Opinions on Broadheads?

[Nighttimer]

Due to some recent bad luck my hunting partner has had with a lack of blood trials, he has been looking at switching broadheads. It's got me thinking now too. We both shoot Muzzy 100s but have been looking to switch to a Shockwave or Spitfire. I like having the confidence a Muzzy can blow through a shoulder but I've heard the Shockwave and Spitfires really open a deer up. I've heard they make a gut shot deer much easier to find. What do you guys think? If I knew I'd make a perfect shot everytime...I'd stick with the Muzzy. But unfortunately that doesn't always happen.

[AFhunter]

Personaly I love both the muzzy and spitfire. I used to use nothing but Muzzy 100's but switched to the spitfire's. One is because one the damage they do and two they are much easier to tune than the muzzy's. I shot a six point several years back with a spitfire and when I looked at the exit wound it looked like one from my shotgun. Either way it's all on shot placement. Happy huntin

[dongiese]

I use Vortexs mechs.. and have never tracked a deer over 40yds!!!!!!!!

[Chris@hydeboats.com]

I switched from Thunderhead 100's to the spitfires mid season this year. The reason being I was having some trouble tuning the fixed blades and just didn't have the time to tinker around with them. The spitfires fly true to the field points and leave a nice hole. I didn't like the performance on quartering shots. Both of the deer I shot this year were very slightly quartering towards me and both times the mechanical would catch bone and stop the arrow from passing through. Both deer were found with the arrow still in and broken in half with blades missing from the broadhead. Neither deer went very far and the blood trail was good, but I would have prefered the pass through that I would have achieved with a tuned thunderhead. Both shots were at close range and caught lungs.

[fulldraw]

In years past I have used a two blade broad head i.e. Magnus. Last year I switched to Slick Because of the lack of blood trail the two blade gave off. This past weekend I got chance to see personally what slick tricks due. This blade went through the left side tight behind the shoulder and went through the opposite side and empeld it self into the far shoulder all most going through bothside of the deer and a shoulder blade. When I got out of the deer it is ready to go again nothing wrong with it and since the deer dropped dead after a 60 yrd run there was no problem tracking exspecially without a right shoulder.

fulldraw

[Joe Archer]

Due to some recent bad luck my hunting partner has had with a lack of blood trials, he has been looking at switching broadheads. It's got me thinking now too. We both shoot Muzzy 100s but have been looking to switch to a Shockwave or Spitfire. I like having the confidence a Muzzy can blow through a shoulder but I've heard the Shockwave and Spitfires really open a deer up. I've heard they make a gut shot deer much easier to find. What do you guys think? If I knew I'd make a perfect shot everytime...I'd stick with the Muzzy. But unfortunately that doesn't always happen.

How many pounds are you shooting and what kind of arrow? If you are shooting high enough poundage with Muzzy broadheads, and taking broadside or slight quartering shots; I can't imagine a poor blood trail. I shoot Thunderhead 125's and have never seen a double lunger produce a bad blood trail. Are you sure about your shot selection? <----<<<

[tcmindy]

I use the 2 blade with 2 bleeder Magnus Stinger 100gr. I have a low poundage bow (50lbs) and need the cut on impact type broadhead. Have tried the Satellite titans, but I never had any luck with them. Was probably just me.
Mindy

[MarshEO1973]

I shoot Muzzy 125gr 3 blade. I shoot 80lbs and have never lost a deer with these heads. Trailing is a breeze they open em' up real good. And you have no worrys when it comes to a shoulder, thats "my shot".

[Fred Bear]

I dont think they make a better broadhead than the montec g5 :corkysm55

[explodingvarmints]

rocky mountain snipers. they made a great impression on me for sure. two doe's this season..... one acted as if it was never hit... ran 40 yards stopped looked around and then fell over. and number two went in the corn field leaveing such a blood trail that i lost it's travel route 3 or 4 times because i could not tell which row it was in:yikes: . i am currently waiting for a chance to demo the snyper xp3's which i assume will be just as deadly.

