# Rage 3 blade, CRIPPLE



## cpthook

This is a deer a friend of mine shot, read and weep. This is why I used fixed, not sure if it would have made a difference but that is a chance I'm not willing to make.

 Subject: tough deer I shot this buck on Nov. 16 in Kansas from a ground blind at 16 yards with a 70 lbs. bow and a Rage 3 blade broad head. I waited until he was quartering away and aimed for the opposite shoulder. The arrow penetrated almost to the fletching. The deer ran about 60 yards, stopped, staggered and almost went down. He looked around then ran another 120 yards and jumped over the neighbors fence. We obtained permission to look for him and did so for most of the next two days. We trailed him about 1/4 mile and lost blood. We then put a tracking dog on him, but never found the buck. When the neighbor checked his trail cameras this is what he found. I have shot several deer with this broad head with amazing results and some of the shots were not this good. I am saddened and puzzled by this outcome. My gut feeling is that the broad head deflected off the ribs and never entered the heart/lung area. If you zoom in on some of the photos you can see that the broad head did open fully on impact and there was a very good blood trail for 5-600 yards. The neighbor has promised to check his cameras regularly to try and see if he makes it or not.


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## TunaTango

Holy *****! Wow!


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## wacker

That sucks!!, No 1/4 away shots with expandables, 

I will stick with my Phantoms.


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## Bucksnort

Yep, everybody loves the rage till they fail them. That's what I've been told anyways. Using slick tricks this year. So far very pleased. Especially with the accuracy.


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## devil1824

Wow! That's a tough dude! I quit using expandles after my first hog hunt and that was 02'. G5 montecs right now.


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## wet dreams

Bucksnort said:


> Yep, everybody loves the rage till they fail them. That's what I've been told anyways. Using slick tricks this year. So far very pleased. Especially with the accuracy.


Ummmm WORD!!!! ...WW


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## devil1824

wet dreams said:


> Ummmm WORD!!!! ...WW


O.K. That's the second time I've caught you saying "word". No freaking way you are 58 yrs. old..... :rotfl::rotfl:


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## THE JAMMER

Wow is right. FIXED BLADE ALL THE WAY. With the power and speeds of bows today you will get pass through shots with fixed blade bh's. this is an absolute shame. First of all I'm amazed that this deer is alive. It looked like a great shot, but who knows what happened once the bh got inside- obviously NOT ENOUGH.

I've said this several times before, but I'll say it again. When I was a kid I watched a Saturday morning show where an archer shot an elephant with a long bow using a fixed 2 blade zwickey. The elephant was dead in 20 seconds. THAT'S ALL I NEED.

Why take a chance with a beautiful animal like that. Now I know there will be all kinds of people out there saying, "I've killed six million deer with a Rage and never had a problem." And that's probably true. However one parting thought. How many situations like this have you heard about using mechanicals compared to how many you've heard about using fixed blade. Facts are facts.

OMHO


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## kmarv

I has a similar incident on a high 140s 15 point 3 years ago with Rage 3 blade. Perfect shot quartering away I found the arrow about two weeks later and believe it or not could see where the deer had actually pulled it out with his teeth (ripped fletching, scraped carbon). He showed up on game camera about a month later with a festering wound but was no worse off than before. I saw him on game camera the following year, which was my last year to hunt that place. Needless to say, I switched back to fixed (tricks). In fact i probably have a few rages laying around if anyone wants to experience it for themselves. Don't get me wrong they were devastating on many deer I took, but one good deer lost and i learned my lesson...


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## Bucksnort

wet dreams said:


> Ummmm WORD!!!! ...WW


Ok. Well I'm only 50. So WW. What does "word" mean. Please explain to this youngster.


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## CaptDocHoliday

Word - As in "Word to the Big Bird!"

Looks like a solid shot to me. If that arrow gets snagged on a branch it may pivot that broadhead into the engine room. Sad to see such a good buck in that situation, but **** happens. Shot placement and angle look good. I'd chalk this one to poor equipment performance for sure.


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## Rack Ranch

seems like they would put him out of his misery instead of checking the cameras to see if he makes it... what am I missing here??


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## Josh5

If the buck still has the arrow in him after 6 days, I am going to guess that the arrow is not coming out. That said, I bet he gets a bad infection and the Kansas winter will take him out, if they don't finish him sooner.

Nice buck, great brow tines.

I still like my 2 Blade Rage.


