back to fixed blades

[wabi]

As some of the older members know I had a mechanical broadhead fail to open on a deer a few years back. Perfect heart shot and the Wasp JakHammer ripped a big enough hole through the heart to put the deer down quickly, but the head was still banded (double O-rings) closed when I recovered it.

I switched to fixed blades and so far I've been 100% successful with them, but reading the forum threads got me thinking it might be interesting to try a mechanical again.

I bought a pack of Trophy Ridge "Sidewinder" heads (100gr - 1½" cut) last year and tested one for several shots on a foam target. No problems at all.
Put a new one on an arrow and spin tested it getting perfect results, so I put it in the quiver.

Saturday I decided to use it for hunting so I loaded it after I got in my stand.

Shot the doe (posted in another thread) and she only went about 35 - 40 yards before piling up. Recovered the arrow and it looked like I would expect it to. Well covered in blood, and the head buried in the ground with the blades open.
When I got to the deer I noticed the exit hole was BIG, but a little higher than I expected. Turned her over and the entrance hole was BIG and 3-4" high right (2:00 on an imaginary clock face) from where I had aimed (deer's left side toward me quartering slightly away - I aimed tight to the front leg in the "<" formed by the leg bones.

Still a good double lung hit and a dead deer nearby, but I think I'll go back to the fixed blade heads.

[MDBOWHUNTER]

It is tough to beat a good fixed blade. They eliminate one variable. I have never had a Slik Trick fail to open or come open on the shot.

D

[Bigtime]

Slick Tricks all the way baby!!!!!

[MarkMarine]

Wabi,

Is it not interesting that we whom buy Excal because of its simple less-moving-parts design choose to outfit the end of our arrows with broadheads that have moving parts?

NOW, before all the hatemail comes (as many here swear by mechanicals vs swearing at them), I do not use mechanicals because I primarily shoot through a ground blind's mesh (and sometimes denier LOL).