RaptorTricks for WT
Whitetail Deer
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I have a WT doe hunt coming up. I’ve never used expandables but have a pack of 100gr RaptorTricks (made by SlickTrick) I’m thinking of using.
Anyone have any feedback on these heads?
They'll work, but consider this... the raptor trick was designed to open once inside the chest cavity exposing "fresh" blades, much the same as shwackers - great. The fundamental issue with that design is that (considering errant shots happen) any time you shoot an animal you can only guarantee you'll having an entrance wound to supply the blood trail. Exits wounds are never a guarantee, though they are generally better suited for blood letting due to the lower position as we all know. So when the raptor trick enters the hide, the blades pass beyond it since they're shielded by the ferrule's tip, and its only once the 1/2" tabs make contact with enough resistance against the hide that the blades swing open. So a small entrance cut/ or wound through the hide ( and possibly the muscle or ribs) is very likely, and inherently reduces the potential for subsequent blood flow from it. Now... that's not to say this will always be the case. But by design, it certainly WILL be the case for some % of shots taken with those heads.
I killed the first whitetail ever shot with a raptor trick since I was part of the engineering team from which it was developed, and the only one who hunted (how's that for a shameless plug :^) ) - and the entrance wound was very small on that deer. It was a double lung hit with an exit wound - shot was 55 yards from a 70lb bow. Arrow stayed in the deer. Blades were bent but otherwise the broadhead was in tact and did its job. Lots of people have had good success with the head, but I still wouldn't recommend it based on the design... which for the record I argued against with the person above me who was driving the design criteria.
Again, they'll work, so you might as well use 'em up! But pay attention to the results and see if you notice any of the aforementioned. Good luck
Let em rip Brad. They will work just fine.
I have killed about 20 or so whitetails, a lope, a mule deer and couple Caribou, and a bear with Raptor tricks. I am trying to recall when I didn’t get a pass though and I can just think of one time, a hard quartering away shot on a buck that died in sight. The only mechanical that has given me the same consistency in penetration was the rocket steelhead in 1.25 dia. I have gotten way way better penetration from Raptor tricks then I have from the SevR 2.0 and even the 1.5 albeit a smaller sample size( whitetails, Caribou, mountain Goat and a mountain lion. The only nock I have on the Raptor trick is that it could be more robust however I have yet to have a failure on game.
John Lusk on YouTube has high praises for Sevr broadheads if your looking for a mechanical.
Shot location Is key with any broadhead. They all work great if you hit your spot.
I'm all about entrance holes now. You're only guaranteed one hole - make it a good one. Once you get in - you never have a problem going through vitals so you don't stop until you get to the other side. Shot too many animals quartering away with fixed heads where I stop in the opposite femur or shoulder. Small entrance hole, no exit. Now I prefer a big entrance, I don't give a rip if I don't exit. Animal dies as fast if not faster, and I have no problems finding the animal.
One of the worst things ever, is shooting an animal in a lethal spot and not being able to trail it and knowing it is dead. Thankfully we have snow a lot of the time here, but I shot the elk of my life 2 years ago. Great shot quartering away, he only ran 40 and crashed. Had he gone 120 and not heard him crash in that thick stuff I never would have found him. No blood to go on. I would have lost the animal of my life that I made a great shot on. That to me is unacceptable. I double lunged a buck a few years back perfect pass through with arguably the best fixed head on the market. Nearly zero blood to speak of. Perfect shot. Trailed it for 100 yards using only tracks in snow hours later. Without snow? Would not have found him. Almost guaranteed due to the thick cover and terrain and way he went.
I have never had a bad trail with a large 2 blade mech. Never. I've had a number with a fixed head. I've also stuck a Sevr through a 240lb dressed whitetail femur and still cut the heart. So toughness? Not a problem. I did not have an exit, but he died in sight, so no complaints.
I often wonder how many animals die that are not recovered due to no trails to follow. Short grassland, pastureland, sunflower fields, tilled fields...these are tough trailing conditions.