The Classic Debate of Fixed versus Mechanical Broadheads, Which Will You Take To The Deer Stand?
Fixed or Mechanical Broadheads? Hunters everywhere whether at archery shops or deer camps constantly toss the debate back and forth. This never ending debate among hunters is filled with vocabulary such as “I never found that doe” or “that arrow wasn’t even close to where I put that pin”. Every year there is a recurring argument backed up with particular scenarios, or a whole lot of “this one time”. The decision is ultimately up to the preferences of the hunter, or what he/she has tuned the bow for. That is a large part of the decision, but the biggest part of the debate is simple, what are the broadheads for deer?
So which broadheads fixed or mechanical are the best for bow hunting whitetails? You need to decide…
The long debate focuses on key characteristic of both fixed and mechanical broadhead types. Fixed blade broadheads are associated with reliability and penetration while said to suffer in accuracy, which is key when honing in on the best broadheads for deer. Mechanical broadheads are associated with supreme cutting, blood trails, and accuracy while said to be lacking in reliability and penetration. With this information however, a bowhunter is only left with a choice of what he/she prefers to give up.
Accuracy is one only side of the debate, but it is everything. For sake of the argument and to get it out of the way, where you hit a deer is the most important aspect of bow hunting. There is so much variability in shot scenario plus human error however that it is hard to argue differences. Besides, if you practice with your broadhead of choice whether or not it flies like a field point is irrelevant.
When the metal hits the flesh, whether or not that deer hits the dirt is the thing that matters. For this question there luckily is data for and results with meaning. Andy Pedersen, Maryland’s Naval Support Facility Indian Head employee (1989), gathered such data. In the publication “A Comparative Study on the Effectiveness or Fixed Blade and Mechanical Broadheads” results revealed an 82% recovery rate with bow hunters using fixed blade broadheads, while mechanical broadhead users had a 90.9% recovery rate. Pedersen reports the data shows a significant difference in broadhead type when it comes to deer recovery rates. The difference places mechanical broadheads above fixed, making it apparent to Pedersen that cutting diameter overcame any problems with penetration or reliability. Does this mean they were the best broadheads for deer?
Given this information will you shoot mechanical from now on? Maybe…. maybe not, but the single most important thing that should make up your mind is which you like better. You have to trust your broadhead to have confidence, confidence means accuracy, and accuracy kills deer!
This debate is old and tiring to see repeated over and over again. To make it clear for you G5 is here to offer the best of both worlds. For whatever broadhead you choose, fixed or mechanical, get the best out there with G5 broadheads.