A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

I am not putting them down, but want to ask a question for those who use them. My motive for asking this is a good friend of my son who has been very successful bowhunting since he was young made a comment to me during a 3D shoot last year that bothered the hell out of me and I did the best I could at the time keep from tearing histoungue out;). The guy uses Grim Reaper broadheads and while extolling the virtues of using them said he aims for the middle of ther body or guts on a deer if need be on a deer he wants to shootbecause of the way the head cuts.

Anyway for the question, anybody been tempted to takesuch shots on a deer simplybecause of the larger cutting diameter that some mech heads possess or advertise? I won't demonize anybody who says they do, I am just curious.;)

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

No way!!! I try to bury my pin so that arrow is going through the boiler room just as I would using any broadhead. The fact that I have a head that has a 2" cut does not change my shot selection AT ALL. It's nice to know that if I mess up that broadhead my save my butt and make up for my error, but I certainly do not count on that happening.

Your buddy needs a serious talking too. That is not the intent of those or any broadheads and he is going to wound a lot of deer with that thinking.

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

Coug.....Please don't lump me in with this guy (and I know you didn't) because we both shoot mechanical heads. His approach doesn't border on ridiculous......it's full bore.

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

No but it is nice to know that the extra cut is there if things DO go wrong......you are more likely to make a marginal hit BACK than you are in the large bone of the shoulder.

That is precisely why I use them. They are devastating when put where they belong and could mean the difference bewteen a long track and a short one, or a found or not found animal when they aren't exactly on the mark.

Damage as much tissue as you can. It's a moot point when they are in the lungs but a very real consideration and IMO advantage if they are in a liver, or guts or both. I don't think anyone in their right mind wold condone AIMING there but the fact remains that they are better suited than a smaller head if they wind up there.

I couldn't care less about shoulder penetration , I really couldn't...........I want the head that damages the most of everything else while still giving me adequate and reliable penetration to all practical hunting distances.
I don't know why that isn't everyone's goal?

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

I certainly didn't or don't.:)I gave the 26 yr.old guy a tongue lashing. I probably shouldn't have posted this question. Its just the young man bothered me when he told us that, and its not like he isinexperienced. He has hunted with his dad since he was very young and has taken many deer with a bow,a fewnice bucks included.

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

Good post Matt. The comment about a shoulder hit rings true. I don't want to hit a shoulder with any head, fixed blade or mechanical.

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

I'd think most on this board are knowledgeable enough to know better than this, but I would say there are primarily 2 reasons the AVERAGE (not guys that are serious) bowhunter leans to mechanicals.
1. They fly like a field point and most guys can't get that from their fixed blades.
2. They like the security feelingthat some super cut expandable broadhead gives them on a Bad shot. Because they don't have the confidence to put it where it should go.
I'll be the first to say I have made a few bad shots. Crapola happens, and if you've killed *** animals with a bow and have not made a Bad shot I wanna shake your hand. I've been at this40 years and I still learn something every year. I never expect to quit learning.

Dan

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

I buy that 100%

The second comment.......I disagree. I don't know anyone with that mindset. I may be wrong. I know I saw a TV show where a hunter touted the Rage as a great "bad shot BH". I think he did the Rage company and bowhunting, in general, a HUGE disservice with that irresponsible comment.

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

Run a shop for about 20 years and listen to Joe Bowhunters talk and then tell me that;)

Dan

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

Im getting me some Rambo points this year, and am literally going to blow the fescue out of them!

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

Nope not me, that would be hard to hold your tounge.

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

Git ya Sum o them Duke boy arrows. They tenderize'em and cook'em when they hit:D

Dan

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

I'd buy his second comment in a heartbeat with some people!! You think people will admit it Jeff? Not a chance they would admit it, not a chance!!

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

How do you come to that conclusion?

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

It's pretty obvious isn't it? The shoulder is high and forward and in actuality doesn't cover up much of the vitals to begin with on a broadside shot (Unless you are at a steep angle) and basically nothing on a quartering away shot.
However everything from the diaphragm back is a vital organ.... liver, stomach, kidneys etc.

Are you seriously going to try and argue that the shoulder is more of a consideration at about the size of your hand vs EVERYTHING that lies from the diaphragm to the hindquarters? (including possibly the femoral artery IN the hindquarters).

The shoulder is the exception if you are taking responsible shots and is a much smaller surface area when compared to everything behind the lungs.
We shade away from the shoulder when we aim for a reason......

In 40+ deer shot with a bow I have never hit the shoulder blade yet.......I have made a couple not so stellar hits the other way, liver, liver/guts, guts, liver/1 lung by just pulling a little too far off the ribs or having an animaltake a stepforward at the shot.
They generally don't take a step backwards..........they move forward at all and the arrow goes BACK, not front.

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

Did I argue anything? Asked a simple question, sorry if it should have been so obvious. Forgive me please I thought we were talking about the entire shoulder. Please don't take away my Corporate staff credentials.:(

I see about an equal amount of lost deer threads from people hitting shoulder as they do hitting back.

Little touchy?

in the 75 -85 I've killed with a bow I lost one with a shoulder hit(mini blaster)but have never lost one hitting it in the liver or the gut or a one lunger.

They do south of the equator, same priciple as the water going down your sink.;)

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

Nope we're on the same page........I just don't understand how people are hitting the shoulder blade consistently? I hear it too. I almost think there are people who are quicker to admit that they hit a deer in the shoulder than accept or admit hitting it in the guts. It just doesn't bear out for me or apparently you as well Charlie and that's a lot of shooting between us!.

Seriously how can it be coincidence that between you and I we have something like 125 deer to our creditand 1....just one lost animal due to a shoulder hit and neither has lost one hitting them farther back. I've never even hit a single deer in the shoulder blade myself.

Who are all these shoulder shooting people? LOL

Just within our sample alone there is evidence enough thata person'sfocus in choosing a broadhead should be shooting the biggest cutting diameterto the point ofstill being assured of excellent penetration. The focus should be on damaging as much tissue as we can with only a slight consideration at best given to how they will perform on bone. Like I said the shoulder is the exception. If you are going to plan for something bad at least in mine and your experience which is a lot of dead animals..........plan for a soft tissue hit and shoot a head that will take out as much as possible.
If that means an 1 1/8" fixed head for one guy then that's what he should shoot, if it means a 2" cut 4 blade mech for me because I have oodles of energy to spare then that's what I should shoot.
The only higher priorities are making sure they are sharp and coming from a tuned set up.

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

Noexcuse for losing a Deer hit too far back unless you don't know how to handle the situation or possibly rain. When people lose Deer they shot too far back it's because they did the wrong thing not because of what Broadhead they did or did not shoot:eek:

Dan

RE: A ? for those using mechanical heads.
 

The size of my broadhead will never influence which shots I do or do not take.

But I sure like the damage done by the Rage 2 Blade. It is nice to have the extra cutting dia on those shots that don't end up exactly where you wanted it.

Before I shot the Rage I used the Rocket Hammerhead, a 2" 3 blade head. They were devestating also. But the Rage is a much better built head, and I have been able to reuse it after shooting my deer.