Post by: Pine on September 29, 2020, 05:24:50 PM
I know a few people that hunted with all white feathers and then changed because they thought they were busted a few times because of the white.
That does make sense, because of the white danger flag deer have.
But I do know someone that is color blind and they can see blue and use blue feathers because they can find them in grass.
But deer can see blue as well. Could that be a possibility of getting busted because of blue? :dunno:
What do you think? :saywhat:
Post by: Etter on September 29, 2020, 05:43:19 PM
Post by: abbatoys on September 29, 2020, 06:03:42 PM
Post by: bowmaster12 on September 29, 2020, 06:28:28 PM
Post by: McDave on September 29, 2020, 07:32:39 PM
Based on my own color vision, I would say that arrows fletched in a drab red would be the least noticeable to a deer. Blue fletches would be less noticeable than white, for the reasons mentioned, but more noticeable than red. Orange fletches would be more noticeable than red, because the yellow content in orange makes them stand out to a person with my type of color blindness.
Green or brown fletches would work fine too, of course, but would be hard to find, whereas red, even a drab red, would be relatively easy to find for a person with normal color vision.
Post by: Pat B on September 29, 2020, 07:53:01 PM
Post by: woodchucker on September 29, 2020, 08:26:46 PM
I'll make coffee :coffee:
Post by: Pine on September 29, 2020, 08:35:58 PM
I would never fletch with blue myself, I like pink.
Yep nothing pink in nature while hunting.
First year in Quebec bear hunting in the spring, PINK LADIES SLIPPERS EVERYWHERE. :dunno: :laughing:
I stand corrected. :biglaugh:
Post by: Wudstix on September 29, 2020, 10:49:42 PM
:campfire:
Post by: Captain*Kirk on September 30, 2020, 01:52:07 PM
I don't really worry about it. As was mentioned, deer key in on movement far more than color.
Post by: JAH518 on September 30, 2020, 02:27:02 PM
Post by: hawkeye n pa on September 30, 2020, 06:05:13 PM
Post by: dnovo on September 30, 2020, 09:17:34 PM
Post by: Zradix on October 01, 2020, 09:16:05 AM
I'm color blind and have been told by an ophthalmologist that my color vision is much like a deer's. I can see blues and yellows fine, but if they have greens and reds mixed in with them, I don't really see the difference, unless the added colors make it lighter or darker. Golf balls that other people call green look yellow to me; a purple shirt looks blue to me. Reds and greens and browns tend to look the same, unless it is a very vivid red, and then it looks red. Red roses look the same color to me as the surrounding leaves, unless the roses are lighter or darker shades than the leaves. Many times I have looked at a bush with red flowers on it and not noticed the flowers until I see the different shapes of the flowers from the leaves.
Based on my own color vision, I would say that arrows fletched in a drab red would be the least noticeable to a deer. Blue fletches would be less noticeable than white, for the reasons mentioned, but more noticeable than red. Orange fletches would be more noticeable than red, because the yellow content in orange makes them stand out to a person with my type of color blindness.
Green or brown fletches would work fine too, of course, but would be hard to find, whereas red, even a drab red, would be relatively easy to find for a person with normal color vision.
That is some wonderful insight! Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I've certainly thought/worried about my fletching colors alerting deer.
I too love the look of white feathers...but never used them hunting.
Started off with yellow years ago. Switched when I learned deer see yellow.
Now I mostly use grey and greens for hunting.
Harder to see in the woods....but I don't worry about the color itself alerting deer.
Might get rid of the green after reading this....lol
Never really liked red fletch...just don't for some reason.
Color choice for me is more of a confidence thing really.....one less thing to worry about.
Post by: blacktailbob on October 01, 2020, 09:31:39 AM
What do these fletchings look like to your eyes. Very easy to find in the woods. From a tree stand not likely an issue but ground hunting might be. [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Post by: Pat B on October 01, 2020, 09:35:08 AM
Post by: Phillip Fields on October 01, 2020, 09:41:33 AM
Post by: RedShaft on October 01, 2020, 10:05:18 AM
I have found for MY eyes. Chartreuse in at least 1 of the fletching, I pick up that color very well in low light. Seems to have a glowing hue..
I have used red many times and like red.
This season on one of my setups. I am using 2 red and 1 blue. So we shall see. I’m not very concerned having 1 blue. Now, if I did a 3 fletch or 4 in all blue...
No, I probably wouldn’t use that for hunting. But Target, Sure.
I have used about every color but pink, purple and black. I see good many guys using dark colors now. But their arrows have tail lights( lighted nocks) so it don’t matter much.
White fletch have stood out to me good in low light. What I mean is seeing someone else moving through the woods. We as hunters pick up on white flash quickly. And I would hunk deer are the same. But then again. They pic up on any movement quickly lol.
One thing is for sure. Most of us like a pretty arrow. Now mater the combo used. It’s one of the ways for some to express beauty in our craft.
Post by: MGH on October 01, 2020, 10:50:59 AM
Post by: McDave on October 01, 2020, 10:55:29 AM
McDave
What do these fletchings look like to your eyes. Very easy to find in the woods. From a tree stand not likely an issue but ground hunting might be.
They look a vivid light blue to me. They would certainly be easy for me to find in the forrest, as long as the feathers were above the foliage, but if my vision is at all like a deer's, it would be very easy for a deer to see also.
My wife, who has good color vision, says they are pink, a shade she calls “fuchsia” (whatever the heck that is). I asked her why I see light blue, since normally pink is a mix of red and white. She said some shades of pink also have a blue content, similar to the blue content in magenta.