[Nighttimer]

Joe Archer,

As I stated before, my buddy is the one having the problem and he got me thinking. His shot selection is very good and he doesn't shoot over 30 yards. He pulls 70 lbs and I pull 65 lbs. We both use carbon arrows. Here's the two situations that has him wanting to switch. First one, his arrow deflected off a limb and hit the guts. There wasn't much of a blood trail at all. His father claims if he was using a spitfire, there would have been a nice trail right to wear he laid down. Second one, 20 yards on the ground slightly quartering away. Arrow went in right behind the right shoulder and stopped on the left shoulder without passing through. The arrow stayed in and kept the deer from bledding. We found the second buck only because it didn't run far and we knew it would head for the swamp. Didn't find any blood and there was only a trickle coming out of the hole by the arrow.

[Trout King]

SST's I only shoot about 57 lbs, and use carbon arrows. I was leary of the setup due to hearing the bad penetration of combination of mechanicals, and carbon. I also don't pull a ton, but the buck I shot I had great penetration, and an awesome blood trail. The buck was spraying blood 8 ft. off the trail he was running. I was very inmpressed with this head, but like I said only shot one deer. As far as heads I don't know that it matters much what you use as long as you make a good hit you should have enough blood to find the deer.

[QuakrTrakr]

Crimson Talons. Incredible blood trails! Arrows completley covered in blood!!

[Sapper307]

It is really funny to see this subject after the weekend I just had in Kansas bowhunting. For the last 12 years I have used a muzzy 100 grain 3 blade broadhead. This year on the advise of my brother in-law I switched to a 100 grain NAP Shockwave. In late September I shot a doe at 20 yards broadside, she went a total of 45 yards after the shot and left a blood trail that Stevie Wonder could have followed.:) So neeedlees to say I was impressed with this broad head. This weekend I spent 4 days Bow hunting in south east Kansas, and let me tell you this place is truly the BIG BUCK mecca of the world. In three full days of hunting I saw 27 bucks that would have easly scored over 140. The rut was on the upswing with bucks chasing does all day long. On saturday morning I had an encounter with the biggest 12 point I had ever seen.:) He appeared like a ghost and was standing smelling my scent bomb at 25 yards. I placed a beman hawk 400 with a 100 grain shockwave right behind the shoulder, with a clean pass thru. I waited 1 hour before getting down from my stand. Upon getting to where he was standing I found a huge blood pile along with my arrow covered from tip to nock in blood. My friend and I followed the blood trail that at times look like a slaughter house floor. The blood trail went for at least 200 yards with so much blood that you didn't really have to look for it, the bam no more blood. We searched the entire area for 500 yards in each direction and could not find any more blood. How can a deer bleed that much for that long and not be found? I would normally chalk this one up to bad luck, but the same thing happened to me on monday morning. This time I shot a real nice 8 point, not as big as the 12 but never the less a great buck. 17 yard shot slightly quarting away. The arrow burried itself up to the lumanoc, and looked like it exited right below the front left shoulder. I didnt get a pass thru this time. I waited 2 hours before taking up the trail, but once again the trail was great for the first 75 yards then it trickled to a drop here and there to notthing. I didnt recover either deer and that pains me to the bone. I just cant believe that it could happen to be once much less twice in the same weekend. I belive in my heart that both shots where on the money. I will be going to the archery shop tonight to buy some new muzzy broad heads, I never lost a deer before shooting them and I should have never changed. Its not like you see a Booner every year, and I belive these broadheads costed me my only chance to get one. If any body would like to comment on what you think might have happend I would appericate it.

For the record I shoot a Hoyt Dynatec set at 64 pounds with a 29 inch draw. My arrows are 27 inchs long and are 400's.

