Wapiti Talk | Elk Hunting Forum | Elk Hunting Tips
 

Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"...

Moderators: Swede, Tigger, Lefty, Indian Summer, WapitiTalk1

Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"...

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 02 19, 2019 •  [Post 1]

Slim9300 (a long time member here and on a few other hunting forums) posted a thread regarding his experience with a certain mechanical broad head during his and his partner's 2018 hunts. I didn't want to ask him to re-create the entire thread here, but, I did ask for and obtain his permission to post a link to the Archery Talk Forum thread. I know Conlan has been a staunch "only fixed blade broad heads for me" kind of big game hunter (as I have been) for many years, but, I think his documented results from the past year's hunts will give some pause to re-consider using expandables (if legal in your hunting state) in the future. Take a look at the thread linked below ;). Thanks Slim for taking the time to document/photograph your results and share it with other hunters......

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5617211
User avatar
WapitiTalk1
 
Posts: 8847
Joined: 06 10, 2012
Location: WA State
First Name: RJ

Re: Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"

Postby Swede » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 2]

The results are really impressive. I just bought two dozen Slick Tricks, so I will use them, but the results from these mechanicals are impressive.

RJ, if you can get Slim9300 to engage here I would like to hear more about the blood trails he got from the STs. I have had some problems with the fixed blade broadheads too, and can echo his comments about blood trailing. Some people hated me talking about spine shooting the cow, but it made tracking very easy. It is not often you get that choice, and I am not trying to open that discussion again, but I remember how elated I was to see her go down on the spot right in front of me. No tracking in an area with numerous fresh tracks all over, and no miniscule to nonexistent blood trail to try to follow.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10390
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"

Postby slim9300 » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 3]

Swede wrote:The results are really impressive. I just bought two dozen Slick Tricks, so I will use them, but the results from these mechanicals are impressive.

RJ, if you can get Slim9300 to engage here I would like to hear more about the blood trails he got from the STs. I have had some problems with the fixed blade broadheads too, and can echo his comments about blood trailing. Some people hated me talking about spine shooting the cow, but it made tracking very easy. It is not often you get that choice, and I am not trying to open that discussion again, but I remember how elated I was to see her go down on the spot right in front of me. No tracking in an area with numerous fresh tracks all over, and no miniscule to nonexistent blood trail to try to follow.


I have had very few ‘great’ blood trails with a Slick Trick unless I hit a major artery. By ‘great’ I mean I never have to get on my hands and knees, or stand in the same spot looking for 30 seconds to a few minutes to find next blood. Or circle, or pull out flagging, etc.

With the Trypan I have never had to do that on an elk or deer, even with a single entrance hole. I just walk on the clear bloodtrail and the animal has always been 30-70 yards away. Even on less than ideal hits.

The amount of stress this takes off me is pretty incredible. Over the years I have become a very solid tracker and my ability to just follow tracks and sign has really become quite ‘honed in.’ The reality is that if I don’t have to get on my hands and knees every again, I will be ecstatic.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Work hard. Be happy. Annoy a Liberal. :wink:
2012 Bowtech Insanity CPXL (Crackerized!) #61/31" DL (Gold Tip Pro ~ 455 grains @ 290 fps = 86 lbs. KE!)
University of Washington; Foster School of Business Alum
User avatar
slim9300
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 654
Joined: 06 11, 2012

Re: Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"

Postby Swede » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 4]

The holes you punched in those critters is what I find to be incredible. With the smaller fixed blade broadheads, almost all of the bleeding is internal. Often I get little or no blood trail for a long ways. I am shooting from a tree stand and shoot high as the arrow is usually going downward, but does not exit the animal. Sometimes it is at a steep angle. The elk (usually) can go a hundred yards or more before any blood can be found along the trail it took exiting the area. I have learned a lot of tricks to try to compensate for the lack of blood. I agree it can be stressful if you don't find the critter rapidly.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10390
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"

Postby slim9300 » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 5]

Swede wrote:The holes you punched in those critters is what I find to be incredible. With the smaller fixed blade broadheads, almost all of the bleeding is internal. Often I get little or no blood trail for a long ways. I am shooting from a tree stand and shoot high as the arrow is usually going downward, but does not exit the animal. Sometimes it is at a steep angle. The elk (usually) can go a hundred yards or more before any blood can be found along the trail it took exiting the area. I have learned a lot of tricks to try to compensate for the lack of blood. I agree it can be stressful if you don't find the critter rapidly.


No doubt about it. The steep downward shot is the worst also. You need the cavity to fill up before the blood pours out the hole. I will cut and paste my last post on the A-T thread here. Nothing can go more than a 100 yards with a 2.5-3.5” hole in their liver or lungs. But they can go a long ways with a 1-1.25” hole in my experience.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Work hard. Be happy. Annoy a Liberal. :wink:
2012 Bowtech Insanity CPXL (Crackerized!) #61/31" DL (Gold Tip Pro ~ 455 grains @ 290 fps = 86 lbs. KE!)
University of Washington; Foster School of Business Alum
User avatar
slim9300
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 654
Joined: 06 11, 2012

Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to

Postby slim9300 » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 6]

Cut and pasted:

[QUOTE=slim9300;1109698557]The best part is the design ‘flays open’ the entrance and organs and the cut actually expands well beyond the blade cutting diameter. The typical entrance and lung/liver cut is 2.5-3”.

