[45er]

At the end of the 2014 bow season I decided to try Swhackers on the suggestion of two good friends who had had good success with them. I had been using Muzzy and Slick Tricks with "OK" success up until then.

I have now shot the last 8 straight deer with these broadheads. The good news - I haven't lost one yet. The bad news - I've had only two pass-throughs and I've yet to have what I'd consider a really good blood trail. Two of the bucks were very luck finds and one would have not been recovered without a dog. So far this year I spined one buck that dropped in its tracks and the other two deer went less than 75 yards but little to no blood.

I've got a bunch of these broadheads and the company has offered very good customer service. I like to be loyal to such companies but I fear the day is coming when I punch one right in the boiler room and lose it because of no blood.

Has anyone out there had similar experiences with these heads?

 

[DJO]

Yes - I have had similar experience. I love the accuracy, I shoot the practice heads mixed with my field points out to 60 yards and they fly perfectly.

I have shot and recovered 2 bucks and a doe with them but none of the blood trails were impressive. The doe went 30 yards and dropped, very easy to recover, both bucks went awhile and were tough to track. I'm thinking of switching back to Slick Tricks fixed blades.

 

[Huntinsker]

You mean that a broadhead that leaves very small entrance wounds, that sheds a ton of energy while opening inside the ribs, sometimes having to push them out of the way to open, and then not always getting a pass through isn't leaving good blood trails? Weird.

I've always thought the design of those heads was a bad idea. At least a rear deploy or an over the top expandable would leave you an entrance wound big enough to bleed out of. With the way the Shwackers are designed, if you don't get a low body exit, you're going to get very little blood trail, no matter what Hank Williams or their neat plywood videos tell you.

 

[TimberWolf79]

Same here I shot a doe with the compound and got very little blood she only went 40 yards. However my son shot a doe with crossbow using them and got a low exit and there was a ton of blood. So I have the same relationship with them also.

 

[River420Bottom]

You mean that a broadhead that leaves very small entrance wounds, that sheds a ton of energy while opening inside the ribs, sometimes having to push them out of the way to open, and then not always getting a pass through isn't leaving good blood trails? Weird.

I've always thought the design of those heads was a bad idea. At least a rear deploy or an over the top expandable would leave you an entrance wound big enough to bleed out of. With the way the Shwackers are designed, if you don't get a low body exit, you're going to get very little blood trail, no matter what Hank Williams or their neat plywood videos tell you.

Exactly, one of the most pathetically designed mechanicals on the market today, with the most "gimmick" kind of name, made out of junk materials, and people still shoot them..

 

[madman350]

it looks like your own field testing answered your own questions. thanks for the review, they dont sound very impressive.

 

[deadquiet]

You mean that a broadhead that leaves very small entrance wounds, that sheds a ton of energy while opening inside the ribs, sometimes having to push them out of the way to open, and then not always getting a pass through isn't leaving good blood trails? Weird.

+1 I say this a lot but it never hurts to repeat it. What works fro your "buddy" and what works for you might not always be the same. Broad heads are not created equal and if you understand the design they offer different advantages & disadvantages.......so if you shoot 27 inch draw/375 grain arrows/58 pounds/305 FPS rated bow a Swhacker is NOT going to act the same for you as your buddies 30 inch draw/430 grain/70 pound/ 340 IBO bow setup.......that's a world of difference.......yet the broad head is the same.

Expecting the same results is unrealistic.....that why I always chime in when people say, XXX is a great head or a bad head........well they probably expect you to be able to somewhat match it to your setup..........and understand if it's the right head for "you".

Here's an analogy XXX is the best tire out there. So XXX will work on my Vette and my 3/4 4X4 truck the same? Of course not....the devil is in the details.

 

[nightvision]

You know what you need to do just do it.

 

[IClark]

You know what you need to do just do it.

Yeah switch to rage!

 

[nightvision]

Yeah switch to rage!

Not what I was thinking but funny anyway. Good one!