[Joe Archer]

Nighttimer,

It is a tough call. A mechanical deflecting off of a branch has a very good chance at failing. The scenario of hitting behind the near shoulder and imbedding in the far shoulder without an exit hole can be a tough recovery no matter what type of broadhead. If the muzzy didn't give an exit wound, it is doubtful that the Spitfire would have either. To me the bottom line would be to aim to exit behind the far shoulder and take high percentage shots. If you do this, either broadhead will do the trick. The deciding factor in my mind is flight. If you can tune your arrow and get good flight with the Muzzy, I believe you are better off with the fixed blade. If you have wind planing and poor flight because of speed, go with the Spitfire.
<----<<<

[Joe Archer]

...If any body would like to comment on what you think might have happend I would appericate it.

For the record I shoot a Hoyt Dynatec set at 64 pounds with a 29 inch draw. My arrows are 27 inchs long and are 400's.

My guess is quartering away, one lung hits! These are the toughest animals to wait on. From experience, I know the blood trail you described, and I also know how it feels to start tracking a one-lung hit too soon. Once they are pushed these deer are more difficult to reecover than a gut-shot deer.
<----<<<

[ghsthntr]

for the last 4 yrs i have been shooting muzzy 75 grain 3 bld heads and every deer ive hit with these things never went more than 50 yrds,when i set up my nova with the bodoodle and the carbon arrows these where the heads that the pro shop recommended. i wasnt all that excited about going from my 130 gr muzzies but after 4 yrs and close to 20 deer later i cant complain. the 2 most memorable deer killed with these was a buck 6 point that walked right under my stand and when i shot hit it was a straight down shot it went thru his spine and nicked both lungs and took off the tip of his heart. and it was a pass thru im shooting 70 lbs then the next was a doe it was last season opening day she was walking right in and when she was at 25 yrds and behind a tree i came to full draw as i figured she would come around the tree and go to the corn which would of given me a broadside shot, instead she walked around the tree and came right at the tree i was in and at 15 yrds stopped in her tracks and looked right up at me, well i got lucky another doe came in and this one turned her head to look and i released it was a front chest shot entered right at the top of her white patch and exited right in front of her right leg she turned and started to run but then she stoopped at about the 30yrd mark and she stood there for a minute and then just fell over.. but after she fell i then noticed a small fawn and i mean small it kept calling her and when she didnt answer the fawn went over and kept nudgeing her after 10 minutes it just went into the woods but i could still hear it crying man that is one god awful sound they make and i never want to hear it again,

[Nighttimer]

Thanks for the all the feedback guys. My buddy has decided to switch to the spitfires and I'm going to stay with the Muzzys. They haven't failed me yet so I might as well stick with them. The propery I hunt has a couple 130-140 class bucks. I'd hate to switch now and blow my chance. One weekend left...

[TnRidge]

I have confidence in Muzzys . Shot selection is the key to a short bloodtrail .;) Don't expect any broadhead to give a great bloodtrail with a poor hit .

[halstead4448]

Does it really matter what type of broadhead you use? I mean it does to an extent, but a good shot placement should take care of itself. Granted I’m a firm believer of muzzy's. Saying that, this year I shot a nice spike, 4 ft from my tree. The CX 300 with a 100 3-Blade Muzzy pasted through the left shoulder blade, left lung and heart. My arrow magically disappeared, never to be seen again. (Don't know what happened to it, and we couldn't find it. Even in the daylight.) God's honest truth, not a DROP of BLOOD. I had four different people help my look for blood. Regardless, we found the deer 40-50 yds away. I can't explain why there's no blood. The arrow exited right under the right leg. Question to ponder. With a good shot placement, does the broadhead matter? Would have a splitfire, or snyper made a difference in the blood trail. We'll never know, but all i know is that, as long as i make a good shot, with a sharp broadhead. The rest will be history.

[00buckshot]

i personal use delta snuffers always had good luck with them. my son loves spitfires, so i would use what shoots and works for you:)

[MathewsPimp]

I had G5 montects for a while but I never had good blood! i looked into thunderheads and i had the biggest blood trail this year that I ever seen. I picked up some 125's. I really feel good about me decision!

