a deer we had to stick twice due to my poor shot the first time.i bought some of the rage two blade and they have proven to be AMAZING 3 does this year none went past 75 yards all looked like they had been stabbed with a butcher knife just a STUPID big cut all 3 passed thru and all three left a trail ray charles could follow. im not saying stuff dont happen. i wouldnt advise them for still hunting cause they are prone to snagging and having a blade pulled loose. but from a stand i wont ever hunt with anything else. now i dont speak for the 3 blade cause ive never used one. but the two blades are DEVISTATING!!!!!!!!!!

JagFarlane · October 21, 2009, 07:37 PM

Hmmmm I've been leery of the mechanical heads since they came out. Nice concept, sure they work for some people, but I like knowing that the blades are already out. Just getting back into bows myself, picking up everything now with plans to go out next year. But, the ones I picked up are the Muzzy MX-4's. Muzzy's got a great rep, they make solid heads and should do quite well. Only other ones I would contemplate are the Montec's.

Daryl · October 21, 2009, 08:14 PM

Many years ago, I shot an antelope with a Thunderhead broadhead (fixed blade). It wasn't a perfect hit, but it died after about a 100 yard sprint.

The next year, someone talked me into using a Vortex mechanical head. They were supposed to be more accurate, and very effective. I shot an antelope with one, and while it was a classic hit in the lower chest, the arrow didn't penetrate well. The antelope ran 100 yards or so, and laid down. So, I waited for an hour or so, but it wouldn't die. Finally, I tried to sneak up on it, but when I got about 40 yards from it, it got back up and ran another 50=70 yards before laying down again. So, I waited some more. Finally I stalked up on it and got another arrow in it...and it was already dead. The first arrow didn't penetrate very deeply, so it took a while to bleed out.

And I've been using fixed blade broadheads successfully ever since.

Daryl

shortwave · October 21, 2009, 11:00 PM

Quote:

I gave him a half hour and climbed down...

Unless I can physically watch the deer expire from my stand, I don`t come out of stand for a good hour. Thats on a shot I know I put 'in the boiler room'. On a questionable shot, I wouldn`t start a trail for a good 3-4 hrs. I`ve never used Rage broadheads but have/do use Rocky Mountain 'Gators'. They`re two bladed, scissor style operated broadheads. Used to use Snuffers and Muzzies and I`ll say the wound channel/blood trail with these Gators is better than the fixed bladed broadheads. Couple of things you may want to do. Make sure your blades operate freely from the package and oil them with a bit of vegetable oil. Second, don`t know what kind of bow your using or weight/fps your shooting but is it possible your bows to fast and not giving the Rage`s a chance to open. Just thinking of some possibilies

P.S. I think all bow hunter`s that have been at the game very long have had the experience of shooting a deer and not being able to find it. Thats a very bad feeling and if you ever get to the point it doesn`t bother you, please quit hunting. Sorry for your lose.

Brian Pfleuger · October 22, 2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

heck, a well placed 22 round will take down a deer, why wouldn't a field tip? I would take stock in his opinion, with a handle "Pizza Killer" he's not going walk too far to track a deer. I doubt he's often mistaken for Brad Pitt.....sorry Pizza.

Funny you should mention that. Just this monday I didn't do my part and made a crappy shot on a big doe. Fortunately, the 2-blade Rage DID do it's part. We had to track her for MANY hundreds of yards after we realized that she quit bleeding much if we didn't stay on her. Anyway, after tracking her for probably close to 1000 yards, at least 300 of it LITERALLY on our hands and knees through brush which had it not been for the blood I would never have believed a chihuahua would fit through much less a deer, we finally ran her out of blood. I hit her in a bad spot high in the neck just in front of the shoulder. If I had been using ANYTHING that cut a smaller hole than the Rage then I would have NEVER been able to follow the trail, much less for the distance that she would have gone if that hole had been smaller.

What I like about the Rage is that it makes my bad shots better. Now, don't get me wrong, most of my shots aren't bad shots but how can you argue with something that makes you better when things go wrong? After all, a field point will kill a deer without running 75 or 100 yards if everything is perfect. I don't need help when everything is right, I need something that makes the "Oh crap" moment work out for me. The two blade Rage does that for me. When it doesn't work out, I sure don't blame the blade.

davlandrum · October 22, 2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

I sure don't blame the blade.

If the blade failed to deploy correctly, I would

tyrajam · October 22, 2009, 11:23 AM

Thanks for all of the replies guys, the advise and the criticism. My buddy has some pics of the doe I shot and I'm trying to get them from him so I can post them, because it was a good shot. It was low, right behind the shoulder. When I dressed her out, I found the wound channel brushed right by the heart without hurting much of anything. If the blades would have deployed, she would probably would have never made it out of sight.

