Are 2in. Rage Broadheads legal in MN?

[Swap Buck]

After reading the 2009 Minnesota hunting regulations something caught my eye. The rule book states on page 57 that; "Expandable" Broadheads may be used to take big game if they meet the above requirements and are (1) at least 7/8 inch in width and are no more then 2 inches in width at or after impact.

While reading one of the many mags I get. I saw in one of there adds that thay are claiming that the 2" Rage Hyper-Extends to 2.5" at impact. So my question is are they legal in MN? I shot them all last season and loved them, but this is the first I have heard of Rage's expanding to 2.5in.

For the record the mag that I saw the add in rhymes with "Home & Narrow" it was in the July issue on page 71.

[mrklean]

this topic has been talked about before, i dont know has anyone every came to a conclusion on it from the DNR?

[Bear55]

Yep we talked about this last year and never got a solid answer. My take is this, when the blades are in the process of opening they can extend out to 2.5 inches but they are not cutting anything. Once the blades are in their cutting position they have a cutting diameter of 2 inches at impact and sound legal to me.

[buckhunter21]

I think if you went by the regs as it is worded now that they are illegal in MN. I know on the packages ive seen it says that they expand 2"+. I however have never heard of anyone getting busted on it though. Not sure what the reasoning is for the law, maybe had some problems in the past with larger broadheads not having enough penatration or something?

[vister]

legal or not, after taking deer with them, i think i'd still use them! how could you not! has anybody here not recovered a deer after sticking it with one of these? if not, where'd you hit it

[fishmon]

"legal or not, after taking deer with them, i think i'd still use them! how could you not!"

Well then maybe we should all use lights, crossbows and baitpiles! how could you not!

[Rippinlip]

According to the laws, I would say illegal, but I shoot them.

I guess if they are illegal, why are they being sold in Minnesota?

Mark

[Big Buck Buster]

According to the laws, I would say illegal, but I shoot them.

I guess if they are illegal, why are they being sold in Minnesota?

Mark

Just because it is sold in MN doesn't mean it is legal to use.

You can purchase the fancy colored lights for underneath your low rider in MN, but if you got caught, you will get a ticket.(Speaking from experience)

Don't forget about all that deer bait you can purchase in MN also.

[Bear55]

"and are no more then 2 inches in width at or after impact."

The law states no more then two inches at OR after impact, please note the importance of the word "or". So at impact they are two inches and perfectly legal in my opinion.

[Neighbor_guy]

I think they are legal as long as you dont get caught. I would guess they are illegal if you get stoped and kop an attitude with the CO.

"Not larger than 2inches" means just that. If your heads are bigger than 2" (2.5" in this case) than they are outside the lines. (by a half an inch )

[mrklean]

My guess is the dnr really doesnt care about them. They dont have exploding tips or anything like that. Every sporting goods store in the state sells them and they are the hottest broadhead on the market right now. If they cared they would put time and effort into find people who use them and fine them which really wouldnt be that hard, i think they care more about people who are baiting then rage broadheads

[Big Buck Buster]

My guess is the dnr really doesnt care about them. They dont have exploding tips or anything like that. Every sporting goods store in the state sells them and they are the hottest broadhead on the market right now. If they cared they would put time and effort into find people who use them and fine them which really wouldnt be that hard, i think they care more about people who are baiting then rage broadheads

Yah, they don't care until a person shoots the next state record with one, and then they swoop in and claim that you took the deer illegaly with the over 2" broadhead.

[Jameson]

legal or not, after taking deer with them, i think i'd still use them! how could you not! has anybody here not recovered a deer after sticking it with one of these? if not, where'd you hit it

As a first year archer last year I thought I practiced a lot. I though I knew my bow very well. A day or two after reading your posts about arrowing your buck I had a similar opportunity on a doe. Despite all the preaching of taking only broadside or quartering away shots, when the time came, the adrenalin rose, and your posts crept into my head. My rage 2 blade ended up sticking the sternum. Deer not recovered.

[Bear55]

"Not larger than 2inches"

See you only used one part of the quote, there is a large different between your quote and the actually law stating "no more then 2 inches in width at or after impact." So if the blades are not larger that two inches at impact or after the blades are deployed they are legal. Now if you want to play with the blades and stick them out like wings on a plane and measure over two inches that is fine but it does not make them illegal becaue they are 2 inches or less at impact. There are several other expandables with two inch cutting diameters that would measure well outside of 2 inches if you put the blades in a certain position, I wonder why no one is making a big deal about those broadheads???

[vister]

because those methods are already illegal. why is everyone in such a haten mood. jeez! i can see how rage are 50/50 as to being legal, but the new blood runners by NAP, i would have to say are illegal. they are 2 1/4 inch after impact

[BuckKiller]

legal or not, after taking deer with them, i think i'd still use them! how could you not! has anybody here not recovered a deer after sticking it with one of these? if not, where'd you hit it

Nope i've shot two deer with them and found both within 100 yards, one was even a gut shot. Poor shot I know but the deer took a step just as I released it.

[96trigger]

Quote:

See you only used one part of the quote, there is a large different between your quote and the actually law stating "no more then 2 inches in width at or after impact." So if the blades are not larger that two inches at impact or after the blades are deployed they are legal. Now if you want to play with the blades and stick them out like wings on a plane and measure over two inches that is fine but it does not make them illegal becaue they are 2 inches or less at impact. There are several other expandables with two inch cutting diameters that would measure well outside of 2 inches if you put the blades in a certain position, I wonder why no one is making a big deal about those broadheads???

Great explaination. Makes perfect sense to me.

[sparkyaber]

I was at the gamefair today and stopped by the dnr booth and posed this question to the CO and two other dnr employees. Everyone grabbed a book and looked up the rule. Same argument as above. I then asked the CO what his take was. He told me that if it measures more than 2 inches when deployed at rest, it would be illegal. He said that the entry hole is always bigger than the broadhead? (I guess I don't know this for a fact, being new to archery and all) I mean, how would anyone be able to tell exactly how big the blades are at impact, before impact, after impact?

So I guess it would be up to CO on location to make the call?

[MikeEiden]

He said that the entry hole is always bigger than the broadhead? (I guess I don't know this for a fact, being new to archery and all)

Because there is usually some degree of an angle during the shot the broadhead slices the entry a little larger. Just picture a broadhead going in at an angle.

I've seen some pics of steep angle shots of a Rage 2-blade and the entry hole looked like it was 4" wide!

[charliepete]

Originally Posted By: vister

legal or not, after taking deer with them, i think i'd still use them! how could you not! has anybody here not recovered a deer after sticking it with one of these? if not, where'd you hit it

As a first year archer last year I thought I practiced a lot. I though I knew my bow very well. A day or two after reading your posts about arrowing your buck I had a similar opportunity on a doe. Despite all the preaching of taking only broadside or quartering away shots, when the time came, the adrenalin rose, and your posts crept into my head. My rage 2 blade ended up sticking the sternum. Deer not recovered.

Jameson, it's a shame you lost a deer, but hopefully you use the experience to make you a more efficient bow hunter in the future. Everybody gets excited and wants to make things happen, but you'll do better in the long run waiting on quality broadside or quartering away shot. The more you bowhunt the more you'll talk to guys who lost deer they shot head on. It' a great shot with a rifle and an iffy proposition with a bow.