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Who Did Not Snort the Fairy Dust? And Why?

I’m going to attempt to post some still shots from a hunt I filmed last bow season. A complete pass through on a good sow with a 29” Easton Hexx with 100 grain Swhacker launched from a 70# Halon 32. She was ranged at 42 yds. I had videoed my camera screen with my phone from the tree to send a couple of buddies so you’ll see it from that perspective. No issue with her.
 

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100 pound southern deer don’t count
There're a sizable amount of folks on here shooting them southern and Atlantic coast deer. I'd argue there are likely more folks shooting 150lb bucks than 250.

Also, the organs on a 50 vs 250lb deer are gonna take a good poking about the same. Not well.
 
No getting off this train now!

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My new arrow and bow. A dragon slayer
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
I’m on the fence regarding single bevels or small cutting heads WITH high energy (heavy draw weight) bows.

So this season I’m testing out Grim Reaper Whitetail Special 2” Mechanicals, Iron Will S100 and Magnus Black Hornet Ser Razors. Behind a 28.5” DL and 74# bow with a ~650 grain arrow.

This buck did the old tuck and roll at 22 yards, I ended up hitting him high and back. But the Grim Reaper WTS broke his spine and half way passed through the other side. The shot sheared his aortic artery, so it was a lethal shot, but not close to where I was aiming.

I’ve got 1 kill with the S100’s and 1 kill with the Grim Reapers so far. Both produced quick kills and pass through (2 holes) with my setup, even breaking a spine.

I will say though, you need A LOT of energy to be successful (2 holes) with large mechanicals. On soft tissue they’ll rip through a deer but catch a rib or spine in my case and you lose most of your energy.

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I’m on the fence regarding single bevels or small cutting heads WITH high energy (heavy draw weight) bows.

So this season I’m testing out Grim Reaper Whitetail Special 2” Mechanicals, Iron Will S100 and Magnus Black Hornet Ser Razors. Behind a 28.5” DL and 74# bow with a ~650 grain arrow.

This buck did the old tuck and roll at 22 yards, I ended up hitting him high and back. But the Grim Reaper WTS broke his spine and half way passed through the other side. The shot sheared his aortic artery, so it was a lethal shot, but not close to where I was aiming.

I’ve got 1 kill with the S100’s and 1 kill with the Grim Reapers so far. Both produced quick kills and pass through (2 holes) with my setup, even breaking a spine.

I will say though, you need A LOT of energy to be successful (2 holes) with large mechanicals. On soft tissue they’ll rip through a deer but catch a rib or spine in my case and you lose most of your energy.

View attachment 37385
I have never noticed an issue with mechanicals and ribs, but the beefy part of a shoulder and the spine will definitely slow one down fast. That shoulder joint and the spine are about the gnarliest bones a whitetail has aside from the pelvis.

A design i really liked was the NAP Slingblade. Previously I think it was known as a Gator, and I just saw it in pro bass the other day as something different. It didn't use o rings and had rear-deploying blades that would slide around bone instead of trying to cut through it. Pretty slick. Always got passthroughs and never broke a blade, but the would channel wasn't quite as impressive as the 2" rage and schwackers
 
I like a big cheap 3 blade. the cheap ones seem to have flimsy blades but I theorize that it actually helps them flex around bone, as long as the blades flex but don't break. I may not always get complete passthroughs, but if I get three blades 6 inches into a deer, the result is generally the equivalent of having a blender on the end of your arrow. This is only amplified if the arrow actually gets stuck in the deer. This is the reason I do not think I will ever go away from them.

There is also the added benefit of them being cheap.
 
I have never noticed an issue with mechanicals and ribs, but the beefy part of a shoulder and the spine will definitely slow one down fast. That shoulder joint and the spine are about the gnarliest bones a whitetail has aside from the pelvis.

A design i really liked was the NAP Slingblade. Previously I think it was known as a Gator, and I just saw it in pro bass the other day as something different. It didn't use o rings and had rear-deploying blades that would slide around bone instead of trying to cut through it. Pretty slick. Always got passthroughs and never broke a blade, but the would channel wasn't quite as impressive as the 2" rage and schwackers

I’ve seen buddies have issues every now and then with a thin bladed mechanical blades on bone. Now if they hit rib or part of the shoulder I’ve no clue, I just saw the aftermath pictures.

I gotta say though, I’m a huge advocate of heavier arrows and properly tuning your nocks to the arrows spine.

Last winter I left my single pin at 40 yards and had a big doe come in to 12 yards. I ended up hitting her in the spine with a Grim Reaper WTS, BUT with a 400 spine arrow and maybe 430 grains TAW... That arrow stopped dead in its tracks and barely cracked her spine.
The buck I shot last week was shot with the exact same bow, draw weight and broadhead BUT heavier arrows... Snapped his spine and kept going.

For Whitetails, I think heavy arrows with mechanicals could be a very effective setup IF you have the bow to punch through the heavy bones.

Still testing this theory of course
 
I like a big cheap 3 blade. the cheap ones seem to have flimsy blades but I theorize that it actually helps them flex around bone, as long as the blades flex but don't break. I may not always get complete passthroughs, but if I get three blades 6 inches into a deer, the result is generally the equivalent of having a blender on the end of your arrow. This is only amplified if the arrow actually gets stuck in the deer. This is the reason I do not think I will ever go away from them.

There is also the added benefit of them being cheap.
seems like a pretty flakey plan. 6in into a deer you're playin with one lung all day man. any support for your flimsy blade bone dodging theory? a cheap dull blade will not cause hemorrhaging like a shaving sharp blade (ever nicked your cheek shaving?) and your blender head 6in of penetration clots up. ive helped track deer for guys who use them and tried them on a couple deer last season with the same result. blood trail is crazy at first and then slows to a trickle and ends. one out of 3 deer i shot was a pass through with solid blood trail. thats never happened to me with a sharpened fixed blade even on lighter setups.
 
seems like a pretty flakey plan. 6in into a deer you're playin with one lung all day man. any support for your flimsy blade bone dodging theory? a cheap dull blade will not cause hemorrhaging like a shaving sharp blade (ever nicked your cheek shaving?) and your blender head 6in of penetration clots up. ive helped track deer for guys who use them and tried them on a couple deer last season with the same result. blood trail is crazy at first and then slows to a trickle and ends. one out of 3 deer i shot was a pass through with solid blood trail. thats never happened to me with a sharpened fixed blade even on lighter setups.
I concede 6 inches is definitely touchy, and I should have said that more accurately. I have never had just 6 inches of penetration, as I do run a heavier set-up, but I do not think if I did, the results would not be very different.

And while obviously I have no proof that the blade flexes around bone, outside of the part where I have had bone contact without breaking a blade. I don't mind a blade bending/flexing, but I wont use a broadhead where the blade actually breaks. It is more of a theory than anything.

I have witnessed the blender part. ON a small few of the occasions when I have not had complete passthroughs, and the broadhead actually remains in the deer, there have been significant lacerations in the vicinity of the broadhead that could have only been caused by the movement of the deer with a 2 inch broadhead stuck open in it.
 
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