However, I did personally see one "glance" off a bone this year. The arrow entered a medium mule deer, at a severe quartering away angle, in the last rib and when it hit big bone in the opposite shoulder, came out of the deer at a 45 degree angle upward - falling to the ground within 25 feet
Roskoe,
you made my point exactly and the most important part of you statement is the first part.......the description of the exact same shot that "Bounced" off in Shultzy's scenario.
Last rib point of aim hoping for the opposite shoulder. Not only did the shot travel straight through the deer it still had enough energy to deflect of the thick hard bone on the opposite side of the chest cavity AFTER it had done what it was supposed to do. Sounds to me like it performed perfectly and backs up my point about hard quartering angles and this head.
If you step back and look at the design it's not much more than a folded up large cutting diameter fixed head. The way the blades open upon impact in no way detracts from the line of travel like it has been said a "Jacknife" style can. There is nothing swinging or spinning or pushing outward on the direction of travel trying to change it's path.......they go straight back quickly and easily and now the distance of cutting tip to the point where the blades will finally contact hide is greater than a conventional fixed head. The arrow's course of travel has already been determined.
Intheory the rage should perfrom BETTER on angled shots than a fixed head with a shorter front and a quicker blade engagement with the hide.
It really is designed well.
If you guys want an example of deflection on impact look no further than my 07' recurve buck. 620gr arrow tipped with a 220gr Muzzy Phantom cut on contact head.
From the ground the arrow not only deflected backwards at impact on the broadside animal, it deflected as Roskoe saw in that mule deer, UPWARD at a 45 degree angle coming out tight to the spine and through the backstrap. And that was from the impact with ONE rib on the rearward side of it going in.
Just think what a simple branch will do to your arrow at impact and the crazy transfer of energy and direction of travel that can occur. changes of direction within the animal IMO are more probable than a true "Bounce off" or perceived deflection because of a broadheads design.
Things happen VERY quickly in the deer wodds and what we THINK we see is often very different from reality, its easy to blame a grazing shot on poor broadhead because we couldn't possibly have simply MISSED. Just look at the number of posts backing up GMMATs thread about not even seeing the arrow in flight, only holes opening up on the animal or nothing at all.
Trust me I've tracked lots of deer for guys who SWORE they knew exactly how a certain deer was hit (which only complicated the tracking) only to find their actual POI off by sometimes FEET not inches.
Old and new school guys alike need to step back from their preconceived notions about gear sometimes and understand the HOWS and WHYS of design first hand, you'll be able to make much better informed decisions and apply thatknowledge tothe fieldas well as better match equipment to your particular wants and needs before you get there.
don't just buy something because it's "Hot" or the newest thing or Billy Bob Primos killed a few bucks with it. Study it and understand WHY it shoudl or shouldn't work, then play with it and if you gain the trust in it first hand apply it to your hunt.
Broadheads, bows, arrows, rangefinders, stands, whatever.