After trying almost every peep sight on the market I finally found what I believe is the perfect peep sight.  It is made by Red Hawk archery http://www.redhawk-archery.com/peep.html .  I have tried every size and kind of peep you can think of including the “no peeps”.   If it is too big accuracy goes down and with the small ones low light hunting is almost impossible.  “No peeps” work well for low light situations but they are not very accurate.   The Red Hawk peep gives you the best of both worlds.  It has a 1/8 hole that is surrounded by an amber lens.  There is no magnification.   What this does is allow you to retain accuracy during daylight hours but still be able to shoot during those low light situations where you are more likely to see deer.    Make sure you keep track of the time because it is possible to shoot past legal shooting times with the Red Hawk peep.

I shoot 3-D tournaments every weekend and there are several situations this peep sight will give you an advantage.   If you have ever had a “halo” problem with your pins this peep will take care of that.  Your pins will look like a fine aiming point instead of blotting out the entire target.  Also when you are standing in the sunlight and the target is in the shadows finding the target is no problem.  This peep has increased my scores 15 to 20 points.  That alone is worth the price.  Archery tournaments are the testing grounds for what I use for hunting.  The Red Hawk peep is the best piece of hunting equipment I have found in years.

The only complaint that could be made about the Red Hawk peep is the weight.  Personally I have never been concerned with speed.  I would easily give up 10 or 15 fps to use the Red Hawk peep.  The Red Hawk peep will only cause you to lose 2 to 3 fps which most people will not even notice unless you shoot through a chronograph.  I replaced my G5 peep with the Red Hawk peep and never moved my pins. With today’s high quality strings there is no need to use a rubber tube for your peep.   I shoot out to 60 yards and my pin gap remained the same.  I suppose if you wanted to be real picky you could say the Red Hawk isn’t very pretty.  Of course you will change your mind after looking through this peep and see what a beautiful sight picture you have.

SLICK TRICK

Let’s talk about broadheads.   What should a good broadhead do?  First it should fly like a bullet and hit what we are aiming at. Field point accuracy is the key word.  It should also be razor sharp. The ability to leave a good blood trail is also a plus meaning it should make a complete pass through.  I like a tough broadhead.   It should be able to break bones if necessary. It needs to be reusable.  With the cost of broadheads today who can afford to buy a new one every time they shoot an animal.  Therefore, cost has to be on the list when considering a new broadhead purchase.   Any broadhead that is shot through both lungs of an animal will dispatch it very quickly.  Then why are there so many different kinds of broadheads on the market?  Because not every shot is perfect and manufacturers try to make broadheads that will compensate for poor shot placement.  I’m not saying we should buy broadheads that claim to make up for poor shot placement.  Everyone has an ethical responsibility to practice and make a good shot every time they release an arrow. However; if you hunt long enough sooner or later you will make a less than perfect shot.  

Let’s review our criteria for a good broadhead:

1.       Field point accuracy

2.       Razor sharp

3.       Pass through

4.       Tough

5.       Reusable

6.       Affordable

 Let’s discuss poor shot placement.  If you hit to far back you are either in the liver or guts depending on if it is high or low.  Either shot will be fatal if given enough time.  Notice I said if given enough time.  This is one of the biggest mistakes people make when going after an animal that has been hit “bad”.  “When in doubt back out” is a good saying to follow.  Most deer will not run more than 100 yards before lying down.   They must be given enough time to expire. I usually wait at least 16 hours.  Remember if that deer is dead he’s not going anywhere.  If you go after them to early they will jump up and run even farther which makes the odds of finding that animal very unlikely.    If you hit to far forward you will hit the shoulder.  For me fixed blades always penetrate enough to make a fatal shot.  Mechanicals aren’t as reliable in this area.   

Let’s talk about mechanical heads.  Recently mechanical broadheads have been all the “rage” because they fly just like field points and have big cutting diameters.  However most mechanicals have a hard time making a complete pass through and leave a very small entrance wound.  Quartering shots are problematic for mechanicals also.  Rage broadheads have done a pretty good job of addressing these issues with their new design.  However no mechanical is good at penetrating the shoulder of a mature buck.  Also most mechanicals are pretty expensive.  Especially when you consider replacement blades must be bought every time you shoot an animal. 

Let’s talk about fixed blade broadheads.  Fixed blade heads do not have any of the problems mechanical heads have.  Quartering shots, shoulder shots, pass through shots, are easy for fixed blade heads.  What they do have a problem with is field point accuracy.  Most fixed blades do not fly well especially out of today’s high speed bows. 

Let’s talk about SLICK TRICK

They have addressed the accuracy problems by making a “super short” broadhead.  You might think this would sacrifice cutting diameter but they have a 1 1/8” cut which is more than enough.  With 4 blades they have almost as much cutting surface as a 2 blade rage.  Be careful these blades can almost cut you just by looking at them.  Now that’s sharp.  These are without a doubt some of the toughest broadheads you will ever see.  I’ve always thought Thunderheads were the toughest until I tried SLICK TRICKS.  You can sharpen the blades which makes them very economical.   SLICK TRICK even has a head for those of you that prefer cut on contact.  Also new this year is a 1 ¼” cutting diameter head that is simply wicked looking.

Customer service is excellent. They go above and beyond to make sure their customers are satisfied.  Here is a direct quote from SLICK TRICK .  If you receive Tricks and are not pleased in any way, SLICK TRICK refuses to accept your money. Just return with a note and we will cheerfully replace or refund.   It doesn’t get any better than that.  SLICK TRICKS are the perfect broadhead in my opinion.