Year in review

[Elkhunttoo]

Well, it left as fast as it came. My tag is still in my pocket. Overall it was a way better season than last season. The worst mistake I made this season was made before the hunt started. After years of telling people I never would I switched to a mechanical broadhead. I went with the hybrid model and they shot as well as my field points. Anyway I shot a bull on the 27th. Not just any bull but a great bull. I only ended up getting about 5 inches of penetration and I’m hoping that bull is still alive and well. Searched high and low for him. Could only follow blood for about 400-450 yards and there was hardly any blood. 3 of us covered around 11 miles walking and zig zagging the mountain. You could see in the timber fairly well and I’m convinced he wasn’t anywhere close by. The bull only trotted about 40-50 yards and then walked until we lost blood….he didn’t seem hurt at all and I just don’t think he was… any that a wrap up to a bitter sweet season

[Elkhunttoo]

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This is him

[WapitiTalk1]

Dang it, that blows Cody. It happens. Do you think maybe you smacked a rib and it affected the penetration?

[Elkhunttoo]

That was my initial thought as soon as it happened…my arrow fell out at around 100 yards. The broad head is in almost perfect condition. It had one tiny little ding in one of the expanding blades. So it could have hit a rib but it sure didn’t look like to me it hit it very hard. The YouTube channel “the hunting public” did a long podcast type episode on there channel a few years ago. They showed some of there shots in slow motion and how little penetration they were getting and there thoughts one why. I watched the entire video and then still decided I would be fine.

This is just my opinion and it is kinda backed up in there video. It seemed like when my arrow hit the bull, it seemed like instead of the momentum and energy going into the bull. It hit and my arrow seemed to kick sideways. As the bull jumped forward I could see almost my entire arrow sticking out of him. The very first thought that even through my head was “you idiot!! They are having trouble with these things on white tails why did you think it would work on an elk”…..honestly I think I might have gotten almost as much penetration with my rubber blunts. It just seemed like when my arrow hit it almost bounced off of him.

Definitely frustrating but I knew better from all of my research this summer but I was just sold on how well they flew.

[Elkhunttoo]

In there video they talk about arrow deflection, the loud popping/smacking sound when they are hitting, and the bounce back of the arrow after it hits.

I feel like I witnessed all of that in one shot….shooting 67 pound draw…24 yard shot where the bull had his leg forward. I feel like with my very first worst bow and set up I ever hunted with in the mid 90’s I would have killed that bull 10 out of 10 times.

I will definitely learn from it and I will never shoot and expandable broad head at an elk again. The other thing I learn this year is how confident I can be in my tree stand. We had lots of animals (mainly deer and then more elk towards the second half) come by our stands. I had a doe walk straight to my ladder and sniff it. The 5 minutes she was there the wind was going right to her.

Saw Lots of deer from our stands this season. My one brother in law shot a 3 point buck from his stand so we did have some success

[RanchoSueno]

How are your arrows built? Total weight? Foc? Bow specs in addition to 67Ibs?

[Swede]

I am sorry to read about your losing a great bull. That will haunt you a while. A friend shot the spike bull I posted a picture of on the meat pole. He used a mechanical broadhead and the bull only went about 80 yards. But there was a problem! The broadhead never opened. He was very lucky to have hit in the perfect spot.
Remember when the elk started showing up and see if that is their habit in that area. I wrote about documenting things about your hunt in the tree stand book. Noting these things can be useful for future reference, but don't be too certain until you have tested the theory a few times.

[Indian Summer]

I have a saying that I have been using for years. Moving parts have no business on the business end of an arrow when it comes to elk hunting. Maybe for deer. There are so many more things that can go wrong compared to using a fixed blade head.

I tried mechanical broadhead one time in my life. It was a Rage. I was turkey hunting. I used my set up for elk. 73 pounds. At only 15 yards I didn’t think it really mattered where I hit him with that set up. I hit him broadside in the wing. It literally bounced off. It came back toward me 1 foot before landing on the ground. He turned and faced away from me and I put a fixed blade through him between the shoulder blades. I never used a mechanical again for anything.

[RanchoSueno]

The thing with mechanicals is they need so much more kinetic energy to deploy. I use the hybrid mechanicals from Evolution Outdoors. They are cut on contact fixed head with expanding blades. They don't use rubber bands or cuffs. My bow is a hoyt torrex xt that shows an ibo of 336fps but I shoot 55Ibs at 27". Arrows are 26.5" 452gr with 18% foc. All these technical specs play in for the blade deployment + placement and heavy bone deflection.

[Swede]

shooting 67 pound draw…24 yard shot where the bull had his leg forward.

There was 5 inches of penetration, at the most. if that does not open the blades of a mechanical broadhead, what would it take? That sound like it hit a brick wall and still did not open. A wimp like me shooting just 63 pounds and distances out to 40 yards would not have a chance. Do the broadhead manufacturers advise hunters of these limitations? Not a chance.

