[Kylem]

I’ve been using a combo of fixed Kudu Point and Sevr 1.5 broadheads in my quiver at the same time. I use whichever I feel better matches the situation.

 

[slim_03]

I'm not a believe in mechanicals.They're inherently weaker and I'm 100% convinced that deer actually react more bolt out of Dodge and run further,espceially on gut shot deer.On top of that,they're usually expensive and are done after one shot.I used varuious mechanicals over the years and never found a single advantage to them.Last year I decided to try some 125 gr two bladed Kudus.Between my son and I we killed 7 deer with them and not a single one went past 50 yards and all were still usuable with a quick touch-up.

Mechs work just fine This deer made it all of about 30 yards........the advantage would be forgiveness to form flaws in the moment of the shot and cut width/wound channel which is what makes the deer expire faster. Hemorrhagic shock kills deer not just penetration alone. it is your opinion that deer react more and run farther, but that doesn't make it true. I would rather have a 2" hole on a gut shot deer vs. a 1-1/8" two blade cut, look up the study at the Maryland Military base were Mechanicals had a higher recovery rate vs fixed blade heads.

All that being said, both kill so use what you want!!

 

[Cjb00]

I ran the bloodsport gravedigger with chisel tip 100gr. No issues tuning. Almost shot like my field points. Paper tuned the arrows prior to broadhead tuning.

I tried the Grim Reaper Hybrids and when tuning noticed they would shoot 6-8" to the left at 40ish yards. I'm still learning and wasn't sure how to entirely tune from there. The magnitude of that discrepancy pushed me to the Bloodsports.

 

[Kybourbon2024]

Sevr's. They have a 2" cut option and are tough as nails. Killed 2 bull elk, several mule deer and an antelope with them. Never even had a chipped blade. I love them. Made of titanium. Good heads!

I was looking at either the sevr or mega meats! Might have settled it

 

[Johnboy60]

Nuf said.

 

[Bisch]

I'll be sticking with my 100gr QAD Exodus broadheads again this year. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!!!

Bisch

 

[Gatorgar247]

I hunt more in the spring and summer than i do during deer season.. I like both fixed and mechanical heads.. I just bought a pack of the evaloution outdoors fury to try.. I like the idea of the hybrid heads.. Imo it's hard to beat the grim reaper 1 3/8 for mechanical or the qad exodus for fixed. But i have plenty of test subjects to try heads on ..

 

[roosiebull]

for one reason or another, broadheads have never been something that I have tinkered with. I'd always just found something that worked and was affordable, then I would stick with that until something changed

I was a hardcore Muzzy guy for years, starting out with the original 3 blades after some less than stellar results with Satellites.

For the top paragraph, it’s called being practical, don’t question that, it’s a good thing

I was also a standard 100gr muzzy guy too, after having less than stellar results with satellites too, which is funny. I don’t know what your problem was with satellites, but I saw them shed blades more often than not, muzzy had a great retention system and were cheap and available everywhere… they were always one and done, but I don’t care, never had one cause drama, but they got a little mangled

I am aware that finding a good broadhead and sticking with it just gaining confidence in them is the best path, but for some reason I grew out of logic in that regard, I like messing with broadheads.

I do have a goal of getting back to common sense broadhead selection, and I’m ok narrowing it down to 2… I used to not change anything, even bows… same ol trusty combo that always worked

I blame my wife, as soon as I decided to settle down for good, I have been changing everything else😂 pickups, bows, arrows, broadheads… it’s like I can only keep one thing the same, if that’s true, I certainly picked the right thing to be a constant

 

[Mike.Rotch]

Probably over 90% of my last 50 deer have come with some type of Rage. So, out of sheer boredom of using the same thing, i’ll be trying Beast heads. They seem like they could be the best broadheads ever produced for people shooting adult bows; so i need to try them.

 

[roosiebull]

Probably over 90% of my last 50 deer have come with some type of Rage. So, out of sheer boredom of using the same thing, i’ll be trying Beast heads. They seem like they could be the best broadheads ever produced for people shooting adult bows; so i need to try them.