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## cpthook

Rack Ranch said:


> seems like they would put him out of his misery instead of checking the cameras to see if he makes it... what am I missing here??


The trail cam does not have a weapon, they would if they could see him. They have been hunting him hard but no sightings.


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## cpthook

I personally think there is a lesson to be learned here and that is why I posted it, no mas mechanicals. It's not if, but when. We see allot of post about how effective the different mechanicals are but we do not hear about many failures. I'm anti-mechanical broad-head for this very reason. Thsi is a crying sham, and I'm not willing to chance it.


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## Buck-horn

It happens sometimes with mechanicals, unlikely but unfortunately it does. I agree with Josh5, that deer is going to end up sick and die slowly, If I were the land owner, I would put him down, only ethical thing to do. Which Im sure he will if he hasnt already. Keep your head up, thats why we call it hunting, and not going "killing" or everyone would do what we do....


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## g2outfitter

I think the lesson learned is that deer are tough animals. The shot was good and broad head opened. Who knows why hes not dead. It doesnt matter what is on the end of a arrow, things happen. It goes to show even good shots arnt a guarantee. It will be interesting when someone does put him down. What exactly happened on the prior attempt. If there is a perf broadhead. Let me know, i just think it doesnt exist. There are many that are good but none great. Some have great moments but they will let you down when they are needed most. 

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk


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## cpthook

We all agree no one wants to see an animal suffer like this. The fact of the matter is mechanicals fail, maybe seldom but even seldom is to often. I actually bought a pack of 2 blade Rage earlier this year but returned them for my trusty Thunderheads. If it can be avoided then it should be. I'm sure my friend will go back to fixed and never look back. Hopefully they can put this guy down asap so as to end the sufferring.


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## g2outfitter

We had one on our lease shot last year with fixed blade. Shot was decent. Alot of blood and no recovery. Hired dogs and nothing either. We assumed deer was dead untill this year he showed up healthy. He was taken by one of our rifle hunters a few weeks ago and deer had minor scaring. If this deer hasnt died yet it could live and be almost normal. 

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## Trouthunter

Don't know about good placement, that arrow is way higher than where I place an arrow.

Always hate seeing pictures like that; so do land owners.

Shuttle T's or Slick Tricks for me.

TH


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## wet dreams

Trouthunter said:


> Don't know about good placement, that arrow is way higher than where I place an arrow
> 
> TH


Same here, that arrow is in the 4-5" 'hollow spot' above the lungs n below the backbone....WW


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## cpthook

*not a bad shot*

I didn't shoot the deer but I feel 100% confident if the arrow had an exit at the same spot on the other side of the deer it would be a double lung shot. It is a little high but still a ok shot.


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## Chunky

I agree that the shot looks high of perfect, still that being said, I agree if it had continued on into the chest...it would have worked.

Terrible shame for the hunter, the deer, and the land owner. I would have much more confidance in the deer surviving if the arrow had come out. I hope someone can finish the job.

I shoot only fixed blade heads, but that is not to say that something can't still happen. I have seen the mechs fail on occasion, but I have also seen them leave a huge hole as well. I am not really a fan of them on the whole.


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## Trouthunter

I agree Chunky as has been said, it's not "if" they will fail, it's "when".

Shame, just hate seeing that.

TH


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## CHARLIE

Yup the shot is just a little bit high, above the lungs and below the back.. Who knows he mite make it but gonna be tough. I dont think the arrow is coming out..


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## snapper tapper

this was also on archery talk


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## Capt.Buzz

I've seen mechanicals and fixed blades and 270, 243, 338, 30-06 do the same thing. The word Rage gets alot of play on the negative side around here for some reason. I shoot Muzzy 4 blade fixed and a 12 gauge smooth bore with rifled slugs for the really long shots. Your bow, your arrow, your vane, your string, your release, your technique, your shot, your choice, unfortunate, but it really has nothing to do with Rage broadheads.....just unfortunate!


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## cpthook

Hey Capt Buzz do you have your avatar on your wall? that is insane 250 plus.


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## Steelersfan

IMO, that deer will be fine if he can work that arrow out of him eventually. Bad shot placement/equipment is my diagnosis. If you take a good look at all the photos, look how much that arrow position moves when the deer is in different "poses." My money is the arrow deflected off the rib cage due to a hard quartering away shot and the broad head is buried in the scapula of the deer. That's why it won't come out easily (until the arrow unscrews itself; the broad head may never come out). Non-fatal hit if he can fight off infections. Great deer. A shame about the hit but it happens. Hope the deer makes it. Also, looks like the deer is "feeding" fine and doesn't look overly skinny. They are TOUGH animals and though painful now, he probably isn't suffering greatly and was still probably rutting, arrow and all.


