[itsmemaxwell]

I am shooting a Bear "Lights Out" at 60lbs and the rage 3 blade. last year i shot a doe at 25 yds and the arrow only got one lung and a buck at 15 yards and the arrow only got one lung. no pass thru on either. luckily i saw both deer pile up so it was an easy track. today, hit a buck at 15 yrd and the arrow barely pentrated at all. i saw the arrow sticking out of him as he ran away. but after 8 hours, no more daylight and no blood i had to quit looking. Does anyone else have pentration issues? Should i look at my bow setup, or is it the braodhead? Frustrating to see this happen. All 3 of these shots were placed good.

 

[hunt/fish365]

What arrows are you shooting? Maybe they are a bit heavy? As much as I would like to bash the rage I won't. Gotta be something wrog with you set up. With that said though, if I had the same thing happen twice in a row I would switch broadheads.

 

[shootbowtech]

I hate to blame broadheads as well, but I had this same thing happen with rage 3 blades several years ago at almost 90 ft/lb of KE. All shots under 25 yards, no passthrus. However, you may have arrow flight problems. If your arrow flight is not good, penetration in greatly reduced. You should paper tune your bow, and possibly try walkback tuning with your rage practice head, to check arrow flight. And heavier arrows would increase penetration, not decrease it, so if they are heavy, leave them heavy. I would rather have an arrow thats too heavy, than too light.

 

[burk313]

Sir,first have an archery shop check your bows draw weight with a scale.Also get on EBAY and type in Satelite Aero broadheads..These were made back in the 80s and are excellent penetrators for deer. Order some of them and your next shot at deer will make you happy of its performance.I too have a slow bow with 60-65 pounds draw but have killed 2 very large bucks with these broadheads and performance was excellent.Also remember the closer you are to the deer the more energy your bow will be producing. I like the 5-15 yards range.

 

[GreenInPA]

I think a FIXED broadhead stuck inside the vitals while the deer is running is every bit as good as one that passes through and proves how awesome your bow is. It must have been tough for the Native archers with their flint tipped arrows and all.

 

[Gitzit]

In my opinion 60 lbs is a little lite for a broadhead with a 1 1/2 inch cutting diameter or bigger, fixed or mechanical !

You'd be better off with an 1 1/4 inch or smaller, fixed or mechanical.

 

[shootbowtech]

I think its a whole lot easier to track them with a big old hole in both sides, and an arrow through both lungs. Just my .02

 

[GreenInPA]

Easton's website has a kinetic energy calculator and a bar graph of what KE you need to kill various game. You just punch in your lbs. and arrow speed. http://www.eastonarchery.com/software/EastonShaftSelector2009.zip. The KE and FOC calculators are part of the shaft selector software and it's just a quick download.

 

[BOOTOXEN]

i pretty much have the same bow. Instinct set at 63 pounds with XT hunter arrows. I only use expandables for turkey. Bow is in tune, and I have done walk back tuning. Complete pass throughs on 3 deer. 13 yards, 20 yards, 29 yards. Slick tricks. I could shoot most any fixed head w/o flight issues. (I have tried many).

#1 Make sure your in tune
then decide if you need to switch heads

 

[GreenInPA]

I think its a whole lot easier to track them with a big old hole in both sides, and an arrow through both lungs. Just my .02

I edited my post to mean FIXED broadhead in the boiler room. I have seen some impressive wounds from the Rage broadheads but you can't bank on a pass through shot. If it goes in an hits a rib on the way out then you're stuck with what ya got. If it doesn't pass through then you want as much damage being done as possible while the deer is in motion.

 

[GregB]

I have the same results as Bootoxen. 63lb Instinct with the Gold Tip XT hunters and NAP Spitfire Pro. Complete pass through out the front shoulder this season at 23 yds. Maybe its bad luck for maxwell.

 

[itsmemaxwell]

thanks for all your input. i have been a rifle hunter until last year when i began archery. nothing better than bowhunting. my buddy is going to stop by tomorrow to be sure i have my bow tuned properly. he also has some fixed blades we will tune my bow with and maybe next weekend i will have a 2009 success story to share with you all.

 

[missedshot]

My Bear Lights Out is set at 52 lbs. I got 2 complete pass throughs using Wasp Broadheads. Both were in the rib area.

 

[25ftup]

My buddy has had problems with penetration and the rages this year. His bow is tuned and he shoots 71 lbs.

 

[fairchase4me]

Had the same thing happen Saturday w/my 60# Alpha [email protected] 28 3/4" Easton FMJ, Rage 2 Blade...Arrow penetrated 10 inches...lost the blood after 60 yds. I have tuned my bow and there are no arrow flight problems. I work for a retailer where there is an Archery shop inside. Should have stuck with my Montec's but was convinced to try these. Had to work today...going to look for 6 hours tomorrow before work. I had blood spots the size of my hand...bright red blood. Went for 50 yds...then it quit at a field edge. Waited an hour and a half before looking for him or getting out of the tree. Depressing.

 

[RayRay]

Driving large heads thru a deer takes alot of KE. I use smaller fixed blade broadheads & have no problems getting pass thrus, as a few friends that use them also have no problems. With a smaller head & a pass thru the blood trails are generally good & the deer don't go far.

 

[letumgrow]

It take alot of KE to push an expandable head.

I would check arrow flight. A slight bit of whipping is like slapping the deer on impact. Which makes the problem even worse when shooting an expandable. Heavier poundage won't fix the problem.

I shoot 53lbs with maxima 350 shafts and 125gr Razorcap heads. Never had a problem with pass thrus even hard quartering away shots.
I am 6'1" and 200lbs and see no reason for more the 60lb draw wt.

 

[PipefitterDan]

Rage 2 blade Matthews Reezen 70# 17yard shot complete pass thru

 

[uplander]

I switched back to fixed blades this year after I lost my first deer in 23 years earlier this season. Hit a very nice buck the first Monday with Rage 3-blades, and did not get very good penetration. I assumed I contacted a shoulder, but I'm not convinced. I did track the deer about 250 yards, but lost him in a swamp. I shot two deer prior with Rage and got pass throughs, but very little blood (switched to Rage's last season from good ol' Thunderhead 100's).

Those Rage heads are either loved or hated. When they work well, they cut a BIG hole. When they don't....... A buddy of mine also lost a deer that was hit with Rage tips this year as well. Possibly poor shot placement; possibly broadhead issues. I don't know, as I obviously was not there.

I DO know the G5 Strikers I bought, after sending the Rage's back to the company, shoot true, and BLOW thru deer (The 8-point I have posted in the picts back up that statement.)

Again, not knocking Rage's or any other mechanicals. Only stating there is not much that can go wrong when you shoot a fixed blade from a properly tuned bow.

 

[limbhngr10]

I've never read any posts in regards to fixed blade penetration/blades not opening/ o-rings, rubber bands,bla-bla-bla.....maybe arrow flight. 2" of cutting surface is 2" whether it has 2,3 or 4 blades, mechanical or fixed.
I know many people that shoot mechanical and its about 50/50 on satisfaction(penetration).The perfect shot will result in a pass through no matter what you shoot.
Mechanics 101: more moving parts, more problems