Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Which heads do you use?

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Longbow and Recurve - Magnus Stinger, Muzzy Phantom

Compound - Slick Trick

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

anything with moving parts has a better chance of something going wrong.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

fixed never tried mechanicals .never had a problem with fixed so i figured why change

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Ditto on the aforementioned reasons for fixed blade.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

I started with mechanicals (NAP Spitfires) and they've never failed me and always shot well.

Now that I think I know what I'm doing, and have been able to tune my bow for arrow flight, I've switched to fThunderheads.

Next year though, I may go with the slick tricks. If you can get a fixed head that flies like a mech...why not?

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

I voted "fixed" because that is what I used this year. In the past I have used both Spitfires and Thunderheadsand they worked very well for me. This year (due to this forum) I tried out the G5 Montec 100's and I can't say enough about them. I really like being able to resharpen them and the cut on contact design as well.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Can I choose both?

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Out west while hunting at 7500 feet elevation in open granite peak country, it is not very common to get a shot off at 20 yards. This is a place where recurves and bows without 3rd axis adjustment don't belong. It is a challenge in itself to get within 40 yardswhile hunting these wild deer that are not baited or even in the rut. Especially with the ever changing wind currents. After hiking in 8-12 miles each direction for a weekend hunt,you have too much to lose to give away accuracyby usinga fixed blade broadhead. Accuracy is the most important factor to consider, so I use the original 100 grainNAP Spitfires with a precisely tuned bow to make the most of my hunting environment. If you haveenough KE to deliver them, no reason not to use them. Do your fixed blade broadheads shoot 5 shot3 inch groups at 60 yards with 5 mph quartering or crosswinds?

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

krojeman,

So you must shoot a stick bow right?

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

I wanted to click both but the last couple years I've taken my bucks with RM Snypers, I won't give up Muzzy's tho.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Yeah I can do it with my G5 montechs...

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

I have used both with good results. I have never had a problem with mechanicals myself. This year, I spent a lot more time tuning my bow and was able to group my fixed blade broadheads with my field points so that is what I used. Nothing wrong with quality mechanicals shot with enough KE though.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Those are great heads. I have recommended them myself. My wife shots those heads since she doesn't haveenough KE to use a mechanicalwith a 1.5 inch cutting diameter. :D

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Both.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

There are fixed blade heads on the market that will shoot as accurate as any mechanical head at any distance. The newer short fixed broadheads using the same cutting diameter as the bigger fixed blade heads will shoot, and I mean shoot with field point accuracy at any distance. I used Rocky Mtn. Turbos this past season along with my trusted old Muzzys. The Turbos shot impressively at varying distances right alongside my field points. Granted I never shot them at 60 yards. Now I can't wait to try the new Muzzys coming out this year......4 blade head and shorter profile.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

I gotta call you out on that'n, MilDot... People were successfully hunting areas like that for thousands of years before compounds and 3rd axis adjustments were ever even dreamed of. Longbows and recurves are still being used successfully in that country. Even on theopen tundra in Alaska.

People who are skilled in woodsmanship, who maybe don't mind belly crawling a hundred yards to get into range,are obviously quite capable of closing to within much closer than40 yards. People who are less skilled or less motivated... they probably have to take long shots.

Don't go saying there are places in thewildwhere traditional equipment doesn't belong, because there is no such place.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Fixed for deer.
Mechs for turkey.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

I have had nothing but good from the Spitfire 100's. I have some 4 blade Muzzy's that I just can't get as accurate as the Spitfires & field tips. Close but still not dead on. Same with some 3 blade Theads. I have some 3 blade Satellites and Eastmans that are worse. A friend gave me a few blades that flew pretty good. One is a Nitron and I can't remeber the other but it was a Razorback or something. It was a 2 main blade with 2 bleeder blades and it rotated. I think the purpose was if it hit bone it would just spin. It was kind of odd but it flew great until I shot at a squirrel and hit a cedar tree. I think most of the blade is still buried in that tree. I am going to buy some of the Nitrons. Its a short blade with about 1 1/16" cut but it flies great. I was going to buy some G5's but heard one of the guys at the pro shop tell a customer they didn't fly good. I may have to try them as a lot of people seem to love them.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Keep in mind I stated not very common to get a shot at 20 yards. I said it is a challenge to get within 40 yards...didn't say that was the closest possible. Why do words always get twisted? I never said impossible.

Realistically many of us don't have the time to study an area that is 8-12 miles deep. I go in on weekends trips and I'm out. Try to spend my vacation time with family. Point is, yes it can be doneat shorter rangesif you have the time to study their paths and habits so you can be in position. However, I find that this is not realistic for me andnot something I plan on. Crawling around on your belly has nothing to do with being a better hunter, because in the erratic wind currents around these granite peaks the deer will always smell you out at 20 yards. I'm sure back in the day men hunting with the recurves had an area figuredout like a science, but how manyabove average hunters have the vacation timeto study an area that well. Eachday these deer move and migrate through this high country, they don't mill around and feed at the same corn field like other parts of thecountry.Just when you think you got it all figured out these deer change there entire habits. For all the effort it takes to get there, I am not going to be packing a recurve that limits me to shorter ranges.Also if I can make an accurate shot at 40 yards I'm always going to take that over trying to get 10-20 yards closer and blow off the whole deal. The sick feeling I get when having an animal smell me out in the high coutry after spending hours stalking him will never override my decision to take alonger shot that is still within my skill level.These posts are all opinions and that is mine for the country I hunt in, so yes I still believe recurves don't belong in that country. Thanks for your opinion on telling me what I can and can't say. :DIf somebody wants to holda recurvein their hand and walk around in this high country then feel free. I'm sure they will succeed someday, but at a cost. I have had several friends go to the areas I hunt and many don't return just due to the difficulty of the country we hike in. I choose to take advantage of every bit of technology to make my shot go where I practiced it to go. A third axis sight is the only way to get this done consistantly. I don't respect those that choose to avoid technology and learn by trial and error and wounding animals.we are allowed to give opinions, so here is another. Don't be looking at all those pictures of hunters holding their recurve bow in hand smiling with dead deer at his side. Thosepictures came at a price and a price that only the wounded animals can talk about.They may have something to show in the picture you see, but those hunters will never talk about all the hard lessons they learned to get there.