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## Trouthunter

> but it really has nothing to do with Rage broadheads.....just unfortunate!


It does indeed have something to do with Rage or any other mechanical head if it doesn't open when it is supposed to.

Nice buck in your avitar as cpthook noted!

TH


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## Sgrem

AMAZING to me how we always see post of people trying to justify the "hey look at the hole my expandable did" 
you rarely see this for fixed....thats enough for me....i dont want to have to justify my equipment....i just want it to work.

used thunderheads forever....used rocky mountain titaniums for a bit....now use slick tricks....

if you have never had a failed recovery while hunting then you havent hunted long enough.

i also think this buck will be fine.

my buddy shot one like this. We trailed him for miles. i saw him months and months later and he was fine. if i didnt know the buck very well by how my buddy had described him and that i had seen him numerous times i would never have thought he was ever shot. but i recognized and could see the wound right in the right spot but he was unaffected. seemed that way anyway....

shame to see this .... i think the take away is that we have a responsibility to practice and perfect our equipment to make a clean kill. that is our charge. if there is any doubt due to any piece of your equipment be it your broadhead or your string or whatever weak point. ELIMINATE THAT WEAK LINK!!!! you should be ashamed if you knowingly hunt with anything that could chance an unclean kill. period.


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## WoodDuck Wizard

I will never shoot rage again. Did this with two separate rages at 20 yards on a single sow. I'm shooting a bow tech general @65lbs. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## sqiggy

Trouthunter said:


> It does indeed have something to do with Rage or any other mechanical head if it doesn't open when it is supposed to.


Same here. I bet after the Rage entered the deer, the blades collasped, not cutting anything vital. On a fixed blade with a shot like that, not only would there have been a exit, there would have been some vitals sliced and diced.
I bought a package of Rage when they first came out. Claimed to have 2" on impact cut. Shot one into my broadhead target, measured the cut on impact and only got 1 1/4". Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, same thing I get with my Muzzy's. Put it back in the package, stuck it in one of my dresser drawers and that's where they've been ever since.


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## Capt.Buzz

I wish that buck on my Avatar was on my wall or even on my lease. Mechanicals (insert company name) can be very effective. Fixed blades (ditto) can be very effective. The shot on that deer in the initial post is just unfortunate. Does anyone really believe there is not 4 blade Muzzy's, G5's, or any other fix blade or mechanical that did not ever make a clean pass or fail to drop the deer within range of finding the deer. That shot in the pic is not to bad but just unfortunate. My friend shot several deer with a recurve and was on top of the world with his success until he wounded a massive 180" and it could not be retrieved. He was shootin fix blades but 42lbs pull. Could of been 70lbs pull and we still may not of retrieve the buck. He could of shot a blow dart at 5psi in the earhole and had a kill. I worked 7 years as a ranch foreman in Rocksprings (gun only) and cannot tell you the number of lost deer we had. Not one person ever said, "Darn Core Locks, Noslars suck", or complained about a bullet. Scopes, rifle, and the shooter were all beat up pretty bad though. I just think the concept of blaming a company or device is quite unique. Great success to all in you choices!


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## 220swifter

I wonder if most of the issues are with the 3 blade rages? I have used the 2 blade and have never had an issue.



WoodDuck Wizard said:


> I will never shoot rage again. Did this with two separate rages at 20 yards on a single sow. I'm shooting a bow tech general @65lbs.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## cpthook

I have heard nothing but good about the Rage 2 blade but allot of bad about the Rage 3 blade. I've never shot mechanicals, I'm staying with the Thunderhead 100 grain they have worked well for me even on a bad shot last year I recovered the animal.


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## Whitebassfisher

With the utter devastation and quick kills by a Thunderhead, why take a chance on a mechanical?


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## wet dreams

Whitebassfisher said:


> With the utter devastation and quick kills by a Thunderhead, why take a chance on a mechanical?


I figured this needed to be repeated....WW


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## Capt.Buzz

NAP Thunderheads are great!...Anyone know how NAP mechanicals perform?


