So after working way too much, my boss finally gave me a comp day. I was supposed to take it Friday but had something come up and had to push it to today. All in all I think it was a good move.

I hit the tree stand around 6:30am and the first hogs starting rolling in before I was even settled. It was probably my shortest hunting trip ever. By 7:10 I had an arrow in a hog. The shot felt solid and based on the trace watching the lighted nock I was pretty certain I landed the hit exactly where I'd aimed. He didn't make it 20 yards from where he was hit before he dropped dead.

Today was my first time using mechanical heads and I think I'm sold. The massive blood loss and devastating carnage led to a very quick and humane kill. I still can't get over how it sliced through 3-4 ribs with little damage to the blades.





Figure he was right around 100 pounds. Not a bad meat hog. Shoulders and hams looked good. The tenderloins were small but the backstraps look nice. The ribs are slightly damaged. 



You can see the effects of the broadhead a little better dressed out.



Beats a day in the office any day of the week!

Equipment
Bow: Hoyt Pro Defiant, 30" draw, 66#
Arrow: Carbon Express Maxima Blu RZ
Broadhead: Rage Hypodermic Standard 100-gr

good job. just a little rare for me.

Them Rage broad heads are pretty impressive. I have shot hard quartering shots through deer that went through one shoulder and exited the rear ham. Not on purpose though.  
Happy meal size pig.

My son shot one that size. I ground the whole damn thing up and made sausage after I grilled the backstraps.

Killing pigs is good stuff.

Dayum!



Note to self...  Don't get shot with a bow!

Schweeet!  I saw the thread title and thought I should tell Jaxshooter about this because it reminded me of the pic you sent me.  But it *is* the pic you sent me!  

Knowing zero about archery, clearly this head was effective, but would it be more reliable than a conventional 4-bladed razor type head?


Here's the haul your wee nephew and I had a couple weeks ago.  Don't be misled by his new Desert Eagle though; the front 2 critters were taken by him with his .270 and I took the wee pig with my AR.

Attached File

I give it a 4.  Undercooked and no eating utensils or beverage

sparkD I was blown away. I was using Grim Reaper fixed blades but these things kick serious ass.

TxRabbitBane, that's my next hog. This one I just quartered. I ended up with shoulders, hams, ribs (what's left of them ), tenderloins, and backstraps. I had another trip scheduled for the end of the month but have to push to May. That'll be my processed hog.

BlammO, the wee nephew told me today that was a staged op.  Damned poser. I've only shot 3- and 4-blade fixed broadheads in the past. This was my first attempt with a mechanical. The cutting width is considerably wider than most of the fixed blades. It seems like a 9mm/.45 issue. I've ready plenty of complaints about mechanicals not opening properly. Unfortunately, I've had the misfortune of a pass-through with a fixed head and I never recovered the animal. So I guess the argument can go either way. For now I can't argue with the results. Another problem with fixed blades is that if you're an idiot, you might try to remove a stuck one with your bare hand instead of using a broadhead wrench. Then you'll slice through your thumb and bleed like a stuck pig for two hours. Or so I've heard.

RAGE IN THE CAGE!

Nice pig.

Yeah my kid and I got his hog skinned and quartered, and I didn't have time to really monkey around with it and was in a sausage making mood, so I cleaned it up and ground the whole thing.  The next week I mixed everything up, got it stuffed and that was that. I did a Cicilian style sausage that batch.

Sad thing is that with all my remodeling going on, I didn't make any sausage this last winter/spring. That kind of sucks, and the victims of my annual sausage overflow are griping that I have been slacking.

I think my biggest problem is going to be figuring out what to do. The processor has so many options.

Something to do? Process it yourself!

Very nice

Very nice harvesting.  I use the Grim Reaper Mechanical heads but thought about giving that rage a shot.  Based on your photographs I'll have to do that.

Now that never crossed my mind. I wonder if I can figure out a way to do that at the house.

Thanks! Do it! I couldn't get a picture that showed all the blood. It was literally everywhere.

I've done it at my kitchen table... just start with one of those plastic table covers and a big cutting board (I have a 2'x3' board), especially if you're married. Keep a bucket for inedibles, and clean up after yourself as you go (keep your knives SHARP).

Note:: my mrs isn't too thrilled with processing large quantities of meat in the kitchen... send her to the spa or something.

Maybe you decide it's a pain in the ass, or maybe you make it part of your hunting ritual.  You never know until you try.  Besides, it's a skill every manly man should have.

Thanks for the suggestion. I can see the look the wife and kid will give me. I'll definitely have to send them off. 

Good deal. Gotta love those Rage broad heads.

Outdoor edge has some great processing dvds. You can debone a hog just like a deer. Then get a quality grinder with stuffing attachments and you will never look back.

Thanks! I'll check them out.

Nice size pig! I butcher mine myself. There's a ton of videos on YouTube. I like the Scott Rea videos.

Once you start doing it yourself you'll never go to a processor again!