On the buck I shot, I didn't recover him OR the arrow, so I can only speculate. It looked like I hit him high, it's possible it was in the "no mans land" below the spine but above the lungs. If the blades would have deployed, they should have at least left a little more blood, but nothing. Also, since the arrow didn't exit (First time ever I had an arrow not exit), I assume there was some kind of failure. Like one poster said, a field tip through both lungs will kill a deer cleanly. But if the broadhead gums it up enough to not even let the arrow penetrate through, that is a problem. I know I'm not perfect, and a better shot probably would have killed the deer cleanly, and thats what Have to regret. However, if the shots would have been with a fixed blade, or an expandable that deployed, both deer would have fallen quickly.

davlandrum · October 22, 2009, 11:52 AM

Is it possible you hit the inside of the off-side shoulder and that kept the arrow from passing through?

tyrajam · October 22, 2009, 12:18 PM

Yeah Dave, I thought about that, especially since the rage is not made to break shoulders. That could have kept the arrow from passing through, plus the arrow would be plugging the entrance hole making a poor blood trail. BTW Dave, I was born in Lane County and my grandparents still live in Veneta.

October 20, 2009, 02:07 PM	#1
tyrajam Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 467	Rage heartache I am really dissapointed right now. I just got back from one of the best hunting trips of my life, not only because of the great deer woods but because of the time spent with Robert and Dave. Dave put us in some of his honey holes and set us up on deer. It was a fantastic time, with one tragic flaw. This year I switched to the 3 blade rage. Heard great things about them, and that they had worked out their deployment issues. But Ihad some. Thursday afternoon I shot a doe, it was about 40 yards and I hit her low right behind the shoulder. Whack! She ran about 20 yards and bedded down. Yes! I decided to stay in my stand until dark since I didn't want to get down and ruin Robert and Daves hunt, because they were near me. Finally came down, went to where she had been, and she was gone. Picked up the blood trail, followed her for about half a mile, and jumped her. Four hours after being shot, she jumped up and ran. We backed out and decided to give it the night. I came back the next day and found her not far away, and on dressing her, found that it was a perfect shot, blades just didn't open. Oh well, I got her. Friday night didn't go quite so well. Dave put me in a good stand, and it wasn't long before a buck caught my eye. e knew something was wrong, but he was slowly coming. Few steps, stop, wait, few more steps. I couldn't believe he kept coming, I prayed that I would see a buck, and here I WAS ABOUT TO GET MY FIRST BUCK WITH A BOW! I can't tell you how excited I was! When he stepped behind a tree at 25 yards I drew. He stepped out from behind it broadside, froze, and stared straight at me. I let fly. WHACK! Right behind the shoulder and a little high, I watched my luminok dissapear into his chest. Knees were shaking, he wasn't a big buck, but he was my first bow buck!I gave him a half an hour and climbed down. When I went to where I last saw him, I was stunned. Three little drops of blood on a leaf, and no trail. No arrow. Nothing. Dave and Robert came and helped me search, but we never found any more blood. We finally gave up for the night, but I spent the next day scouring those woods and never found a sign of him. My excitement has turned to heartache, and what should have been a wonderfull chapter in my hunting book is spoiled. I of course second guess myself: should I have waited? Did I hit to high? Maybe, maybe not. But I do know I shot a rage through two deer's rib cages, and neither one should have made it 100 yards. The rage didn't open on my first deer, and it did nothing on my buck. I'll get over it I guess, and I hope my buck does too. But I won't carry rages into the field again, that is for sure.

October 20, 2009, 02:21 PM	#2
FrontSight Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2005 Posts: 1,712	Damn, really sorry to hear. "Experience is a harsh teacher...it gives the quiz first, and the lesson second." You will have more chances... __________________ To kill something as great as a duck just to smell the gunpowder is a crime against nature. - Alan Liere Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve. - George Bernard Shaw

October 20, 2009, 02:35 PM	#4
davlandrum Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Lane County Oregon Posts: 2,547	Sorry to hear about the experience. Oregon does not allow mechanical broadheads for big game. I thought that might be antiquated, given the improvements, but maybe not. I am not a big fan of all the "advancements" in bow hunting. I don't use a release, don't use a drop-away rest, etc. To me, in the heat of the moment, I do not need any additional things to go wrong. __________________ U.S Army, Retired Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. -Potter Stewart

October 20, 2009, 04:23 PM	#7
.284 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2009 Location: davison, michigan Posts: 665	Fooled by the commercials! Sorry to hear about your bad experience. I think that the TV personalities that pimp these products haven't even used them. You're not alone. I bought some of the Jim Shockey gold pellets last year. The stuff wasn't that bad, but it didn't live up to all that Shockey claimed. Very inconsistent in weight. __________________ Guns have only two enemies, rust and politicians! Deer are amazing creatures....so please don't burn the sauteed onions and I'll pass on the steak sauce, thank you.