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## muddyfuzzy

Capt.Buzz said:


> NAP Thunderheads are great!...Anyone know how NAP mechanicals perform?


i have had great success with spitfires. if properly maintained they will perform every time. the first hog i took 20' up and quartering away with complete pass through.

as far as the photograph goes it is most unfortunate but it seems to me to be the result of a poor shot rather than head failure. rage is a good product, just not for me but the attempt to throw the manufacturer under the bus for this incident is absurd. the hunting camp is very divided on this front, always has been; however, these types of pictures have been around a long time longer than rage has been.

i'll stick to what i say...... shoot what you shoot and shoot it well


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## muddyfuzzy

Whitebassfisher said:


> With the utter devastation and quick kills by a Thunderhead, why take a chance on a mechanical?


in a poorly tuned bow a mechanical will fly a little better. if you don't like tuning or are not good at it then some use them for this purpose. personally, i think a bow still needs to be tuned with any broadhead, mechanicals are just a little more forgiving.


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## wet dreams

Your bow should be tuned even if shooting nothg but field tips, with fixed broadheads the faster it is the less forgiving. You will get less penatration out of untuned bow no matter what type of head....WW


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## cpthook

as far as the photograph goes it is most unfortunate but it seems to me to be the result of a poor shot rather than head failure. rage is a good product, just not for me but the attempt to throw the manufacturer under the bus for this incident is absurd. 


Not necessarily throwing Rage under the bus, I think the arguement is fixed vs. mechanical and as you stated this argument has been aronud the camp fire every since mechanicals appeared on the market. My opinion is the shot is high but I think if the arrow had a solid broadhead and exited on the opposite side of the deer at the same spot it would be a kill. One fact of the matter is you will never have a fixed that does not open whereas with a mechnical it's not if but when. It's personal preferrence but I'm an old schooler and for me as the saying goes "if it ain't broke don't fix it".


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## travissalinas

i've had some pretty good success with the rage 2 blade, but the 3 blade opened on me several times as i drew back, therefore i never actually fired at an animal. 

very sorry to hear about that outcome


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## Robert10

Come on people....he hit him above the guts, behind the lungs and below the spine. Nothing there to kill him. Shoot lower and more forward. Make a better shot and quit blaming the equipment.


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## cpthook

cpthook said:


> as far as the photograph goes it is most unfortunate but it seems to me to be the result of a poor shot rather than head failure. rage is a good product, just not for me but the attempt to throw the manufacturer under the bus for this incident is absurd.
> 
> Not necessarily throwing Rage under the bus, I think the arguement is fixed vs. mechanical and as you stated this argument has been aronud the camp fire every since mechanicals appeared on the market. My opinion is the shot is high but I think if the arrow had a solid broadhead and exited on the opposite side of the deer at the same spot it would be a kill. One fact of the matter is you will never have a fixed that does not open whereas with a mechnical it's not if but when. It's personal preferrence but I'm an old schooler and for me as the saying goes "if it ain't broke don't fix it".


Everyone has there opinion but here is mine. Why use a blade that can fail instead of one that absolutely can not??


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## g2outfitter

Because everyone is looking for the huge blood trails. I have killed alot of deer with fixed and 8/10 times the blood trail is not great. Thats plus of a rage etc. They typically bleed like crazy. Me personally. Im am in the market for a blood splatter machine fixed blade. If you know of one let me know. I agree with the fixed no failing. 

But with that said i lost the biggest muley ever last year with a fixed due to no blood. I hit that dude in the pump station and only a few drops. It was a muzzy 4 blade.

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## GeauxRyan

Never used the 3-blade, but always had luck with the 2" double. With convenience comes a price, its just a matter of time before I lose one to a failed broadhead. Its best to move on and never look back.


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## Robert10

I bet no one here loses a deer with a rage if they made a good shot. Ive killed a lot of animals with a rage and never lost one. I had a guy on my lease shoot a hog and was ****** bc he said rage messed up. Well my buddy ended up killing the same hog and turns out poor shot placement. Learn your animals vitals and practice.....


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## slabnabbin

Robert10 said:


> I bet no one here loses a deer with a rage if they made a good shot. Ive killed a lot of animals with a rage and never lost one. I had a guy on my lease shoot a hog and was ****** bc he said rage messed up. Well my buddy ended up killing the same hog and turns out poor shot placement. Learn your animals vitals and practice.....


X2! Rages will be flying out of my destroyer again this year.


