Broadhead Recommendation

Hey guys,

I’m looking for a broadhead reccomendation. I’ve been shooting the 100 grain G5 Strikers the past few years which I absolutely love for flight performance, but i’m not impressed with the hole they leave, nor the amount of blood loss as well.

The last few deer I’ve shot have been high percentage shots right behind the shoulder and have resulted in tracking jobs over 200 yards each with minimal blood to follow. I hunt quite a bit in the metro area under close quarters, so I need a broadhead that can pack a punch and put down a deer quick. I also can’t afford to have a mechanical fail to open up and result in a wounded deer running around either so I’m leaning more towards a fixed head.

I’m thinking of bulking up to 125 grain heads as well, provided they don’t hinder my close range performance.

Any thoughts???

I think you should try the Grim Reaper Whitetail Specials They are a 2″ cut 100 grain BH that leave huge exit holes! I shot two deer w/ them last year and the blood trails were incredible! I have also had good luck w/ Rocket Strikenines. They are 125 grains, over-the-top expandable. How heavy are your arrows?

I played the fixed-head game for years. Consistently hitting deer behind the shoulders and having them run 100-200 yards, making them very difficult to find at times. Esp. high lung hits, the deer is dead running but the blood stays in the cavity, and doesn’t fall on the ground as much. Thunderheads, muzzy’s, cabelas cheapies, 85, 100, and 125 grain. Loved the performance on bone, but esp. with questionable shots, you were giving them time and crawling on your hands and knees….made me way too nervous considering the decent shots I was making.

I know you said mechanicals were not in your line of site, but the reasons you state are exactly the reasons I switched and haven’t looked back for both deer and turkey. I’ve never had an issue with the Rage two-blades not opening, or opening during flight, since they first started coming out.

To me, I think the case above is the tradeoff. Go with mechanicals for the better blood trail and quick kills, risking the possibility of failure. I would argue it’s miniscule, and comparable to the failure rate of any broadhead, let alone the flight/tuning issues. Or, go with the fixed blade styles for harder hits on bone and durability with less likelihood of failure and tougher-to-follow blood-trails. I don’t want to oversimplify, but that’s been my experience.

Good luck whichever route you decide to go!

Joel

Thanks for the quick reply guys!

To be honest, the reason why i’ve shied away from committing to expandables is a few bad experiences with the Rage 3 blades a few years back. Ever since then I haven’t had the confidence to go back to expandables for fear of not being able to put an ethical kill on a deer, and we all know what a lack of confidence in your equipment will do to you.

I have been looking to the T3’s and the Tekan’s by G5 however and have considered giving these a try. Thinking I may need to get some ballistics gel and check out the performance and wound channel for myself on these to see if they match up to my expectations..

Justin,

I shot the T3 at a doe last year. Made a poor shot when my bottom limb whacked my knee. I was shooting sitting down. Anyway, the arrow entered a quartering away deer about mid hind quarter and buried to the fletching. She died within minutes and a mere 25 yards from point of impact.

Now this arrow definitely traveled through most of the vitals by pushing through the guts, nicking a lung and the top of the heart. I think any broadhead shot in the same spot ends up with an almost identical result. I was impressed with how the head stayed together and did it’s job.

The only small complaint I have about the T3 is the spider clips used to hold the blades down. I’m either an idiot or they are a bit sensitive. I would probably never use this head for a spot and stalk hunt where I could potentially whack the blade on brush etc…

I will give G5 this, their customer service was awesome when it came to replacing a bad head I got out of the package.

I’ll have both T3 and Rage 3 blade in my quiver this weekend chasing bear. I still haven’t decide which I’ll choose when the moment of truth comes.

Pretty much agree with everything that has been said so far except one thing. Not ALL fixed blade kills result in 100-200 yard blood trails.

I have had plenty of animals die within sight shooting fixed blade heads just as I have using expandable heads. Just last year I killed 2 deer with the same brand head (expandable). Everything was almost identical, treestand height, how far the deer was and shoot placement. Both died within 100 yards, one bleed like a stuck pig and the other hardly bleed at all. Most important thing is to make sure the head is sharp and bow is tuned to that particular head. Good luck on your journey!

Slick trick mags or grizz trick 2’s. Massive blood trails,Fly like darts and tough as heck. Not to mention, one of the sharpest heads out there by far

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Pretty much agree with everything that has been said so far except one thing. Not ALL fixed blade kills result in 100-200 yard blood trails.

I have had plenty of animals die within sight shooting fixed blade heads just as I have using expandable heads. Just last year I killed 2 deer with the same brand head (expandable). Everything was almost identical, treestand height, how far the deer was and shoot placement. Both died within 100 yards, one bleed like a stuck pig and the other hardly bleed at all. Most important thing is to make sure the head is sharp and bow is tuned to that particular head. Good luck on your journey!

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X2…I have had several deer die within 10 – 30 yards using fixed blades. I also have had several deer go several hundred yards on high percentage shots using mechanical heads. This topic comes up several times during each season and the best advice is go with what you are confident in shooting.

Most of the deer Ive shot with a 100 grain 4 blade muzzy have died within sight sight the last 10 years ive shot them. Also shot a couple with the MX4 and had the same results.

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I think you should try the Grim Reaper Whitetail Specials They are a 2″ cut 100 grain BH that leave huge exit holes! I shot two deer w/ them last year and the blood trails were incredible! I have also had good luck w/ Rocket Strikenines. They are 125 grains, over-the-top expandable. How heavy are your arrows?

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While I havent used the 2 inch yet, I have used the 1 3/4 for the last 3 seasons. Grim Reapers are second to none. Ive never had a mechanical failure, and Ive watched all of them die but one. That one still only went 40 yards. They are absolutely devastating.

