Need to choose a wooden arrow

[Daniel]

#7225

We just had the time of our lives shooting with a bunch of very nice people last week end. Many people there were saying that in order to bowhunt North American large game species such as the moose, a heavier arrow was necessary. A few people swore by using Douglas Fir shafts, and some others were satisfied shooting Port Oxford Cedar arrows.

So with this being said, my longbow is 63# @ 28″ and my total arrow length from the inside of the nock to the base of the glue on broadhead is 29″. I plan on shooting either 190 grain or 200 grain glue on broadheads,

What types of wooded arrows would you recommend and are there any folks out there that specialize in making them?

Thanks

[sharpster]

#59575

Hey There Standing Bear,

We were set up next to a very knowledgable wood shaft maker at Denton Hill a couple weeks back. I’m not a wood shaft specialist but this gentleman is. His Name is Duane and his business is Dink’s feather shop. Ph: 304 273 3485 Email: duane@dinksfeathershop.com . Give him a call or send an email. I’m sure that there will be other recomendations too but he’s the best I know of.

Ron

[aeronut]

#61839

I like to shoot a heavier arrow when hunting because I feel the greater kinetic energy behind a sharp broadhead is best.

I shoot Hickory shafts and have never broken one yet. They are a little harder to straighten than other wood shafts but not that much.

A 29″ Hickory shaft owould probably be around 600 grains or a little more.

Dennis

[T. J. Conrads]

#29973

Standing Bear:

It is true that a heavier shaft will penetrate better than a lighter shaft, all things being equal. But more importantly arrow placement, arrow flight, and broadhead sharpness are far more important concerns. The truth is, a field tip arrow will kill any animal if it is shot through the lungs.

When hunting in Africa a decade or more ago, a doctor friend from Alaska was shooting a 500 grain arrow from a #47 recurve. Many would question his sanity, but that combination shot through and killed everything he hit: zebra, wildebeest, oryx and kudu (all are extremely tough to kill except the kudu). The secret? His arrows were tuned perfectly, he used a 2-blade head for deep penetration, and he shot them all in the lungs.

So, shoot whatever you can shoot accurately and do not be too concerned with arrow weight. The old rule of ten grains per pound of bow pull (#60 bow, 600 grain arrow, +- a bit) still is good reference. I shoot a 600 grain cedar arrow from my #56 longbow for all my shooting; I never change weight no matter what I shoot: targets, roving, deer, elk, moose, grouse … et cetera.

However, I did build some purpleheart arrows that I was thinking of hunting moose this fall with, and they weigh in at 800 grains. They shoot fine, but the spine of this wood is so wild that some of them shoot too erratic and do not offer the confidence I have with my existing arrows. You can see a picture of them on my Tradspace photo section. Pretty, but not as fine an arrow as my cedars.
Hope this helps.

T.J.

[Jesse Minish]

#30213

I also shoot cedar. My total arrow weight is around 675 grains and I shoot them out of a 70# bow. I also really like laminated birch. They are a little heavier than my cedar and tougher also. If you need an arrow longer then 30″ they will not work, my draw is to long and that is why I don’t shoot laminated birch any more.

[looselystrung]

#30601

http://oldbow.com/silverwood_tapered_shafts.htm
Check these out: They are barrel tapered,heavy ,grain and spine matched and $30 ish a dosen packed in air tight packs and they rock!!!
They are straight grained hardly need any straightening and a are bit tough to stain but will with some effort. I have bought and used around 3 dozen over time and the fly like a bullet.The barrel tapering allows them to recover from paradox much quicker it seemsas they initially used to surprise me when I would overshoot my mark.

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