[BOC1324]

Guys,

Over the years, on this website, Shwacker seems to have developed a pretty positive following. After reading numerous threads I decided to give them a try. I experimented with their hybrid head and to say I'm a happy customer would be an understatement. They have worked flawlessly on whitetails out of my Xbow. That being said, I want to try them Elk hunting. Can anyone give any first hand experience or reasons why I shouldnt use them?

Thanks in advance guys.
Josh

 

[Dang It]

Sorry, cannot address using the hybrid head with a crossbow. I've taken several folks hunting who used the standard Shwacker with vertical bows. Longest shot to date on an elk, 68 yds complete pass thru 70# Mathews bow. Clean entry and cut 2 ribs on the exit side. P&Y bull took 15 steps and tipped over. Shortest recovery I've experienced in 35 years.

Construct your arrows to get maximum penetration. Most importantly, they must shoot accurate, every shot, out of your bow. Don't worry if they don't shoot same point of impact as your practice arrows. You most likely will only get one shot and it won't be a practice shot!

 

[BOC1324]

Sorry, cannot address using the hybrid head with a crossbow. I've taken several folks hunting who used the standard Shwacker with vertical bows. Longest shot to date on an elk, 68 yds complete pass thru 70# Mathews bow. Clean entry and cut 2 ribs on the exit side. P&Y bull took 15 steps and tipped over. Shortest recovery I've experienced in 35 years.

Construct your arrows to get maximum penetration. Most importantly, they must shoot accurate, every shot, out of your bow. Don't worry if they don't shoot same point of impact as your practice arrows. You most likely will only get one shot and it won't be a practice shot!

Thank you for the reply! I was hoping anyone with any kind of shwacker experience would chime in. Sounds like they worked and worked well!

 

[oc3]

I have been using Shwackers for the last five years for whitetails, the previous five years I used Excalibur Bolt Cutters.
The Bolt Cutter broadheads performed well enough however several times I did not have much of a blood trail with a perfect hit. The difference in the blood trail with the Shwackers is very noticeable and all deer have dropped within site of the treestand. Both brands of broadheads fly the same as target points to 40 yards. I do think the Shwackers require more Kinetic energy for pass through than the smaller fixed heads, but that stands to reason with more cutting surface.
I say that because the Shwackers are always closer to the deer when I find them, as the Bolt Cutters would sometimes be 15 to 20 yards away after going through the deer.

 

[deermanct]

I've used Shwacker 125 grain heads for years with excellent results, nearly every deer I shot with them never went more than 40 yards, except one than ran about 70 yards but the easy to follow blood trail made the recovery quick.
A couple of years ago, I got a good deal on some Slick Trick heads. Standard 125 grain. Only 1 inch cut but with the 4 blades, they really punch a hole right through all the deer I hit with them. They shoot just like field points of of my bows.

 

[BOC1324]

Would you guys hesitate to use them on big game such as Elk?

 

[deermanct]

I've not had the chance to hunt elk but I don't see why the Shwacker's wouldn't be up to the job for elk. Shot placement is key.

 

[smong2000]

I believe that they were originally designed for elk. The wing blades are designed to punch through the mud caked hide and fresh sharp blades open inside the chest. I started using them specifically for a moose hunt for that exact reason. Never shot a moose but they have amazing on deer. If you are using a reasonably heavy arrow, 400 grains or more at 350 fps or more, they will punch through a big deer end to end or go through a shoulder blade and break the offside shoulder. That I can say from experience.

 

[Dang It]

I believe that they were originally designed for elk. The wing blades are designed to punch through the mud caked hide and fresh sharp blades open inside the chest. I started using them specifically for a moose hunt for that exact reason. Never shot a moose but they have amazing on deer. If you are using a reasonably heavy arrow, 400 grains or more at 350 fps or more, they will punch through a big deer end to end or go through a shoulder blade and break the offside shoulder. That I can say from experience.

Got to wonder, is this what smong2000 is referring to ??

 

[robertyb]

After all that mud dries.

 

[smong2000]

Exactly! I can imagine what that does to razor sharp fixed blade. But there are tons of elk killed with fixed blades over the years so they will get the job done.

 

[BOC1324]

Thanks again for the replies guys. I have been using them on whitetails with wonderful results. I'm currently shooting a 420 grain bolt 315-320fps. Not the fastest Xbow, but goes through whitetails like butter. I never thought about it having to go through a mud caked hide!

 

[HunterB]

View attachment 164870

Got to wonder, is this what smong2000 is referring to ??

I shot a bull that looked just like that with a vertical bow and a Vortex broadhead. Killed him with no problem but what a mistake. Try grabbing ahold of that and skinning while trying to keep the meat clean.