I've enjoyed fletching my own arrows for many years. I like to change up the colors, and I do like bright colors for following the arrow. When it comes time for hunting season I usually tone down the colors. I guess I'm worried a mature buck may pick up on the fluorescent colors. Any experiences either way with this?
Nope, just take a black and white photo to see what they look like. I love all white, but they look very bright in black and white, the florescent usually look Grey and disappear.
Deer won't, but if you hunt Turkeys you better cover them up! Heck Turkeys will pick up snake skins on your bow! They don't like snakes much!
My brother has been using fluorescent chartreuse feathers for years. Has never had a problem. He does hunt mostly from trees, though.
A question that comes to my mind. If certain camo clothes give off light why not bright feathers?
Don't know...but I've always been of the consensus that they would have no reason to take exception to my fletchings if they weren't obsessed with trying to figure out what that human smell coming from my directions was, lol!
you know, I have asked tons of deer at the local zoo and not one of them have given me an answer yet! Rude if you ask me! ;)
Love white fletchings for following shot, but when you get 3 or so in a quiver think that any movement looks a lot like a tail and they'll pick up on it.
QuoteOriginally posted by M60gunner:
A question that comes to my mind. If certain camo clothes give off light why not bright feathers?
The phenomena you are thinking of is not visible light, like colors we perceive as "bright". It's the reflection of UV light....and this has more to do with the material properties and brighteners than any specific color. Cotton glows and so do a lot of synthetic materials, especially when washed with brighteners.
(http://forums.bowsite.com/tf/pics/00small16785125.JPG)
Colors are just different wavelengths, and so is UV. We see colors because the pigments absorb all the other wavelengths and reflect the ones we can perceive with the Cones in our eyes....and this absorption/reflection depends on the properties of the object in question.
Now, some feathers are actually designed to reflect UV light like reflective tape and a flashlight. This is because birds can see very well in both color and UV wavelengths, and use these patches of UV-reflective feathers for mating rituals, communication, etc.
Here's what a Saw-whet Owl wing looks like to us:
(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj56/mlsthmpsn/Hunting/saw-whet-normal_zpsr6ncnwnd.jpg)
And to other birds:
(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj56/mlsthmpsn/Hunting/saw-whet-uv_zpsbw14uluk.jpg)
I know that natural turkey wings do not reflect UV at all. However, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the artificial barred feather materials do reflect UV.....quick search found these images.
Natural Turkey (left) and TrueFlight: Yellow, Artificial Barred, and White
(http://www.blueridgebowhunters.org/Photos/UV%20pics%20001.JPG)
(http://www.blueridgebowhunters.org/Photos/UV%20pics%20002.JPG)
Hope that helps,
I agree all white fletchings look awesome, but too bright when stacked in my quiver. Not trying to get too in depth in fletching color, but I guess my question was more with fluorescent glowing. Like they sell that uv clothing wash so there is no uv glow. Not sure if the uv "glow" was real. I know, this winter lull makes you think of weird things sometimes!
Just saw your post MT. Thanks that's pretty cool.
The cocker spaniel that I had, that knew more about canoe tripping and rabbits than most people do, hated fluorescent yellow. He always ripped the feathers off and then bring my arrow back. I had to tie him up when I was shooting at me targets. Once my buddy shot a rabbit, my little dog raced forward, tore all of the yellow feathers off his arrows while fiercely growling, brought him his arrow and then went back and got the rabbit. My buddy laughed so hard that he thought he gave himself a hernia. Turkeys don't like arrows either, I missed a turkey with one with chartreuse feathers, and stuck it in a tree. The next turkey came along and attacked my arrow and bent it. I got him.
Yeah birds can see them and they don't even have to be that bright, I don't worry about deer and such, I've heard bears can see colors but I don't know that for sure
MT, Great info!
Can confirm "glowing" of artificially barred feathers under black light (the white, not the bars). No glow for wild turkey or TF pink; TF chartreuse glow like a beacon.
Thanks for the pics. That is what I have been thinking of. But natural feathers, no dye, makes sense as well. Critters have "natural" camo which should not reflect UV light.
