Trad Gang

Who shoots only wood arrows? What is your main reason? what type of wood?

Yep - I like making them - douglas fir

Woods are cheaper to make than alums or carbon & for the most part way beautiful. POC is always a good choice & most common. However, ash, spruce, fir, & others have varying advantages including more weight per inch, etc.

I shoot Ash. There is something about them that lets Me feel more at ease with Nature when hunting or just shooting. Some have trouble with keeping ash straight but they seem to stay that way for me.. I am trying some CE Aluminum's, But the Woods are out flying them.

Been shooting woodies since 2006. I'll most likely stay with them. I'm going to get the adapter to use screw in points so I can try out Muzzy Phantoms.

I do - doug fir for the past couple years, but POC before that. I like making them, I can't see anything else working any better for me, and they just feel right.

Been shooting wood for about 50 years.  Mostly POC for deer size critters, small game, targets and stumping.  Forgewoods (compressed cedar) for some of the bigger critters, but I'm running out of it.  Also shoot some Doug fir and ramen (sp?) and occasionally birch.

Gets the job done and I see no reason to change.  They're very quiet on the bow and coming off the bow. They're sturdy and heavy enough for my purposes.  Wood grain and stain gives them character and endless variation in looks. POC smells exquisite when I happen to break one.  Also serves as an excellent fire starter in a pinch. I just like wood.

I don't shoot wood.

I have shot only wood arrows for the last 3 years. Why? I like them, & have found they are about as tough as aluminum or carbon. I've hit tough old stumps & rocks mistaken for dirt clods head on with wooden arrows & usually it won't hurt them. If it does usually it will only shove the point back onto the shaft about 1/4". I ignore that & keep going.
I've had the same shot with either aluminum or carbon splinter the shaft or shove the insert back into the shaft a half inch or more. I've had this happen a number of times & have just come to prefer wood.
  I have two bows that have never had a carbon or aluminum shaft shot on them & they won't.

No shaft will escape a glancing shot, maybe sometimes, but not often. I've had glancing shots bend aluminum & shatter carbons. Woodies usually break too.

I just like wood shafts & I use mostly split hex shafts, they are pretty tough.    :thumbsup:  
Frank

I've never shot anything but wood, Sitka spruce currently.
I like them and I can make them beautiful. To me, no matter what kind of pants you put on a carbon or aluminum arrow, they will never be beautiful arrows.

Guy

been shootin the hexshaft the past year,the most
forgiving arrow i have,also can shoot with all
my bows regardless of poundage.

not me, i don't shoot woods exclusively, but i do love a good wood shaft.  these dayze, getting GOOD WOOD ain't easy and you'll easily pay as much for a dozen raw woods as you will for carbons and be lucky if 6 woodies are decent.

back in the early 60's i'd buy a gross (144) 11/32" acme poc shafts and get well over a hundred that were superb in every way.  these dayze, out of a 100 shafts you might get 24 really good ones - if yer lucky,  lotta wasted dollars.

love the woods, but consistently and practically speaking, carbs are the better choice for me.

Arrows are supposed to be wood don't they?

Wood only, like Barley said, that is what they are SUPPOSE to be made out of!

I shoot wood almost all the time...90% or more anyway.   Wood has been getting the job done for eons...and it "fits" the gear I hunt with.   I like building them, and they have "personality" that more modern components don't possess.  And well crafted wood shafts don't take a backseat to any others.

All wood for me, just POC at the moment but I wouldn't mind trying some Doug Fir for my next batch.

I like my wood arrows. I just shoot better with wood. I like the weight I get with wood. I'm shooting sitka spruce right now but I,m getting low.

Wood only. Years gone by POC back in the 60's and 70's the quality was there. Today POC the quality is not there. Still have a few of the old shafts left but have recently switched over to Douglas Fir. So far a quality shaft in every way. Order 12 or whatever and 10 are perfectly straight and 2 may need a little twiking.

I guess I am just hardheaded and never could bring myself to try/use the other shafting. Wood has always worked for me. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Although the smell of POC when one broke will be missed.