Here is my secret to getting perfect arrow flight with my broadheads: I have a properly spined arrow set with three 5-inch helical fletches. I use a 100 grain broadhead as it balances well with my arrow with a proper weight forward. The rest is set so the arrow is level at exactly 13/16 inch from the riser. Once you determine what works for you then whenever you have to change something on the bow, it is easy to tune it again. Please don't tell others this secret as is too deadly for common hunters.

[Elkhunttoo]

My blades deployed just fine…the hybrid I was using had no bands and I felt 100% confident in them going into the season. I didn’t think I would necessarily get a pass through with them but I felt great the it would bury up to the fletchings no problem…it just didn’t hardly go into the animal…I would highly recommend a to anyone thinking about using mechanicals or hybrids to go watch the hunting public’s video…I feel like this is exactly what happened to me

https://youtu.be/O11e4WsvcqQ?feature=shared

At about 11:30 into the video they talk about the loud pop it makes when it hits, deflection, and the lack of penetration…sums up my shot all the way

[RanchoSueno]

Oh believe me, I've been following the hunting public since 2017! But I think the largest issue is they don't discuss their tuning and arrow builds pre-ranch fairy when they all swapped to fixed blade heads. My experience has been that mechanicals require far more tuning and energy specs than a fixed blade. When they all align and that shot is good, they pay off big time. I haven't slapped one into an elk yet but all of the whitetail have blown my mind. I know incomparable but I feel extremely confident with my setup to risk testing it out on them. I shot this buck quartered away at 30yds. My head busted through the fan of the scapula and was merely held from passing through by the hide. He went 40yds and looked like chainsaw massacre

[RanchoSueno]

I built some arrows for my husband a while back and he was dead set on grim reaper mechanicals. I remember reading on the back of the package and little script writing about them needing 65Ibs of ke for proper deployment. That's just for whitetail too. You'd need a cam hanes 80Ib hoyt, well-built arrows and high foc to build enough KE to use on elk with grim reaper's mechanical guarantee

[Swede]

Mechanicals were not legal here in Oregon until about three years ago. I have not switched to them. That said I found the video very credible. I am sure the mechanicals usually work, but I know of cases where they did not. I know of two reasons hunters choose mechanical broadheads. They are getting poor arrow flight from their current setup. That is fixable with a little education and tuning. The other reason is that the hunter wants to take extremely long shots, and they hope the mechanical gives them a slight edge on better arrow flight. I am not sure that is a good assumption as I have no experience with either type broadhead at the distances I hear about.
If I was going to use a mechanical, I would make sure it was razor sharp and strong enough to plow through a rib at the range you are shooting. The 65# KE must apply at the range where the animal is hit. To know for sure what distance that is with your arrow, you would need a chronograph and do some testing. If 65 is the recommended minimum for a Whitetail, what would it be for a large bull elk? I know hunters kill critters with lesser equipment, but are we going to depend on luck and the chance we will not hit a rib or need good penetration?
One thing I slightly disagree with the hunters on the video about is that they said a broadhead does not continue to cut inside an animal. I have seen where it did on a few animals. I agree that is not something a hunter should depend on, and I too would rather have a clean pass through. An exit hole gives two spots where blood can come out. I still remember where I lost almost an entire shoulder because a broadhead just about pulverized it.

[Tuffcrk14]

I’ve gotten two deer and one elk with Sevr 1.5” expandables. I love them.

[Elkhunttoo]

I’ve gotten two deer and one elk with Sevr 1.5” expandables. I love them.

I do think sevr are the best expandables on the market….Ive seen mule deer and bears taken with them but I haven’t gotten to see them on an elk

[Tuffcrk14]

I’ve gotten two deer and one elk with Sevr 1.5” expandables. I love them.

I do think sevr are the best expandables on the market….Ive seen mule deer and bears taken with them but I haven’t gotten to see them on an elk

Penetration was awesome and the cut diameter on the hide was slightly larger than the blades it seemed like. The biggest thing with these heads is to make sure you put the new blades on correctly and also have the practice screw removed from each ferrule. They may expand, but they won’t lock. Thankfully I learned this from going through each head before season and opening them to make sure they would do their job. Totally my fault when I replaced the blades last season on one arrow.

[juglow]

Sucks you lost that bull but it sounds like he will be fine and you gave it 100%.
I wouldn't beat yourself up using a mechanical. Be confident in your setup and KE.

I had deadmeats in my quiver for a follow-up shot this year if needed because they would open up a massive wound channel, but I also shoot 70lb, 31" DL and a 563gr arrow so it going to penetrate...regardless if it's a mechanical or fixed. I get about 6 more inches using a fixed blade (single bevel with bleeders). I don't want to start a debate on broadhead selection but its not all about the head...

[2MANY]

Ekhunttoo,
I'm very sorry you had this experience.
At least that bull will be yours to kill next year.

Never shot the Mechanicals and never will.
Mechanicals suck.

[>>>---WW---->]

I made this statement, I think it was on Bowsite many years ago, and I caught all kinds of flack for it. But I still stand by it to this day. " If you shoot mechanicals, You ain't welcome in my camp"!