Total Chaos

I also used the 75gr Ultimate Steel. They do fly great. The usual hunter reaction when we loose a deer is to blame something other than what it was and in this case it was poor shot placement or operator error. So to ease the mind of course the first thing I went after was the bh. I did the usual if I only had cut a bigger hole. I actually went after 2 things when I lost that buck and that was the arrows as well. At the time I lost that IL buck I was still shooting aluminum arrows with the Ultimate Steel heads. So I went to carbon express arrows and Rage heads. The thought process was stronger arrow with less flex means deeper penetration. Bigger cut means more blood and easier blood trails. In the end it has worked out for me but everyone knows the only real killer is to put the arrow in the exact spot that kills the deer. Shot placement, shot placement and shot placement. Total Chaos

Here's my bh history. I started out with 145gr Rocky mountain Razor heads way back in the day. They were a good strong head. Then to flatten things out I used the old savora heads with the paper thin razor blades. Never killed a deer with either. The RMR was a well built head though. The Savoras blades broke to easily. Then I switched to Satelight heads and I killed a few deer with those. Not a bad head but blades were prone to breaking on bone. Then I switched to Thunderheads and they were a darn good head. I killed many deer with those but I had a lost deer with a poor hit. Not the bh's fault. For a year or 2 I shot the Mangus 2 blade cut on contact heads. They penetrate awesome but fly like crap. I did kill 2 deer with them and no losses and both passed thrus. Then I went to the rocket mechanicals. This is where it got bad. I shot 5 deer with them and recovered 2. The only 2 were broadside. I actually had 1 bounce out of a quartering away 8 point. I also wasn't shooting a heavy weight bow or arrow. Should have listened to the experts on those heads. After that I switched to the ultimate steel heads with the 7/8" cut. Killed deer great if you hit them where you're supposed to. However I managed to make a poor shot on a big IL. buck and with such a small high entry hole and no exit that buck was lost. It was at that point I decided I wanted to punch as big a hole as I could in a deer and I switched to the Rage heads. I also bumped up the poundage and arrow weight and now I have the stats from the first post. I'd say I've had some experience with a broad range of heads. And given what I've experienced I'm quite content to keep shooting the Rage heads. Total Chaos

Well, I've read all the reviews and I finally have to repost. All the Rage haters here it's your choice to shoot what you want but there's no doubt Rages work just fine. When I get home in the morning I'll dig up some pics of what Rages can do and post. The basic facts are, if you're shooting 60lbs or less and using IBO weight arrows don't bother using the Rage. You won't have the power to push them thru. The problem with most archers now is the speed craze. Everyone is trying to get 300+ so judging yardage isn't as critical. This high speed can only be accomplished by dropping arrow weight which leads to less punch at the deer. I hunt Illinois and I have 2 bucks and 3 does in the last 4 years. The 2 bucks were well over 200lb and both were 4 1/2 yo deer. The 1st was quartering to me at 20 yrds and the arrow passed thru with easy and the deer went 20yrds and dropped. Last years deer was quartering away at 27yrds and again a pass thru( I had to go back at night to find the nockturnal glowing 15 yrds past the deer) and the deer went 70 yrds and dropped. 1hr later I shot a mature doe at 25yrds and it went 30yrds and dropped. The arrow broke both shoulders and passed thru and she snowplowed for the entire 30yrds. I've made borderline hits on deer here in NY that I know if it was a fixed, normal 1 1/8" cut I would never had found it. And last the most inpressive kill was a heavy 6 point here in NY that was quartering away so bad I had to shoot just in front of the hind quarter and the Rage angled all the way up to and thru the front shoulder. That was the only Rage shot that didn't pass completely thru but the buck went 50yrds and dropped. I literally passed thru the entire body. That said I shoot a Mathews Drenalin set @ 71lbs, 28.5" draw and a 520 grain Carbon Express Pile driver arrow. It's only going 290 fps but it packs a devistating punch. Sure it's not as flat but I set up my stands for 20yrd shots so it's not that much of an issue. I set the pin for 22yrds and I can shoot spot on from point blank to 30yrds and kill it. It's your choice what you shoot but I think most of the problems archers are having with the Rage is underweight arrows and low poundage. I only speak of Rage as there are other mechanical heads that I think are junk. Basically any over the top head will yield less than desired penatration. One last thought, Chuck Adams was so dead set against mechanicals it was almost like he had it out for the manufacturers. When the Rage came out he endorsed it. I know money talks but that goes against who Chuck Adams is. If he thinks it's a quality product then it's good enough for me. However the proof lies in my experience with them and the mounts hanging on my wall. Since 2006 I've only lost 1 out of 12 deer with Rage and that's because I made the dredded high shoulder hit. And even with that I still poked the arrow out the other side because while trailing you could see the deer was bleeding out of both sides. Total Chaos Here's a few that I killed with the Rage.

I also use Nockturnal nocks. Switched from Luminocks 3 years ago and glad I did. Much better product. 5 deer with them so far and no problems. Wash them up and reuse. Last year in Illinois I shot a nice buck but couldn't find the arrow. Went back at night and found it in seconds. I use green as I feel it works better in brighter conditions. Mid day and the orange doesn't do you much good but the green shows up nice. Total Chaos

They all work if you hit them where you're supposed to but for those times I'm off, there's no better confidence boost than knowing I just put a 2 1/2" hole in him with a Rage Extreme chisel tip. I've had some borderline hits that I'm sure with a conventional head I would never have found the deer. Total Chaos

Not sure about the fish being in close but they are out in deeper water. I fished yesterday from 6:30 until 11:30 from the river to just south of the dunes in 125-150fow and was 4 for 6. 1 Coho and the rest Kings to 27lbs. 2 came on dipsys with ff out 300 on a 3 setting. 2 came on dipsys with ff out 335 on a 3 setting. 1 came on the 118ft rigger with an Ace Hi plug and the other came on a ff on the 115ft rigger. Temp was 46 degrees down 145 when I started but the south east wind was bringing it up fast. When I left the 46 degree water was down 115ft. All the fish were still silver and all of them were still feeding and had bait in their stomachs. There weren't a lot of marks on the screen but we still moved rods. I trolled all the way into to 90 fow before pulling them. Total Chaos

Nice job! Great to get the kids a fish even when conditions aren't the best. Total Chaos

Try this, I'm sure it would work. http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-barbed-tube-fittings/=ss9kzb Total Chaos

Why do you need a line counter? You put out the entire 450' so you know how much is out there. You'll save money right there by not buying a line counter reel. I use Okuma Catalina 55 wide spool. I think a Penn 345 and a Tecota 800 will work as well. My Catalina isn't a levelwind but it's never been an issue on my boat. Total Chaos

Rich, I think I will be there Sunday. Either way, next time I'm up I'll bring it with me. Brian