How we got here?

A few weeks ago, several of our members where asking about the Atom Broadhead. How do they work, how’s the blood trail, how do they hold up, etc. In very short order, the owner of ArrowDynamic Solutions, Matthew Futtere responded to our members questions directly. Matthew spent quite some time answering questions one on one in our forums, trying to put some of members minds at ease about the Atom Broadhead. How’s that for service?

Matthew tried to assure everyone that the Atoms performance was as advertised, flawless. Matthew said he has used the Atom on several big game animals in North America, and they performed perfectly. Most of us have heard this several times before. Sometimes it’s true and many times it is not.

Since I’m like most of you, skeptical about everything, I wanted to find out if the Atom would perform before spending my hard earned money on them. I sent Matthew an email and asked him if it would be possible to test the Atom and post a review about the product online for our members to see how they perform. Matthew was reluctant to send out product to get it shot at barrels, bricks, plywood etc. He said most people use these various materials to test broadheads and he feels this is a poor way to test a product designed to be used on animals. I agreed. I assured Matthew that I don’t use these materials to test broadheads. I will in the absence of live animal use cattle bones to determine the durability of a particular head, but I too like to use live animals whenever possible since that is what they are designed for. Since our deer season still had plenty of time left, I felt I could let the air out of a Whitetail in pretty short order. Matthew agreed that this would be a fair test for the Atom and agreed to send me out 2 asap.

Matthew was good to his word and in a few days I had 2 Atoms in my hand. I noticed upon removing the Atoms from the packaging that they where very different from broadheads I’ve used in the past, to say the very least! The razor wire is flexible, allowing the wire to compress and rebound when shot into flesh and bone. I also noticed that they are not as sharp as I’m accustomed to. They are sharp, but not Razor sharp.

How does it work?

The razor wire is made from a type of spring steel, which grips the ferrule when installed. When compressed, like when shot into bone, it slides back towards the arrow in a small channel machined into the ferrule. It then rebounds when exiting the bone to give you a full cut diameter when traveling through flesh. That’s how they’re suppose to work.

How did they Actually work?

Upon receiving the Atom, I immediately sent one off to BowCountry Staff Writer, Jim Draper. I figured this would double our chances to actually connect with a Georgia whitetail before our season expired. Obviously since your reading this we must have finally connected. We did, but it wasn’t without a little work though.

We went out a few times with no luck, but then it all came together. We opted to try our luck on state land instead the private land we’ve been hunting... Rather unsuccessfully I might add. The only problem we had was it was open to gun hunting as well. I hate fighting the “Pumpkin Army” for a hunting spot. Not only is it crowded but it can get down right hairy sometimes. Jim and I are probably the only two idiots you’ll see on public land during a gun hunt armed with bows ;-)

We got there plenty early and hiked into one of our favorite bow spots hoping the pumpkin army would drive the deer to us. Although several gun hunters did show up right at daylight there wasn’t as many as we anticipated. This turned out to be a huge break for us. The deer would be a little more relaxed and since we were set up almost in their bedding area we knew we’d see something.

Just after daybreak I heard a deer coming through the deep leaves out in the hardwoods, and was coming straight for the thicket Jim and I were guarding. It turned out to be a nice doe, but unfortunately she passed about 45 yards above me and strolled into the thicket and laid down. Before you say anything, yes she was in my effective range but I just couldn’t get off a good, clean shot. At the same time, Jim had a nice doe behind him doing the same thing. When his deer did stop the vitals were right behind a pine tree. Sadly she never did offer him a clean shot either.

Later, around 9:30 am, I heard the distinct sound of deer running our way. I spotted the deer about 100 yards out, and saw that if they stayed on the path they where on, they would cross within 20 yards of me. (I love it when a plan comes together). As they approached the clearing I was perched in, they slowed to a fast walk compared to a flat out run. Just as I was about to draw my Black Mamba, the lead doe slammed on the brakes and did a back flip. Right where I had tried another new product, “The Buck Bomb”. Luckily she landed broadside right in a small clearing, about the size of a basketball that I ranged earlier at 37yards. I drew back the Mamba and my 35 yard pin landed on its mark.

Before I knew what happened my thumb had gone off and the Atom was finally on its way. Sometimes I think it has a mind of its own (my thumb). The lead doe was still looking around for what made that god awful stink. She couldn't have realized she was standing in the only opening I had a shot in. If she had stopped in any other spot she would have been free and clear. Bad luck for her.

The Atom found its mark and drove thru her right shoulder and on thru the chest cavity, then out the left side rib cage. Even at 55lbs the Black Mamba drove the Atom tipped Lite Speed clean thru her. She ran about 50 yards uphill (Booger;) sorry inside joke) and crashed into a deadfall. Although there was no need for tracking because we knew where she had fallen. We still needed to know what kind of blood trail she left on her way so we could give the Atom its fair shake.

Jim and I climbed down and went to where she was standing when she had her first and last experience with an Atom Broadhead. Right from the start we had good blood and it continued all the way up to where she was resting. We did find what was left to my arrow in a couple of pieces along the blood trail. She must have rotated her shoulder as the arrow was passing thru and snapped it in half.

Upon inspection of the vitals, I found the Atom passed clean thru the top of the heart and one lung and out the other side. The entrance hole appeared a little larger than the exit, but in all fairness the exit hole was thru the rib cage between two ribs. What does that mean? The Atom did just what it was suppose to do... it compressed while passing between 2 bones.

Pros:

1. Very Durable
2. Flies Like A Field Point
3. Will Get Multiple Uses

Cons

1. Not Super Sharp
2. Smaller Penetration Wounds Can Result (Depends on shot placement)
3. Whistles

Summary:

The Atom did exactly what it was suppose to do. It flew just like a field Point. It entered thru the front shoulder plate, continued thru the chest Cavity & vitals and exited out the other side of the rib cage cleanly. What I was so impressed with was the low weight (55lbs) which it did it in, and at that range(37 yards ). I would like to see a little sharper blade on the Razor Wire, but it’s hard to argue with something that works.

Another plus to the Atoms credit was the fact it was still intact after passing thru the deer. Unlike traditional broadheads where the blades break or bend, the Atoms blades are designed to give when they come in contact with bone.

So I guess you could argue it two ways. Your blades on traditional heads almost always get destroyed when smashing into and cutting thru bone, but they will cut ribs giving you a larger hole. However at the same time, by maintaining the blades integrity, the Atom will cause as much damage as it possibly can while going thru the vitals. Of course on the flip side, a smaller exit hole (which can happen when coming out the ribs) can lead to quicker clotting and a reduced blood trail. Ultimately, like every other head on the market, a clean kill is still dependant on a well placed shot and impact with the vitals. 

I want to thank Matthew Futtere from ArrowDynamic Solutions for allowing us to test the Atom and hopefully help some of our members make the decision whether or not the Atom is the right head for them.