Post deleted by zimmy101

I guess I’m still sold on rage 2 blade, Spit fire as my backup.

Slick Trick Magnums 100 grain

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Pretty much agree with everything that has been said so far except one thing. Not ALL fixed blade kills result in 100-200 yard blood trails.

I have had plenty of animals die within sight shooting fixed blade heads just as I have using expandable heads. Just last year I killed 2 deer with the same brand head (expandable). Everything was almost identical, treestand height, how far the deer was and shoot placement. Both died within 100 yards, one bleed like a stuck pig and the other hardly bleed at all. Most important thing is to make sure the head is sharp and bow is tuned to that particular head. Good luck on your journey!

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Absolutely agree with you Dennis, and also with Dan Pearson’s post. Many of those deer died within 50 yards, just too many more that ran further than I would’ve liked. Confidence was mentioned, and mine was shaken a bit too much causing the switch. I completely respect anyone who has success with any product and hunts more confidently because of it!

Joel

Im using 3-blade NAP bloodrunner’s this year. From what i can tell its the best of both worlds. if it doesnt deploy, its still a fixed blade head, and if it does, it cuts that much wider. so far i’ve gotten them to land with my field points out to 40 yds, i havent pushed it further than that, but i dont see a flight difference with them.

I also have a fixed F-15 from CX. (I got in on the free BH giveaway they had last year) It flies even with my BHs too. and I’ve heard they leave great blood trails with those bleeder blades. I mean, look what they do for the “Jug Hunters” on youtube!!

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I played the fixed-head game for years. Consistently hitting deer behind the shoulders and having them run 100-200 yards, making them very difficult to find at times. Esp. high lung hits, the deer is dead running but the blood stays in the cavity, and doesn’t fall on the ground as much. Thunderheads, muzzy’s, cabelas cheapies, 85, 100, and 125 grain. Loved the performance on bone, but esp. with questionable shots, you were giving them time and crawling on your hands and knees….made me way too nervous considering the decent shots I was making.

I know you said mechanicals were not in your line of site, but the reasons you state are exactly the reasons I switched and haven’t looked back for both deer and turkey. I’ve never had an issue with the Rage two-blades not opening, or opening during flight, since they first started coming out.

To me, I think the case above is the tradeoff. Go with mechanicals for the better blood trail and quick kills, risking the possibility of failure. I would argue it’s miniscule, and comparable to the failure rate of any broadhead, let alone the flight/tuning issues. Or, go with the fixed blade styles for harder hits on bone and durability with less likelihood of failure and tougher-to-follow blood-trails. I don’t want to oversimplify, but that’s been my experience.

Good luck whichever route you decide to go!

Joel

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X2!!!
I also shoot the rage two blade through the mesh in my blind and it hasn’t affected the arrow flight. They have gained my confidence and I was skeptical at one time.

Joel even shoots them threw the blind itself ! !

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Joel even shoots them threw the blind itself ! !

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You mean “through” the blind Wisconsin? That said, I did want to throw the blind after I realized what happened.

Joel

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Joel even shoots them threw the blind itself ! !

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Slick Trick Magnums 100 grain

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3 blade Muzzy’s 100 grain haven’t let me down yet! But as stated earlier, find the one that you are comfortable with and good luck.

I also like the Grim Reaper broadheads ,they fly great and unbelieveable whole they put in a deer. They are my go to broadhead

I LOVE MY 3 BLADE MUZZYS SO FAR HAVENT LOST A DEER YET BECAUSE OF LACK OF BLOOD.

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I LOVE MY 3 BLADE MUZZYS SO FAR HAVENT LOST A DEER YET BECAUSE OF LACK OF BLOOD.

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X2

I have been a 100 grain, 3 blade muzzy man for years and I love their toughness & flight, but with our 21st century grain fattened deer, good blood trails have been harder & harder to come by,until I switched to the 125 grain, 2 blade rage. I went to a 125 grain head for better FOC and more punch. I shot a 5 1/2 year old 10 pointer in Sept. and he only made it about 60 yards. What a blood bath!! The rage opened a tremendous hole. They’re not very tough heads, so pretty much count on throwing them away after one shot, or using them for turkeys. Just my thoughts.

Slick Tricks!!!! Not many people how used or even heard of these, but with only a 1.5″ cut, most are gonna think im crazy for using them! But theres no joke with these broadheads, they leave an absolute blood bath and hole in deer!! Both deer ive shot this year have been with slick tricks. ALTHOUGH they arent huge deer by any means, they put a hole in em! Second choice would be 2 blade rage!

The 1-1/2″” heads are actually the Slick Trick GrizzTrick2 heads. The Standard Slick Trick’s are 1″ and the Mag’s are 1-1/8″

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The 1-1/2″” heads are actually the Slick Trick GrizzTrick2 heads. The Standard Slick Trick’s are 1″ and the Mag’s are 1-1/8″

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Grizz 2’S are 1 1/4

I stand corrected. Can’t even read my own catalog.

Either way, the slick trick line of broadheads are a deers worst nightmare!! Thanks for the corrections guys

Slick Tricks. Enough said…..but with that I will elaborate. I started shooting them in the ’09 season. I’ve killed bulls with them every year. The farthest any elk has gone is 120 yards. My Colorado bull from this year, but in all fairness he tumbled down hill the last 30 yards. So 90 yards is the farthest. MANY deer dead in 30-90 yards, bear, antelope, mule deer, and turkey. As stated before they are a great flying, tough as nails, sharp as a scalpel broadhead. I think the key here is doing YOUR job. If you hit the animal right with this head, you will have no problem following the blood trail or recovering the animal. If you don’t hit it good, I feel this broadhead still gives you the best chance of recovery.