Did a Rage finally fail me? Opinions please
11-20-2013, 12:07 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 252
Did a Rage finally fail me? Opinions please
Hi all,
This is not a post to debate Rage etc and I'll be up front and say I'm a huge fan after using them for 4 seasons and taking 8 deer with them. Here's my story...
I almost always compound bow hunt and only take the crossbow out 3 or 4 times a year when I want to hunt an area I feel exposed. Yesterday was one of those days and I had an ordinary 2 blade Rage on my crossbow bolt. I've taken 3 other deer with this setup and the results were fantastic...all were 15yd shots if that matters. Anyway, the biggest buck I have ever had a shot at crossed paths with me at approx. 25yd. He was a bruiser, field dressed at 188lb which is huge in Maryland, a beauty 8 point. He was perfectly broadside and still when I shot, the arrow went right where I aimed. perfect lung but to my surprise, there wasn't a ton of penetration. It looked like only half the arrow went in which is odd for any broadhead shot at that speed. It didn't sound like I hit a rib. He ran over a rise about 50yd away and I gave him more time than needed because the penetration scared me. I got down and found him right over the rise but at this time it was dark. Arrow was gone, no pass thru so it fell out of entry hole and I didn't get a great look at ribs. I usually butcher my own deer but this one was dropped off at a processor so I didn't get a look to see if that was the problem. The lung was almost cut in two so everything worked text book except that penetration. It has me a bit concerned. I'd say the blades deployed early from the force of the bow but would the arrow still fly true with open blades? I mean right where my red dot was was where the arrow hit so there was no difference. What does everyone think, blade open premature or hit a rib or just a fluke thing? I'm now thinking Rage for my compound that shoots 63lb and maybe a fixed blade for the crossbow if the shock is too much for a mechanical. I'd be sick if I lost a deer....especially this deer of a lifetime for me due to broadhead malfunction.
Looking forward to peoples opinions. Thanks
This is not a post to debate Rage etc and I'll be up front and say I'm a huge fan after using them for 4 seasons and taking 8 deer with them. Here's my story...
I almost always compound bow hunt and only take the crossbow out 3 or 4 times a year when I want to hunt an area I feel exposed. Yesterday was one of those days and I had an ordinary 2 blade Rage on my crossbow bolt. I've taken 3 other deer with this setup and the results were fantastic...all were 15yd shots if that matters. Anyway, the biggest buck I have ever had a shot at crossed paths with me at approx. 25yd. He was a bruiser, field dressed at 188lb which is huge in Maryland, a beauty 8 point. He was perfectly broadside and still when I shot, the arrow went right where I aimed. perfect lung but to my surprise, there wasn't a ton of penetration. It looked like only half the arrow went in which is odd for any broadhead shot at that speed. It didn't sound like I hit a rib. He ran over a rise about 50yd away and I gave him more time than needed because the penetration scared me. I got down and found him right over the rise but at this time it was dark. Arrow was gone, no pass thru so it fell out of entry hole and I didn't get a great look at ribs. I usually butcher my own deer but this one was dropped off at a processor so I didn't get a look to see if that was the problem. The lung was almost cut in two so everything worked text book except that penetration. It has me a bit concerned. I'd say the blades deployed early from the force of the bow but would the arrow still fly true with open blades? I mean right where my red dot was was where the arrow hit so there was no difference. What does everyone think, blade open premature or hit a rib or just a fluke thing? I'm now thinking Rage for my compound that shoots 63lb and maybe a fixed blade for the crossbow if the shock is too much for a mechanical. I'd be sick if I lost a deer....especially this deer of a lifetime for me due to broadhead malfunction.
Looking forward to peoples opinions. Thanks
11-20-2013, 02:10 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: North Idaho
Posts: 1,071
I had a doe shot with a different 2 blade broadhead at a good angle quartering away. somehow the blades opened under the skin and didn't break through the ribs...luckily the point punctured a lung and I found her close to half a mile away...
sometimes weird things happen...if you are concerned with the mechanicals go to fixed blades. We can only use fixed blades for bows here and honestly I don't miss the mechanicals. Ive killed 2 deer with my compound and fixed blades just as well as a mechanical bladed arrow.
sometimes weird things happen...if you are concerned with the mechanicals go to fixed blades. We can only use fixed blades for bows here and honestly I don't miss the mechanicals. Ive killed 2 deer with my compound and fixed blades just as well as a mechanical bladed arrow.
11-21-2013, 04:58 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,358
Let's see you hit a 188lb deer, sliced the lung almost in half and he was down quickly. sounds like it all worked great.
Guess would be you hit the offside shoulder and it stopped it, worked it's way out and if you look in the light, you'll find the bolt showing full penetration
Guess would be you hit the offside shoulder and it stopped it, worked it's way out and if you look in the light, you'll find the bolt showing full penetration
11-23-2013, 02:33 PM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: May 2006
Location:
Posts: 414
Let's see you hit a 188lb deer, sliced the lung almost in half and he was down quickly. sounds like it all worked great.
Guess would be you hit the offside shoulder and it stopped it, worked it's way out and if you look in the light, you'll find the bolt showing full penetration
Guess would be you hit the offside shoulder and it stopped it, worked it's way out and if you look in the light, you'll find the bolt showing full penetration
