Blood trail

Bobber54 · Post by **Bobber54** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 7:15 am

I purchased a new Phoenix last year and it is an excellent crossbow. I have harvested numerous whitetails with it. I'm using the recommended broadhead, Wasp SST 100. The broadhead penetrates well, but leaves no blood trail. The wound seems to seal up, no matter where the hit is, in the boiler room. I was wondering if anyone else has this problem and could recommend a different broadhead. I don't know if a collapsable one work, going thru a blind screen mesh. I need to hunt from a ground blind. I shot a nice doe yesterday in the snow, but saw no blood until I was 30 feet from the dead doe. The shot was thru the lungs and slicing the heart. I would really appreciate any help.
Thanks Bob

scratcherky · Post by **scratcherky** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 7:22 am

I am using the same broadhead as you and get mostly pass thrus with excellent blood trails. One difference is I hunt from a treestand and my exit wounds are usually low.
Don

rutman · Post by **rutman** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 11:20 am

scratcherky wrote:I am using the same broadhead as you and get mostly pass thrus with excellent blood trails. One difference is I hunt from a treestand and my exit wounds are usually low.
Don

Agreed! 20 feet does a ton for blood trail improvement. The only thing that can help otherwise is switch to Wasp 100gr. Jak Hammer expendibles. You can put the bottom of a beer bottle in the entrance hole and a blind man could follow the blood trail. Sure the are twice the price but how many opportunities do you want to risk loosing on.
Ive shot lots with both but I will never again shoot any fixed blade head.

Woody Williams · Post by **Woody Williams** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 12:35 pm

You cant shootteh JackHammers through a mesh screen..

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 4:19 pm

Agreed! 20 feet does a ton for blood trail improvement. The only thing that can help otherwise is switch to Wasp 100gr. Jak Hammer expendibles. You can put the bottom of a beer bottle in the entrance hole and a blind man could follow the blood trail. Sure the are twice the price but how many opportunities do you want to risk loosing on.
Ive shot lots with both but I will never again shoot any fixed blade head.

Exactly the way I felt until I put one through a deer this fall and the JakHammer didn't open.
http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... =jakhammer

hawg hunter · Post by **hawg hunter** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 6:38 am

Blood trailing is an ole art in itself. I shoot from grd blinds due to some back and knee situations.1st I shoot nothing but fixed BHs one less varible. If ther is no visible blood trail on the ground start back tracking from where the deer came from and look to see if she circled and ran back the way they came in. If you've still cannot find ground blood start looking about 20 to 30 "'s up off the ground on brush and limbs. with heavy winter hair and cold temps it tends to thicken an rub on brush. If your in the dark a good Coleman lanter or an LED light works. A dog any kind still is better at smelling than we are and natural instincts will kick in on a fresh blood trail. My "whennie dog "sits in the truck waiting for me to shoot a nd haven't lost a deer or hawg in yrs.

Bobber54 · Post by **Bobber54** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:02 am

I never thought about the difference between being in a tree and ground level. I haven't lost a deer because of no blood trail. I'm just a worrier that I may. I'm colorblind, so seeing blood on leaves is tough. I thought maybe a different broadhead would be better, but I see the ground level is the problem. I'm too old to sit in trees, but love to hunt deer.
Thanks again and have a great Christmas
Bob

crowe · Post by **crowe** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:44 pm

as has been said a million times, be sure of your shot placement.I personally have had bad experiences with the expandables even the jack-hammers.Having killed quite a few deer from the ground with fixed blade broadheads my best advice would be to try to keep your shots low in the heart area. No matter what broadhead you use you will get a blood trail.Happy holidays!!!!!!!!

kendo kid · Post by **kendo kid** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:39 pm

I prefer the Spitfire and Rage mechanicals. But I would bet they will open when the go through the screen. I hunt about 70% of the time from the ground and never use a blind. Good camo and the wind in your favor is all you need.

Bobber54 · Post by **Bobber54** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 6:20 am

I appreciate the help and info. The wasp broadhead does the job, so I'll stick with it. I've gotten six deer in two years with that Phoenix. I wouldn't want to be deer, with an Excalibur in the woods.
Happy Holiday's
Bob

opossum · Post by **opossum** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 9:38 pm

I use thunderhead 125 when hunting from a blind.I have taken 1 with this setup with a crossbow and several with a compound.I have always had good bloodtrails.When hunting where I can use expandables I use Rochky Mountain Assassins.

Fishn-Hunter · Post by **Fishn-Hunter** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 5:04 pm

I do not like mechanicals and stay clear of them, this is due to my own personal experiance. I nearly lost a deer when I took a quartering away shot. I was using a spitfire 3blade, thinking I made a great shot I waited aprox. 30 min. before folowing up. I had decent blood for the first 60 yrds or so then noticed intestenal matter and a strong odor. I backed out for 3 more hours, then took up the trail again to come up on the young buck still alive but bedded down, I had to dispatch him once more. I discovered that upon entry at the quartering angle, when the blade made contact it actually cause the rear of the bolt to swing forward causing the hit to miss the vitals all together and a gut shot.

seeelk · Post by **seeelk** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 7:16 pm

I agree with Fishn-Hunter, I had the same thing happen years ago on an Elk. A quartering away shot can be bad news with a mechanical broadhead. The Elk I shot got slapped in the side by my 32" xx75, I may have gotten 2 to 3 inches of penetration. I tried to quincy what took place. I never did figured out for sure why it happened, so in the can with the mechanicals and back to Thunderheads. They are probably just fine for broadside shots, but why limit yourself waiting for that.

Belt&Suspenders · Post by **Belt&Suspenders** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:17 pm

Just took a 4 pointer at 23 yards out of a tree stand, about 15 feet high. The broadhead was the ones that came with the Exomax I shoot (Wasp Boss 100 3 blade) and the exit wound was about 1 and 3/4" inch. As stated earlier though, shooting down through the vitals is better for a good blood trail I think though. This one went about 15 to 20 yards tops and that's all she wrote. Just my thoughts but it did the job for me out of a tree. I just always imagine there's a basketball between the deer's front legs and I have to punch through that. Hope this helps.

Bobber54 · Post by **Bobber54** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 5:53 am

I'll stay clear of the mechanicals. The wasp does the job. I'm just a worrier when I don't see blood. I have a sit and climb tree stand, but don't use it much anymore. I'm 66 and I'm not real comfortable up a tree anymore. I used the stand with the crossbow once last year and found it difficult to manuever and hold, in a climber.
Thanks;
Bob

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