When I lived back in IL. we did not use white on purpose. White feathers had been mistaken for a Whitetail Deer's tail and arrows loosened at guys. One reason white feathers and back quivers were not in style in IL. and WI. back then. Be safe.
As an addendum on all this.... Until such time that we have sufficient technology to plug our brains into the eyes of animals or otherwise pull images from their brains directly... What we think they see are just educated guesses.
We could be way off the mark, but I tend to think that we are probably way under the bar.
In tests with food rewards, I've seen that deer seem to see blue and UV pretty well....so at the very least stay away from jeans.
I have been using FLO fletchings since the 70's. I have never felt they caused a deer to spoke and since then I have kill well over a 100 deer with archery equipment.
Heck no....been using flo feathers for ever....use bow quivers and fletch cover....hunt off the ground a lot....feather color and the size I use is the least of my worries.
If the feathers get you busted you were screwed to begin with.
My standard hunting arrow is chartreuse 4 fletch on a white crown. It has never seemed to be an issue in a tree. I never got busted on the ground either, but had some concerns so started using a fletch cover. I always use the cover now but don't know that it is really necessary.
I just use a fletch cover and have never had problem.
Mint x2
I don't know but it makes for a good conversation.
I like flo chartreuse because in low light conditions, it holds its color the best. If a turkey can see it or not, I do not know, I think they are far more concerned where my eyeballs are focusing. I know they can see my eyeballs when I am staring at them, but I am not sure if they have a color preference for feathers.
Great thread, great info. Thanks everyone
A repetitive, yet interesting, subject.
Whether there in fact remains some truth, from my own experience, I would be grasping at less than 0.1% of the formula for success.
I prefer to focus on my own deficiencies, the person behind the bow where likely over 90% of the contribution resides in achieving success.
I have read a lot of material that indicates that deer see into the UV range better than people, so I would think they are capable of seeing flo fletching. However, I think it is movement that gives us away more than a "bright birdie in the woods". In short, just because they have the capacity to see it does not mean that they necessarily take detailed notice of it. After all, a whole lot of guys have been very successful using these feathers.
Yeah Sam.....I've done alright with them....
These are all bloody .....special arrows I've kept.
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/terry/ARROWRACK2016b.jpg)
Sam...what's funny is I commented on the feather length I prefer and a guy, here who never kills anything BTW, stated I might as well shoot parachutes.....well, there's a bunch of bloody parachutes in that rack, yet he tells no hunting tales.....
:knothead:
Bright yellow and white for me, but hang my quiver on the backside of the tree. I had a doe spot my arrow on the bow this year. But I think she picked up on the broadhead shaking uncontrollably, not the fletchings.
Terry, did you have to borrow an arrow from someone? That one with red feathers really stands out amongst all that yellow!!
I have shot two bright yellow and a red with fluorescent green nocks for decades. My arrows generally have a yellow or white dip as well. Have not noticed that deer pick up on that and I hunt mature bucks. Heck, during gun season I have to wear blaze orange and sitting out there like a giant pumpkin have deer come right up to me, as do other hunters. Movement (or lack thereof) is the key.
Terry...Those big parachutes facilitate softening the big critter landings.
Terry, I like your yellow parachutes, especially the red highlights on them. I still say the real key is to sit still and make a good shot whatever the color of the fletch. Maybe the real key to your success is the salad hat. Either way the flo yellow color scheme is sure working for you.
QuoteOriginally posted by Bvas:
Terry, did you have to borrow an arrow from someone? That one with red feathers really stands out amongst all that yellow!!
No...was fooling around with painting some arrows and used those feathers someone sent me long ago.
Wish I had the time to fool around with stuff like that again.
Yeah Sam,....lots of them are hog arrows that didn't get bloody feathers but were pass throughs. Most that don't hunt hogs don't realize how often that happens cause the hogs have such short legs the arrow most time goes through and hits the dirt.
You also end up with more broken arrows that way......but sometimes the bhead grabs something and pulls the arrow all the way through.