Hey guys. I am new to bowhunting. I got a Mathews DXT for christmas and I am really excited about shooting it. When my dad got it, it was set up for someone that was 6'5" and I haven't gotten a chance to go back in and get it fitted for me due to the holidays. Just wondering what ya'll thought about broadheads.....mechanical or fixed??? Back in the day when my dad bowhunted all they had were fixed so he is all for them but I think the new technology is so much better these days. Money isn't really a concern. I have always bought the best equipment possible when it comes to hunting or fishing. let me know and thanks in advance.
There are excellent fixed BH's and excellent mechanical BH's. The one difference is making sure you have enough KE for the mechanicals. If you have the KE then all it would be is a matter of preference.
Matt, Get the bow put into spec's that match you, then practice shooting, make sure you're using good form, maybe even post up a couple pic's of your form, you at full draw, etc, there are many things that we can critique that may help if you do have any major form flaws. Once you're comfortable with the bow, then it's time to worry about BH's. I personally like Slick Trick Magnums as well as anything I've ever used. Durable, SHARP, and fly perfect. As Bruce said, make sure that you have plenty of energy first, before you go the expandable route. MANY of the horror stories told about expandables could have been prevented had the JACKHOLES using them had enough ENERGY to be using them. There are good to both. But I'd recommend, even if you aren't going to use Fixed Heads, to tune the bow to shoot them, because if you do this you will have your bow more fine-tuned than it would be otherwise. Many opinions on this, many guys get near "fistacuffs" arguing over it, so take each bit of advice with a grain of salt.
I'm sure most of these guys have shot more than I have, but when I got into bowhunting last year I did a lot of research. I have a Drenalin @ 62# and I'm shooting the 2 Blade Rage broadheads. There is virtually no change in POI from my practice heads, to the blue Rage practice heads, to the real deal. Between myself, family and friends I've seen 6 deer taken with them and they are devastating! However, like many bowhunting items, there are a ton of really great products to choose from. Whatever you decide on, make sure its sharp and flies true... you can argue the rest of the details til you are blue in the face, but unless it cuts like a scalpel right where you want it to, you're better off hunting with a slingshot.
I Am going to have to agree with Fitz... When i started i shot rocky mountain razors and then went to muzzy's because supposedly "everybody shoots muzzy's" Well, horrible blood trail after horrible blood trail i made the switch to Rage. Check out youtube and see what these broadheads do. Im not trying to say they are the best thing out there because i dont have enough experience with them... but i bet they are dang close for mechanical style broadheads.
There are many quality broadheads on the market today, and they will all get the job done. I would suggest trying a few different models and seeing which ones work best with your arrow and bow set-up. (Flight, Penetration, etc....)
As mentioned earlier, get the bow fitted for you, then get out there and shoot, a lot. Then get some proper arrows for your bow, that way you can get it tuned, and keep it that way. A properly tuned bow can shoot most any broadhead, fixed or mechanical. As far a choice, I am biased because I am on the G5 ProStaff and I will tell you to shoot anything G5, and they are great heads. But the most important thing is to shoot something that you have confidence in. Who wants to be out there hunting, then see the buck of a lifetime, get a shot opportunity then NOT be confident in the gear you have. I can tell you about the G5 line. Montec: Solid one piece head that is very strong, you could use one head on multiple game, and resharpen it between uses. Its edge is a little different because of the design. It is designed so that it can be sharpened by laying it flat and moving it along a stone. That makes it have a less drastic of an edge, but it IS the strongest cut on contact tip on the market. G5 is in the process of releasing a Carbon Steel Montec, the Montec CS, and this thing will hold an edge. Striker: This is one of the SHARPEST heads available. It was designed for those that really did not want to sharpen their heads. G5 listened to the hunters that responded and they produced a very sharp head. Again these are ALL steel. They fly extremely well, and there is probably nothing negative to say about this head. In fact it also comes in a 1.5" ,Striker Magnum, cut diameter (to shoot this you'd need a tuned setup). Tekan II: IT ONLY TAKES 3 lbs KE TO OPEN THIS HEAD. This is the Mechanical that G5 makes. As all of the heads they produce, they are 100% steel. They use a rearward deployment system that has no problem opening on quartering away shots. They are touting a 1.5 cut diameter and as with all the g5 heads, they have a mean cut on contact tip. These look cool too, not that should make you decision for you. No matter which head you use, do two things, shoot often and keep your setup tuned. If you do that you can shoot whatever you want. You are going to head a multitude of responses to this question, and there are guys that will tell you how many deer they have taken w broadhead "x", but I have a broadhead that I have taken 6 deer with, and never changed blades, only sharpened. Buy quality, it may cost a few bucks more in the short run but it will pay dividends in the long run. If you have any questions about the G5 line, feel free to PM me. good luck.
