Wind deflection on arrows

[Aaron Proffitt]

I was out shooting today and noticed that none of my arrows flew consistently. I checked my brace, nock point, and looked at all my arrows carefully. Everything was in order so I went back to shooting. Same thing...some arrows flew perfect, others not so much. Alotta kicking around.
  Then I began to reason that shooting 5 1/2" high profile feathers in winds ranging around 22 mph to gusts around 30 probably has alot to do with it. Would I be correct ?. Anybody else have this prob. ?

[James Wrenn]

Wind will have a big effect on arrows.Big feathers make it even more so as does fat light weight shafts.Heavy skinny shafts with smaller feathers will still drift a lot if the range is far.

[Aaron Proffitt]

Thanks, James. FYI, I noticed it the most obviously at 30+ yards . Makes sense I know. Just looked like my bow was completely outta whack and my arrows were spined no where near what I needed. Oh yeah, 5 1/2" high profiles on cedar shafts. Think that'd make it even worse ?

[James Wrenn]

Yeah there is a lot there to catch the wind.I have been at 3ds where the wind got up and on a longer shot in the open the arrows were almost blown downwind. :)A heavy foc wags a lot but seems to still hit closer to where you want in bad wind than one with a light point on the front.The best thing if hunting when the wind is up is to try to keep the shots close when possible.On targets we can live with a few 5s when having fun.  

[Aaron Proffitt]

Phhheeewww!     Was thinking "Great back to the tuning drawing board!!   :mad:   "
  Makes alot more sense then. 'Specially since I'm only shooting 125 grains at the front .
  Thanks , James.

[FLHunter]

Fact is that an arrow once launched it will drift in the direction of the wind mass and at the speed of the wind mass.  How much drift occurring will be determined by how long the arrow is airborne, how much crosswind, and windspeed. The wind is going to effect a faster arrow less because it gets to the target sooner, less air time means less time in the wind to drift.  Given enough time if the arrow were to remain airborne it would eventually weathervane into the oncoming slipstream because of the added drag of the fletching therefore becoming more aerodynamic.

Just the same as a faster arrow drops less over a given distance even though its falling with gravity at the same rate as a slower arrow. It just impacts the target sooner giving it less air time, therefore less time to drop.

[Aaron Proffitt]

FLHunter,

   So what your saying is......

           
                                                                                                     Say that again ;only in a way as if you were explaining 'ice' to a Pygmy.        

[Shakes.602]

FLHunter, That was a Fine Explaination of Arrow Flight as Affected by Wind.     Thank You for Sharing!!          

[Aaron Proffitt]

I'm sure it was,too, Shakes.     Now ,I'm just trying to visualize it in my tiny little mass of a brain .      

[FLHunter]

OK Aaron,

Think of the wind as having a current like running water does.

Once an the arrow is loosed into the wind, it will be effected by the current just like a boat is on a river.  The amount of drift or effect on the boat or arrow depends on the direction of travel, speed of the current, and the amount of time you are in the current. So if you are crossing the river in a fast boat it will be effected less than a slower boat because of the shorter period in the rivers current.  Heading directly upstream (into the wind) or downstream in the current(wind) there will be little or no drift effect from the current.  Crossing the river 90 degrees to the current will have the greatest amount of drift; lesser angles into the current less effect.  Works the sameway with arrows shooting in the wind.

Hows that work for pigmy ice?  :D      

[Pete W]

well said FL

[Aaron Proffitt]

         
So...it stands to reason that if said current doesn't remain constant(ie.  gusts, flow around nearby trees, wind against nearby-shop) that my boat aka. arrow never really gets a chance to recover as well . Correct ?

  Again, seeing as how I was shooting in a eaterly direction it also stands to reason that as the wind was outta the south that would've been effected the most.
  Pygmy say "Ice like rock,but burn not like fire".
  :D    :D

[FLHunter]

Aaron,

Now you've got it! Yes, objects like trees and buildings do change how the air flows.

[O.L. Adcock]

FlHunter is right on the money...If the arrow is "stable", fletching size has nothing to with it other then it will correct into the relative wind quicker with less "hunting". Any perceived effect is only cause you can "see" bigger feathers better. The only way to reduce the effects of wind is to shoot a faster arrow...O.L.

[Aaron Proffitt]

Thanks, OL. I was shooting an ACS ,BTW.    

Just kidding.

[O.L. Adcock]

          Shoot a lighter arrow then! I only get about 170 out of mine....At 13gr/lb!    ...O.L.

[henpeckedmuch]

At the distances that are normally shot with traditional gear I haven't noticed very much wind deflection on the arrow. That said I have noticed a lot of wind blowing me and my arm around while I was trying to get the shot off. Also, I've noticed that I often rushed the shot in the wind and not paid attention to my form and release because I was being pushed by the wind.
  If you want to see how much the wind is pushing your arrow left or right hold the arrow at the height of your shoulder and drop it to the ground. The wind will blow it off the same ammount as it will on the target during a shot.

[Aaron Proffitt]

Oh...I'd always heard that a 45 lb. ACS will shoot a 800 grn. arrow around 230 or so. Just what I heard..think from some guy,don't remember his name.LOL          :D  

Seriously,though appreciate everyone's input. O.L., that's a great set-up/tuning guide on your website.  

[SHOOTO8S]

Originally posted by henpeckedmuch:

  If you want to see how much the wind is pushing your arrow left or right hold the arrow at the height of your shoulder and drop it to the ground. The wind will blow it off the same ammount as it will on the target during a shot. [/QB]

Thats true IF it takes the same amount of time to get to the target as it does to drop to the ground...on longer shots the arrow is going to be deflected a bit more.  

[Aaron Proffitt]

Remember what I was saying in my original post,folks; I wasn't talking so much about my arrows going off course. Drifting as it were.It looked like I was shooting thru a field with random shoulder high grasses. Not difting,deflecting. I could handle an amount of drift. It was the misbehaving arras that were giving me a case of the red a$$.

A lil UPDATE here; got to thinking (not good since I was still sore from trying to put together FLHunter's post.   ) ,I have a shop beside my house that is about 15 yards long and runs north/south with a hoss door at the north end.Read;I could shoot the length of the shop in a relatively wind free enviro. and by shooting thru the open hoss door; could back up to 'round another 15 yards or so,and still be fairly outta the wind.K? Shot this afternoon with still relatively high winds,only now in this rather protected enviro; know what ? You guessed ! Arrows flew just as pretty as my first wife without the attitude.
  So...am I right about the DEFLECTION or do I have a bigger prob.. Good point on the form,Hen.

Aaron