Any comments anybody ??
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Edited by - stealthycat on 10/07/2002 09:48:55

Yeah, what's the story?

The story as told below by PaDavy ...


" The deer I took (a fat solo doe) was broadside but angled slightly toward me. Because of this I aimed just along the rear edge of the shoulder to maximize vitals contact. Well I was about an inch forward of where I wanted to be and caught the back age of the shoulder bone. I was using an NAP Shockwave. Long story short, had no pass-through and the deer went a long long way to the lake (saw no blood). When I gutted the dear the piece of arrow was inside and when I pulled it out only one of the 3 blades was opened. (I do have a pic but no way to post it) Was lucky to recover since I hunt property with a lake and a club member out fishing saw a deer in bad shape laying in water in the edge of the lake. It was dead when we got back to retrieve it.

I didn't pull the arrow out. It was completely inside the deer's cavity (broken off, about 8 inches plus head). I didn't yank it through entrails either. Took it out carefully. The entry hole was small and round.
My bow is a Browning Mirage SX set at 65lbs. I"m shooting 60/75 Beeman carbons (not sure of weight?) and 100 grain heads"

Stealthycat's Photo's

I'm not a mechanical lover by any means. What is the story? Were the blades easily moveable before and after the shot? Is that the hole in the plywood made by the arrow? Tough to see the cuts in the wood. Is it possible for a head to open and then have the blades swing back closed after exiting the wood and then coming to a sudden stop? Like I say, I'm not a mechanical believe just yet and have lots of questions about them. I've tinkered with them and threatened to shoot one... but with my Thunderheads flying so well I'm not about to mess with success.

OK, you posted while I was typing.... were the blades frozen in the locked position when you took them out or is it possible they worked back closed after breaking off and pushing around in the deers chest cavity? I know they take a lot of energy up opening... an yet.. it's possible to get poor penetration even with a fixed when you start busting shoulders. How far did the deer travel? There are those who would ask..."At what point did the broadhead fail.. you did recover the deer". High shots with no exit wound WILL produce poor blood trails with any broadhead.








Edited by - shortdraw on 10/07/2002 08:16:11

Muzzy wouldnt have to worry about that.lol

"ARISE, KILL, EAT"
Acts: 10:13

Did he wash the arrow and broadhead after the shot?

Why is the blade cutting into the arrow?

Looks like some inaccurate assumptions to me.
First, where's the small washer that goes behind the head? It looks like it's missing, and that's why they blade folded back into the arrow. Kinda like forgetting the tip on a muzzy, and then wondering why the blades fell out. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle> And calling it a failure.
Second, the blades will always fold back in when the arrow stops. When I pull an arrow out, or find it on the ground behind the deer, they always look like the two blades above, and if I remember to put the head on correctly, all three look like that. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
I may be looking at this wrong, and missing something, but I just don't see the washer, and I don't see how anyone could expect the blades to stay open once the arrow stops, a simple branch hitting the fletchings as the deer runs will pull it back a little and the blades will fold back in. I'd tell your friend to remember the washer, as it would get epensive replacingg every single arrow shot with an expandable, be it a miss, pass through, practice, ect. I wonder if your friend ever practiced with the broadhead, you would think he would have realized how to put it together correctly after ruining one of his practice arrows???
One other thing, even with just the one blade, if he hit within an inch of where most of us aim, the deer still would have dies within a short dash. One blade through the top of the heart and both lungs still kills rather quickly, I'd imaginee. I wonder where he was aiming??
Another &quot;mechanical failure&quot;? Sounds like &quot;archer failure&quot;.


&quot;In heaven, even the fish have antlers&quot;

I'll try to add some clarity.

Yes I washed it off (it was damn bloody). The arrow was in amongst the entrails and I was able to remove it easily (no pulling through anything, it was pretty much just laying in there). The blades to me see to have the same tension as a new head that has had the O-ring removed. I can't say for sure whether or not they were retracted and worked their way back to closed position, but my opinion is that they did not do that.

I think the &quot;blade cutting into the arrow&quot; is due to the fact that it contacted the shoulder bone on entry and the one blade that did retract was forced down that far. The picture shows it exactly as it was when retrieved from the deer's cavity.

Yes I was able to recover the deer. I'm not even claiming it &quot;failed&quot; per se. Just wondering if only one blade opening is the issue. I gotta believe there would have been more kill damage if there were 3 (not just one) blades cutting internally.

Strong words, 6pt. I'm glad you did all the typing for me as I concur.

Ok, I should have known that the finger pointing would begin.

Yes the washer is not there, my mistake. YES I practiced with these heads by tying with dental floss. They shot perfectly by the way.

My point of entry was an inch or two forward of where it should have been. No I did not hit the heart but yes the lungs.

So where was my failure...other then catching the edge of the shoulder?? Not having the washer in doesn't prevent the blades from opening. I can't agree that they would fold back in so nicely and tightly inside organ tissue.