Oh and one more thing, you hear all the time of hunters "blaming" the head for them not retrieving their game, BS BS BS. PERIOD. If you make a good shot, a true shot that hits double lung or lung/heart combo, you could kill a deer with a field point!!!! No gear in the world can replace PRACTICE & CONFIDENCE.
Without reading anyone else's replies.. mind you. Yes.. you have a choice between fixed or mechanical. However.. I would suggest fixed heads only at this point in your new hunting life. Why? Because right now you should be thinking more about form and consistency while actually shooting than anything. A mechanical can be frustrating.. especially for a beginner. Stick with a solid fixed broadhead and practice shooting ALOT. In a few years.. when you've learned somethings.. if you wish go shoot a mech. But at this young stage in your bowhunting life.. don't frustrate yourself and just keep it simple. You'll enjoy it all much more.
I also like the G5 products. I shoot the montec bh and it flies great. I hit the target the same place as my feild tip at 25 to 30 yards. I had used the grim reapers, but the blood trail was not what I had hoped it would be. I've seen the rage do some serious damage to deer, but I've also read alot of bad reviews about things going wrong with them mechanically, or just opening in peoples quivers which could be a problem if your trying to get a second shot. In my opinion I'd go fixed because your not risking any chance of anything going wrong with them. With a mechanical there's always that chance. Just my opinion.
Don't shoot mechanicals if you are just starting out bowhunting........you are setting yourself up for disaster and heartache. You will soon find out that your work is often just starting when you shoot a deer with your bow........the LAST thing you need is to handicap yourself further with a poor blood trail (which is more likely with a mechanical IMO). I shot a deer right through the center of the heart with a WASP JakHammer a long time ago and even though that shot was PERFECT...I didn't get a pass through.....and the deer still went far enough out of sight that finding him depended on a good tracking job. The blood was in drips every 10-15 yards to start and then it practically disappeared. It took 4 of us over 2 hours to find him and he was dead 10 seconds after I hit him. From that day forward I have shot Magnus Stinger Broadheads and complete pass through shots with 2 big holes dropping tons of blood are routine for me. You (and every bowhunter IMO) should have 2 goals when shooting at a deer.............a well placed shot.......and a pass through. If you learn about tracking and what to do after you shoot these 2 things will make your life in the woods with a bow MUCH easier and productive. I don't like Montec Heads.......I've shot them and my brother has killed deer with them......I just don't care for a head you have to resharpen yourself. Fresh replacement blades are impossible to beat for sharpness IMO........that is one reason I LOVE the Magnus line of BH's. They are so freakin' sharp that all you have to do to unpack them is shake the box Have fun and their is no right or wrong with broadheads....they all will kill a deer. My personal list of GREAT fixed blade heads..... Magnus Stinger Magnus Stinger BuzzCutt Steel Force AfterShock Maniacs Also be aware that many mechanicals can be illegal where you hunt......check your state regs. The G5 Tekan and Rage are illegal in NY because they are considered a "barbed" broadhead. Crimson Talons were when they started but they fixed that problem.
Several guys here have mentioned blood trail. I don't think picking a bh is dependent on blood trail. I have used muzzy 3 blades for yr. granted at times there are no great "blood trails", but I have killed a deer every time I shot at one with a muzzy. Now mind you, it does take some work to have to "track" an animal. In fact Madhunter and I spent about an hour and a half tracking a large doe this past Oct. But that I think makes you an even better hunter, having the ability to track. Not every shot will be perfect, liver shots will definitely challenge your tracking skill. I would agree with the others here in using a fixed bh for your first bh. Definitely choose one w/a replaceable blade. Easier than trying to sharpen one. Working on your form is going to be the most important thing you need to excel on.