They are an interesting option, but not without drawbacks
1-the owner is the most cringey person in the hunting industry

2-you can’t replace the blades

3-they are expensive one and done heads (you might get more out of them, but once they are beat up, they are worth nothing)

I do like how they function, they are a very cool design. I have been wanting to try them, and then on Election Day I saw the limited edition Trump version and couldn’t resist (I was feeling patriotic that day 😂) so I do have a pack showing up at some point, and I don’t see keeping them as collectible until they are wrecked, so I’m guessing i will have one in the quiver

 

[Mossy-Back]

I ran the bloodsport gravedigger with chisel tip 100gr. No issues tuning. Almost shot like my field points. Paper tuned the arrows prior to broadhead tuning.

I tried the Grim Reaper Hybrids and when tuning noticed they would shoot 6-8" to the left at 40ish yards. I'm still learning and wasn't sure how to entirely tune from there. The magnitude of that discrepancy pushed me to the Bloodsports.

I also had trouble getting the Grim Reaper Hybrids to fly well. I don't know why because the Pro 1-3/8 and Micro Hades 4 blades both fly great for me.

 

[deadquiet]

I think many bowhunters have a disconnect with broad heads.....even seasoned bowhunters. They don't really match the broad heads to their setup. They might watch a TV ad, watch a test or 3, look at a dead animal pic here, a blood trail pic there but they don't "match" the head to their spec's.

For example a 2 blade TOTA might be great for larger game or lower energy setups to gain penetration they need but why would a guy hunting deer with a 30 inch DL, 70 pounds and a 450 grain arrow use a head like that? When a 3 or 4 blade COC will give them more cutting surface area and they have more than enough energy to push a head like that right through?

Same with the mechanical vs fixed debate. I use both. If I'm hunting deer I have enough energy for a head like the Swhacker 261 so I like the forgiveness and the wide cut on thin skinned game. So why not use it? But when I go to trophy hogs or elk then that same head is a poor choice for me with the SAME setup.

So rather than just pick one head and live with it why not think about the end results, your specs and then pick the best choice for the game you are hunting? Be knowledgeable and flexible and don't paint yourself into a corner.

 

[squid77]

I found my broadhead of choice(rocket steelhead) 25+ years ago. Found a great deal and purchased 10 more packs of 3 and a half dozen replacement blade packs. Hopefully I'm set for life....

 

[Mathias]

Sevr 1.5 Hybrid. I only put 1 to use this past season but it performed just as well, and possibly better than the regular 1.5's which I have a number of kills with.

 

[smokin x's]

For the top paragraph, it’s called being practical, don’t question that, it’s a good thing

I was also a standard 100gr muzzy guy too, after having less than stellar results with satellites too, which is funny. I don’t know what your problem was with satellites, but I saw them shed blades more often than not, muzzy had a great retention system and were cheap and available everywhere… they were always one and done, but I don’t care, never had one cause drama, but they got a little mangled

I am aware that finding a good broadhead and sticking with it just gaining confidence in them is the best path, but for some reason I grew out of logic in that regard, I like messing with broadheads.

I do have a goal of getting back to common sense broadhead selection, and I’m ok narrowing it down to 2… I used to not change anything, even bows… same ol trusty combo that always worked

I blame my wife, as soon as I decided to settle down for good, I have been changing everything else😂 pickups, bows, arrows, broadheads… it’s like I can only keep one thing the same, if that’s true, I certainly picked the right thing to be a constant

I only question it because arrows and broadheads and my hunting bow are about the only thing I don’t like tinkering with. Absolutely everything else is fair game. I don’t know why, I just don’t get the urge to really mess with those things if they’re working. The bow is kind of on the line, I’ve got to have a lot of time behind it before I take it in the woods but I will tinker with it from season to season.

😂 I was having the same exact issues with Satellites, losing blades, and switched to Muzzy for the exact reasons you mentioned.

 

[Alaska at heart]

Agreed. Once I get a bow set up, I don't fiddle with it just to see what might transpire. I really enjoy just grabbing my primary shooter off the rack and knowing it is going to be accurate and consistent, as long as the operator is doing their part. Mostly the same with arrows, fletching, etc.....once they are 'dialed in', I tend to leave them alone. But BH's are an odd thing for many bowhunters.....even if the ones tested and hunted with last season performed well, there is something out there that is interesting....compelling....maybe I should look into that....