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## cpthook

Robert10 said:


> I bet no one here loses a deer with a rage if they made a good shot. Ive killed a lot of animals with a rage and never lost one. I had a guy on my lease shoot a hog and was ****** bc he said rage messed up. Well my buddy ended up killing the same hog and turns out poor shot placement. Learn your animals vitals and practice.....


The deer pictured here should be dead and would be with a fixed. I shot allot of deer and have made higher shots then this wit clean kills. Respectfully disagree.


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## Chase This!

Even with that heavy *** FMJ it couldn't do the job. Wow. Fixed blades for me for the last 16 years. Think I'll stick with what I trust.


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## Chase This!

Robert10 said:


> Come on people....he hit him above the guts, behind the lungs and below the spine. Nothing there to kill him. Shoot lower and more forward. Make a better shot and quit blaming the equipment.


He's REALLY close to where you would want to hit with a quartering away shot.

I bet $1000 that deer would be dead with a Slick Trick, Muzzy or Thunderhead.


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## Sgrem

Chase This! said:


> He's REALLY close to where you would want to hit with a quartering away shot.
> 
> I bet $1000 that deer would be dead with a Slick Trick, Muzzy or Thunderhead.


absolutely....not proud at all just sharing but i have a couple tanned hides with deer shot in similar or worse areas further back with thunderhead and slick trick.....and...well .... i have their skins soooooo.... i have to agree for quartering away (and i would say shooting down from a tree stand but OP says its a ground blind) this shot placement is very close to where it should be...


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## blow up

These arguments are humorous to say the least. Shot placement is the key, not the broadhead that you use.


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## cpthook

blow up said:


> These arguments are humorous to say the least. Shot placement is the key, not the broadhead that you use.


With all due respect, I'd have to disagree, if the mechanical does not deploy completely this is what happens.


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## blow up

cpthook said:


> With all due respect, I'd have to disagree, if the mechanical does not deploy completely this is what happens.


What does not happen? This deer is alive because someone did not have the patience to wait for the animal to turn for q better shot. When you take marginal shots you get marginal results.

Shoot what you want but don't bash a company or type of broadhead for a poor shot.


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## cpthook

blow up said:


> What does not happen? This deer is alive because someone did not have the patience to wait for the animal to turn for q better shot. When you take marginal shots you get marginal results.
> 
> Shoot what you want but don't bash a company or type of broadhead for a poor shot.


He had plenty of time and made an ok shot not a perfect one, howerver like I said I have personally hit deer higher then this and hit vitals. If the arrow would have completely opened and exited on the other side at the same spot it entered it would be a kill. Anyone that uses mechanicals has the chance of the same thing. We can have a pi&*ing contest til the cows come home on this one but each to his own. No mechanicals for me is the answer.


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## blow up

Who's to say the BH didn't open? A lot of assumptions going on.


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## THE JAMMER

REgarding all the statements of "I've hit higher, farther back, lower, whatever." You can hit a deer 5" in front of his tail, and 3" below his back, and hit the right artery and have DRT.

All broadheads will kill if you double lung the animal- even a field point. The real point, that I think is being missed here, is when we have a bad hit (high, low, too far back, too far forward, bone, etc.) which broadhead gives you the best chance of retrieving that animal. A fixed blade DEPLOYS EVERY TIME. If you have a bad hit with a mechanical, and it doesn't deploy, your chances of retrieving that animal have now gone down geometrically. So take your chances???? I would rather play the "full house" than draw to an inside straight.


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## Richard P

Why shoot something that has any prospect of failure? There is enough other things that we can not control that have a margin of error. Why induce more margin with something you can control into the process? I have always shot fixed blades and always will.


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## lone wolf

i tryed rage like many and will tell you this i went back to fixed blade slick trick


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## cpthook

THE JAMMER said:


> REgarding all the statements of "I've hit higher, farther back, lower, whatever." You can hit a deer 5" in front of his tail, and 3" below his back, and hit the right artery and have DRT.
> 
> All broadheads will kill if you double lung the animal- even a field point. The real point, that I think is being missed here, is when we have a bad hit (high, low, too far back, too far forward, bone, etc.) which broadhead gives you the best chance of retrieving that animal. A fixed blade DEPLOYS EVERY TIME. If you have a bad hit with a mechanical, and it doesn't deploy, your chances of retrieving that animal have now gone down geometrically. So take your chances???? I would rather play the "full house" than draw to an inside straight.


x10


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