Fixed and Mech penetration
Equipment
Saw this picture online of a meat processor for deer and these are heads they’ve removed this year. I found it really interesting as from a study standpoint we have zero variables accounted for other than that you know these are heads that did not exit the deer, and that the deer was dead and recovered.
Interesting enough the heads are about half and half. I would assume mech heads have more mass adoption as compared to fixed heads and would therefore have expected more mech heads inside the deer never mind that they are “notorious for poor penetration.”
Just found it interesting with a decent sample set.
Did you notice there's at least two field points there?
I think most of us know its more about shot location than the BH.
Then it's up to us to manage our Bow/Arrow/BH system. Matching a big wide inefficient Mech head to a light arrow that hasn't been BH tuned to the bow is asking for problems.
I think most of the supposed 'problems' attributed to mech heads is due to the hunter assuming they will fly like their field points without BH tuning. I also think that many of the fails with Fixed heads is due to the same- no BH tuning.
^Both will give the hunter poor shot locations on game.
Another interesting thing is that when you see a length of arrow attached to the head there is no discernible difference between mech and fixed again. Just showing that when you hit that bone it's likely stopping regardless of head.
blades on mech's bend/break a lot more maybe ?
I shoot Trypan's .... love 'em
I shoot the rocket 100gr steelhead. I've still have 25 left. I use the100 steelhead on all my trips. But when I'm only hunting doe I use other mechanical and fixed heads to save the steelheads. I kind a swing towards a fixed head for penetration against other mech heads except, the steel head 100. I shot bear and elk with fixed heads and steelhead, I'll still pick the steelhead over fixed. Yesterday I found out here (bowsite) that someone is making the steelheads again.
It's also interesting to see those broken shafts. My arrows never stick or fail to pass through. It always amazed me to watch some of those shows with an arrow in an animal running away with it. Never happens to me, guessing those guys love speed and light equipment.
Something I don’t see is a long shallow angle head like a Magnus Stinger. Most of the fixed heads are the short sharp angle type.
Also, no cut on contact blades in there. Tells you most of those penetrate all the way through.
Thats been my experience- all pass thru's- with the cut on contact leading edge heads [even in a wimpy recurve]
Looks like a couple Chinadermics in the mix as well.
A very interesting picture. Almost all, if not all of the broken shafts are bolts. Not enough oomph out of a crossbow?? Unfortunately, drawing any conclusions based on the head alone would be inaccurate. Way too many variables at play. But, an interesting picture none the less
very interesting. i see a mechanical on the right that did not open up. i'm guessing a shoulder hit but who knows. i wonder how many of these survived, only to be killed later by another hunter/arrow.
This pic tells me nothing.
I’ve skinned and quartered 10 elk this fall more then half have had bullets lodged under the skin on the opposite side a simple slice and they fall onto the cardboard below they proved to be lethal no doubt, are they bad cuz they didn’t exit, I think not nor do I think a broadhead has too, it’s nice if it does but dead is dead …
I had a collection like that once as well but never from one season. It took me 4-5 years to collect it. We would cut around 800 WG animals in a season which is nothing compared to some of the processors during whitetail season. I actually recovered more bullets than broadheads. It’s definitely about shot placement and tuning.
I don't see an Aluminum shaft in the bunch. I shoot Aluminums & 3 blade. I expect a pass thru when I shoot.
Bullets just dont have the kinetic energy of a well tuned arrow from a modern bow. We should not expect a pass from a bullet, only an arrow from a fixed blade broadhead. - Sarcasm
What's with the field tips in the box of parts?
Ahunter you really think the reason you don't see any aluminum arrows is because of penetration, and not the fact that almost no one shoots them anymore. I'd be surprised if one or 2% of bowhunters are shooting aluminum.
I always thought it best for a bullet to not pass thru.
“I always thought it best for a bullet to not pass thru.”
Interesting. I have always considered that unforgivable in a conical, though acceptable when it’s a roundball or soft lead conical at close range.
When high velocity bullets stop inside the animal, they usually have splattered tiny lead fragments far and wide throughout the meat, and are basically on the verge of a catastrophic failure. Those also tend to create a crapload of bloodshot meat.
Pure lead can expand at relatively high velocities (thinking 1800 fps) but without coming apart.
Yes, it’s an arbitrary double standard, but I’ve never seen a deer stop a .54 roundball without dropping on the spot…. Everything else has run a bit, but bleeding from 2 holes…
Enery transformation can be devastating, not much of a factor with archery.
Few years back. I shot a buck- butcher found 2 other bullets in from years prior. Looked like a 243, slug - my 30-06 dropped no issue
I've killed somewhere over 60 deer with arrows in my lifetime and probably just shy of 20 with a Rocket Steelhead. I've killed a bunch with Bear Razorheads, Muzzy type three blade replaceable heads, Slick Tricks, Magnus Stingers, NAP Hellrazors, etc. And I can't say any of the fixed heads penetrated better than the Steelheads. They were often tested against fixed heads and penetrated similar to most and better than some.
I’ve found broadheads of all types, rifle bullets, arrows, muzzleloader balls and bullets, 22 rifle bullets, air rifle pellets, shotgun pellets, wire, sticks, a few antler points as well.
Don't see any Vortex broadheads in there :)
More rage than any from what I can tell . But you always have to take into consideration the most popular broadheads on the market or what you can easily source from your local Walmart etc. the gross majority buy what’s cheap and readily available I would say less then 10% are meticulous about there equipment, “blow the dust off the night before season and climb a tree “
It’s obvious that the animal is dead, so how can you fault the broadhead?
Are these heads that killed the deer and were found, or, a hunter killed the deer, and during butchering, they found these in the deer - which had been walking round normally?
I'm assuming the latter.
It's interesting to see, for all the reasons others have noted.
Lot of crossbow bolts in that pic.
You can draw no conclusions from that picture without looking at a statistically, significant control group and a survey run by statistical geniuses, who understand the significance of the right sample size and mathematical equations
This picture shows me that there a lot of my fellow North Carolinians can't shoot worth a crap!
I once shot an old doe near the coast with my recurve than had part of a .50cal muzzle loader ball in the backstrap and several steel shot BBs where duck hunters took pop shots at her.
