So brush or high weeds do not effect fixed blades?!? Just wondering.

-South

not a high stalk of grass. i have killed bulls and bucks (3 ten point w.tails) with the rocket steelhead 100 but hve seen expandables catch a long stem of grass between the blade tip and point and i have had bulls come by in high grass marshy areas. i loved those rockets but i could see the handwrighting on the wall. the odds are on your side so good luck. me, i never been lucky enough to depend on luck, i required labor, skill, and God's smile to score.

Here in my area we hunt high mtn. elk (no swamp hunting...) & I have never had an issue or even a worry about my broadheads (RAGE 2-blade). I don't have a reason to depend on luck either I have tested all my gear & it has proven itself over & over again & everytime I head out into the back country I know my gear will perform & the only worry is how I perform when it counts. lol

-South

Anything mechanical is prone to mechanical failure more than something else which is basically either one piece or welded, glued. I think mechanical broadheads have come into vogue due to industry more than performance enhancement/results in the field. A good archer is going to make the shot, but a mechanical might fail under conditions on failure to deploy and when that happens it will be wounded game. From the studies I have read about them, they seem to be prone to mechanical failure the steeper the angle shot when it connects to the body. So if you're going to use them it might be worth knowing this.

Grouping all mechanicals into one big group doesn't make sense. There are front, rear, & expandable cut on contact broadheads. I happen to work for a broadhead company & I have personally done my fair share of testing. The front deploying heads are by far the sketchiest; they have a tendency of opening in flight & are least dependable. The rear deploying will never open in flight if O-ring/ locking mechanism is properly used; the rear deploying also offers a bigger entry wound & wound canal. The COC expandable-heads are the best of both worlds (besides the fact they dont fly true to field points) these heads are going to cut no matter what & they offer a bigger entry & canal.

To say people use mechanical broadheads not on performance but rather it is just all hype is an ignorant thing to say. Our studies have showed that 63% of modern archers are using mechanicals & the numbers are rising; do you really think people will ignore poor results & instead use just because it is the "cool thing to do"?? If you choose to use the dependable COC heads go for it, but dont make ill comments based on opinion & call it facts.

dont know much about archery just been on alot of elk hunts with my uncle who does archery im a rifle hunter but the first year was gonna go he bought some expandable and took them to the range and he hit the target but they didnt expand, so he went to a fixed blade broad head and he never has used nething else with several elk on his belt. just my 2 cents hopes this helps

The only reason a fixed blade wont fly the same as your field points is that your bow is not broadhead tuned. You shouldn't be shooting expandables if you can't get a fixed blade to fly right out of your bow. Your statement that they don't fly true to field points is absolutely wrong and I believe that is why more people are switching to expandables. If fixed blades don't fly straight out of their bow they say oh well and grab some expandables that wont fly any different even though their bow is not tuned. A well tuned bow can shoot whatever you screw on the end of your arrows and hit the same as field points given the weight of the heads are the same.

And of those 63%, how many hunt elk. After all, whitetail is the most hunted North American big game, so logic says that most of that 63% are whitetail hunters, and an elk ain't no whitetail.

Waldo,
I never once said if you can't get a fixed blade to fly right; switch to expandable!? Try this, buy an expandable COC head & tell me if it shoots like your other heads. There is a reason why there are only 2 companies making them & both are not going to continue production as of this year. We tested these heads through bows set up by reputable pro shops & they were inconsistent even with each other. It is true that a well tuned bow will shoot well-made broadheads through consistently; but it doesn't mean you can shoot a poorly made COC expandable & get the desired results.

Good point Howler,
But the survey was done on the western half of the lower 48 & if I remember correctly most were elk hunters. (I will get back to you with the exact percentage) On the survey form we asked; expandable or fixed blade & a check list of game they have harvested. We did this 2 years ago & we are going to do the survey this year also (but try to expand to the whole lower 48).

-South

My bad south, I misread your post. I thought you were talking about all cut on contact heads not the COC expandable type. Again my bad, I just jumped on it because I thought someone was attacking my fixed blades :) And I know you didn't say if you cant get a fixed blade to switch to mechanical. I am just saying that I think that is what could be leading to more people shooting mechanicals. The new speeds of these new bows make it hard to get a fixed blade to fly correctly so I think that could be leading to more sales in the expandable department. Again its just my guess, no proof on that aspect.