 

[ol' sheepherder]

A few years ago I shot an average 4x4 muley with a swhacker. He was too far away and I shouldn't have even taken the shot (I've learned my lesson on taking those long shots), but I did anyway. I was too far back and waaay too low. Barely grazed the bottom of his belly but it zipped him open and made his guts fall out. I got lucky and he only ran a short distance and fell down and was dead by the time I found him. It was pretty strange. I wish I wouldn't

 

[young blood]

You mean that a broadhead that leaves very small entrance wounds, that sheds a ton of energy while opening inside the ribs, sometimes having to push them out of the way to open, and then not always getting a pass through isn't leaving good blood trails? Weird.

I've always thought the design of those heads was a bad idea. At least a rear deploy or an over the top expandable would leave you an entrance wound big enough to bleed out of. With the way the Shwackers are designed, if you don't get a low body exit, you're going to get very little blood trail, no matter what Hank Williams or their neat plywood videos tell you.

Yeah listen to this guy who told you not to listen to Hank “Williams.” My hunting partner and I have killed multiple mule deer, elk, javelina, antelope and bears with them with some great blood trails and short recoveries. It’s shot placement that is the biggest determining factor in blood trail. Most people that bash this head have never shot them or made poor shots with them and blamed the head. Shoot them with confidence. They’re devastating.

 

[KRONIIK]

How can a country boy survive if he can't listen to Hank Williams once in while?





Yeah, I know Hank Junior recorded that song, but I couldn't resist...

 

[Huntinsker]

Yeah listen to this guy who told you not to listen to Hank “Williams.” My hunting partner and I have killed multiple mule deer, elk, javelina, antelope and bears with them with some great blood trails and short recoveries. It’s shot placement that is the biggest determining factor in blood trail. Most people that bash this head have never shot them or made poor shots with them and blamed the head. Shoot them with confidence. They’re devastating.

Haha I didn't even notice that. Listen to Hank Williams.....Not Hank Parker!

 

[IClark]

I for one will not take a chance on a head that leaves a 1 inch if that entry hole and a possibility of not getting a pass through for the 2 inch cut. Thats why I prefer rage. Big cut going in even if I don't have an exit. I actually shot my best buck to date though with a magnus buzzcut serazor. Good decision on my part love that head.

 

[Brut]

Killed a bull elk with one complete pass thru hart shot, no blood at all. Luckily seen the bull fall.

 

[deadquiet]

Yeah listen to this guy who told you not to listen to Hank “Williams.” My hunting partner and I have killed multiple mule deer, elk, javelina, antelope and bears with them with some great blood trails and short recoveries. It’s shot placement that is the biggest determining factor in blood trail. Most people that bash this head have never shot them or made poor shots with them and blamed the head. Shoot them with confidence. They’re devastating.

So once again......a generalization with no facts......thanks for nothing........lol.

 

[kyduck]

These conversations always intrigue me. Someone has a bad, or not so ideal shot on an animal with a particular head and then post why they hate it. If the entry hole was small, or no blood, or whatever and the animal was found then this wouldn't even be a conversation. They all have the potential to kill an animal if the correct shot placement is done. Honestly for the vast majority of broadhead topics it's the shooter, not the head.

 

[mosh22]

Lost a doe with em, no blood from a buck I did recover, no pass through. In the can they went for me. I only shoot fixed blades now

 

[leterflyagain]

Shot 2 small doe. Both pass thrus. One was far back liver one was double lung. Recovered both. Blood trail sucked for both. Entrance and exit holes for both were tiny. The double lung deer ran 150+ yds and only found her by chance. I don't think blades deployed until they buried in the dirt.
My son shot a 1 1/2 yr old buck double lung and had a short massive blood trail with a nice exit hole. He's shooting 60 I shoot 70lbs.
My theory is that the faster setup on thinner skinned animal isn't ideal for getting deployment in those heads. Zip thru before deploying. Just my guess tho