Slim93001.jpg

Slim93002.jpg
Work hard. Be happy. Annoy a Liberal. :wink:
2012 Bowtech Insanity CPXL (Crackerized!) #61/31" DL (Gold Tip Pro ~ 455 grains @ 290 fps = 86 lbs. KE!)
University of Washington; Foster School of Business Alum
User avatar
slim9300
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 654
Joined: 06 11, 2012

Re: Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 7]

Holy devastation :shock:... That's more than impressive.
User avatar
WapitiTalk1
 
Posts: 8847
Joined: 06 10, 2012
Location: WA State
First Name: RJ

Re: Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"

Postby Swede » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 8]

So why in the last picture is there a slice to the side of the spot where the broadhead went in?

I know that I mark carefully in my mind where the animal was when shot, I watch for there it went out of sight and listen for a crash or other indicator where it may have gone down. I have gone down in the drainage and checked for scent to help locate a bull that I knew was dead. All of these things and more will help, but there is nothing like seeing where they go down.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10390
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"

Postby slim9300 » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 9]

Swede wrote:So why in the last picture is there a slice to the side of the spot where the broadhead went in?

I know that I mark carefully in my mind where the animal was when shot, I watch for there it went out of sight and listen for a crash or other indicator where it may have gone down. I have gone down in the drainage and checked for scent to help locate a bull that I knew was dead. All of these things and more will help, but there is nothing like seeing where they go down.


You mean in the middle of the broadhead cut?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Work hard. Be happy. Annoy a Liberal. :wink:
2012 Bowtech Insanity CPXL (Crackerized!) #61/31" DL (Gold Tip Pro ~ 455 grains @ 290 fps = 86 lbs. KE!)
University of Washington; Foster School of Business Alum
User avatar
slim9300
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 654
Joined: 06 11, 2012

Re: Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"

Postby Swede » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 10]

I said last picture. I should have said first pic in the last couple of pictures. I am referring to the slice off to the right.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10390
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to

Postby slim9300 » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 11]

Swede wrote:I said last picture. I should have said first pic in the last couple of pictures. I am referring to the slice off to the right.


So the picture with the knife? And you are talking an inch right of the blade?

Slim93002.jpg
Work hard. Be happy. Annoy a Liberal. :wink:
2012 Bowtech Insanity CPXL (Crackerized!) #61/31" DL (Gold Tip Pro ~ 455 grains @ 290 fps = 86 lbs. KE!)
University of Washington; Foster School of Business Alum
User avatar
slim9300
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 654
Joined: 06 11, 2012

Re: Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"

Postby Swede » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 12]

It is the slice to the right that appears just under the knife blade. The end of the cut does not show in the pic due to the blade. Just curious. Maybe you just cut it yourself. I was wondering how it got there as I can't see how it could come from the broadhead.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10390
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"...

Postby slim9300 » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 13]

Swede wrote:It is the slice to the right that appears just under the knife blade. The end of the cut does not show in the pic due to the blade. Just curious. Maybe you just cut it yourself. I was wondering how it got there as I can't see how it could come from the broadhead.


That is just the fold near the end of the liver, it is not a cut. I know it kind of looks that way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Work hard. Be happy. Annoy a Liberal. :wink:
2012 Bowtech Insanity CPXL (Crackerized!) #61/31" DL (Gold Tip Pro ~ 455 grains @ 290 fps = 86 lbs. KE!)
University of Washington; Foster School of Business Alum
User avatar
slim9300
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 654
Joined: 06 11, 2012

Re: Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"

Postby Swede » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 14]

Slim93002[3].jpg
Slim93002[3].jpg (204.43 KiB) Viewed 41728 times


I guess I should have done this the first time. Are you saying this spot is a fold? It sure looks like a deep cut. I guess it does not matter. I was just wondering what caused it?
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10390
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 15]

I think that’s the main entrance gash, perhaps the BH was canted a bit upon entry. The north and south large cuts are the deployed blades. Yes?
User avatar
WapitiTalk1
 
Posts: 8847
Joined: 06 10, 2012
Location: WA State
First Name: RJ

Re: Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"

Postby Swede » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 16]

I agree that that the north-south slices are the main entrance cut. The one off to the side just seemed too large to be incidental. Regardless, the poor animal did not stand a chance after getting hit with that broadhead.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10390
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: Mechanical Broadheads; it's perhaps time to "reconsider"

Postby slim9300 » 02 20, 2019 •  [Post 17]

Swede wrote:
The attachment Slim93002[3].jpg is no longer available


I guess I should have done this the first time. Are you saying this spot is a fold? It sure looks like a deep cut. I guess it does not matter. I was just wondering what caused it?


I think that was from when the arrow drilled the offside femur and violently flexed from him running. Hence the wide arrow shaped indent. Either that or when he bedded and for the 90 minutes I always give an elk, he was laying on the arrow inside of him and that somehow made that damage. I pulled the arrow right before the video. It came out pretty easily. Could have been from pulling it out also.

Here is another liver hit. If I could get liver every time, that’s what I would ask for. That’s why we love the quartering away shot so much with these heads now. 3 of our 4 elk had quartering away shots (my WA bull was the second arrow I put in him).

a527114e406de9475f6338b1bcad6d90.jpg
Work hard. Be happy. Annoy a Liberal. :wink:
2012 Bowtech Insanity CPXL (Crackerized!) #61/31" DL (Gold Tip Pro ~ 455 grains @ 290 fps = 86 lbs. KE!)
University of Washington; Foster School of Business Alum
User avatar
slim9300
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 654
Joined: 06 11, 2012