First hog of season down...

[red]

Well, 96 and bone dry here in Florida, but ya can't shoot any from the couch. Tonight's hunt...about 120 lb. sow. Spitfire Edge, Carbon Express Mayhem, Diamond Iceman and Nockturnal. I still have a lot of love for Spitfires...she went straight down. Headed for the BBQ.

[SPIKER]

Nice Red!!!!

Hey, no SOB on that arrow, huh?

Spitfire Edge...serrated blades...you like?

BBQ....I'm sooo jealous...congrats buddie!

[red]

Well, I really got those SOB's for deer season...was tempted to use one, but I decided to give the big Spitfires a chance. This area is extremely dense...you just about have to drop game in its tracks to have a chance of recovery. I don't think there is anything special about the serrated edges...the big cut diameter certainly does help and they unload a lot of shock value into an animal. Most folks don't seem to write about that...maybe BT can weigh in on this subject. My experience with large size expandables is that it is like an animal getting hit with a rapidly expanding bullet...cut + shock value. With today's fast bow, penetration is almost a given. With extra sharp, smaller, fixed heads it seems like the arrow blows straight through (little to no shock value)....then the animal takes off at full steam. In an open area, this doesn't present much challenge. In an area where past 30 yards you are in dense, up to your head, everything can cut foliage, it is a huge concern. Whatchathink? I know this, when a hog gets it with a 1 3/4 inch Spitfire traveling at 300fps it sounds like getting hit with a baseball bat.

[SPIKER]

I love that sound.

[ghost]

Congrats on a nice hog.

Ghost

[Buckshot06]

Congrats on the HOG

That is great you can get out at this time of year and go hunting.

[oldgun]

Nice hog!! bet alot of us are wishing our seasons would open sooner! Congrats on the hog.

[BT]

Nice Hog Red

I agree with the thoughts on using heads such as the spitfire, where the chance of losses increase due to terrain.

Back in the day....you wouldn't hear about shock value, simply due to the fact that bows did not generate enough energy to effect an animal in any valuable way.
While (shock) as it is described and viewed in relation to a gun is absent....the fact should be obvious (to the open minded...) that there is always shock...in any form of a blow received.
It only varies as to degree as it relates to implement and area.

I do not talk about shock potential of a head because I feel that (shock) can be beneficial and therefore....people will attempt to employ it.

As we have seen within the community of sites such as Bowsite & others....people tend to learn the surface level of a fact, without studying the theory of the fact.
Worse yet...The vast majority of archers (as evidenced by the past) will lean toward trying to get around their own personal (or) equipment weaknesses in an attempt to accomplish the feat.
Such shallow focus by the majority tends to bring about losses, when the (hoped for) end justifies the means.

It just isn't worth it (in the end) for me to pursue the fact on the board..... since many people would attempt to follow the theory....despite the fact that their equipment might not be capable of the feat.

[red]

Thanks all. Good thoughts as always, BT. I guess what I can bring to the table is first hand experience having watched quite a few animals react to broadhead hits. About 2 weeks ago I shot a nice hog (about 140) with a Silver Flame. It blew right through him without even slowing down and he took off like a scalded dog. The hit was perfect. After thrashing through terrain that cut me to shreds for about an hour, I gave up. No sign of blood, at least that I could find. After that, I said no more to fixed blades in areas like this. As you know, I am a big fan of the Flames, but this area looks nothing like the hunting shows on TV. The celebs jump down from their stands and can see for 300 yards in any direction. Even in heavily treed/wooded areas there is little ground cover in places like OH, IL, IN, IO, KS. Tracking looks very easy in those locals (of course, they have 10 of their buddies, guides, TV crews, neighbors, dogs, etc. to help). My only hope is to knock them off their feet as quickly as possible...might not be my first choice other places, but big expandables rule in the semi-jungle. Spitfires never suffer from being overly complicted, are rock-solid reliable and hit like a brick. The new Edge (with a slightly large cutting diameter) seems to have one-uped the original...time and more shots will tell.

[CopperHead]

Red,
Nice hawg buddy. Thans for sharing the pic even though I have to admit I am slightly jealous. But hey its the end of July September will be here before you know it.