Wood Arrows????

[Ralphs]

#3532

I just started with the trad bow and have been using carbon arrows. I’m wanting to try wood and have been thinking about buying some from 3 Rivers. Looking for some help. I’m currently shooting Aerodynamics Tradtional Lites and with 150gr Woodsman and they fly great. However, I’ve broken several while stump shooting with field points. Would wood do any better. Any suggestions.

[William Warren]

#21059

Welcome Ralphs!
Cedar will eventually break too. I’ve had good luck with hardwood shafts for stump shooting. I’ve used hardwood dowels in 11/32 and 5/16 and they are nearly indestructible. I’ve also made my own from ash which as a little lighter than hickory or oak dowels.
If you are looking to buy shafting you might try laminated birch, I hear that is pretty tough.
Duncan

[Ralphs]

#21082

Thanks Duncan…I’ll check on the birch…will probably try the cedar, expect to break lots of arrows over the years. It’s good to be on this traditional joruney. Need lots of guidance right now.

[Bert]

#21393

ralphs- I love wood arrows. That’s why I shoot xx75 Camo Hunter aluminum shafts currently. That sounds contradictory because it is!-what we want in arrows, especially important at the beginning of our trad bow journey, is consistency. Another variable taken away so we can work on form and accuracy without worrying about arrow weight and spine- and the only way to achieve that nowdays is to purchase aluminum or carbon in your budget choice.
Believe me. weighed within 10 grains and spined within 5# will cost you a pretty penny- scales are cheap but check out the price of a spine tester- then you will have to very accurately cut the 5 and 11 degree ends, then straighten-as wood is a living, moving substance, then stain and seal all before you fletch,nock and fit your point.
Then you will take that work intensive cedar arrow and shoot it at a stump and it will snap off right behind the point whereupon you now have a short tomato stake- ask me how I know this!
So there’s going to be some carbons in the future as many of us are experimentating with FOC,EFOC, and ultraEFOC as per Dr. Ed Ashby’s brilliant testing and conclusions elsewhere on this forum that you should avail yourself of.
And there’s going to be some wood, whether lam birch, hickory or sitka spruce or someother also because many of us love making our own arrows, it’s our history- who sells ash shafts, grey goose wing feathers and bodkin points?! Besides, what smells better than cutting cedar shafts?
Most of all, experiment and enjoy your ever continuing traditional journey as it will never end.
Good Hunting- Bert

[William Warren]

#21802

Ralphs,
I had another thought about stump shooting arrows. You could fletch up some 4 fletch flu flus on cedar and the full length fletch will slow your arrow down enough to keep breakage to a minimum. Point of impact will change though. Noise won’t be a factor in stump shooting, have not had any stumps duck my flu flus 🙂
Duncan

[Ralphs]

#22163

Duncan, Great insight on the wood and carbon. I know I’ll try some cedar and probably continue to use carbon too. I have been using regular field tips and may go to a blunt…3 Rivers has one called “The Hammer” that has some excellent reviews. This is a journey with many new discoveries to be made.

[Patrick]

#22286

snuffornot wrote: …have not had any stumps duck my flu flus 🙂
Duncan

You sure about that? I could’ve swore!:? 😳

[William Warren]

#22292

Patrick,
OK, maybe some of them did side step a little.

Ralphs,
I usually use the rubber blunts. My flu flus have steel blunts but the rubber ones will work too.

Duncan

[Brad]

#25330

Somehow over the last several years, I think since carbon has gotten so popular, wood has gotten this bad wrap that it’s so fragile and expensive. I have to tell you, I’ve used mostly wood for the past fifteen years, with a little aluminum here and there, and I just don’t see it. I shoot year round, and do a lot of stump shooting, and I’ve never really messed up any more woodies (per capita) than aluminums. They’re simple to make (unless you want to get fancy), and if sealed properly I don’t have any problems with them warping, either. They do need to be fairly closely matched in spine, but as far as weight goes, at hunting distances I really doubt anybody would be able to notice any difference in POI between shafts that varied as much as 50 grains in total weight.

[aeronut]

#26702

Besides Rivercane and Bamboo wood arrows are all I shoot. I use Poplar and Hickory. I have bounced Hickory shafts off of many things and have never broken one yet. I’ve never even considered buying any carbon shafts.

The deer in my avatar picture fell to a Bamboo shaft.

