Bear Strike & Rage Heads

[eagle rider]

Don't know if anyone is the in market for a new hunting compound.  I bought a Bear Strike back in January at the end of the Lond Island season when it went on sale at Dicks.  I just started to shoot it now and WOW!  This bow completely out shoots the PSE Madness I was using before.  Its quieter, more acurate and forgiving than the PSE.  It draws smoother and has no hand shock when its fired too.  I'm shooting one pin out to 25 yards with a 400 grain Easton Epic 30" arrow.  The bow at 70 pounds is 272 FPS with the 400 grain arrow.  I plan on using it with Rage two blade heads this year.  I can't seem to get a straight answer on the three blade heads in NY.  My local DEC doesn't know and Albany said they were fine, but I don't think the peron I spoke to understood my question.  I have read a lot of posts that say they are illegal.  Anyone know for certain?

[fasteddie]

Both of the DEC guys I talked to said the Rage 3's are illegal and are considered barbed . The Gander Mt store in Henrietta had a sign by the Rage 3 display stating that they are illegal to use in NYS ( but they can still sell them ) . I'll stick with the rage 2's ......

[eagle rider]

how are the 2's, the blood trails look impressive but any problems with the blades deploying?

[fasteddie]

Never had one not open and they leave a big hole !

[eagle rider]

Thanks, this helps a lot.

[G-Man]

Actually in the hunting regs book they show a rage 2 blade as being legal and next to it the rage 3 head as illegal ....pretty cut and dry there!  As for the 2 blade they work fine if you hit the deer where you should(vitials) I wouldn't count on a miracle blade saving a bad shot!

[eagle rider]

G-man thanks,  Where was that page in the regs, I couldn't find it when I looked.  I was hunting with three other fire fighters last year two of them were using Rage heads and one hit a deer in the collar bone,..... he lost it which makes sense.  It all about shot placement.  I passed up a nice beefy eight last year because he didn't give me a shot and I was using Muzzy heads at the time.  I really wouldn't take a low percent shot and hope for a miracle. 

[G-Man]

Without it in front of me I believe the page was in the beginning under legal impliments questions. Yeah that's the only thing about the rage craze on tv seem to make you believe a 2in hole will make up for a bad hit.. . Same as muzzy trys to make u think it will go right thru bone and still be effective . Accuracy is it no matter what head you use...

[fasteddie]

Page 22 of the regs Book

[Geno C]

2 blades are great heads! 3 blade is illegal...

[eagle rider]

I just looked at page 22 and it doesn't say that, unless I'm missing something.  It shows a picture of a legal mechanical head being a two bade Rage.  There is nothing more specific than that.  Here's what I found out from my local DEC Officer, the two blade is legal because its a true slip cam system when the blades deploy.  The three blade pivots and locks rearward around a pivot point in the ferrule.  Its that pivot lock that creates the barb effect making them (the 3 blade Rage) illegal. 

[G-Man]

the picture of the illegal broadhead "remaing barbed" is a rage 3 blade, doesn't say it but thats what it is...

[fasteddie]

the picture of the illegal broadhead "remaing barbed" is a rage 3 blade, doesn't say it but thats what it is...

You are correct . The pic in the lower right is a Tekan II which is illegal .

The blades on a Rage 3 don't pivot forward and are illegal also .

[Stretchhunts]

You either love the rage or hate the rage. there is no middle on them. I shot 2 deer with mine. One deer went 200 yards with a horror film blood trail and dropped. The second one I never found. I did find my arrow and saw the tip was bent into a 90 degree angle. I'm guessing it hit bone and bent. This deer had a huge blood trail, bubbles in the blood the hole nine yards.I went out last weekend and searched for the deer again. I hoped to find bones etc but nothing. I had complete pass through when I shot thunderhead 100's so I know it's not the bow set up I have. I don't like the fact that I can't get a pass through on them. I prefer two holes VS one hole myself. I switched back to fixed blade. Slick trick 100 Mags this year for me. Do a search on archerytalk.com for the rage and you can decide after reading the 100's of post on them. Just my 2cents.

Mike

[eagle rider]

Thanks Mike and I love the Muzzy 100's for the last 20 years, my fascination with the Rage is all about that huge blood trail and the rapid blood loss.  I seem to hear a lot of mixed reviews.  The Muzzy blood trail was never that great, but you always saw blood if the deer was hit in the boiler room.  This year a buddy hit an 8 in the lungs with a Wasp Jack Hammer, the deer ran 500 yards from where he was hit.  There was blood but not a lot of it.  The hit was good he just didn't want to lay down and die.  I'm also seeing some mixed reviews on the exit wound/pass through problem with the Rage heads.  With a 400 gr arrow at 272 FPS I should be up at 66 foot pounds of energy.  I can't understand why that wouldn't pass through any deers ribcage? 

[Stretchhunts]

you'll be surprised.  My bow is just over 300FPS and my arrows are 300 gr,  I was going to try the pile driver arrow but I feel in love with my new Gold tip Pro hunter arrows. I'd say pick up a used set and shoot them into a 3d target. Then shoot your muzzy into same target.

[G-Man]

That will go thru a rib cage. I've use a lot of different head and only shoot 52lbs of draw weight and a properly placed shot will go thru the ribs of a deer at a resonable range 30yrds or less every time. Most non pass thrus hit bone. And most not found deer are from a poor hit that was tracked to fast and jumped or wasn't hit where the shooter though it was. A deer hit thru the lungs will expire within 100yrds almost all the time. Arrows do strange things when passing thru a body cavity after hitting bone.

[RangerClay]

how are the 2's, the blood trails look impressive but any problems with the blades deploying?

I sold my 2-blades.  I hated the damned things.  I sit in a ground blind most of the time and everytime I bumped my bow or the arrow the blades would deploy.  Very undependable.  Stick with fixed blades that you know will never fail to deploy.

[Stretchhunts]

That will go thru a rib cage. I've use a lot of different head and only shoot 52lbs of draw weight and a properly placed shot will go thru the ribs of a deer at a resonable range 30yrds or less every time. Most non pass thrus hit bone. And most not found deer are from a poor hit that was tracked to fast and jumped or wasn't hit where the shooter though it was. A deer hit thru the lungs will expire within 100yrds almost all the time. Arrows do strange things when passing thru a body cavity after hitting bone.

;D

[fasteddie]

Until I have a problem with the Rage 2 blades , I will continue to use them .......

[eagle rider]

Thanks Fasteddie.  I kind a feel like I owe my curosity a shot with them.  No pun intended. 

[fasteddie]

Thanks Fasteddie.  I kind a feel like I owe my curosity a shot with them.  No pun intended.

Your curiosity is going to cost you . The darned things run $39.95 for 3 broadheads and 1 practice head . A bit pricey .

[G-Man]

Yeah you might want to find someone who as one to let you try...

[eagle rider]

I bought some on ebay already.  If I don't like them, they'll go right back on there.

[eagle rider]

So one fly in the ointment, I shot a friends Magnus Stinger Buzzcut 100 gr 4 blade yesterday.  Nearly Robin Hooded my other arrow with it.  How do these things do on deer?