Expandable broadhead first hand

[Slm864]

Which fixed blade did you land on?

Slick trick standards

 

[elkhnter]

My 3 furthest tracking jobs have been after shooting mechanicals, a Spitfire and 2 Hypodermics.
I like the design of the Hypodermic, but hated the collars. Now with the NC design, might give them a try again.
I truly believe that deer react less to being hit with a sharp COC head than any mechanical. I’ve had deer stand or maybe take a couple steps after being shot with a ViperTrick or VPA.
I’m back to shooting Magnus Buzzcuts this year and the way they’re flying out to 60, I don’t see any reason to go back to a mechanical. Maybe for turkey.
My basic thought has always been, it’s mechanical it can malfunction.
You ask for recommendation, I’d go with a Rage Hypodermic NC.

 

[JDH]

I feel like a lot of people use the mechanicals to overcome these issues.

Not all of them though. When you combine a well tuned bow and a shooter that is proficient at shooting in hunting situations the mechanicals just add width to the wound channel IMO. I'll take that.

How hard is it to "really tune" your bow? I shoot a Mathews Chill - R and the last time I took it to the shop they acted like there was no reason to paper tune it. They said at the higher speeds the arrow stays unstable for a longer period of time so if it shoots good it would be a waste of time. I've been hesitant to spend the time figuring it out since I mainly shoot whitetails within 30 yards.

 

[Shangobango]

How hard is it to "really tune" your bow? I shoot a Mathews Chill - R and the last time I took it to the shop they acted like there was no reason to paper tune it. They said at the higher speeds the arrow stays unstable for a longer period of time so if it shoots good it would be a waste of time. I've been hesitant to spend the time figuring it out since I mainly shoot whitetails within 30 yards.

It is not that hard if you know what you are doing. Takes a little practice and some extra shooting.

I would say that the importance of having the bow tuned probably depends on a lot of factors. How far you are shooting, wind, and conditions on the ground are the first that come to mind.

Most of my shots are within 30 yards on whitetails too. I bow hunt in what amounts to a jungle. I need the ability to poke an arrow through a small window. Sometime a very small window. I practice a ton for these shots by setting them up while I am practicing. I don't need my arrow doing funky stuff on the way to the deer.

An example that comes to mind and sums up my thinking on bow tuning and practice that happened probably 10 years ago when my younger cousin first started bow hunting: We were both standing where my arrow was poking out of the ground after I shot a deer. The deer was laying within sight. My cousin looked up to where I had been hanging in my climber when I shot, figured the trajectory of the arrow, and then turned to me and said " How the hell did you get an arrow down through all those vines you were using for cover and then all of the brush between you and that deer?" My response was " I tuned the heck out of that bow and then shot it until my arm about fell off. I know exactly where every inch of that arrow is going to be all the way to the deer."

Edit: Not to be snarky, just my opinion, but if a bow shop told me that there was no reason to paper tune my bow, I would have serious concerns about letting them touch my equipment.

 

[TheTone]

How hard is it to "really tune" your bow? I shoot a Mathews Chill - R and the last time I took it to the shop they acted like there was no reason to paper tune it. They said at the higher speeds the arrow stays unstable for a longer period of time so if it shoots good it would be a waste of time. I've been hesitant to spend the time figuring it out since I mainly shoot whitetails within 30 yards.

You need a new shop if that’s their thoughts

 

[elkhnter]

Ditto to the above 2 posts!
I’d be finding a new shop or better yet, learn to tune yourself.
The more you do yourself, the more satisfaction you’ll have in archery.

 

[elkhnter]

And BTW, the faster the bow shoots, the more critical the tune.
Man there’s a lot of stupid people working in bow shops anymore!

 

[JDH]

Ditto to the above 2 posts!
I’d be finding a new shop or better yet, learn to tune yourself.
The more you do yourself, the more satisfaction you’ll have in archery.

The guy who owns the shop is great but his daughter is gradually taking over and I only go in there if I need something so it's a crapshoot on who will be working. I had a Mathews Drenalin and did every kind of tuning I could to it but this new bow has split limbs, is faster, etc so it just seems harder to tune. That's why I was asking.