October 20, 2009, 06:28 PM	#9
davlandrum Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Lane County Oregon Posts: 2,547	G5 Montecs are awesome! (and I did not get paid to say that!!). __________________ U.S Army, Retired Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. -Potter Stewart

October 20, 2009, 02:26 PM	#3
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	If I were a bow man I would not go with the mechanical broad heads... Give me a 3 or 4 bladed fixed head everytime... Design says it oughta work but physics and Murphy will pee in my coffee everytime... Brent

October 20, 2009, 04:04 PM	#6
simonkenton Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Posts: 891	Why do you think the bow and arrow are called "primitive weapons."

October 20, 2009, 06:16 PM	#8
tyrajam Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 467	.284, I did too! I tried the Shockey gold in my ML and when I was test firing it over a chrono I got variations of over 500fps! Ridiculous how worthless the stuff is. I had heard a lot of good things about the new rages, Chuck Adams pimped them for crying out loud. And Iof course want to make the most eithical shot on an animal, and if that meant using a $12 broadhead, Iwas willing to do it. They are probably the biggest name in expandables and they were supposed to be the best. Going back to the G5 montecs.

October 20, 2009, 06:33 PM	#10
.284 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2009 Location: davison, michigan Posts: 665	Never never never had a problem with 100 gr. Thunderheads. Yep, been using them for about 15 years now. __________________ Guns have only two enemies, rust and politicians! Deer are amazing creatures....so please don't burn the sauteed onions and I'll pass on the steak sauce, thank you.

October 20, 2009, 06:42 PM	#11
wpcexpert Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2008 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 791	Sorry to hear about you losing your deer. It's always a gut wrenching feeling. I just don't know about those Rage's. My dad shoots them. The only problem he's had was the ferrul bending. He's always had great wound channels though. I don't like them. Personally I perfer Grim Reaper Broadheads. Never had a failure to open, always great blood trails, dead deer. There are mixed reviews on everything in the world. I trust the mechanical broadhead that I use. Until it gives me a reason otherwise. If you are looking for a great mechanical to try out, give the Grim Reapers a look. __________________ When once a republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil. - Thomas Jefferson

October 20, 2009, 07:10 PM	#12
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	I hate to blame the hunter but... Well, you obviously didn't hit the vitals on either shot. You can shoot a deer through the lungs with a field point and it won't go very far. Secondarily, stick with the 2-blade. The 3 blade version is less reliable and no more deadly. However, like I said, hit them where you're supposed to and a field point will kill them VERY quickly. There are two sections, one above and in front and the other above and behind the lungs, that are "no mans land". Deer will run forever and hardly bleed if hit there. Also, if you hut the shoulder bone and penetration is limited to one lung then the deer will likewise run forever. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

October 20, 2009, 07:25 PM	#13
444 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2000 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,968	That is a shame. And, I am surprised to hear it. I just started bow hunting and hunted this year with Rage two blade broadheads. I never got a shot, so no first hand experience. However, prior to buying them, I spent some time reading the various archery forums. It seemed like the Rages were the most frequently discussed broadhead out there and this is the first negative thing I have read about them from somebody that has actually used them. I don't know about the three blade vs. two blade. I believe everything I read was the two blade. __________________ You know the rest. In the books you have read How the British Regulars fired and fled, How the farmers gave them ball for ball, From behind each fence and farmyard wall, Chasing the redcoats down the lane, Then crossing the fields to emerge again Under the trees at the turn of the road, And only pausing to fire and load.

October 20, 2009, 08:05 PM	#14
trooper3385 Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2005 Location: South Texas Posts: 814	I've been wanting to try the 2 blade rage broadheads but have hesitated because of things like this I hear about mechanicals in general, not just the rage broadheads. I've been usin the G5 Strikers and they have worked good. I have the same POI with the G5's as I do my field points. I haven't used them on deer yet, just hogs and neither one ran more than 20 yds. I bought some thunderheads also and they hit nearly identical to the G5's. I'm going to start using the thunderheads on hogs instead of the G5's since there a little cheaper. I don't mean to hijack this, but does anyone know where you can buy the replacement blades for the strikers? I bought those over the Montecs so I could just replace the blades, but I can't find the replacements anywhere. Last edited by trooper3385; October 21, 2009 at 11:51 PM.

October 20, 2009, 08:55 PM	#15
.284 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2009 Location: davison, michigan Posts: 665	Pizza makes a good point here. IMHO, broadheads get the blood flowing for tracking purposes....heck, a well placed 22 round will take down a deer, why wouldn't a field tip? I would take stock in his opinion, with a handle "Pizza Killer" he's not going walk too far to track a deer. I doubt he's often mistaken for Brad Pitt.....sorry Pizza. __________________ Guns have only two enemies, rust and politicians! Deer are amazing creatures....so please don't burn the sauteed onions and I'll pass on the steak sauce, thank you.

