Trad Gang

I have seen a few pics lately of guys with tracers on the arrows, and I kinda like the looks of 'em.  

Do they really work that well, or is it more of a looks thing??

Thanks
Jake

I haven't tried them but a friend that has bad eyesight swears by them. He also claims you don't have to use bright feathers to fletch the arrow with if you use bright tracers.

I bought some this fall after seeing some posts about them. i tried them, and for me, they were a waste of money..
i've seen some pics of the fur sticking out quite a bit, which makes them very visible.
but the ones i bought from 3 rivers are anything but...

noy nocking 3 rivers, because i love that company. but the fur i recived was not what i expected.

gaff

I use the lumenoks and love them.  I can't hunt with them for big game but they are still a lot of fun.  Late in the evening, it looks like a scene from Star Wars.  Makes it easier to watch the arrow in flight and detect bad arrow flight from a poor release.  They are expensive.  But I enjoy watching the arrow in flight and under the right lighting conditions, it becomes extremely easy to watch it all the way to the target.

I tried them but thought they were too much trouble.  Started using four fletch, which I like very much for the visibility.

I use a tracer nock sometimes  :banghead: , but I dont care.  I dont use them often, just for squirrel hunting, and really dont care for them to much, they are really fragile.  That and the pope and young club makes me feel guilty about using them cause they are not consiedered "bowhunting equipment", and if anyone uses them for hunting, and should happened to luck into a p&y animal it will not go into the books.  Anyway way off topic.  Never tried them myself.  They seem like they will slow down the arrow a bunch?

I use rabbit fur tracers on my primitive arrows so I can see them fly and where they hit. Hard to see all natural materials and colors. I prefer white tracers but yellow and chartreuse work almost as well as white.

Bunny Zonker strips in bright colors work great.  Buy them at the local fly shop.  I don't use them but have shot a lot with guys who do.  They are very visible in the target or in the ground.  

Personally I use really bright four fletch and a bright nock.  I think they are about the same for visibility.

Like Pat, I use rabbit fur. A white rabbit pelt can usually be found for $3-5. It'll provide dozens of tracers. I don't alwyas use them, but when I fletch arrows with natural barred or the more muted colors, it is nice to have that extra bit of visibility on the nock end of the arrow.

It doesn't slow down the arrow appreciably and really highlights arrowflight. One negative is that it gives your buddies a more visible target to focus on when you shoot first at 3D's.  

Thanks for the input...

How are you guys gluing on the zonker/rabbit fur strips?
And how are the ones you can buy attached?

I don't know how the pre-made ones are supposed to be attached, but I just superglue the rabbit fur strips on.

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fliksr/Random/th_arrowtrade052.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v212/fliksr/Random/?action=view¤t=arrowtrade052.jpg)

I made these up for the arrow trade a few years ago.  Really made those arrows visible downrange when using the goose feathers!

I use white rabbit fly tying strips on my hunting arrows especially if I'm still hunting.  I've had guys say they couldn't see me from a distance but sure could pick up my yellow or pink fletched arrows bouncing as I walked. I don't know if game can pick it up and I hate those fletching covers on a bow quiver.  

I use either natural turkey, grey goose, or brown feathers.  I just tie one wrap of rabbit on like I would to tie up a fly.  Glue on or super glue strips don't work well for me.  Since I tie all my own flies, it's quick & easy to attach the rabbit strips. They are very visible watching the arrow flight but naturally camoed looking at the side profile in the quiver...Doc

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Broadheads/Arrows004.jpg)

Like Tippit says, you can get rabbit fur strips at fly tying stores (or from rabbits).  For feather tracers, but a bag of feathers from a craft store (Michael's, Jo-Ann's, etc.) and strip them to make tracers.  the bag is about a buck and half and will probably last you for life.  As for why I use them.  I can see not only where the arrow hits, but I can also see it in flight.  More data for my brain to absorb and process for the next shot.

