What size feathes do you use on your hunting arrows. I've been using 4" but heard that 5" will give me much better flight with hunting broadheads than 4".
Penny for your thoughts?
Michael
I like to use 5" inch feathers I think it gives me a little better broadhead flight just my opinion though
I shoot 5.5" shield cut feathers for all situations. In the bright colors I shoot this is the size I can seem to see best.
Can't speak to the other sizes and how they do / don't help stabilize arrows.
This year I'll be shooting arrows w/ 4" & 5" chopped from a banana shape chopper.
from left 2 right.. 5"full, 5"full, 4" forward cut, 5"full, 4"forward cut & 4" backend cut. You may also ask why are some of these fletchings set so far forward on some arrows. I'm playing with fletching set-up and they are set to brace check the string.
(http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac239/mysticguido/111_1831.jpg)
All Arrows fly like darts, but with an Arch. Weight ranges from 765grn to 795grn. I have a set of 2 matching arrows per batch. I also use Magnus 160 grn Snuffer 3-Blade BH's.
I use 5 inch
My draw is only 25.5 inches and my arrows are 27.5". I need and use only 3, 4" feathers -- parabolic currently but hopefully shield next week.
I originally fletched my arrows this year with a 4" parabolic than switched to a 4" sheild back and they were flying great. I heard that the bigger the parabolic the better so I made a few with a 5" parabolic and had terrible results so I went back to 4" sheild back.I would try a little of both and see what you come up with, it ulitmately rely's on alignment and a good spine.
5.5 sheild and 5.5 bannana.seem to stabilize the arrow faster.for me anyway.
4-4" sheild The same + wing service as 3-5" I chop them myself and get 2 per feather. I'm Cheep
I use either 3 or 4 5" shield cuts I think I am going to do more of the 4 fletch. They tend to group together at hunting distances.
I use three, 5" parabolic feathers, 120 degrees separation between them with each feather having 11 degrees of right hand twist since I use right wing feathers.
If you have good form and your arrows are tuned properly it doesn't matter. I, however don't have really great form so I use 5". The bigger the feather the more forgiving it will be and the faster your arrow will recover. Remember though bigger feathers have more drag which in turn means more noise as the arrow flies through the air.
i use 5" they just seem to work better with my set up. but it like the old saying if it aint broke dont fix it. so what ever flies the best out of your set up with broadheads and feild points just use it. but after saying that its fun to play around with different combos. :thumbsup:
I was using 4" 4-fletch but had some flight problems with broadheads on the front so now I'm just using 4" 3-fletch and flight is perfect even with big 1 1/2" + diameter heads but I have a few arrows fletched with 3 5" feathers just in case I have any problems.
I use 5" on my arrows and have for a lot of years. It ain't broke so I'm not going to fix it.
I've always used 5 1/2" high back parabolic or shield cut. I've had no trouble with them
5.5 inch 3 rivers cut feathers. (cross between parabolic and shield) You can seem them and the feather size makes them very forgiving when shooting broadhaeds.
Thanks for the insight guys! As always good advice.
Michael
4 - 4" Sheilded
Three five in Shield cuts. Always have and always will. I believe something that is missed a lot and I don't see it discussed much is tuning and balancing broadheads. To me that is just as important or even more than the fletch. JMHO Years ago I made a little Jig to tune my broadheads. since I started using it I have always had my broadheads fly like they are on a rail. It is really simple consisting of two vs to set the arrow in and a nail in a board for a pointer. Just turn the arrow and make sure that the point centers on the nail all the way around./ That centers the head./ God Bless, Steve
QuoteOriginally posted by Sixby:
Three five in Shield cuts. Always have and always will. I believe something that is missed a lot and I don't see it discussed much is tuning and balancing broadheads. To me that is just as important or even more than the fletch. JMHO Years ago I made a little Jig to tune my broadheads. since I started using it I have always had my broadheads fly like they are on a rail. It is really simple consisting of two vs to set the arrow in and a nail in a board for a pointer. Just turn the arrow and make sure that the point centers on the nail all the way around./ That centers the head./ God Bless, Steve
Great point Steve, I was just outside tuning some arrows... I'm using 4 fletch 90 Deg's and My BH's don't line up with the feathers so I'll heat the points and turn them just a little. I'll wait till the glue sets-up and then shoot and see how they hit.. Again Nice point about tuning BH's. Would like to see Your jig.
I use 3, four inch parabolic.
I have the same arrows with 5 inch fletching too and the only difference in flight is the fives are louder than the fours. I feel the difference is a lot if I can hear it.
And that convinced me to use the four inch hunting since I gain nothing in flight that I could tell by using the longer fletching.
Joshua
3 shield 5.5 inch for me.
I tried 5.5 inch parabolic last year because they have a little more surface but I'm not crazy about them. Besides not liking the look, I don't feel them on my nose which is one of my anchor points (I didn't think of that when I ordered them).
I like 5.5 inch shield cut, seems to stabilize my broadheads good.
I use 3 4" feathers and have no problem with broadheads. I am going to set up some arrows with 4 2" razor feathers and see how they work.
I hunt with 4-4" banana 90 degree. Quiet flight.
Magnus
I use 3, 5 1/2" traditional cut feathers. I like having the feathers touch my nose for some reason. Stabilizes broadhead arrows great.
Jack
I shot three 5" parabolic (wood)for years. When I decided to give carbon a go 2 years ago (smaller diameter), I bought a 4" chopper and they shoot great.
Like Sixby, I use a jig to spin check my heads - it was made by Jerry Simmons. Those big old 190 gr Interceptors fly true. So I agree, if everything is tuned and technique is good, the difference between fletch techniques is negligable.