Earl

QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
not me, i don't shoot woods exclusively, but i do love a good wood shaft.  these dayze, getting GOOD WOOD ain't easy and you'll easily pay as much for a dozen raw woods as you will for carbons and be lucky if 6 woodies are decent.

back in the early 60's i'd buy a gross (144) 11/32" acme poc shafts and get well over a hundred that were superb in every way.  these dayze, out of a 100 shafts you might get 24 really good ones - if yer lucky,  lotta wasted dollars.

love the woods, but consistently and practically speaking, carbs are the better choice for me.

That's why you need to try douglas fir shafts Rob!    :thumbsup:

Wood only for me too. DF seem to work best for me.

Whwere do you buy your douglas fir shafts???

QuoteOriginally posted by 3Feathers:
Who shoots only wood arrows? What is your main reason? what type of wood?

Me.  Cedar exclusively.

Because it's what I started with and haven't seen a need to change.

P.O. Cedar.

what is POC ?

I shoot all three, but prefer wood for hunting for a number of reasons, to include more forgiving, quieter, proper mass and better long and short range accuracy. Better long range because of proper FOC, and better short range because I shoot tapers and they recover better. I too loved POC when acceptable wood was available. Now it's doug fir (surewood) tapered by Dave Doran at archery past.

Cedar ,just seems like the right choice for me.

I gave away  the last of my aluminum shafts a couple of years ago.  I like wood beause it is quieter.  Seems to absorb more sound from the bow when shot and doesn't rattle around in the back quiver.

I started out shooting wooden arrows, through the years I've tried different aluminums and carbons but have always come back to wood. I enjoy building them, its easy to get the finished weight I want, and I think they have more personality. As far as wood type I'm partial to Ash.

I will gladly raise my hand for this one.  It is one way for me to connect with the days gone by.  I have made and shot cedar, doug fir, poplar laminated birch and mohagony.  So far cedar is my favorite, with doug fir coming a close second.  I'm a newby when it comes to building them, but it is one very relaxing and enjoyable hobby.

I shoot DF and POC. Just love the romance of it I guess. Seem to be part of being a trad archer to me.

Stiks

QuoteOriginally posted by Plumber:
what is POC ?

Port Orford cedar.

Guy

Nothing but wood at our house.

wood bow... wood arrows it just seems wright red oak poc and pine i shoot and break plenty i love making my own

I started with wood quite a few years ago, went to aluminum, graphite, fiberglass and carbon.  

I've come full circle and will finish up my arrow flinging days with wood, fir, poc and ash.
An old archer friend of mine says only wood arrows have soul, he may be right.

I didn't know they made arrows that weren't wood.
It's the only choice. i love the time and effort put into a good set that shoots as well as anything else

I'm a wood only guy...it just feels right!  I've been shooting fir for the last few years.  I love the smell of cedar but it's getting hard to find quality cedar shafts.

Nothing but wood POC and doug fir just feels right

You can put me down as a wood arrow guy, too.  Wood has a life and spirit that other materials don't.  Their little quirks and challenges are just another part of the mysteries of archery and those mysteries are much of what makes archery so special.  :archer:

Wood for me as well.I have been tempted though to try the others. Flint

I shoot wood most of the time, POC for me. I have messed around with GT carbons and aluminum as well. I am now leaning toward wood only again. Wood was all I used to shoot is why I say again. The woods I get from Elite arrows are as straight as a arrow no pun intended. I agree with others they are quiet out of my bow and my shooting is better with wood.

I didn't know they made arrows in anything but WOOD! No, if i'm shooting a traditional style bow, I'll stick with traditional type arrows. I enjoy making them, use several woods, mostly POC.

me doug fir.

I shoot wood.

At first I shot some carbons.
They didn't shoot well out of my bow.
Nothing wrong with the arrows. At the time I just didn't know anything about trad archery. They were just WWAAAAYYY off spine.

A buddy had some wood arrows. Ends up they were spined about right and shot well.

I liked the added quietness of the heavier arrow.
I also liked the natural/traditional look to them.

I've been shooting wood ever since.
More of a reluctance to change now than anything else...If it ain't broke don't fix it type deal I guess.

Only wood, I enjoy making them and trying different colors and cresting and feathers.  


Wood only for me also.  I enjoy making arrows and trying different colors,cresting and feathers.  Just something about wood, if you don't use it you don't know.


w

I started making and shooting arrows from birch a few weeks ago.  Totally new to the experience since all I had shot before was carbon and aluminum.

