Viper Tricks vs Wicked Tricks
Equipment
Contributors to this thread:
I have shot 100 grain Slick Trick Magnums for many years. They seem to fly quite similar to my target tips. I am a "If it's not broke, don't fix it" kind of person, but last year for some reason, I tried Wicked Tricks and was quite pleased with their performance as well. However, so many Bowsiters are using Viper Tricks, that I wanted to consider them as well. Recent conversations with some Viper Trick shooters frequently bring up one interesting observation. The absence of good blood trails. If a good first shot is made, it probably isn't going to be much of a factor.....until it is.....whether it be an unseen branch, animal movement at the shot, or a less than perfect shot. The Viper Tricks seem to fly quite similar to the field points... more so than the Wicked Tricks. They might even slightly out-penetrate the Wicked Tricks (which is to be expected....they have less than a 2" cutting surface, whereas the Wicked Tricks have a 2.3125" cutting surface (15% more than Viper Tricks). I find it interesting that the Viper Tricks and field points fly similar (suggesting that tuning is satisfactory), and yet the Wicked Tricks don't match the field points as well. I shoot a bow with enough poundage that penetration is not an issue. Right now, the two factors that I am juggling with are that Viper Tricks may hold a slight advantage for accuracy....whereas the Wicked Tricks might provide better blood trails. Hoping that some Viper Trickers might weigh-in on their blood trail experiences.... Thanks.....
I used viper tricks for the first time 2 years ago. 4 deer shot. All fell within 75 yds. Good blood trails
I have killed a bull each of the last two years with Vipers. Both fell in sight of me so no trailing was necessary and I didn't pay much attention to the blood trail. They fly great for me as well. Excellent head in my opinion.
What I have experienced is vipers flight is better , but there is nothing wrong with any of the other trick models flight . The animal being shot will know it's been shot, the viper not as much of the taking off like there ass is on fire .
I think the higher probability of the lack of shot reaction to a head like the viper is it's best unsung attribute. Plenty of blood on the ground in my experience but the shorter track jobs and drop in sight blood trail are win win
I really wanted the wicked trick to shoot as good as the viper tricks. I tune my bow to shoot a bullet hole through paper at 15 feet. Then fine tune shooting broadheads and field tips @ 60 yards until they group together. The wicked tricks shoot good, but my group size is never as good as the viper tricks. The vipertricks are the best grouping broadheads I have found, with the shuttle t locks being a close second.
Knowing the wicked trick doesn’t shoot as well, I just keeping grabbing the vipertrick out of my quiver when it comes to shooting animals. Vipertricks do cut a pretty small hole in hide. With the steep blade angle they don’t push the skin in as much before going through. The hole is basically the size of the broadhead. I also shoot the original 1.5 inch spitfire mechanical. Definitely bigger hole and bigger bloadtrails. Animals still dead at the end of both blood trails.
What game are you hunting Jake? My own personal preference is to lean towards flight and penetration characteristics for game larger than deer, and lean towards blood trail attributes in a head for deer sized game and smaller. In your situation that means Vipers for large game, and Wicked for deer. I personally choose expandables for the best of both worlds on deer and smaller.
My only concern/question to ask you is if you’re using them for deer - how cold is it when you hunt? When you’ve been sitting for hours in negative temps how good is your form? The larger the fixed profile gets obviously you have less favourable flight Characteristics simply because you’ve got bigger vanes on the front of your arrow now.
Regardless, I look forward to seeing what you kill with your chosen head ;)
Hey Adam, Like Bowhunt stated above, I really wanted the Wicked Tricks to fly/group like the Viper Tricks. Penetration isn't a concern for my set-up. I have a 510 grain arrow flying between 290-300 fps. Having a larger cutting surface that didn't compromise accuracy would have been a slam dunk decision for me. Instead, what I have, is one broadhead that will leave better bloodtrails….and one broadhead that more closely flies like my target tips. If I have to chose, accuracy will always win. Right now, I am wondering if I can get the WT to group like the target tips as well as the VT do.
Guys, I have shooting the Vipers for years (my sons also) and have seen what what they can do to moose and elk but I agree with what you guys have said and your concerns. I did go to the 125 gr. to get a little more foc and penetration for my setup. I have been tempted to try the Wickeds but now l am not so sure after considering your posts. Maybe for me Wickeds for anything smaller than bigger mule deer. Hope l am not overthinking this....... Badbull
Used Vipers for awhile. Most animals didn’t go out of sight. Did have an elk make it out of sight and there was zero blood on the ground. He only went approximately 100 yards and fell just after he went out of sight. Entry on him was a bit high-double lung tho.
Pretty much passed thru everything, but I’m pretty much on the heavy side of most setups. Hit a Sitka Blacktail on a frontal last year and it broke his back hip upon exit, arrow was holding on by the fletch. He went 25 yards. Hit another blacktail in 2016 low in the chest and it exploded his leg bone below the shoulder joint. Arrow passed completely thru and was not found.
Plan to try some wicked tricks this year if they fly well, I have zero experience with them so far.
On a side note, has anyone put the Viper bleeder into a Grizz Trick and see what that looks like? It would like 1 1/4”x7/8”? Maybe fly well and still have 1 1/4”?
I've killed a bunch of deeer and a few elk with the VP's. I started using the standards and magnums 10 years ago. Still use them. Blood trails with the VT's are typically on the sparser side compared with std's or magnums, but I find that the VT's fly a bit better and are quieter in flight.
Here is a VT blood trail. I have had decent success with them. I have taken a few deer and a handful of bulls, most did not get out of sight or earshot. I did lose a bull to a seemingly good quartering away shot with a VT. watched the bull go much further than I expected him to through my binos. Waited 8 hours and began trailing, luckily there was snow so lack of blood wasn't an issue. Never found a bed, or the bull. Cant explain it.
Kelly- did you find your arrow, pass thru?
nope, never did find the arrow. Shot was uphill, quartering away hit about mid body. All I can think is the arrow hit a rib and slid up?
I was going to ask the scenario. Have seen scarring on elk where the arrow turned under the hide then followed and cut ribs without meaningfully penetrating the body cavity. Always a tough loss on a tougher animal. All the best to you sir.
I shot the viper tricks. I've shot a couple deer and an elk with them.....luckily, they all died in sight. Blood trails were so-so.
I’ve tried both. The Viper Trick ferrule seem a little temperamental to get spinning true in on the shafts. They fly great though. Killed one bull that died within sight. Went back to Slick Trick 100 Standards for everything though. I like to keep it simple.
I don't know why the VTs wouldn't provide a great blood trail. They are scary sharp looking, have similar cut diameter to so many other broadheads, and they fly great apparently. I shot Bear Razorheads for years with a similar cut diameter and never had an issue with blood trails. I think the old Zwickeys were similar. I would hunt with what flies best and expect a good blood trail.
I shoot ViperTricks and I like them for penetration but have had a few bloodtrails that were not real desirable.
I agree with Beav, and have seen that with ST heads almost universally for whatever reason. I will say they kill critters dead, fast, which is the ultimate goal, but the trails have been somewhat sparse. I have a pretty large sample size with ST's including the VT as well. Since moving away from those heads I've seen better blood trails with RAD heads I use and the dreaded Rage.