Consistent arrow material to hunt with?

[WillieE Stroud]

#158618

What’s the best or most consistent arrow material to hunt with?

[richard roop]

#158619

Hi Willie; Welcome aboard.

Best arrow material ?? Boy, is that a loaded question. Carbon is in favor right now and has a lot going for it. I’m still shooting aluminum 2213s just ’cause I like them and can dress them up with caps & crests. If you’re into making your own, there’s nothing wrong with a good set of woods.

Clear as mud, eh ??

[Raymond Coffman]

#158671

Ditto what Richard said….

Aluminum is probably the most economical,  carbon (  light /thinner) good for gaining more efoc ( if interested) wood is historical and classy.. really comes down to personal preference. I shoot them all.

Scout aka Ray

[richard roop]

#158676

Another consideration might be the how & what are you going to hunt ???

Deer from a tree stand might call for a heavy but slower shaft to insure an exit wound that leaves a better blood trail. Jumping Jacks might call for a lighter, faster shaft with a flatter trajectory.  Everything’s a trade-off.

[Stephen Graf]

#158713

There are additional arguments to be made in favor of wood…

Wood is biodegradable.  If y0u use a carbon steel broadhead, then a lost arrow will eventually melt back into the earth (except for the plastic nock if you use one).  We should all try to “leave nothing behind but footsteps” when we play out our sylvan adventures.  Shooting wood arrows helps me do that.

Wood is durable and repairable.  I break a lot of arrows.  Not because they are made of wood, but because I like to shoot crazy targets often.  Once you learn to splice arrows, there is no such thing as a trash arrow.  It takes me less than 10 minutes to repair a broken arrow in most cases.

Wood is economical.  If you learn to turn your own dowels, you can make arrow shafts for about $0.20 each.  Ask friends for their turkey feathers.  Watch a few vids about dipping arrows.  Most of the time spent making arrows is spent waiting for lacquer and glue to dry.  That said, I can turn out a dozen arrows in a day or so.

Wood encourages your creativity.  From exploring different wood species, to  learning to paint a pretty crest, you can explore all sorts of creative activities.  As we get older, it is no small point to remember that doing creative things helps keep the brain healthy.

Wood is renewable.  It take the least amount of energy and waste to turn out a wood arrow as compared to man-made materials.  They literally grow on trees.

Wood arrows are every bit as lethal as arrows made from other materials.  My children are always reminding me that: “it’s a poor craftsman that blames his tools.”  Wood arrows are forgiving of the archer.  Assuming that our equipment is reasonably matched, and our form is reasonably consistent, then wood arrows will always hit where they should.

The list goes on…

[richard roop]

#158717

Stephen;

Next time you have a handful of wood shafts that are a bit less than #1s  give this a try;

Get a couple of bottles of the shoe polish with the sponge applicator. One white & one black.  Mark the shaft where the crest goes and apply white to the nock end and then black to the point end. The stuff dries pretty fast. While it’s drying add some shot or a fishing sinker into a .38 casing, add a drop of glue and mount on the shafts.  By now the polish should be dry enough to run the shafts on the cresting lathe.  I use a black Sharpie Marker for the crest. Quick, simple & looks good enough. Add nocks of choice.  Fletch ’em up and hit the black section with a little paste wax.   Nothing too fancy here. We’re talking expendables. Ground squirrel sitting between two rocks ?? …………… Challenge accepted.

[Kees]

#158763

I’m missing what the reason is for the shoe polish.  Does it go on as a beauty treatment, or to differentiate  it from the rest of the arrows in the quiver?  Inquiring minds need to know!

~Kees~

[richard roop]

#158767

It’s a cheap, quick finish for expendable arrows. Plus, it gives them that ‘carbon’ look.  And yeah, it’s always nice to know what arrow you’re grabbing.

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