 

[Super 91]

Agreed. Once I get a bow set up, I don't fiddle with it just to see what might transpire. I really enjoy just grabbing my primary shooter off the rack and knowing it is going to be accurate and consistent, as long as the operator is doing their part. Mostly the same with arrows, fletching, etc.....once they are 'dialed in', I tend to leave them alone. But BH's are an odd thing for many bowhunters.....even if the ones tested and hunted with last season performed well, there is something out there that is interesting....compelling....maybe I should look into that....

Tell me about it. I have a literal wall of broadheads. I put pegboard in my home shop and have it covered with broadheads of all kinds, not to mention my field storage boxes full as well. Broadheads are always evolving and there is something that peaks our interest every year it seems. Funny thing is, most every one I have and have tried worked just fine, but I normally only buy something that has what I consider to be decent integrity. I guess it is just fun to screw on a new head and see how it performs in the field. Some heads (like the annihilator) surprised me. I bought a pack of those when they first came out, shot they out to 80 yards and really liked how well they tuned and flew, but had serious doubts as to whether they would really put a decent hole in a deer, but after a couple of deer down, I was really surprised at how big of a hole they made for such a small head. Stuff like that is fun for me.

I have over the years, found that I gravitate to fixed heads 99% of the time. In my experience, when a deer hears the loud whack of a mechanical deploying as it enters them, they react more violently and seem to run further than a fixed head in general. Still kills them just as dead of course, but I've shot deer with fixed heads and they actually jump at the arrow hitting the ground on the far side of them and not the arrow hitting/passing through them. I've had them go back to feeding, all the time watching the blood pour down their side until they pass out right where they stand. When that happens, I think it is the coolest thing ever. Doesn't happen all the time, but it does on occasion and happened this year for me which was pretty neat. I do work to try to make my bow as mouse fart quiet as I can too which I think is also key.

 

[NJScotty8]

I was planning on going with the T2 or Trypan this year but walked out of Wal Mart today with two packs of MegaMeats for $48 total. $24 a pack is a great clearance price.

And I thought I got a deal at Great American Show for $44 pack. Well done sir.

 

[Shelby]

With most archery season over and many in the contemplative mode of the early off-season, what are your thoughts about BH? Were you satisified with the ones you hunted with last fall? (If not, what went wrong?) Are you relisting them in the AT classifieds to look for something else this coming season? Are you hoping the 'holy grail' of BH's is being designed for '25 so you can get a leg up?

Just curious as so many BH threads originate from a recent Lusk test or retest of a previous design. Does that factor into your decision-making? Do you feel that the cost of the head (IE Bishop or IW) determines the actual quality and function in the woods under real world hunting conditions?

The last thing I would base my decision on is a bias Lusk test that shoots in to bricks and steel. I kill deer and the most important thing in killing deer is:
1. Patience
2. shot selection
3. practice

 

[dougell]

Mechs work just fine This deer made it all of about 30 yards........the advantage would be forgiveness to form flaws in the moment of the shot and cut width/wound channel which is what makes the deer expire faster. Hemorrhagic shock kills deer not just penetration alone. it is your opinion that deer react more and run farther, but that doesn't make it true. I would rather have a 2" hole on a gut shot deer vs. a 1-1/8" two blade cut, look up the study at the Maryland Military base were Mechanicals had a higher recovery rate vs fixed blade heads.

All that being said, both kill so use what you want!!


View attachment 8257536

Of course they kill and I've killed dozens with them.They still offer no practical advantage.Hiding flaws in form only makes the issue worse.Fix the flaws.That study that you mention,wasn't a study.It was just a guy who compliled statistics and it wasn't very scientific.For over 10 years I also copiled statistics for a controlled hunt that I was involved in.The difference is,I got to participate and kill dozens of deer and also was on several hundred blood trails.We recovered every single gut shot deer as long as the hunter backed out and never bumped the deer.If they bumped it once,the recovery rate in usable condition was close to zero.Most guys used big mechanicals and most used crossbows.There were just as many deer still alive the next morning to some degree that were shot with huge mechanicals.They also on average,ran further before laying down.I've killed a bunch with mechanicals and everyone took off like it was hit with a cattle prod.There were some very short sprints but most on average still went further than those shot with a small fixed head,especially a two blade.