Dennis

[doestomp]

#27380

My hunting partner Joe H., makes and sells POC (portorford cedar) hunting arrows for an incredible deal on ebay. His ebay title is crester123. He went into business sept 08 and he makes very well made arrows at a price you won’t find anywhere else $75/doz including field points & shipping. He is mentored by Lamont Grainger of the footed shaft in Rochester MN. Joe has taught me how to make my own arrows, and using POC- well it’s a wonderful material and rewarding experience. Check him out. email address joe.howland@gmail.com

doestomp

[Ralphs]

#50655

Thanks for the information. I did order some arrows from 3Rivers because Joe didn’t have the spine I needed. I’m shooting the wood and really like it. I really appreiciate all the help from you guys. The wood shoots great and flys very well. I’m sttarting to group fairly well at 15 yards. Fun to shoot the tradbow!!!

[rayborbon]

#50657

Halfahun pretty much covered it from my perspective. I shoot cedar and carbon. Mostly the carbon for consistancy and because it breaks less often than cedar. That breaking was one of the main reasons I switched to primarily shooting carbon from primarily shooting cedar. I was tired of crafting new arrows.

[Ralphs]

#50663

I will continue to shoot both too. However, there’s a real draw to the feel and look of the wood. It’s good to have both options…who knows where this will end up. It will be like most things for me….I have to try it.

[Champno6]

#58836

There is nothing and I mean absolutely nothing even remotely traditional about shooting a carbon arrow. Why go to all the trouble to shoot a recurve or longbow, claim to be a traditional archer, and then shoot a carbon arrow?

[Ralphs]

#60627

I make no claims for the label of traditonal archer. I just enjoy shooting the bow. Wood or carbon it’s fun.

[hawg]

#50072

ralphs wrote: I just started with the trad bow and have been using carbon arrows. I’m wanting to try wood and have been thinking about buying some from 3 Rivers. Looking for some help. I’m currently shooting Aerodynamics Tradtional Lites and with 150gr Woodsman and they fly great. However, I’ve broken several while stump shooting with field points. Would wood do any better. Any suggestions.

I use wood almost exclusively. no particular reason just seems right for me. I did win a dozen aluminum arrows once that I had fletched with feathers but that’s it.

as far as breaking, I find them to be extremely resilient. and when they do break 90% of the time it shears cleanly behind the head. which is nothing to re-taper with a new point and back in business. I don’t hunt with these former broken arrows but they become “rock arrows” on 3-D courses. it extends their life a bit.

[purehunter]

#29479

I’ve been using Heritage CX 250’s and have gotten them to fly fairly well out of my recurve and longbow. I have enough different points, inserts and feathers to keep me tuning them for quite a while. I shot some 55-60 POC woodies that a friend of mine made and WOW! The feel of the bow and flight of the arrow was amazing compared to my carbons.

The carbons were flying the way they were supposed to and I tuned the bow. I’m sure a more experienced shooter could make them fly better….but why do the wood arrows do so much better? My longbow buddy says wood bows need wood arrows. Any other opinions?

I really liked the way they shot so I may be a convert to wood. I believe Fletcher (Rick from the Feathered Shaft) will be getting some of my business!

Purehunter

[rayborbon]

#29561

I’m looking at getting some Tonkin Cane shafts next. Gotta order when the wife isn’t paying attention to the debit card purchase. 😈

[turtlebunting]

#45139

i shoot only cedar. cedar is alot cheaper if u break it and its cheaper then carbon.sometime u can reuse it again for stump shooting. im a traditional bowhunter so i shoot traditional arrows!!!!:roll:

[moss]

#45881

Wood is good
P.O.C. smells super,
Fletching you own arrows is part of the enjoyment.
Overall the beginer will get more consistency with aluminium
and carbon. carbon will stay straighter than aluminium.(beginers miss frequently)
fletching six good consistent wooden arrows is hard to do. They are easier in one respect, that is cutting to length, and yes they are more traditional.

[Ralph]

#50615

Man, I’m disappointed! I thought them duckin’ stumps were a prime excuse, right after the “got something in my eye” #1 and “stinkin’ wind” #2.
Cup didn’t duck. Good way to police area also. I shoot only wood and have no problems (with arrows). Just me puttin them where they supposed to be is sometimes .

[Ed Zachary]

#50875

Don’t know if wood would do any better but when I bust an arrow in back of the point, I can repair it with a “Reparrow”.
I get the taper all re-ground, glue up the Reparrow with TiteBondIII, wrap some thread around the new joint, and true it up on my AAE arrow straightener before the glue tacks up (have to work quick!:!:))…she comes out spot on straight!

Woodies that do bust up beyond repair, well they’ve had a good life and an honourable death and I just make some more 😀
Wood, aluminium, carbon – they’re all good and they all have their pluses and minuses. Shoot what you like to shoot!

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