Trad Gang

Was thinking about some veins on arrows for rainy weather. Is it true you can not shoot vains off the shelf? Thoughts?

With the right vanes and the right shelf, it's possible.  It's also finicky to set up, and vanes don't "steer" as much as feathers do, so be prepared for some retuning, especially with broadheads.

I tried those funky vanes from 3 Rivers with goat tuff and tape and with both adhesives they flew off on the first shot.There are some that have better luck though.Or you can use silicone owder on the for water repellancy.This has worked well for me.

LIke others who shoot off the shelf I have found that *larger* feathers are an advantage in rainy weather.  Vanes work best off of a finger rest.

kinda like peein in the wind, you can do it but ya might not like the results  :D

I use Bohning Dri-Tite waterproofing on my feathers if it looks like a wet hunt.  So far performance is fine and you can get your feathers back to new condidition when you get home just by rolling the fletch a few times over the steam from a whistling teapot.  Only about 3 or 4 turns or too much heat and steam can affeect glue and possibly warp the wood.

Don't know how that works on a wrap - never touch that stuff!

Trapper Dave nailed it.  Unless you use an elevated rest, and/or nock real high, the veins will hit the shelf on most bows causing poor arrow flight.  :D

Use the Dri-tite on your feathers and you shouldn't have to worry about getting them wet.

I can shoot vanes off the shelf! Raise your nock and shoot cock feather/vane in. It takes some fooling around with nock location but it works. Fred Eichler does it on Masters of the Barebow DVD. I tried it, and after some ajustments the arrows were flying just like my fletched arrows. That being said, I still like feathers, but it can be done. It helps if the bow near center shot.

Everyone tells me Canada goose feathers are the answer. They shed water way better than turkey feathers. Two of my friends shoot them year round, nothing but goose and swear by them. I have not tried any yet but sounds like answer to me.

you can also slip a baby bottle liner over your fletch. Leave it on when you nock an arrow, it will fall to yer feet at the shot and your fletch will stay dry.

I use a 4" Extreme Shrink-fit vane on a carbon arrow. Shoot cock feather straight UP and they fly right with my fletched arrows. I will say, once the temp drops to about 10 below zero, they get pretty stiff and will kick left a bit  :eek

I get pretty stiff then too, but don't have much kick left   :biglaugh:  

It's up to -17 here now, so I guess I'll have to shoot feathers  

I agree wit ron w. Cock feather in seems to fly pretty well. I also found that  a lot of weight up front improves arrow flight with vanes.

Goose feathers, can't go wrong.

Where do you find goose feathers ready to fletch?

Allan

I ran out of arrows once on a big boar, and had to borrow one of my mate's aluminium arrows with vanes that he uses with his compound. At four metres, that arrow passed-through the boar and put him down. That was with my Howard Hill longbow.

If your serious about shooting vanes, install a good Flipper I or II rest. If your really serious, have your bow drilled and tapped for a cushion plunger also. I hunted with that setup for years, rest and plunger, only I shot feathers.

I never tried it but it surprises me that you can shoot vanes off the shelf.  I have shot 4" vanes off my compound bow and they did not shoot as well as my 4" feathers did, it was very noticeable. That was with a fall away rest so go figure.

Raven archery has goose feathers ground and ready.  They are sometimes a bit slow on orders.

Fred Eichler carries in the quiver at least one arrow that has vanes in case of inclimate weather, and shoots off the shelf.

I experimented with vanes off the shelf once and found with a soft enough vane it works fine.

All I shoot is vanes but use T-300 rests on my recurves.  Get perfect arrow flight and don't have to worry about them getting wet.  They also far outlast feathers in every day shooting...