# Shoulderblade Penetration



## Pabowhunter92 (Jan 21, 2008)

I shot a doe this season with a 45lb bow with the 3blade rage broadhead. I hit the animals shoulder and got minimal penetration. The arrow barely made it bleed. The deer was never recovered. Since this day i have been discouraged of using rage broadheads and extremely wary of the shoulder shots. I would like to hear what everybody thinks on the topic of shoulder shots with a bow. Please respond.


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## Turner (Oct 7, 2005)

For the obvious reasons you do not want to make shoulder shots, vitals should be the only spot you should place that arrow. With all the variables and possibilities of errors out there of placing a bad shot, you want an arrow built to deliver the most kinetic energy into the target. This means having the correct broadhead, arrow weight, and FOC (forward of center weight) that best fits your bow. To have 12% to 19% is a high FOC and below 12% is normal. The design of the broadhead is also critical, it is a proven fact that multi blade broadheads will get less penetration than say a well built and designed single blade. A broadheads point is also a factor on bone and shoulder shots, a tanto tip will prove to be stronger than a needlepoint. The type of edge or bevel that is on the blade is also a factor, single bevel heads have greater penetration in all cases involving bone impact. With a single bevel blade, you have rotation helping split bone rather than pushing through the bone. Not only can a broadhead fail you, but also weak inserts and adapters can fail and reduce penetration upon making contact with bone. The rumor has it that you need the heavy pound bows to deliver the deep penetration or pass through shots, with the correct built arrow and broad head you will achieve the same with the lower poundage bows every time. Put that arrow in the boiler room every time.


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## bretts (Feb 24, 2004)

I used to shoot mechanical broadheads, until I had horrible luck with them breaking bone. Rage broadheads belong with hunters shooting turkey's with their bows IMO. Make the switch to fixed blades if you can. I loved muzzy's back in the day, but I could not get them tuned properly, but, now their mx3's and mx4's are awesome. They fly true to your field points and are built tough. I shot a doe this fall at thirty yards and had a complete pass through, arrow however passed through both shoulders...not the best shot but sold me on fixed blades, chissel point, or cut on contact blades. Wasps are great, muzzy's are great.


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## Danimal (Sep 9, 2005)

Pabowhunter92,

Sorry to hear about your deer.

As for my 2 cents, I agree that we should avoid shoulder shots with bows and that fixed blades are more reliable than mechs.

First, 45 pounds is plenty for deer with good shots. My dad has more deer with his 43 pound Jenning Forked Lightning shooting Graflex arrows and 125 grain Satalite 3 blade broadheads than I have. I shoot a 58lb bow at 245fps. (Granted he has been bow hunting longer than me, but he waited for the perfect shot on all of them).

I've shot both types of broadheads and here are my observations. The mechs are usually easier to tune, and can be had in larger cutting diameters. Bigger cuts are nice with heavier/faster bows, but are not the best with ligher bows. Larger cut BH's on ligher bows may not give the penetration that we all want..... a passthrough. Mechs may or may not open without enough energy. From what I've seen, sometimes the blades are not as sharp as they should be.

Fixed blades can be harder to tune, but with many of the better designs are now just as easy. From what I've seen the fixed blades are sharper from the factory and they always cut.... I think a shorter BH is easier to tune than a longer BH. So when I looked for a fixed blade, I looked at the Muzzy 75 gr 3 blade and have been happy.

I'll take a 7/8" razor sharp fixed blade over a so so 1.5" mech.

Keep practicing and try different BHs and you'll be fine.


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## neb_bo (Feb 3, 2007)

i had a hunter this fall shoot a 225+ lb buck with 55lb bow. he was using cx maxima hunters, and 125gr g5 montecs. he also had a muzzy insert, that if i remember right, was 100 gr. he shot the buck at 35 yds, broadside, and had a clean pass through on both shoulders. however, you should never take a shoulder shot, especialy with a 45lb bow.


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## wyogoose (Feb 11, 2006)

I dont know if am in the same boat as you but I dont take shoulder shots on purpose, they just sometimes happen. For this reason I agree with what others say, shoot fixed blade. I shoot the Slicktrick magnum 125's and I could not say enough good things about them. I can litterly shave the fletchings off of my fieldpoint arrows and as far as penetration goes they are the best I have seen. Last year I shot through both shoulder blades on a mulie at 30 yds and it didnt go 20 yds and bled like a stuck pig. Give them a try and you will not be disappointed!!


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## Pabowhunter92 (Jan 21, 2008)

I apologize for making it seem like i intentionally shot the deer in the shoulder, it was perfectly broadside but i pulled the shot.


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## Ande8183 (Sep 18, 2005)

A few years back my bro shot a really nice muley buck at 10 yards in the shoulder blade with 100 gr. Revolution (or evolution cant remember) mechanical blades and had very minimal penetration. They followed a few specks of blood for a ways, and lost the trail. He has since switched to heavier carbon arrows and 125 gr. G5 Montec. This last fall he shot a big muley buck, and it was a complete pass through.

To this day he is still upset over the mechanical broadhead and poor shot placement that he made on the one that got away. At that time it was the biggest mule deer any one of us had ever seen.


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## Blood Trail (Jan 18, 2008)

PA,
If I where you, I'd stay away from mechanicals if you're only pulling 45lbs. Get yaself a good fix blade. :roll:


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## Pabowhunter92 (Jan 21, 2008)

I was only 13 then, i am currently 15 and pulling a 55 lbs bow


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Pabowhunter92 said:


> I was only 13 then, i am currently 15 and pulling a 55 lbs bow


Keep shooting and get more weight, you got the right idea and are on the right track. You should always shoot the highest weight you can handle comfortably. Alot of guys will tell you dont need to shoot 70 lbs, but if you can comfortably shoot it, why not? Why take any chances. Go as high as you can while maintaining comfort.

Mechanicals suck, plain and simple. Deer aint to tough, but if you ever get the opportunity to go after something tougher, youll soon learn that mechanicals dont cut it. (pun intended)

Fixed blades are far superior, with my vote going to a good cut on contact style. (Im not a fan of chisel points from a penetration on bone standpoint either).


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## bretts (Feb 24, 2004)

Bareback do you have any experience bowhunting? :lol:


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

bretts said:


> Bareback do you have any experience bowhunting? :lol:


Answer your phone! We need to go get beers this week. Ill bring the pics from the latest trip.


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