Expandable versus Fixed broadheads

[4x4bowhunter]

Hey guy's, i am going on my first caribou hunt, actually my first ever guided hunt, and was wondering what everyone's thoughts were on broadhead selection for caribou. I have killed moose with both an expandable and fixed broadheads but both were close shots (under 40 yards). I am thinking the possibility of a 60 yard shot might be high. Any thoughts!!!!

[Kurt505]

I prefer expandables especially with long shots. Even with a "tuned" broadhead I've found that past 40yds they can start to go rouge. JMO

[pottymouth]

Go with the one you trust the most, the one you feel comfortable using, since you've used both!

I myself have only shot expandables, and the one year I switched I lost the biggest whitetail of my life! Not that it was the broadhead's fault!

[Mulie.stalker]

http://www.slicktrick.net/node/34

Good article to read if you have ever used slicktricks or if you havent tried them before but gives some good info

[HoytAlpha35]

Ive taken all my animals with a Rocket steelhead. I think there is a real benefit to expandables when you are talking longer shots and wind. It reduces how perfect your arrow broadhead and bow need to be.

[SouthABFlyFisher]

I have shot lots of animals with each kind, and I always end up using an expandable. The size of holes with them is second to none!

[bonecollector10]

Originally Posted by 4x4bowhunter

Hey guy's, i am going on my first caribou hunt, actually my first ever guided hunt, and was wondering what everyone's thoughts were on broadhead selection for caribou. I have killed moose with both an expandable and fixed broadheads but both were close shots (under 40 yards). I am thinking the possibility of a 60 yard shot might be high. Any thoughts!!!!

Ive only killed animals with one type of broadhead so my opinion can only go so far... I use grim reapers expandables and they offer different sizes of cuts as well.

Shot a mule deer at 40 yards and slamed into his shoulder, got enough penetration to hit the lung.

Shot a bull moose at 60 yards and burried into the outside shoulder (quartering away) and he didnt go far.

My honest opinion, and this is just an opinion is that expandables will fly truer at longer distances. My reasoning is unless your practicing with the same broadheads you plan to hunt with expandables resemble field points a lot more. Therefore all your fine tuning out at 50,60,70 yards will be affected more by this.

Comparing to a rifle if you arent perfectly dialed in at 50 yards away then youll have tons of forgivness. Start getting out at 300 yards and a 1/4" will be 3 feet off. Just my opinion.

[grinr]

A good quality,solid fixed head and only take shots within your comfort range.Personally speaking,I will never again use another mech head for as long as I live on anything larger than a jack rabbit,and only then until I thankfully exhaust my supply of mechs/lose them/bust them all to hell on rocks and such.
It never ceases to amaze me how otherwise "ethical" bowhunters(?) insist on using gadgetry to compensate for lack of practice,proper tuning,and hunting/stalking/closing the distance skills.No offense intended towards the OP,but more so toward the entire bowhunting community.IMHO,if you can't place a fixed head into a 4" target EVERY time @ 40,50,or 60 yards,then you have absolutely no bizness taking 40,50,60 yard shots at live big game.Know your limits and stay within them,and if that means you have to pass up an iffy shot at the trophy of a lifetime that is 10 yards beyond your comfort zone....so be it,that's bowhunting.

[cockeyed]

Grinr: I totally agree with you, it's not the choice of broad head, it's being able to tune your bow properly, tune your arrow, practice at various yardages and positions that you feel comfortable with and know your limits.
But, since your asking about broad heads, I use to shoot Crimson Raptor broad heads, they had a cut on contact singe blade with a mechanical cutting edge that open without losing any kinetic energy. It was field point accurate. It was made by mid atlantic archery products. Now they have new broad heads that I can't wait to use. The spin on the arrow comes from the broad head and not the fletching. They recommend less than a 3" fletch and a straight helical.

[Lefty-Canuck]

So now the "fixed bladers" are going to slam the "mechanical" guys for being poor archers, lazy, and unethical??....gotta love how we treat one another....

