“The Whitetail Special is Grim Reaper’s most popular broadhead,” industry veteran Bruce Ryan said. “They open a massive would channel, leading to the company motto, “Watch ’em drop.” Ryan invited me to hunt near his home in Bowden, West Virginia, where he leases property adjacent to the humongous Monongahela National Forest, prime deer, and bear country. He had trail camera pictures of a large bore they had seen for ten years, yet always seemed to avoid a hunter’s arrow. I wanted all the cutting power I could launch for a beast this big, and the Grim Reaper Whitetail Special seemed ideal for the job.
Deer/Bear Combo
Ten years ago, I turkey hunted in the Big Mo, covering a lot of ground since it was my first experience there. “I’ve seen more bear droppings than deer sign,” I remarked to Ryan who confirmed that the one-million-acre public tract had plenty of bears. Ryan had several tree stands and ground blinds adjoining the National Forest and offered me a chance to hunt one of his primo spots. Black bear tags are available over the counter, providing easy access to licensing. The West Virginia DNR makes buying tags online easy for deer and bears. Click HERE for full licensing and regulations on this season.
Who Invited Helene?
Late September hunting is usually a fair weather event, yet the onset of Hurricane Helene dashed that prospect. When the above mature doe showed up near my blind, I launched the Grim Reaper and immediately heard a loud crack. The big doe made one jump and disappeared into the thick vegetation, but the hit looked good. The arrow made a loud cracking sound upon impact, indicating that the broadhead had hit bone. The arrow was found buried into the ground, and one fletch had ripped off.
Total Devastation
The animal was slightly quartering away; I found blood on the arrow and a trail that quickly opened to a gush on two sides, evidence that the arrow had penetrated entirely. Through the dense underbrush, the doe piled up at 50 yards and showed every evidence of a quick, humane kill. Upon field dressing the animal, one blade sliced the heart, penetrated both lungs, and broke the far leg bone. Despite this damage, the broadhead remained intact, as shown above.
Giant Cut
The doe was quartered so the meat could be quickly cooled in the warm temperatures. You can see a triangle of giant cuts near the one hair on the far shoulder. This clearly shows that the blades fully deployed and exited, leaving a massive blood trail. Also, note that the sharpness of the blades sliced through the shoulder cleanly. leaving minor damage other than a huge hole. Thanks to the angle of the shot, virtually no meat was wasted, and the butcher was thrilled with the condition of the venison.
Three is Better than Two
Broadheads kill animals by hemorrhage, and the greater the bleeding, the faster they expire. With a two-blade head, I may have still sliced the heart, yet there is no way to know for sure. In any event, slicing three two-inch holes through a deer’s chest cavity creates more hemorrhaging than a single cut with two blades. The Grim Reaper Whitetail Special has a piercing point that cuts and enters on contact. They are built for brutal impact, as witnessed by mine striking leg bone and remaining intact.
Crossbow Too
Grim Reaper Whitetail Specials do not have a retention ring because Jay Leichty created them to remain closed by spring tension. Many archers prefer heads without elastic restraints, and the spring tension solves the problem of blades opening in flight. I tested the heads with my AXE crossbow launching at 400 fps and found that the heads flew just like target points and did not open prematurely. The AXE is topped with a scope with lighted reticle capabilities, which is ideal for a black bear hunt. By adjusting the reticle to light green, I had excellent visibility on the doe, and the perfect sighting had a black bear happen by.
I’m sold. With excellent flight characteristics and massive cutting surfaces, three blades are better than two. www.GrimReaperBroadheaeds.com
