Yarrgh!

[MCPO_SOCM_RET]

I was sitting in my stand this morning complaining to myself about the big fat heavy snow flakes falling. Just about the time I decided to unpack my rain gear I had a visitor.
He walked in rather nonchalantly right towards me, took a giant piss and started to thrash a sapling. Perfect, I left my pack alone and picked up the crossbow.
Took aim at this nice tall symmetrical 8 point, who offered up his full broadside about 50 yards away at this point. Slid the safety off and loosed a bolt.
It all went sideways at this point, one of the mechanical blades sprung open and proceeded to turn and drop the bolt like an MLB curve ball.
I watched as a heart shot turned into an in the ground about 20 yards short and 10 feet behind his ass.
He looked up at me like WTF is wrong with you? I'm busy here, how dare you interrupt my morning routine? And walked off snorting (sounded like laughter to me).
I packed up, climbed out of the stand, and walked home making up new four letter words every few steps.

Never had a Rage do that to me before.

Back to the G5's for the rest of this season I guess.

So, there will be some rage's in the for sale section soon. 9 - 125gr broadheads, two carry cases, O rings and shockcollars (6 are still in the plastic from about a month ago)

[Imshootin]

Sounds like an "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" KISS moment.
Maybe you'll get him next time.

[alcoholbanshee]

I have gone back and forth with mechanical versus fixed for years. About 3 years go i went back to 3 blade 100 gr muzzys. I will never use anything else.

[MichiganShootist]

I bow hunted in North central MI for 40 years.... and don't think I ever had a season I didn't bag at least one whitetail.

It's just like a firearm... everything is about shot placement a 3 or 4 inch mechanical (LOL) that doesn't hit the right spot is useless.

I experimented with mechanicals on my Mathews compound and my Ten-X crossbow..and never liked their reliability. I used three blade Muzzys too.

Spend more time shooting and less time shopping would be my advice.

Mark

[bentstick]

Fixed blades all the way here, Started with Bear 2 blade out of longbow, recurve, and compounds, now shoot a ebay buy 3 blade out of a crossbow (Excalibur Phoenix) some broadheads survive some dont but the deer is dead. Mechanical anything is bound to failure anytime and as you experienced the wrong time

[JohnJak]

Pics. Someone needs to put one of those small fancy go pro cameras on their bow.

[MCPO_SOCM_RET]

I bow hunted in North central MI for 40 years.... and don't think I ever had a season I didn't bag at least one whitetail.

It's just like a firearm... everything is about shot placement a 3 or 4 inch mechanical (LOL) that doesn't hit the right spot is useless.

I experimented with mechanicals on my Mathews compound and my Ten-X crossbow..and never liked their reliability. I used three blade Muzzys too.

Spend more time shooting and less time shopping would be my advice.

Mark

Thanks Mark. A crossbow shot that didn't hit the right spot was exactly what my lamentation was about - that wound needed a little salt rubbed in it.
I've hunted with these same mechanicals for about 5 years now, and now I'm back to the fixed blade montecs I switched from after this debacle (trocars worked ok too but my bow liked the G5's better, much like firearms like a certain brand, shape or grain sometimes). What would I know though, deer hunting is all about a chance to shop.
It's not a question of shooting vs shopping - I didn't just buy something and walk out to a stand without ever shooting it first, so I'm a little confused on that one...but thanks for the insight on that.

[pickford44]

I’ve only been hunting crossbow for about 5 years now and usually stick with rage. However I have found that the o-ring dry rots out and breaks. Was just checking all my stuff last night and found only my second in 5 years that had become this hard type plastic vs a rubber band like material. I have just found to be more conscious of checking my equipment before going out and once sitting down. I have been thinking about switching to fixed recently though..

Great thread but sorry for the miss!

[oldfart]

I’ve read to many of these stories to trust a mechanical broad head!