Broadhead Cutting Width(Update)

[Nomad]

Figured I'd give the same broadhead another test run.  Shot another doe today.  30 yard shot again.  Cautious, but not alarmed deer.  Broadside shot.  Full penetration. Deer ran 150-170 yards.  Penetration thru both lungs.  Blood trail fair.  Same 1 1/8 inch cut BoltCutters.  First picture is exit, second entrance. Entrance hole looks large because it opened up from dragging over stone walls. Think I may be ready to try a larger head.  

Edited January 24, 2018 by Nomad

[not on the rug]

Congrats on the freezer filler. 

 

"Fair" blood trail and that much of a tracking job would make me switch heads immediately though.  

[JHbowhunter]

Mark - what heads do you use with your longbow, and what is your general experience on similar hits, bloodtrails, and distance traveled with your longbow?

 

I suspect you are finding that this xbow setup is not coming close to your very large body of work with the longbow?

 

1 1/8" 3 blade heads are my favorite all-time, whether it be Thunderheads, Muzzy's, or my current VPAs...   I still feel blood trails are more symptomatic of shot placement, in your current example, I think just 3" lower and you would have had a paint can.

 

This is where I try to put it on a broadside deer, although it doesn't always work out as planned....

Edited January 24, 2018 by JHbowhunter

[Nomad]

I use either Bear Razorheads, 2 Blade (without the bleeders in recent years), or 3 blade Wenzel Woodsman.  I have had them run 40 yards with good hits or up to 150 at times.  Like others have said a lot depends on how the deer reacts.  If it takes a few jumps and stops it will just fall over there.  But, if it goes on an all out death run it could go out to the 100 to 150.  I guess what I am hoping for is something(broadhead) that will cut down on the distance of the all out death run.  Some of my spots it doesn't matter how far they go, but I have a few spots around houses where it matters.  I do have permission to retrieve on most properties, but I still would rather not be bothering them or giving them unwanted lawn ornaments. lol

Edited January 24, 2018 by Nomad

[not on the rug]

Mark - what heads do you use with your longbow, and what is your general experience on similar hits, bloodtrails, and distance traveled with your longbow?

 

I suspect you are finding that this xbow setup is not coming close to your very large body of work with the longbow?

 

1 1/8" 3 blade heads are my favorite all-time, whether it be Thunderheads, Muzzy's, or my current VPAs...   I still feel blood trails are more symptomatic of shot placement, in your current example, I think just 3" lower and you would have had a paint can.

 

This is where I try to put it on a broadside deer, although it doesn't always work out as planned....

 

 

Good question Jack.  He might be shooting a heavy and massive cutting head from that stickbow

 

I'll reiterate what I said in the first thread though...If I was hunting with an xbow, I'd shoot the biggest cutting mechanical that flew accurately out of the xbow.  There is plenty of KE to blast through just about anything, no matter what xbow he is shooting.  The big cut will add also add forgiveness for those less-than-ideal shots

[Blend No 27]

Nice shot, yea that’s further than you really want them to go. Throw on a reaper, rage or (my person fav) spitfire and do your own testing. Fixed blades kill em dead but more blood loss faster kills em quicker.

 

The problem with mechs when that big buck steps out and you hit bone and never find it you end up switching back to fixed blades for better penetration.

 

Your shooting a pretty fast bow though right? So penetration probably won’t be an issue even with a 2” mechanical.

 

I hit my permit bow buck far back this year with a spitfire Maxx. Liver and clipped 1 lung. He hunched up and made it 30 yards bedded and was Dead within 20 min. I wonder if it would have been same scenario with a small fixed

[Nomad]

Your shooting a pretty fast bow though right? So penetration probably won’t be an issue even with a 2” mechanical.

 

 

Excalibur Matrix Bulldog 400.  Shooting 18" carbon bolt, with 150 grain Bolt Cutter broadheads, about 400FPS.

[dlist777]

That's crazy that a deer can run 150 yards with holes through both lungs.  Hearty creatures...

[JHbowhunter]

How noisy is this xbow?  If it's scaring the bejeesus out of the deer at the shot, that could explain the long runs... In my experience, deer that run the fastest seem to leave the worst bloodtrails... I remember centerpunching the heart two EAB's ago, on a high alert doe... She ran 200 yards down hill as fast as a deer can run, in light colored dry grass that would be super easy to see blood. There was not a drop. I just walked up on her based on direction she was heading. The only blood was near the doe.

 

You put a massive cut mechanical on there, it will probably further jolt that deer on impact,  but the larger cut will probably counteract that. Not a xbow expert by any means, but those that use them religiously with bigger cut mechanicals, seem to be having the opposite experience as you with those bolt cutters.

[Nomad]

Makes a loud "bonk"!   

[Rusty]

Sadly, after seeing your last 'test", I will not be using the 6 brand new boltcutters that I have sitting at home.    

[Nomad]

Sadly, after seeing your last 'test", I will not be using the 6 brand new boltcutters that I have sitting at home.    

I don't think you can really control the "reaction" that the deer has to the shot.  If it takes off on an all out death run it's going to go maybe 150 yard with the heads I am using now, but maybe only 60 with a 2" expandable.  That is what I am thinking anyway.  

[SPEARFISH]

Try a mechanical.  I use Rage, as do a lot of guys I hunt with - No Complaints.  Lots of dead deer and great blood trails.  A few guys I know have been using Spitfires with good results.  

 

Sounds like what you are using is working fine though.  Really no need to switch.  Some deer just run farther than others, usually the does in my experience.  Some you shoot and they go 20 yds and some run 200.

[Buck154]

That deer wouldn't go 60yds tops with a Spittfire with that shot!!!!!!!!

[JHbowhunter]

Makes a loud "bonk"!   

 

Any way to quiet it down?