I tune my bow....paper tune and otherwise, tune my broadheads and have use both fixed and mechanical broadheads to hunt....what I choose to use in the field says nothing about my effort, dedication, ethics, ability and "know how" when it comes to archery...

I usually have both fixed and mechanical heads in my quiver when out hunting all which have been tuned....if I end up with a light breeze decent shot fixed gets the nod.....if I am hunting open prairie in a wind, mechanical all the way...

Some things people slam others about is more than laughable....its darn well hilarious....

LC

[jack88]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

So now the "fixed bladers" are going to slam the "mechanical" guys for being poor archers, lazy, and unethical??....gotta love how we treat one another....

I tune my bow....paper tune and otherwise, tune my broadheads and have use both fixed and mechanical broadheads to hunt....what I choose to use in the field says nothing about my effort, dedication, ethics, ability and "know how" when it comes to archery...

I usually have both fixed and mechanical heads in my quiver when out hunting all which have been tuned....if I end up with a light breeze decent shot fixed gets the nod.....if I am hunting open prairie in a wind, mechanical all the way...

Some things people slam others about is more than laughable....its darn well hilarious....


LC

Can't wait until the time comes where the crossbow folk get to chime in on these questions!!

[C Taylor]

Odds are its going to be windy where your hunting caribou. Practice in the wind and use what you shoot the best. I have been using montec lately and i'm impressed with them. I hunted them in the Yukon and had hundreds go by within 40yd but the farther you practice the more confident you'll be. Make sure you have a good rangefinder, its hard to judge distance up there

[4x4bowhunter]

Thanks for all the helpful advice. I have been practicing outside at a buddy's acreage at 3-d targets. Next time it is windy i will try both and see which flies the best for me. I can usually hit the target in the kill zone out to 70 yards but would never take a shot past 60. I practice at 70 then when i drop back to the closer yardage i get real good tight groupings. I guess time will tell. Thanks again!!!

[grinr]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

So now the "fixed bladers" are going to slam the "mechanical" guys for being poor archers, lazy, and unethical??
LC

My lack of confidence in mech heads aside,I'm not slamming those that choose to use them so much as I am stating that there are far too many hunters relying on mech heads to compensate for poorly tuned setups and increase their range.
Regardless of whether a mech tipped arrow is on target or not,if it's sent there by a poorly tuned bow,your not doing yourself nor the animal any justice.A wobbling/fishtailing/porpoising arrow is not an efficiently penetrating arrow which is even more critical at extended ranges that border on being unethical shots to begin with.Being able to lob a mech from a poorly tuned bow into target blocks at 60yards all day long doesn't neccesarily mean one should be attempting the same on big game.

[Lefty-Canuck]

I understand what you are saying now....

I mistook what you were saying I thought you meant if you can't shoot a fixed blade broad head well you shouldn't shoot a mechanical or a bow at all.

LC

[The Bit Runner.]

I lost a beautiful mulie with a expandable never again. I use 125 gr Montec, each to there own on this topic, shoot what you like and what shoots the best out of your bow. I feel in my opinion that you are going to get more penetration if you hit that bull in the front shoulder at 60 yards with a Montec than you will say with a rage. Like I said its just me each to there own.

[Stinky Coyote]

there is one expandable that has a reputation as good as fixed heads, long term proven track record, tough, accurate and very dependable...so in the name of putting the odds in your favor only you can decide whether its fixed or mechanicals, at least there is one expandable that can stand up to a fixed head in the categories we mostly find important, nice there is an option good enough imo

i shoot the reapers now as for me the odds favor this as i do shoot long and fast set-ups and apparently accuracy trumps all....for me the reaper will stay and i bet its a very long time before i see anything that can top it, personal preference however, sure does have a cheesy name and look...but man are they tough and you really do 'watch'em drop'

they flew with field points and practice heads out to 80 yrds on last years set up, no tweaking anything, centershot and go, not even paper tuning

[Bearen09]

I shoot Spit Fires and believe me they layed allot of massive bone on the ground.. Wouldn't shoot anything else.
They constanly put studs down so it is a personal choice.. If you are shooting low weight I would chose fixed for sure..