Used them in 2009, shot three deer, no problems. So many other factors...it's really hard to blame just the broadhead in my opinion. Things happen, on a variety of levels.
I'd say shoot the Rage, you have them and they have worked fine for way too many hunters to argue with. Some have complained about losing deer... You are kind of the exception here because you have recovered your deer and know where you hit and what organs were damaged. The only point I would make is that some have made the mistake of expecting a miracle head to compensate for poor shot placement. Ain't happening... Choose your shot carefully, shoot them accurately, fixed or expandable, large or small cut and you should be smiling at the happy end of a blood trail.
I have only shot one deer and it was with a rage 2 blade, blood trail was awesome, deer went 100 yards and 80 of that was across the alfalfa field.. with some of the stories i had read about how people hated them or lost deer with them had me worried about them until i started watching all the videos of people using the broad head (you tube, DVDs, TV shows, etc.) all the videos i had seen made me feel better about the head. now i didn't expect to see a video of mark or terry drury having bad luck with the head, but youtube i figured would have a few videos of someone having bad luck with the head like i had read on the internet but i only found one that looked looked marginal. but even so with the amount of guys filming their hunts these days if half of the stories i read about the head being horrible where true i would think there would be a lot more video proof.
The bottom line is You are the one shooting them, and You need to be the one that is confident in whatever you are shooting. As a hunter, You pull the trigger on that release, and whatever the outcome is from that piont on is on Your shoulder. If you are not confident in what you are using, switch. the best thing we can do is match the best BH and Arrow with our bows, so everything is preforming to the top of its ability. The worst thing to do is Shoot what everyone wants you to shoot.
I love my rage broadheads because they fly true, not saying others dont but I have yet to find one that is as good. I have had great blood trails and some not so good blood trails with em but than again, ask anyone and no matter what they use (fixed, mechanical, small or big) they all have had similar experiences.
Good point... assuming we are being honest. Sometimes it seems like every deer recovered is a perfect heart/lung shot and every deer lost is a perfect heart/lung shot but was lost because it was the broadhead's fault.
I shoot Rage. Didn't know deer were steel and plywood plated either. Learn something new every day. :p It's all about shot placement. I have seen guys put a bad shot on a 80lb doe with a .300WM and she still ran off. You don't stick it right and it will make things difficult. That's hunting. There are too many variables in there for everything to be perfect every time you loose an arrow or pull a trigger.
I will only shoot a broadhead that is designed to still perform even when things go wrong. I refuse to shoot a broadhead that is designed only to work when things are perfect. Why? Because I am not perfect. Think about all the footage you have seen with the arrow still sticking out of the side of a deer. Now think about what broadhead 95% of them were shooting. A Broadside shot should equal a complete pass through and a complete Pass through (with arrow stuck in the ground) is what I want. We owe it to the animals we hunt to shoot what performs the best in all situations. If your bow has trouble shooting fix blades then your bow needs to be tuned. The only time I shoot Mechanical Heads is at Turkeys and Yotes. Just my opinions, my experiences and my reasons. Take them for what it's worth.
Thanks for all the replies. I do agree with everyone that I shouldn't blame the broadhead. In this case though, I was just curious if anyone had similar experience while using them. Both deer I shot with the rage 2 blades died pretty quickly or at least went down within 200 yards so the shot was obviously a kill shot. After dressing the deer both times I examined the vitals, or what was left of them, and I definitely tore them up. I'm starting to think that maybe I'm not aiming low enough on the deer. I know where to shoot a deer for a kill shot, but I know everyone has a shot they like to take the best. I prefer a slightly quartering away shot that enters far enough back to exit right behind the opposite shoulder. This shot has killed deer for me but I am curious if others like other shots better and if maybe my blood trail issue was because my favorite shot isn't really that great. Sorry if that didn't make a lot of sense. Any input on your favorite shots or on mine?
I have been using Rage this year and have lots of success with them. Shot a doe during early season 30 yards shot pass thru, heavy blood trail went down 50 yards down a ditch line.
I usually hold for where ever will put my arrow through both lungs and still come out in the bottom 3rd of the deer when the deers quartering away. On a broadside shot I shot for where I want the arrow to exit the deer.
i quit using rage cause of that same thing, deer ran 20 yards saw him drop and not a drop of blood between me and him
