With any good trend, there\u2019s a tendency to slide to the extreme. Take for example the recent bowhunting trend of shooting heavy arrows and hefty fixed-blade broadheads. The idea is that this setup will still penetrate if you hit a critter in the shoulder, which is all true and good and actually a move toward older bowhunting concpets.\u00a0It\u2019s a needed course correction away from the trend of super-light, super-fast setups.<\/p>\n
But some folks have taken the idea too far, advocating for intentionally shooting deer tight into the shoulder and also claiming that mechanical broadheads are simply insufficient for cleanly killing big-game animals. Let\u2019s pump the brakes for a minute.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There are several quality mechanical broadheads on the market that, when combined with good shot placement, are incredibly effective. In fact, for average deer hunters shooting compounds and crossbows, mechanical broadheads might still be the best choice. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n
Quality Mechanical Broadheads Kill Deer<\/h2>\n
One of the downsides of mechanical heads is that they require more force to push through a medium. This is simply a caveat of the design. The larger cutting diameters plus their mechanisms for opening require force. Earlier this year, gear editor Scott Einsmann and archery guru Cody Greenwood did an in-depth test on the amount of force needed to push broadheads through doormats, foam, and leather (read their full test here<\/a>). The fixed-blade heads required less force, hands down. This is important because you want your arrow to fully pass through the deer. All other things being equal, a passthrough creates a quicker kill and better blood trail.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s the thing: Pushing a broadhead through the vitals of a deer does not require an incredible amount of force. Take, for example, the buck I shot this fall. I made a 20-yard broadside shot on a big-bodied Wisconsin 10-pointer (trail cam photo above). My bow set to a draw weight of 60 pounds zipped a Sevr 2.0 (2-inch cutting diameter) tipped arrow cleanly through the deer and buried it into the ground. The buck ran about 60 yards and toppled over dead. This is absolute perfect broadhead performance.\u00a0<\/p>\n I realize this is only one field anectdote, but you don\u2019t have to take my word for it. Just watch the videos from my buddy Michael Hunsucker over at Heartland Bowhunter. He shoots an arrow with a 95-grain insert and a 100-grain expandable broadhead, which gives him a total arrow weight of 500 grains. As you\u2019ll see in the videos, he has no issue getting passthroughs on even the biggest bucks.<\/p>\n![\"mechanical](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/uploads\/2022\/12\/30\/DSC03251.jpg\")