October 20, 2009, 09:41 PM	#16
zahnzieh Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2006 Posts: 206	Wow, I'm really sorry to hear about your hunt! I personally shoot mechanicals, but i refuse to shoot 3-bladed ones - just takes too much energy to deploy, wont penetrate. I shoot the predecessor to the Rage - the 2-bladed Snyper broadhead (Rocky MTn. co.)- discontinued in 2007. Bought as many as I could from Cabela's before they quit. Anyway, I've heard bad things about the 2-bladed Rage as well - they are a copy of the Snyper but use an O-ring instead of a rubber band. IMHO O-rings are unreliable - have heard unsatisfactory results despite their "guarantee". So much for all the hype. Hope this helps.

October 21, 2009, 04:35 PM	#17
longrange08 Member Join Date: May 12, 2007 Location: dayton oh Posts: 54	rage I started using the rage this year after seeing first hand what my buddies did to a deer we had to stick twice due to my poor shot the first time.i bought some of the rage two blade and they have proven to be AMAZING 3 does this year none went past 75 yards all looked like they had been stabbed with a butcher knife just a STUPID big cut all 3 passed thru and all three left a trail ray charles could follow. im not saying stuff dont happen. i wouldnt advise them for still hunting cause they are prone to snagging and having a blade pulled loose. but from a stand i wont ever hunt with anything else. now i dont speak for the 3 blade cause ive never used one. but the two blades are DEVISTATING!!!!!!!!!! __________________ am i the only one who actually wishes zombies do exist, so one day i can actually justify to my girl the crap i buy

October 21, 2009, 07:37 PM	#18
JagFarlane Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2008 Posts: 282	Hmmmm I've been leery of the mechanical heads since they came out. Nice concept, sure they work for some people, but I like knowing that the blades are already out. Just getting back into bows myself, picking up everything now with plans to go out next year. But, the ones I picked up are the Muzzy MX-4's. Muzzy's got a great rep, they make solid heads and should do quite well. Only other ones I would contemplate are the Montec's. __________________ Too many to list...enjoy em all!

October 21, 2009, 08:14 PM	#19
Daryl Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2008 Posts: 2,350	Many years ago, I shot an antelope with a Thunderhead broadhead (fixed blade). It wasn't a perfect hit, but it died after about a 100 yard sprint. The next year, someone talked me into using a Vortex mechanical head. They were supposed to be more accurate, and very effective. I shot an antelope with one, and while it was a classic hit in the lower chest, the arrow didn't penetrate well. The antelope ran 100 yards or so, and laid down. So, I waited for an hour or so, but it wouldn't die. Finally, I tried to sneak up on it, but when I got about 40 yards from it, it got back up and ran another 50=70 yards before laying down again. So, I waited some more. Finally I stalked up on it and got another arrow in it...and it was already dead. The first arrow didn't penetrate very deeply, so it took a while to bleed out. And I've been using fixed blade broadheads successfully ever since. Daryl

October 22, 2009, 11:23 AM	#23
tyrajam Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 467	Thanks for all of the replies guys, the advise and the criticism. My buddy has some pics of the doe I shot and I'm trying to get them from him so I can post them, because it was a good shot. It was low, right behind the shoulder. When I dressed her out, I found the wound channel brushed right by the heart without hurting much of anything. If the blades would have deployed, she would probably would have never made it out of sight. On the buck I shot, I didn't recover him OR the arrow, so I can only speculate. It looked like I hit him high, it's possible it was in the "no mans land" below the spine but above the lungs. If the blades would have deployed, they should have at least left a little more blood, but nothing. Also, since the arrow didn't exit (First time ever I had an arrow not exit), I assume there was some kind of failure. Like one poster said, a field tip through both lungs will kill a deer cleanly. But if the broadhead gums it up enough to not even let the arrow penetrate through, that is a problem. I know I'm not perfect, and a better shot probably would have killed the deer cleanly, and thats what Have to regret. However, if the shots would have been with a fixed blade, or an expandable that deployed, both deer would have fallen quickly.

October 22, 2009, 11:52 AM	#24
davlandrum Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Lane County Oregon Posts: 2,547	Is it possible you hit the inside of the off-side shoulder and that kept the arrow from passing through? __________________ U.S Army, Retired Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. -Potter Stewart

October 22, 2009, 12:18 PM	#25
tyrajam Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 467	Yeah Dave, I thought about that, especially since the rage is not made to break shoulders. That could have kept the arrow from passing through, plus the arrow would be plugging the entrance hole making a poor blood trail. BTW Dave, I was born in Lane County and my grandparents still live in Veneta.