[heartstopper]

I was suprised not to hear anything about G5 Teken. I use to shoot Muzzy 125's and was getting poor arrow flight so I switched to the Teken head and it solved all of my flight problems. Nothing can make up for a poor of misplaced shot but I have had nothing bad to say about these broadheads. I've used these heads on black bear and whitetail deer with devistating results. The Teken use less energy to open and has a large chisle point and in my opion it wont twist around with quartering toward or away from shots.:D

[bucketmouthhauler]

Do yourself a favor and shoot gator xp's...........devastating

[bnovy]

Crimson Talons. Incredible blood trails! Arrows completley covered in blood!!
I would have to agree with this guy.. I shot my first buck this year with my bow. It absolutly killed the heart. Myu broher could put his finger right through the heart. The deer went no more than 20 yards. And if i had to track him... There was a blood super highway. Blood all over the arrow. I ahve never seen such a hole in the deer either.... I will post pics later.

[Bighunter4x4]

Well first and foremost you have to have confidence in your setup. Personally I use the grim reapers. I have used these on African game last spring and everything I shot died over there. I have some pretty good shots of exit wounds. I shoot these with the blades open so I have a full cut going in and hopefully out. All the whitetail I have ever shot with these has not ran over 50 yds african games likes to run farther. :lol: Also remember that when you shoot mechanicals you have to avoid the shoulder and I also try to make a low exit to get a great blood trail. I did see a picture of the gator xp's and they are awesome. WOW what a hole. Just keep in mind you can get too close to the shoulder with these as well. Good luck with which ever you choose.;)

[mqxlt]

I dont think they make a better broadhead than the montec g5 :corkysm55
I agree 100%!! Very solid! :)

[LXHunter]

No matter what broadhead you shoot, mechanical or fixed, they're not going to make up for a poorly placed shot. I'm not preaching here but, if you don't place your broadhead in the breadbasket you're more than likely in for a long tracking job and if you're lucky you'll find the deer. I have had my share of poorly hit deer (four in 17 years of bowhunting) but it'll happen. After replaying each of those shots in mind, I couldn't blame the broadhead. Each of the deer that went unrecovered was poorly hit. I beat myself up after every one. I've learned from those mistakes and now I concentrate more and I'm more patient about taking the shot. With regard to your question, I've shot both fixed blade and mechanical (i.e., spitfires, rockets, and tekkans) broadheads, and personally I prefer the mechanical broadheads because I feel more confident when taking the shot. And as you all know, there is nothing more important than confidence when your in a stand preparing to take the shot of a life time. So for my two cents, shoot whichever gives you more confidence. With regard to spitfire broadheads, they do make both a huge entry and exit hole. I shot an eleven point with one back in 2001, and upon seeing pictures of the buck, most everyone remarked that it looked like it had been shot with a shotgun. I didn't care for the rockets. The tekkans have been pretty good to me. However, this year I arrowed a six point and had a complete pass through taking both lungs out with the arrow sticking in the ground. I knew he was dead because I could here him go down. However, there wasn't much of a blood trail to follow and this really surprised me. Since it was late morning it was fairly easy to find him, and I recovered him within five minutes. So go figure sometimes these things just happen.

[victor mi pro bowhunter]

I like the wasp they are for the most part the same as muzzys thou

[Fred Bear]