Well, depending on how your survey's questions read, I suppose it's easy to believe that 63% use mechanicals. I "use" mechs. as well. For critters such as antelope, coyote, and turkey, but when it's comes to BIG game such as elk, I want penetration so I choose to use Snuffer SS from Magnus.
If every shot was a 20 yard broadside shot, I'd probably even use mech. for elk hunting, but not all shots are short and there's a possibility that the arrow might run into some heavy bone.

Why isn't it? Skill is part of the confidence equation, so is patiences and discipline...just saying.

I'll stick with my "mechs" thank you.

I do appreciate the fact that you've pointed out a multitude of variables-many beyond our control. If people would recognize these variables, and acknowledge their existence, we would all be better off. Statements like, "have you tried this, or that" would provide a far better service to those on a path than "don't do this, or that". I'm sure more elk will die as a result. Isn't that what we all want?

i know of several instances where people have had an o ring failure or a single blade pop out and had a weird, screwball arrow flight and a miss. i didnt and i'm not going to. any body been around much knows of non-opening blades. take a wide two blade expandable and hit heavy bone with one blade and you think you won't get abnormal broadhead progress. most the guys on tv push what makes the most money and use all the newest rat-race stuff. i have a .270 and i dont need a 7x57. some people have to have the latest stuff but i pay like 26 bucks for 6 muzzies and can shoot jacks and sand to 80 yards all day long.

that's jackrabbits and sanhills. 90 grain 4-blade muzzies blow through bucks and bulls. pay you 30plus for three-all those tv guys need bigger houses and ranches. i'm a dr and can afford them, but no sense in it.

All personal opinion...

-South

For the simple fact that I won't limit myself to 20 yards. I've got plenty of skill, patience and confidence, and my success shows that. Limiting ones self to 20 yards is a personnal choice, but with much practice at longer range, one gives himself a much better chance of being successful in the field.
Maybe you limit yourself to 20 yards, great on you, BUT if closer is better, why not wait for the 10 yard shot. After all, patience and discipline, right??

Ok, I accept your challenge, but I'm, not sure what point it proves.

Again, we can banter this topic until we're all dead. The fact remains...there are TOO many variables influencing results-many beyond our control. To say, "one size fits all" is ridiculous! The advocates of such are plain and simply not using their heads. Should we all wear boots while elk hunting, or will tennis shoes suffice? Should they all be a size 10? Should we all use a Gerber knife? The point, what works well for you may not work well for others. As disciplined, skilled, and patient bowhunters, we have a duty to encourage those willing to join our ranks to find what works best for them. Have I encountered heavy bone? Sure, go back and look at the photos-not sure how much heavier you can get than water buffalo, musk ox, eland, et al. Would I suggest one broadhead over another without knowing all the pertinent details? Not in a million years!

Howler, please take no offense. My goal is to make people make the right choices for themselves.

As far as hitting jacks at ninety yards all day long. Eyeball, I'll challenge your claim. I'll even buy you the best steak dinner money can afford if you prove it. I have reasonable doubt, and I honestly feeling you're exaggerating.

Seriously, regardless if you favor fixed blade or mechanical; listen to iamyourhuckleberry! I couldn't have said it any better. Like I said before, it is all personal opinion.

-South

[QUOTE][Howler, please take no offense. My goal is to make people make the right choices for themselves.

/QUOTE]None taken..just having "another" good "discussion" about fixed compared to mech. broadheads.
I am curious huck about your set-up. Can you tell us what bow you're shooting, arrow weight, and approx. arrow speed. To have used ONLY mech. broadheads and killed the largest of large without issue with mech. braodheads, you must be pushing some high KE energy set-up? Have you ever been even slightly dissapointed with the performance of your chosen mech. head? Have you ever been surprised by the amount of penetration you got, or surprised at the lack of penetration on any animals?

Sure and gladly,

I shoot several different PSE rigs...an 84# X-Force, a X-Force Axe 7 set at 74 pounds, Two X-Force Super Shorts-one set at 58 pounds and the other set at 72 pounds, and finally a 78 pound Stringray which I consider to be my bread and butter bow. The Stingray is the bow you'll see me holding in most of the photos-it's a 2002 model. My arrows range in weight from 375 grains to 860 grains. Their speeds range from 265 to 350 ft/sec. I get 296 f/s from an arrow weighing 425 grains out of the Stingray.

