Smaller heads and Blood trails
 

Last season I went with 2315's and a 125 Magnus Snuffer (BIG HEAD) and had issues with penetration even with 63-64 lbs of KE. 2 deer no pass through but mega blood and easy trails from the entrance alone.

This year I went the other direction with a smaller head, 75 grain Rocket Ultimate Steel and lighter carbons. Total arrow weight last year was 525grains and this year I'm at about 370grains.

I have passed through everything I've shot (by quite a bit) but have meager blood on all 3 deer so far. I have a 1" cutting diameter but the deer yesterday bled only about 1 ounce in 40 yards and had no visible exit wound whatsoever. I only found it by air expelling from it when I rolled her over. Passed through taking both lungs...only went 35-40 yards and toppled...but not enough blood if I would have had to track farther.

Shot a doe later that day (yes I had 2 doe tags and it's perfectly legal in Mi. to shoot a dozen a day if you have the tags so chill) and same thing only...didn't fall in 40 yards and I never found it as the blood was nearly non existent.

My question is this...

Anyone have issues with these new compact heads and blood trails or am I in the minority here??

If there are other issues I'll go mechanical but if it's just me I'll chalk it up to "fluke" so far.

RE: Smaller heads and Blood trails
 

trushot ive been shooting muzzy 75grains for 4 years and i have never had a problem with either pass throughs or blood trails, matter of fact on 3rd nite of the season i shot a doe at about 15 yrds was a double lung hit and not only did she exspire rather quickly at about 40 yrds
but a blind man could have followed her blood trail, i wouldnt worry to much i think its just a fluke,

RE: Smaller heads and Blood trails
 

I shot a doe earlier this year with the 100gr Rocket Ultimate Steel. I had a double lung pass through, but the blood trail was horrible and it took me 15 minutes to track her 60yds, where she was expired.

Last year I, like you, shot 2 blade magnus heads, 4 pass throughs, but the blood trails were scant.

The next deer I shoot will be getting a 3 blade muzzy.

RE: Smaller heads and Blood trails
 

I'm using 100 grain 2 blade Magnus Stingers with a cutting diameter of 1 1/16". The doe I shot last night left a blood trail a blind man could've followed. I'm not necessarily convinced that the size of the hole is always a major contributing factor to the size of the blood trail. I think the sharpness of the head, combined with exactly what arteries and veins are cut are really what determines your blood trail. So many people are concerned with blowing a hole the size of a baseball through a deer with a huge expandable broadhead, when they should be concerned with where that broadhead is hitting.

RE: Smaller heads and Blood trails
 

Good point, it's always been about arrow placement.

I have noticed that when I place a mechanical where it is supposed to be, I don't have to bend over to see the blood trail.
I have also noticed when I place a smaller fixed blade where it is supposed to be I have to bend over to see the blood trail.

RE: Smaller heads and Blood trails
 

To bend over or not to bend over - that is the question. :D:D:D

RE: Smaller heads and Blood trails
 

I rather not bend over:D

RE: Smaller heads and Blood trails
 

Me either. :D

RE: Smaller heads and Blood trails
 

I have used the 4blade 90 gr Muzzy for years and only shot one deer that didn't have a blood trail. I shot him quartering to me and the fat and intestines blocked the exit hole. Every other trail was very obvious. I used a shockwave mechanical last year and that had a large exit and entrance wound. The exit hole didn't surprise me but the entrance sure did.

RE: Smaller heads and Blood trails
 

Over the years I have taken deer with 26 different kinds of broadheads (some are variations from the same manufacturer. For example a three blade head and/or a two blade or a four blade). Ranging in the size of the cut from 7/8" cut to in excess of 2".

To be honest I don't like either end of the extremes for various reasons. A deer hit in the right spot will bleed good with any reasonable size hole.

Obviously the larger the cut the better the chance of hitting arteries/vitals on a marginal hit. However even the "best" head in the world, can't make up for a poorly placed shot.