I went hunting the last 2 days and did a lot of scouting during the middle of the day.  As I walked along I wanted to see how well the wood arrows held up to stumping.  I shot the same arrow for two days and hit all kinds of stuff including richochets off tree trunks and was happy to find the shaft was fine.

Pretty stout arrows from my point of view and since i made them that's even better.  Now if I can only see a deer to try one on.

thank you mr taylor

QuoteOriginally posted by Plumber:
thank you mr taylor

Eh? I may be guilty of many things but not sure what I did here.

Guy

Only wood for me.  Just seems like that is what they should be made out of.  Mostly douglas fir but some laminated birch on occasion and I have some real nice cedars with a purple heart foot that I have been hunting with this fall.

POC Call me a romantic but that smell triggers alot of good memories.Make up a dozen shafts and shoot them.If one or two fly off break em and smell em! All kidding aside wood is great stuff and feels right out of a trad bow.Try some cordovan leather dye for stain with some natural barred.

I didn't always shoot wood only but for the past 4 or 5 years and into the forseable future it will be wood only.  My favorite is cedar and I buy all of mine from Rose City.

Only wood for me too... Ash actually... and only treated with linseed oil.

It's what works best for me (and what looks best)

me

QuoteOriginally posted by snag:
 

QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
not me, i don't shoot woods exclusively, but i do love a good wood shaft.  these dayze, getting GOOD WOOD ain't easy and you'll easily pay as much for a dozen raw woods as you will for carbons and be lucky if 6 woodies are decent.

back in the early 60's i'd buy a gross (144) 11/32" acme poc shafts and get well over a hundred that were superb in every way.  these dayze, out of a 100 shafts you might get 24 really good ones - if yer lucky,  lotta wasted dollars.

love the woods, but consistently and practically speaking, carbs are the better choice for me.

That's why you need to try douglas fir shafts Rob!     :thumbsup:  [/b]

i doubt there's a wood shaft genus around that i haven't used at one time or another.  right now, i like the surewood fir i get from tim @ braveheart, but i'm also liking the birch doweling i got from woodcrafters (kudos to maddog mike).

still, for me, carbons rule the roost when it comes to durability, consistency and accuracy.

I'm with Rob.

Wood only. Because its Traditonal/Primitive.

I make my own from boards, because I dont have a life. Right now I am using poplar and footing about half with hardwoods, my favorite non footed shaft wood is ash. I love it when people ask me "how long does that take", I just smile and say as long as it takes.

I got wood! Nothing like having some good wood to get the job done right.   :goldtooth:   Thats all I shoot and I have cedar,fir,magnolia and looking for others always. It just feels more natural to me.JMHO

Rob,  I've seen a lot of arrows for sale in a lot of places but cedar shaft costing as much as carbons?  I just bought 3 dozen Laquered crested and nocked cedars from Rose city for $40.00/dz.  All I needed to do was fletch them and cut them off.  Where are you buying carbons for that price?

I'm an ash man. I thoroughly enjoy crafting my arrows because it allows those of us that aren't as talented and creative as many of you on this site to at least think that we have some talents. Also I believe the shaft better carries the weight over the distance allowing for a higher percentage of pass throughs.

QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
. . . still, for me, carbons rule the roost when it comes to durability, consistency and accuracy.

That's what we'd expect from the "Techie" guy.    :biglaugh:  

As John F. Kennedy said: "We choose to shoot cedar not because it is easy, but because it is hard, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept."

At least I think he was talking about cedars.  Shooting something at something else, certainly.    :dunno:

I'm rethinking the subject,my zipper loves the woodies I've got so I'M thinking of making some up,but I doubt that I'll shoot them exclusively.

Shooting POC that I put together. However I am Mr.Inconsistant in my grouping. Next time I need arrows I think I'm going to get a few carbons as been suggested and just to see how much is my fault and how much of it is the arrows....Phil

Im my compound days, I shot aluminum.  With trad bows, I hunt and shoot 3D with wood and shoot paper targets with either aluminum or wood.  Not much experience with carbons.  Longbows and wood just seem to feel right to me.  I enjoy making wood arrows as much as shooting them.  Each wood shaft has its own character.  For years I used POC from Rogue River, now I buy from Wapiti Archery.  Both make excellent shafts.  My last two dozen, I dedided to try DF from Surewood Shafts.  I haven't got to shoot them yet, but if they shoot as good as they look and I certainly expect them to, I'll have two favorite wood materials to play with.