However, on a cold day with a dose of nerves some extra feather might not be a bad thing!
I think 5 inch fletch will get the job done well- the problem I have had with 5 1/2 inch fletch is crosswinds. The bigger the profile the more side wind it can catch.
I am not sure which shape best defeats crosswinds- but out west it would be a good thing to know...
I go for 5.5" shield, mostly. I have used some 5" shield, too.
I use 5" RH Parabolics on my hunting arrows with a slight straight offset & they fly gerat out of my set up, tried a helical on one of my practice arrows & really didn't see any advantage or disadvantage so I'm sticking to my straight offset.
3 5" RW parabolic but sometimes shield cut. Like 'em both but seem to gravitate toward the parabolic. Rich Potter :archer2:
4" parabolic off set 3 fletch. Very quiet and if tuned will fly like darts............James
Trial and error with your broadheads,I use 5 inch and won't change(160 gr 2 blade heads out of a 70# @ 31 Hill Tembo).
QuoteOriginally posted by Sixby:
... tuning and balancing broadheads... Just turn the arrow and make sure that the point centers on the nail all the way around. That centers the head...
Steve
Thanks for the tip!
I use either 4 4" shields or 3 5" shields n have for 45 years with no problems from either. That being said I don't think it matters much how long your fletch is if you tune your bow so your broadheads n field points hit the same.
I have been shooting the 2 inch Razer's in a 4 fletch with good success. I hunt in West Texas a lot where we have high winds and thought less is better in a cross wind. I fletch with a slight offset. I do shoot a extreme FOC arrow. I got the idea after Ashby's and Adcocks small fletch threads. I also agree a lot of the string jumping may come from arrow noise not bow noise. My arrows fly like a dart with a 200 grain Gizzly broadhead.
5 inch for me.
I once used a feather burner to make my own shape of fletch; they were about 5 1/2 inches- I don't recall the exact shape.
But I do recall that I shot them and they worked well.
Until I shot one at a buck. It heard the fletch- as did I - because it was the first time I had shot the fletch in a 'silent situation'.
The buck took off and came back; very nervous and looking back behind it from where it came.
( that part I will re-run and wonder about for ever- as it was following does; and I have wondered if a huge buck was following it).
The buck presented a broadside shot at 20 yards; and I let one of my own designed fletches go.
That buck heard that arrow ! It ducked down and flipped over to avoid the arrow.
The arrow hit it on the belly; the arrow came out over its shoulder; and buried into the ground.
When the deer took off; it snapped the arrow shaft off at ground level; and ran till it dropped.
Point is- deer ~can~ hear arrows coming; and turn a good shot into a miss or a mediocre hit.
I also shot 5 arrows at a buck once in a 60 mph wind at less than 20 yards. I kept waiting for the wind to slow; and yet every arrow was blown off course. No deer was harmed that day.
Now - I don't expect to be hunting in a 60 mph wind often; but it did help me make a decision to try 5 inch fletch with less of a profile....
Your going to like this answer. I shoot three four inch or three five inch or two five inch. if they are tuned they will work.
It's not the length that's important, it's the height as Ashby (I think) said. I started making my own high back 4" shield and they work better than the standard 5" shield cut.
3 - 4" low profile shields to cut down on noise and wind profile. Prefer shields as I think they old up better in rain. I also shoot ultra high FOC (>30%) which helps reduce the amount of feathers needed and spin test my BHs to make sure they are perfectly straight.
I've even shot 3" feathers with no noticeable difference out to 20+yds, but I'm not brave enough to try them in the field yet.
3-4" LW helical for both field points and broadheads, I keep the backheight to 5/8"s and it gives me good stability with low noise, I get excellent flight without the extra feather length
4 - 4 inch shield cuts. I put my time into tuning so I could shoot 3 - 3 inch and the arrows would fly the same with broadheads at the range. The 4 - 4 inch fletch are insurance for bad form due to cold weather, excitement, etc......
4 - 4 inch shield cuts. I put my time into tuning so I could shoot 3 - 3 inch and the arrows would fly the same with broadheads at the range. The 4 - 4 inch fletch are insurance for bad form due to cold weather, excitement, etc......
I use 3-4" Parabolic Left Wing.
I use 5" on wood and 4" on carbon but use wood mostly.
I use 5"
:archer2: :archer2:
I use 3 x 5" left wing parabolics...
I use three, 4" feathers(shield and parabolic cut) on all of my skinny carbon arrows. Small diameter shafts can use shorter feathers than larger dia. shafts, if the arrow matches your bow well.
When i started bare shafting i went from 3-5 inch to 3-4inch no problems and can cut 2 from OLD full lenght feathers.
All I've used for the past 40 years is 5 inch. I figure if it works I ain't gonna change it.
(3) 5 inch shield cut is all I ever use.
I use 5". Tried 5.5" and didn't really notice that much difference.
Edited to add: Shield Cut for me.
-Mack
Im with TRAD101 3-5inch shield,left wing,left helical
4-4" mostly sometimes 5" shape doesnt really matter but shields do look traditional.
I use 3 x 5" parabolic. I have considered going to 3 x 4" after reading some earlier posts. Does anyone using large high profile feathers see any problems with crosswinds or is the advantage of the arrow stabilizing while coming off the bow of greater importance?
5"
:archer2: :archer2:
5" here as well
With some tuning I was able to clean up my arrow flight and work down to three 4" feathers from three 5.5" feathers. Still prefer the looks of 5" feathers on an arrow.
Yup, 5" parabolic for years because it works.