DEERSLAYERDAN

CORNFED IS RIGHT,...CORRECT ARROW PLACEMENT IS KEY TO MAKING A QUICK AND CLEAN RECOVERY! I'VE NEVER HAD A HEART OR LUNGSHOT DEER GO MORE THAN 75 YRDS. I STOPPED LOSING ANIMALS WHEN I WENT TO MECHANICALS! NO MORE FLIGHT ANOMALIES!
BOTTOM LINE? CAN YOU SHOOT AS ACCURATELY WITH FIXED BLADES?
DON'T PLACE SO MUCH IMPORTANCE ON GETTING A PASS-THROUGH. IT'S JUST NOT THAT IMPORTANT IF THE SWEET-SPOT IS HIT!

quiksilver

three years ago, I got some freebie Triska mechanicals to try out. Being a connoisseur of free stuff, I obliged. I killed a couple does, one in the lungs, one in the guts, but I did notice the really limited penetration. A good rib hit on a mature doe would bring those arrows to a screeching halt. The positive was that, by stopping the arrow, the deer was forced to absorb ALL of its Kinetic Energy. Also, a huge cutting diameter leaves a really grievous wound.

I shoot 80 pounds, with a pretty heavy carbon (Gold Tip XT 75/95) - so my Kinetic Energy is through the roof.

I previously used Muzzy 90's, with almost every shot being a pass through, and easily penetrating shoulderblades, spine, etc. A good bone shot, however, will ruin even a Muzzy.

Sooo, over the years, I have taken several spine shots with really good success. I always wait for really close, straight away shots into the vitals, with the spine blocking. A dead center hit will crush the spine, while a few inches left or right goes straight through the chest cavity.

So I'm out with my mechanicals, and I get a 7 yard perfect spine shot on a nice buck. I perfectly placed an arrow in the center of the spine. To my dismay, even with all that kinetic energy, that broadhead could not penetrate his spine. He ran away with a perfectly placed arrow sticking vertically out of his vertebrae. I found the arrow laying 100 yards away - Penetration < 2"

Problem#2 with mechanicals - they are not durable, hard to change blades in. I have destroyed many a Muzzy, but I usually get several shots per head, with easy blade replacement. I have used Triska and Rockets, with similar bad results as to the integrity of those long, thin blades. Finally, any attempt at replacing those blades could put you in the Emergency Room with hacked up fingers.

I guess the moral of my story is that if you're gonna use mechanicals with big cutting diameters, you better pack some serious kinetic energy or avoid any big bones to avoid being an angry little man. Also, bring your checkbook, b/c those things cost a FORTUNE!

I know - If you wait for a nice, quartering away, 20 yard shot - a big mechanical will devastate. But, I don't always get a nice, quartering shot - I take whatever shot I get, and I like to get whatever I shoot.