I have never tried them But since I have some rabbit fur for tying up flys I am going to try that out just for kicks.

Good tip!

question?  If they make it easier for you to see will the "wirey critters" like squirrels see them too?

In flight, the fur lays back and shouldn't be too visible to a squirrel.  When the arrow strikes something, the fur poofs out and you have a very visible circle.

QuoteOriginally posted by tippit:
I use white rabbit fly tying strips on my hunting arrows especially if I'm still hunting.  I've had guys say they couldn't see me from a distance but sure could pick up my yellow or pink fletched arrows bouncing as I walked. I don't know if game can pick it up and I hate those fletching covers on a bow quiver.  

I use either natural turkey, grey goose, or brown feathers.  I just tie one wrap of rabbit on like I would to tie up a fly.  Glue on or super glue strips don't work well for me.  Since I tie all my own flies, it's quick & easy to attach the rabbit strips. They are very visible watching the arrow flight but naturally camoed looking at the side profile in the quiver...Doc

  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Broadheads/Arrows004.jpg)

So you just use thread and some head cement?
Good idea!  I would not want to use any glue, but I wonder if fletch tape would stick well enough??

Thanks guys!

I just paint the last inch before my nock flo orange or pink and match the nock.

I just am trying them I am useing hot pink maribou feathers and can really see them better! but don't know if I will continue to use them?

I started using tracer feathers on my shafts years ago for a bear hunt. I use white, with a white nock. when that arrow hit the bear, it looked like a golf ball on its side.

They weight nothing, do not effect arrow flight, and you see your arrow real well, especially those low light condition shots.

If they get wet, they matt up on the shaft, but dried out they will fluff up with a little coaxing.

I apply them by wrapping fletch tape around the shaft a few times, and then the tracer feather. I trim them round even with feathers.

I've tried a few colors, pink or white work best. If you use pink, expect to catch some flak from your buddies, but at least you'll know where your arrow went.

I use them on my hunting arras, makes them much easier to see in flight, like the others posted, there rabbit "Zonkers" from the fly tying shop glued on with fletch tape then a dab of CA glue at the end where they meet.
  (http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/Screamin_Eagle/knives-1.jpg)

Rabbit zonkers are cheap and already stripped so your nose doesn't itch so bad when you install them. I have installed them with fletch tape, Duco cement and TBIII glue.  I tried marabou feathers but they were too long and fluffy for my liking. They do make good wind indicators though.

Hmmm.  I think I may try this out for small game.  I tend to spend more time hunting my arrows then game  :)

Put 3, 5.5 inch floro-lime feathers on - you will not need a tracer!  H

I like gold colored tracers.  They show up well on all colors or 3D targets and animals, but disappear on the yellow bull's eye on FITA targets.  At least I THINK they'll disappear.  It I ever hit a bull's eye, I'll let you know!

If you do use them i would suggest not using them at a 3D archery shoot they become a target for everyone in the group to aim at especially if they are in the kill area.

I find that fletch tape & super glue has a tendency to peel off for me.  I lay down a thread base with my fly tying bobbin, tie in the end of the Zonker strip, take the tread back to the start of the base, wrap one turn of rabbit fur, and tie off with half hitches.  Then put some Hard as Nails (finger nail polish) on the end of the thread.  They have never come off and I've even replaced fletching feathers with the original rabbit tracer.

tippit any chance of a pic or two. I have never tied a fishing fly

QuoteOriginally posted by tippit:
I find that fletch tape & super glue has a tendency to peel off for me.  I lay down a thread base with my fly tying bobbin, tie in the end of the Zonker strip, take the tread back to the start of the base, wrap one turn of rabbit fur, and tie off with half hitches.  Then put some Hard as Nails (finger nail polish) on the end of the thread.  They have never come off and I've even replaced fletching feathers with the original rabbit tracer.

Thanks Tippit!  I know exactly what your talking about!

Come to think of it, I need to tie a few flies anyway!