50 years of wood arrows almost exclusively.  Wood bows and wood arrows as was stated above.  Just makes sense.

I'm an all wood guy, gone from POC to douglas fir to ash, thanks for asking...

I've used aluminum and carbon but prefer wooden arrows and wooden bows

You mean "they" make arrows out of something else?
Only kiddin'!
I shoot wood exclusively.
POC, Ash, Doug Fir, Cedar, Hickory, and now River Cane!
Love the way they fly.

Wood only!

Wood only here, i have acme cedar, douglas fir and ash at the moment, going to try making some from sitka spruce this spring.

I started out shooting aluminum and there was an emptiness, or a hallow feeling after every shot.  They flew good, but I couldn't get over the "twang" feeling.  I turned to cedar and fell in love.  I shot numerous animals and enjoyed making art, but I experienced some problems with humidity and rain.  I watched as feathers soaked, shafts curved, and my confidence shrunk.  I looked to carbon for my perfect arrow, and it filled my needs.  Carbons were simply, straight and easy.  I've shot carbon for 8 years and they did the job.  But there's something inside me craving the emptiness.  So I'm turning back to cedars (I just ordered 3 doz. tapered cedar shafts).  I'm going back to making art out of wood.  It's hard for me to sleep at night because of the excitement of feather colors and the combination of stains that I can create and shoot.

Me ,wood is all I have owned for many years

Only wood so far for me since I went 100% trad 3 or so years ago.  But just for the heck of it,  Im going to try carbons.   We'll see how it goes.  I'll always love the looks of wood better.  And theres a feel with wood....cant explain it.  But I love puting them together too.  Who knows....maybe my carbon endeavor will make me love wood even more!  I may end up liking both,  but will never leave the woodies behind!  There dead on for me too!

I shoot wood except on my old Bear on which I use an old Bear snap on quiver.  The gripper is so stiff and hard on it that it crushes the fibres on wood shafts, so I used carbon Gold Tips.  Otherwise, I use Sitka Spruce and POC.  Love em.  Easier to tune, quieter, softer feeling to shoot, prettier, more asthetically pleasing, and so on and so forth.

I mainly shoot wood but will target and stump with alloys ...
I only hunt withe wood though...cedars , fir and spruce ...

I like wood, and shoot it almost exclusively, even though  I will sometimes use aluminum. Somehow, it just seems more natural to shoot wood from my longbows.

Just wood for me.

I prefer wood...

Wood for me also, love the feel and the look. plus the variety of woods out there. And it's just plain fun to build them. I shoot mostly birch and doug fir.

Wood is all I've ever used. Love making them and shooting them. If I try any thing else it'll be cane or Tonkin as soon as I start working on my stash.

Keeping the Faith!
Magnus

QuoteOriginally posted by longbowman:
Rob,  I've seen a lot of arrows for sale in a lot of places but cedar shaft costing as much as carbons?  I just bought 3 dozen Laquered crested and nocked cedars from Rose city for $40.00/dz.  All I needed to do was fletch them and cut them off.  Where are you buying carbons for that price?

there are more than a few sources for quality carbon shafting for cheap.  just search the web carefully.

big jim gt blems for $43/doz - this is/was the deal of the day!

beman bowhunters for $50/doz (i used to get them for $42/dozen) do an online search, at least a few vendors at this price range

it PAYS to buy GOOD WOOD! make sure that the vendor sells the right HAND SPINED range, and also checks that the shaft weight is an acceptable 10-15 grain difference and that the shafts are STRAIGHT with NO RUNOUT.  i've bought wood from LOTS of vendors and have been disappointed far too many times.  lotsa things to consider about wood that don't matter at all with carbs and alums.

my fave woods are surewood fir shafts from braveheart for $38/dozen - add in another $8 for initial straightening - tim does it right and you pay for that good product and service.

QuoteOriginally posted by Stumpkiller:
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
. . . still, for me, carbons rule the roost when it comes to durability, consistency and accuracy.

That's what we'd expect from the "Techie" guy.      :biglaugh:    

As John F. Kennedy said: "We choose to shoot cedar not because it is easy, but because it is hard, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept."

At least I think he was talking about cedars.  Shooting something at something else, certainly.      :laughing: