Back to fixed blades!

[petey]

3 years ago, with the acquisition of a new bow, I switch from aluminum shafts and fix blades to Carbon arrows with mechanical broadheads. Over that period of time I shot many deer with positive results (100% retrieval). The main reason for switching was the whole carbon arrow fad. My father-in-law bought me a half dozen for my birthday and I was hooked after shooting several 3D tournaments. They shot like a rocket and I was one of the cool guys that shot “carbons” now. The problem was I couldn’t get ANY fixed blade broadhead I had in my arsenal to fly right. The end result, I took the easy route and just used mechanicals. I wasn’t sold on mechanical broadheads at the time. I heard horror stories of deflection, blades not opening, shallow penetration, etc… I told myself, I’d continue to shoot them until they proved to me they didn’t work. The first year proved themselves nicely, except on longer shots I noticed I wasn’t getting the passthru’s I normally got. Now, I shoot 74 pounds and driving an arrow through a deer’s ribs and passing through the other side at 40 yards was never a problem with the old setup. Hey, a hole is a hole, whether the arrow is in or out. So goes the story year after year, taking many deer and turkey..until last year. Many of you read my day to day hunting log as I passed up plenty of bucks the first week. I was getting hungry so I decided to take one big doe I had been seeing in one of my stands. Like clockwork, here she comes and presented a nice 20 yard shot. It wasn’t what you would call perfect broadside. In fact it was more of a quartering towards shot. No problem, I’ve driven my arrow straight down through the shoulder of many deer. With 74 pounds and 20 yards between me and the deer, it’s as good as dead. From the angle I aim top of the shoulder to take out both lungs and released. The arrow hit it’s mark perfectly, but did something unexpected. At that precise angle and the “mechanics” of the broadhead blades opening, caused the arrow to glance along the shoulder blade in an upward direction (the exact opposite of what I was shooting) and into the spine. The deer was down immediately, but not how I wanted it to be. I’m not an advocate of shooting deer in the spine, although the end result is the same, it does become a mess when you have to do some fancy knife work. After skinning the deer and inspecting the wound I saw how this all happened and was amazed that a broadhead could cause an arrow to change its course on impact…but it did.

I was sick that the kill was not a humane as possible. Almost 95% of my deer killed with fixed blade have dropped within sight with complete pass through. Granted the many deer I’ve shot with mechanicals have dropped within sight or just out of, the combination just didn’t seem as affective in my mind. That is, I don’t like watching my arrow sticking out of a deer as he runs away. Just mentally, I like to see that arrow disappear as I drill him behind the shoulder. It seems you see more and more of this happening on TV shows, when the hunter uses mechanicals. So 14 years of hunting with a fixed blade and three w/ mechanicals has lead me back to the fixed blade choice. Arrow shaft material is back to Easton XX78 Super Slams, only because it’s easy for me to personally tune these. With a bunch of new raw shafts I built and hand tuned each arrow over the weekend. I’m fitted with a 5” helical twist vein, and back to my old reliable 85 grain 4 blade Kolpin Twisters. My opinion as one of the best fixed blade broadheads ever made with a 40% offset. You can’t find them anymore and I bought out Cabela’s last supply of shafts and replacement heads many years ago. I have over 2 dozen new heads and replacement blades to kill enough deer for many, many years to come. Taking the time on each and every arrow, they all fly in perfect flight. I am getting very positive results and straight arrow flight all the way back to 50 yards with the old setup and quite frankly am more confident than I have been in 3 years of bringing my bow out into the woods. There’s just something about looking at those gnarly sharp heads that you know they are cutting on contact. Having killed numerous big game animals all over the US with this setup, I’m now at ease that it’ll get the job done and they don’t have to prove themselves unreliable, as how I felt with my mechanicals. Some of the memories this setup has produced, including 2 of 8 enormous mules were brought back over the weekend. I even recalled the first 3x3 mule deer buck I stalked and shot at 15 yards burying the shaft through both shoulders and dropping him on the spot. Talk about penetration and a job well done. After last year’s experience, I’d never have that confidence with my mechanicals. The only thing that has changed over the years has been my choice of bow. I can’t wait to hit the woods in two weeks.

[kt]

confidence in your set up is very important. i have eyed expandables for years and just have never seen a reason to leave my broadheads. that buck reminds me. was out goose hunting the other day, as i drove in i had a monster run right across the bumper of my car, a six pt, but like no six i have ever witnessed. so as i sat in the field an hour later what comes walking out of corn? hope i have his routine down come october
kt

[Rustywreck]

You can't beat a good fixed blade broadhead that flies true.
I've only tried 3 different mechanicals and they worked just fine too.
As far as the carbon shafts are concerned, I use them with fixed blade broadheads on two bows. As with all arrows, its all about the spine of the shaft.
I agree, aluminum shafts are a breeze to work with, and they will perform great; however, they usually only perform on a deer once. But heck, you gotta shoot what works for you.

[WT Kevorkian]

I shoot Gold Tip Pro Hunter shafts, build them myself, and use Steelforce 125 grain heads, they shoot great and talk about durable these things are indestructible. I have shot three deer with the same arrow already this season and its sharpened up, tuned up, and back in the quiver right now ready to go again. This set up results in a pass through every time and I have seen it break the leg bone of a mature doe coming out the other side and still stick in the ground at 30 yards. I can't complain, I've been using the Gold Tips for almost 10 years, started with the XT's and now I am using the Pro Hunters because the tolerances are even better,, straightness being .001, and weight difference in a dozen is less than a grain or two.