Broadheads- Mech. VS Fixed

[kstrick]

I shoot 125gr Hellrazors too. They shoot like my field points and I have confidence that they will go where I point them. I like to keep it simple. Just my .02.

[squirrelduster]

Funny this post should get resurrected now after a few months.

A buddy got drawn for a really good elk tag and hunted the area hard. The last morning of the hunt he had an opportunity at a 350+ bull. There are quite a few in this area so going in he had high standards. He is a good shot and has taken 6 other elk with his bow. He has good equipment, Bowtech Destroyer set at 70Lbs and is a good shot. He shot the bull at 23 yards and his broadhead stuck in the shoulder blade or leg bone. He's not sure which but tracked the bull for several miles. The bull did not bleed much and he found the majority of the arrow. The bull started chasing cows again after about an hour so he was not hurt bad.
Broadhead performance to blame?
He was shooting a short broadhead with an extremely steep blade angle. His penetration was around 3 inches. The arrow hit so hard it shattered on impact.
So if he had been shooting a cut on contact blade like the Wac em, the G5 striker, Montoc, or some other reasonable angled blade would it have penetrated?
How about a mechanical? Could it stand up to the impact and shatter the leg bone and penetrate into the chest cavity?
Not trying to stir the pot but in my opinion most any broadhead will work for deer, pigs, turkeys or whatever else you want to shoot but elk or moose. They are a different ball game. They are huge animals with big bones and take a lot of killing. This is not the first story of an elk being wounded by a bow hunter and will not be the last. For them shoot a tough broadhead with a reasonable blade angle that will slice as it goes in rather than try to push a hole.
What do you all think?

[WV Sendero]

Originally Posted by kstrick

I shoot 125gr Hellrazors too. They shoot like my field points and I have confidence that they will go where I point them. I like to keep it simple. Just my .02.

I actually switched back to the Hammerheads because of the cutting diameter and they seemed to have a much better blood trail. I liked the Hellrazors though. I had a complete pass through on a black bear last year with the razors and it stuck several inches in the dirt. The head looked like it had never been shot. The bear quickly died within sight but there was virtually no blood trail. Have you had any problems with blood trails?

[kstrick]

No problem with blood trails at all. But, I have only shot deer. Two I watched crash and the other went about 100 yards. I have never shot a bear so I can't comment on that one. No matter fixed or mechanical, shot placement is the most important thing.

[bigngreen]

Originally Posted by squirrelduster

Funny this post should get resurrected now after a few months.

A buddy got drawn for a really good elk tag and hunted the area hard. The last morning of the hunt he had an opportunity at a 350+ bull. There are quite a few in this area so going in he had high standards. He is a good shot and has taken 6 other elk with his bow. He has good equipment, Bowtech Destroyer set at 70Lbs and is a good shot. He shot the bull at 23 yards and his broadhead stuck in the shoulder blade or leg bone. He's not sure which but tracked the bull for several miles. The bull did not bleed much and he found the majority of the arrow. The bull started chasing cows again after about an hour so he was not hurt bad.
Broadhead performance to blame?
He was shooting a short broadhead with an extremely steep blade angle. His penetration was around 3 inches. The arrow hit so hard it shattered on impact.
So if he had been shooting a cut on contact blade like the Wac em, the G5 striker, Montoc, or some other reasonable angled blade would it have penetrated?
How about a mechanical? Could it stand up to the impact and shatter the leg bone and penetrate into the chest cavity?
Not trying to stir the pot but in my opinion most any broadhead will work for deer, pigs, turkeys or whatever else you want to shoot but elk or moose. They are a different ball game. They are huge animals with big bones and take a lot of killing. This is not the first story of an elk being wounded by a bow hunter and will not be the last. For them shoot a tough broadhead with a reasonable blade angle that will slice as it goes in rather than try to push a hole.
What do you all think?

If you shoot an elk in the shoulder or leg bone with anything, only luck or angels will get that broad head through.

[WV Sendero]

Originally Posted by kstrick

No problem with blood trails at all. But, I have only shot deer. Two I watched crash and the other went about 100 yards. I have never shot a bear so I can't comment on that one. No matter fixed or mechanical, shot placement is the most important thing.

I think the extra fat and fur the bear had may have hurt the blood trail compared to what a deer would have had. I may have be ahead to stick a deer with them before I lost confidence in the blood trail.. Like I said, I am shooting the Hammerheads but if I go back to fixed it will be the Hellrazors again.

[squirrelduster]

I've never had a bear leave much of a blood trail. Usually a spot here and there but I don't shoot mechanicals so that may be why.