Do you believe in hunting deer with a spear? You have to draw the line in the sandsomewhere.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

muzzy 125 bone crushers

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Twisted?? You said:

DON'T BELONG!??! Plain English, there. No twisting required. Maybe you didn't intend to come off like an equipment snob and put forth the idea that ONLY guys shooting what YOU like should hunt the high mountains, but that's exactly what you said.

Come on down and visit. I'll teach you how to stalk close to your prey so you don't have to have such complicated and expensive gear. ;)

Maybe I don't really respect somebody that opts touse technology rather than dedicate himself to becoming a true bowhunter, learning those hard lessons and improving his woodsmanship skills. If you follow your line of reasoning all the way to it's end, I have to ask, why are you messing around with a bow at all? Grab the .300 Mag and call life good.

If you're really interested, there are some very instructive wound/loss statistics broken down between traditional and compound available from the McAllister Army Ammunition Depot in Oklahoma. Data does not back up your claims about wounded animals. In fact, the inverse is true.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Yes, I also could with Muzzy 100 grains out of a Hoyt Tenacity with Beman Trophy Hunters 70/90's shooting 280 fps at 10,000' on my Wyoming elk hunt. We practiced to 75 yards driving tacks......it can be done with a little work and know how...by the way, killed my bull at 33 yards. :D

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Data is as good as the people entering it. Giveanyone 100 pieces of data and they will find a way to skew the results to their liking. Check with any business accounting department, they will tell you anything you want to hear as a share holder.

I can have every moderator in the house telling me their glory stories about hunting with recurves and nothing, I repeat nothing will change my mind in how I feel about their usage for hunting. Sorry that what I say doesn't make you feel warm and fuzzy, but that is my opinion just as you have an opinion on the gear I use.

Arthur as far as your talk about teaching me how to hunt...give me a break and did you even have to go there...this discussion is getting worse by the minute and your going to make it all sound like kindergarten playground...I can garantee you couldn't make it into and back out of the country we hunt onfor aweekend trip. How are you going to teach me how to stalk when your breathing so heavy the deer can hear you 200 yards away. Even if you had 3 days to get in and up to the peaksyou wouldn't have the energy to be crawling around chasing offall the deer. Think you're getting your flat land and grain feed deer mixed up with the real thing.:D

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

I wonder what Paul Shafer used? Mech or fixed? How about Ben Pearson? Or Howard Hill? Of course, I suppose they didn't really hunt in any tough areas. Probably wounded more than they took. Didn't Paul Shafer have to shoot that lion 2 or 3 times before it got off his hunting partner? He shoulda been using a mech.[8D]

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

No doubt I couldn't do worth a flip in the high country. I'm so crippled up, I have a hard time in the flatlands. But even as screwed up as I am,I can still stalk within 15 yards of a particular buck in a group of 8 deer and not get busted. Non-grain fed deer, by the way.:eek:

I'm sorry you've got such a narrow opinion of traditional equipment, especially since that opinion is based on a completely false premise. That's why I challenged you on it. At least I can come away from this little spat knowing that I am not the one who is trying to say another legal form of hunting equipment shouldn't be allowed.

By the way, you asked about spears... Yeah, I think if they're legal, then they should be used. By folks who aren't afraid of taking the challenge. Who aren't afraid of learning those hard lessons. Who aren't afraid to go home empty handed at the end of the day because the animal won the game that day.

I guess it'd be kinda hard to mount a 3rd axis sight on a spear though, wouldn't it. [8D]

Cold Steel makes a few very nice spears suitable for hunting. For stickin' them up close and personal, or for throwing. I've got a hankering to buy the Boar Spear. www.coldsteel.com

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

I just recently went from Thunderhead 100's to Slick Trick 100's.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

I use NAP 100 grain spitfires and do very well with them. I have used Muzzy 100's also. Either will work. It doesn't matter what you use as long as you hit the deer in the vitals. A mechanical or fixed shot in the wrongspot will not do the job. A broadhead is only as good as the person shooting it.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

I voted Mechanical. I shoot the AfterShock HyperShock 100's with the 2"in cutting you can not go wrong. I have shoot 4 animals this year in '05 and all them added up did not make it 100 yards I have never had a ANY boardhead do that kind of damage. Quick cleand and down!

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Fixed. I lost a well-hit deer from an expandable that didn't penetrate.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

NAP Spitfires for turkey,
Muzzy 100 gr 3-blade for deer.

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Good thing Howard Hill is not alive to hear that one. [:@][:@][:@]

"Do you believe in hunting deer with a spear? You have to draw the line in the sandsomewhere. "

Yup, I do.

I also believe in Flint Knapping:

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

BobCo,

Those are some awesome looking heads. Nice work!

Can you practice with them or do they break too easily?

RE: Mechanical OR Fixed blade
 

Oh, I can't take the credit for those.

Anyway to give an example (again, not my deeror broadhead, it was DTALA on tradgang):

This is the actual head.....



That took this deer:



With this bloodtrail:



If you want to see and read the whole story go here:

http://tradgang.com//noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=028741;p=1