Slightly dissapointed, no. If I were, then that tip wouldn't be my chosen broadhead. When I hunt, there's no room for doubt (I'd rather not hunt and practice/test more. I can always hunt another day). As far as penetration, how deep is deep enough? If I'm shooting a 29 inch shaft and sink 24 inches of that arrow into a body cavity-in the right spot-should I worry?

I shot the eland from 40 yards with a single arrow. He died less than 100 yards from the point of contact. No pass through.

I shot the water buffalo in Argentina from 34 yards with a single arrow. he died within 30 yards of contact.

I shot the water buffalo in Texas from 20 yards, and then again from 32 yards. I lost and refound him seven hours later with some serious constant searching. I used a borrowed muzzleloader and placed a 375 grain, 50 caliber ball into his chest. That ball was followed by two more over the course of three hours. I used my bow to deliver a final blow from 35 yards. Apparently, this animal, who had spent his entire life trying to survive, was unphased by five well placed holes into his vital region. It took a sixth to bring him down.

My musk oxen was killed from 30 yards with a second arrow delivered from my Super Short. The first came from a traditional 58 pound takedown longbow-using a 525 grain arrow tipped with a 150 grain Snuffer. That arrow prove ineffective against the oxen's shaggy guard hair (four inches of muscle penetration behind the beast's front shoulder). The second arrow, from the 72 pound bow, managed a whopping 13 inches of penetration but severed heart muscle.

I'll continue, if necessary. Just ask.

What expandable do you use huckleberry??

-South

Let me introduce everyone to my younger sister, Gina Nelson. She has bowhunted with me around the World-what a pleasure it's been. She, like me, shoots nothing but mechanicals from her compound bow (she has shot nothing but Hoyts in the past and is currently shooting a 52 pound Cybertec). She employees a 27 inch 2013 aluminum arrow tipped with a 75 grain Rocket Mini-blaster. She's killed 16 elk during her career (hasn't missed any she's shot at to date). Here's a few photos:









:hail::hail::hail::hail:

I'm not sure I'd like to be the person to tell her she shouldn't be using a mechanical broadhead to elk hunt. However, I would like to be there when that person does...I'll call 911 and help the paramedics remove the nads from his throat.

:happy0001: She's definitely found her vocation

Hard to argue with results like that. lol

-South

South,

My favorite is Carbon Express' Torrid SS. It's heck on turkeys, hogs, antelope, deer, elk, kudu...medium to large size game. Deadly out to 50-60 under calm conditions

I love the toughness of Wasp's Jak-Hammer. I've done the barrel test and cannot get them to fail. Their accuracy falls off around 40 yards though.

I've used Grimm Reapers on many African animals (lion was killed with a single arrow from 28 yards. It passed thru and skipped down range another 50 yards). I love them, but they break the bank in a hurry.

I've use several Rocket broadheads- Mini-blasters, Sidewinders (PSE had Rocket mades heads but put them under PSE's label), HammerHeads, and SteelHeads(killed the argentine buff with this head).

These are the heads I like...

Please everyone, find the head that works best for you! Use the head you don't pay for first though!

[QUOTEIt's tough for me to comment on fix blade performance-I've never killed an animal using one. ][/QUOTE]
Last I checked, the Snuffer was not a mechanical. Just bustin' your chops a little. I can't out do ya with on anything else, so I gotta take a shot when I get the chance.

BUT, it's obvious that you and your ssiter have had great success using mechanical broadheads. I've had one mechanical failure with a spitfire and I guess after once, I just can't put my trust in any of them for big game, although like I already stated, I do use mechanicals on smaller framed critters.

Good luck this coming season. I've said my piece here and movin' on.

Got me Howler, I should have mentioned compound somewhere in that sentence:busted:. I've killed a few deer with my traditional gear. With that equipment I've never used a mechanical. The musk oxen was barely scratched by the Snuffer (I figured the 3 to 1 ratio would be better suited for the bag target the musk oxen wear-I was wrong). I pulled the Super Short out from behind my back, unslung it, hiked/ran another mile down a creek bed, and then killed the oxen with a well placed Torrid.

Anyway, I wish you the very best with your hunting endeavors! If you're ever in the Erie area, drop a dime. I'll buy the first round. I would love to hear about your hunts (saw the moose and antelope threads-Congratulations!)

Well wishes,

Will

Last year I used the Rage broadhead on my elk hunt. It went completely through the bull and he died after going 50 yards. That is my only experience with an expandable and it worked great.