So already thinking about what to try next with my 'experiment bow' since having good year with it so far. Its a monster xlr8 30" draw set at 70 lb (max is 74) with bisquit/anchor sight/axcel armortech and i really didn't get enough time to do alot of the shooting i wanted to do with it before season to see how far i could push myself with it in practice, basically set pins to 70 in two sight in trips and went hunting. But already hooked on the power. Getting 96 ft/lbs or 338 fps with 378 grains. I used my trusty montecs for the moose and muley this year but since then i started researching out of boredom and thinking about how i want to set up for next year.
I really want to try out the Starrflight Fobs, so they are on the way, and that means i HAVE to shoot a drop away...boooo, lol, so i picked up a limb driver. And i'm going to crank up the poundage to its max 74 as the goal is over 100 ft/lbs ke. In doing so i researched the arrow spine thing a bit and apparently with this aggressive a bow on the carbon express chart my spine should be more like 90lb pull, so i've got the maxima 450 hunter shafts here now too.
And of course in all this research i just had to type into a few googles 'best mechanical' as i'm really thinking about doing some longer range testing this season as i will be shooting/experimenting from this winter right on through to next season and want to ensure awesome flight etc. so in covering my bases i did that research also.
What i didn't expect to find was a mechanical that had such a loyal following and stellar reputation. The Grim Reaper broadheads. I kept reading and reading and my interest was peaked so i picked up a pack of 100's and threw them on the arrows this year not expecting to actually fill any more tags this season.
So i hadn't checked the trail cams in my whitetail spots in awhile, nothing big on them anyhow all year, as been the case last few years, so never in a hurry to check them. And i'd made lots of room in the freezer after loading up some family and friends so i knew i could handle a sausage deer if the occasion arised. And so i grabbed my bow and took it with me just in case a whitetail got silly in front of me while checking trail cams...and as my luck this season goes.....a whitetail got silly in front of me.
Perfect broadside shot, went through meaty part of both front quarters without hitting paddle bones and cleanly severed a rib on entrance and exit sides. Buck did the high back leg kick and took off going about 80 yrds. Went through both front lung lobes at windpipe height, windpipe barely held together at top and bottom. The blood trail was speedwalk looking 20' feet ahead....mind you with that hit the montec would have likely been the same as everything coming out his mouth like walking along with paint brush dipping into full can of paint and flingng around.
Arrow laying on ground a few yards past where the deer was hit and blades closed and one with hair in it....hmmm. Initially thought it failed or at least one blade didn't open but after some closer checking and more research i discovered its easy to tell if they open as each blade leaves a 'smash mark' when they open up into the collar at the back of the blades. This was very obvious, my bow pushing good ke so it was very obvious. Plus i sherlock'd the entire carcass including the internals even though i did the gutless method on him as its just fast/convenient way for me now. The collar behind blades is what sets the angle which they stop, 40 degrees, and determines cut diameter. After inspection i think they now open a few degrees more with slightly reduced cut diam.
Otherwise a tiny touch up sharpen and they are like new and ready to go again.
When i disposed of carcass/scraps that evening i took the headlamp/saw and got the internal pics just to satisfy my curiousity. Got two big bags of prime whitetail in the freezer for next sausage party to boot! Oh, and fantastic backstraps for supper.....yum!
So thought i'd pass along my findings. I like what i found so far and will shoot more deer with these. Likely stick to fixed on bigger stuff but as long as everything flies to same point of impact i have no issue with these. The homework says they are the king of the mechanical world so i will shoot a few more to see if my experiences mirror the years and years worth of experiences from other guys/camps that solely rely on and love them....i really had no idea i would find out these were this popular and well thought of.....a mechanical with a good reptution? I was surprised.
Next stop will be taking the bow up to 74 lbs, limb driver, fobs, maxima 450's, anchor sight stays (that thing rocks), and should be able to run 450 grains at around 318 fps with the changes so i'll be itchin for next season, going to try and find a nice whitetail next year so will see what happens. Might be a 125 gr reaper on the arrow when i do.
Hope you enjoy my gear findings.
Still warm and ready to hit the buckets. Entrance side.
Entrance side under hide.
Entrance side on ribs, pushing down with finger on one rib showing gap, completely severed.
Exit side under hide.
Exit side ribs, one completely severed.
Internals, one side lung lobe and wind pipe, they ride inline with each other.
As you can tell by my csi version i was a bit skeptical so for my own peace of mind i did all this checking to ensure they worked as so many seem to say. All good so far.
I tried another mechanical....results inside, Grim Reaper.
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