I would imagine that if you used a shade of pink that has no blue content, it would look less vivid to me.
Post by: Sam McMichael on October 01, 2020, 10:58:23 AM
Post by: dnovo on October 01, 2020, 11:08:05 AM
Post by: woodchucker on October 01, 2020, 11:25:04 AM
I'm liking it!! :bigsmyl: :coffee:
Post by: MnFn on October 01, 2020, 11:29:02 AM
I thought yellow was a bit of a compromise from white, but maybe not. When I was thinking about this a couple of years ago, I looked up Barry and Gene Wensel’s site to see some success photos, and saw some yellow fletching (and maybe white), so I figured if it worked for them... good enough for me.
Post by: Pat B on October 01, 2020, 12:27:35 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/7ZY88rS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YeuTejB.jpg)
Post by: Steelhead on October 01, 2020, 03:44:09 PM
I make my choice of color based on seeing the arrow in flight,where it strikes and also that its easier to find on the ground if its not still in the deer.So I like Chartruese,pink and white.They stand out in flight,where they strike and on the forest floor in the Fall.Right now I am using 3-5 inch Chartruese fletchings for this Season.Pink is probably the easiest to find in the Fall amongst leaf litter.
Post by: blacktailbob on October 01, 2020, 04:32:43 PM
I think I'll use the hot pink from my ladder stand and others from the ground.
Post by: mj seratt on October 02, 2020, 02:33:16 AM
Murray
Post by: Pat B on October 02, 2020, 09:11:24 AM
Post by: woodchucker on October 02, 2020, 11:23:50 AM
I wanted to relive the days of my youth. When we were simply "BowHunters"
Papa Bear got most of us started with his "Be a 2 Season Hunter" campaign...
I've collected a bunch of old Bear recurves. A Hill "Mountain Man" longbow (that I LOVE but can't hit squat with)
A few custom longbows, and my favorite Kodiak T/D, Red stripe A-handle with #1 limbs (56" Bow)
Our arrows are wood. Wood is Good! LOL
They are made by my youngest son Tyler. We buy pre-finished shafts from 3Rivers and he fletches them up.
Most are a combination of "Fall" colors. Yellow, Orange, Red. His favorite is 3 natural barred with a black nock.
Remembering back to to my youth, natural barrred feathers were cheaper than dyed feathers.
Hence most "store bought" arrows had 2 barred hens and a dyed cock feather. In that "tradition"
I'm having him make me a dozen new hunting arrows for my Kodiak T/D. 2 natural barred hens, with a solid red cock feather, and a black nock to match the black cresting on the pre-finished shafts. Tipped with the old green razorheads I've been using for years, I think they will be a beautiful set of Traditional Arrows!! :archer:
Post by: D. Key on October 02, 2020, 12:53:01 PM
Now that Sir...Are some mighty fine looking arrows.
Post by: MGH on October 02, 2020, 01:56:13 PM
Post by: Kokopelli on October 02, 2020, 02:10:11 PM
Rather than have one big quiver blob of color, I put a couple of each in. Breaks up the blob a bit and in situations where more than one arrow is shot it makes it easier to figure out what happened. 'Ok, the white one was shot first so the pink one should be over there........'
Regardless, Camo is Good .......... Stillness is Golden.
Post by: slowbowjoe on October 02, 2020, 08:03:38 PM
I know a young doe watched me (very slowly) draw one of those from my side quiver last season and didn't spook.... not that that's a definitive take on what the deer see.
I've also considered how that white might appear to another hunter if I were out in gun season (which I sometimes am).
Post by: mj seratt on October 03, 2020, 03:18:21 AM
Murray
Post by: Pat B on October 03, 2020, 08:13:32 AM
Post by: Sam McMichael on October 03, 2020, 02:07:30 PM
Post by: McDave on October 03, 2020, 03:51:53 PM
Orange feathers might be a good choice for hunting arrows, because while humans can see orange about as well as yellow or white, they might not stand out quite as well to deer because you're mixing one color they can see, yellow, with one they can't see, red.
When I first started hunting, using a special wash to get rid of UV was the rage, because UV supposedly made your clothes stand out like they had a spotlight on them. Isn't that also what they mean when they say fluorescent? Haven't heard too much about that lately. Is that a fad that came and went?
Post by: RedShaft on October 03, 2020, 11:13:33 PM
I just use it really cause it free of dyes and perfumes and has that uv killer.
Post by: SlowBowKing on October 04, 2020, 10:50:54 AM
While I’m definitely no expert on this, keep in mind that screens (like the phone screen I’m looking at right now) emit certain frequencies of light, primarily blue light. That’s why they say to limit screen time within an hour or two of bed to get better sleep. So a color you perceive on a screen—like those hot pink feathers from earlier in the thread—might appear differently than they would in person. That could affect the perception. I’m not sure if you’ve ever noticed this, where something appears one color on a screen and then you see it in person and it looks slightly different?
This is a fascinating thread!
Post by: McDave on October 04, 2020, 05:09:14 PM
Post by: Kelly on October 06, 2020, 09:53:01 AM
Pink and blue or all fluorescent yellow mainly because I see those colors well in flight.
My good friend the late Roger Rothhaar used red and yellow in combination most of the time, once in awhile he used orange instead of red.
Keep in mind that he also spray painted the rest of shaft a light gray for visibility in low light conditions. I do that two if using aluminum or carbon. When using wood I prefer to paint the whole shaft white or yellow.
As always movement, or lack thereof is the key imho.
Post by: black velvet on October 06, 2020, 07:04:44 PM
Post by: Pine on October 06, 2020, 08:48:42 PM