no doubt shot placement is the key. a field tip could kill any buck living. But it is what the broadhead does once it hits the animal. A mechanical will never find it's way into my quiver again. I shot them, swore by them, killed several deer with them, had awesome blood trails with them. Until one day a wall hanger 8 came in to my set up.... I drew on him with all the confidence in the world. He had his head turned away from me and was quartering away with his left front leg forward about 16 yards away from my stand that was 16 feet up and there was zero brush between me and him. I had him dead to rights. I released and to my disbelief the arrow only went in 4 inches or so. I know what you're thinking shoulder shot, but nope. I hit him right in the 10x ring. I saw it hit him. The arrow slapped him in the back and he jumped like a heart shot. Arrow broke off and went flying in the air almost as high as I was. He took off in the same direction he was facing. My heart sank!
I waited and hour and got down and looked at my arrow. It was busted off right where I thought. I followed blood and it got into a near by corn field. Then I lost blood. I looked for that deer for over 8 hours. I used my GPS and covered that entire corn field. I used a dog. I never did find that buck. A couple of days latter the farmer began picking the field, I stopped him and asked if he came across any dead deer. He had not. about a week and a half latter I saw the buck from the same stand. Way off (100 - 150 yards) doing just fine.
I think what happened was the broad head caught a rib just right an ceased penetration, slapping the arrow side ways. I never got into the vitals. I shoot a Matthew’s Legacy @ 70 lb. tuned by myself to the max. I was a muzzy fan until this bow. I never could get them to fly straight at 280 fps. So I switched to rocket sidewinders. They flew great and made one heck of a hole in deer. Until this day they failed me. I searched the Internet for the best broad head that flew out of a fast bow and kept coming up with the G5. I bought some and shot them from my set up. They hit just like my field tips and had cut to tip style. 1st deer I shot with them was a doe, she fell within sight. Second deer I shot with one fell less than 50 yards from sight (7 point). 3rd deer I shot with one was a poor shot on my part. (facing me neck down eating) I had confidence and took the shot. The arrow (at 12 yards) blew through the spine,severing it, and got into the lung area. I have 110% confidence at all times with the G5. I hope that I never have the experience that I had on that one buck. IMHO mechanicals are a blown opportunity waiting to happen. In some places the are not even allowed. Why is this? Shoot what you want but tune and avoid all probabilities because if it can happen, it will.

[jawbreaker]

Slick Tricks. Out of my set up there is zero difference in the impact point between them and my field points.

Harvest a deer with them and you will be shocked by the amount of damage these things do.

Ultimately it comes down to personal preference and what performs best for you and your set up.

Jawbreaker

[BOEDY]

four blade muzzys never fail. Stay out of the guts.to many things can go wrong with mechanicals,but when they do work they work well.

[sniper's mojo]

http://www.mucc.org/Fixedblades.htm (http://www.mucc.org/Fixedblades.htm)


Try this link. It is from an earlier post on this site. It has very good objective information about various broadheads. Montec g5 for me. Bet a buddy on a beer bet one night in the garage. He was shooting muzzy 3 blades(which I shot successfully for many years) and I was shootin the g5. Shot both out of my bow into an old freezer. Muzzy penetrated one side and stuck in the other. Montec blew through both sides and messed up my wall. Wife loved it! Really you should look to see what shoots most accurately with your setup. Good luck.

[Bobcat]

Wasp Jac-Hammer

[GVDocHoliday]

That's funny stuff...if you'd have been using a spitfire, there would have been a good blood trail from a gut shot.

I could that guy have kept a straight face saying that? He shot the deer through the guts...if anything the spit fire would have made a bigger hole and would have allowed a bigger chunk of stomach matter to get in and clog up that hole nicely. You're buddy wouldn't have found that deer no matter what head he used. Well...he could have found it...depending on how long he let is sit etc. But a different broadhead WOULD NOT HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE on that shot. Actually...he would have gotten less penetration due to the deflection. The arrow probably wouldn't have entered more than three inches. And if it didn't hit it square then it probably never would have been able to open fully and would have gotten even less penetration.

[Fred Bear]

http://www.mucc.org/Fixedblades.htm (http://www.mucc.org/Fixedblades.htm)


Try this link. It is from an earlier post on this site. It has very good objective information about various broadheads. Montec g5 for me. Bet a buddy on a beer bet one night in the garage. He was shooting muzzy 3 blades(which I shot successfully for many years) and I was shootin the g5. Shot both out of my bow into an old freezer. Muzzy penetrated one side and stuck in the other. Montec blew through both sides and messed up my wall. Wife loved it! Really you should look to see what shoots most accurately with your setup. Good luck.
yea baby :woohoo1: