Seems like there are some never ending debates... Recurve vs. longbow, glove vs. tab, split vs. three under etc., and I know that the wisened vets out there just shake their heads when they see another post like them. This isn't intended to be like that.
What I'm looking for is some honest experiences where a wood shaft failed you. There have been some GREAT threads recently about arrows (thinking about Ferrets elk arrow post) and EFOC etc. and yet I've never read once where someone has said "if I'd only been shooting carbon". So are there any?
Have you ever put a wood arrow tight behind the shoulder and NOT gotten the penetration you needed? Ever been on a back country hunt in foul weather and warped shafts? Ever slip on a rock and break some shafts in your quiver?
If you have a story I'd love to hear it, or if you been hunting with wood for years and have never had an issue, I'd like to hear that too. Thanks.
" or if you been hunting with wood for years and have never had an issue, I'd like to hear that too"
Yep.
Arne
Arne, why doesn't that surprise me! :thumbsup:
I'm going on 29 yrs with wood and never had them fail me on game. With that said I break an awful lot of them by setting "make it or break it" practice shots and the iron bear at a 3D shoot can be tough on them.
Back when I was 12 years old(60's), my buddy and I where out rabbit hunting and a thunderstorm came up. It started hailing really bad so we ran for the nearest tree. Oklahoma prairie, nearest tree was quite a distance and was small with low hanging branches. I was wearing a back quiver, and yep you guessed it, I ran under the tree and caught 10 cedar arrows on a low hanging limb and broke every one of them.
So ya, that was a "Fail" more on my part than the arrows.
Other than that, wood always treated me well.
But for the past 8 years I have been shooting carbons. I'm frugal and was breaking too many woods on rocks while stump shooting. A dozen carbons last me a lot longer than a dozen woods in the rocky hills of S.E. Oklahoma where I know hunt.
Chris
Started with POC...too much breakage when roving and stump shooting. They did smell great though when broke.... :readit:
Switched over to Forgewoods in the seventies and loved them...until they went out of business. I then went to aluminum and began shooting ash again in the 80's. I came full circle recently shooting Sikta spruce for turkeys, Superceeders and Doug fir for deer along with the ash.
I'll continue to shoot aluminum from my longbow. I just love the way they fly. For quietness and that "ol time feeling", tough to beat the woodies.
Thanks Joe. You're gonna convince me yet!
no problem in 20 years on game. shoot GT's now though.
Got tangled up and fell broke 4 out of 6 arrows I still had 2 arrows to hunt with....... :)
Never had a wood arrow fail me but I failed several over the years..... :banghead:
Great thread, debating the carbon vs. Surewood myself for this fall's elk hunt.
Same boat Brad. By the way, that Whip with your name on it is treating me REAL well!
Wooden arrows have always done a super job for me. I'll still drag out the carbon now and again, but i always feel like i'm cheating. I've never been in a situation where i have felt like carbon or aluminum would have done a better job had i been shooting them at a particular animal. Cedar, lodgepole pine, and most recently- Surewood firs, all work very well for me.
Not had any fail me on game. Had some at a shoot to get too much moister[not sealed good] they turned into wet noddles. Have had better luck with douglas fir [SURE WOOD SHAFTS]
I've been shooting woodies for 30+ years and have fallen down, dropped bow with quiver, dropped bow and quiver from treestand, fell over a log in CO mountains with longbow with bow quiver and 6 woodies. Never have been able to hurt them that way. I've never shot carbons and don't plan to. I have shot aluminums a time or 2 over the years. Can honestly say I've never had woods fail me. Only time I break them is game breaking them from falling on them.
No problems shooting at game. Stumping very hard on wood.
Biggest loss, fell out of the back of a pickup in Utah. Back quiver and wood arrows. A few,made it.
"Have you ever put a wood arrow tight behind the shoulder and NOT gotten the penetration you needed? Ever been on a back country hunt in foul weather and warped shafts? Ever slip on a rock and break some shafts in your quiver?"
No, no, and no.
I'm sure there are times that wood arrows have failed, but with the exception of breaking several while stumping, I have never had a problem. I have had a few that did not listen to directions and missed what I was shooting at; just last week, my arrow failed to hit a big color phase black bear. It couldn't have been me, I was only 10 yards from the bruin, so it must have been a contrary arrow.
Have you ever put a wood arrow tight behind the shoulder and NOT gotten the penetration you needed? Ever been on a back country hunt in foul weather and warped shafts? Ever slip on a rock and break some shafts in your quiver?
NO...wood arrows, especially the ash hit the animal with a SOLID THUMP and the weight usually pushes the arrow up to the feathers.
Never had arrows warp on me on any hunts. Build them right and seal them properly, no problems.
Slipped and fell a few times with arrows in my backquiver...no breakage. Took a fall in Canada when I was using a bow quiver, landed on my bow, weight on the arrows...no breakage.
If I had aluminum on that second tumble in my bow quiver...I know a few would have been bent.
Wood arrows have never failed me. Now my own shooting ability......
Have been shooting woodies for more than 50 years. Never failed me. I've failed them a few times though.
Most folks who question wood are new to traditional archery and certainly new to studying/learning about its history.
Wood shoots as good as the other materials, but can do something they can't. Try to get an emergency fire started with aluminum or carbon arrows as tinder. :readit:
I'm going to shoot woodies got a half dozen cedars way quieter than carbons a lot of fun gotta pick a shaft material and get a dozen
I like wood!!!!! and NO they have never failed me!!!
They're biodegradable too!!!!! A lost wood arrow has just gone home to it's source.....
Just think, hundreds of years from now, someone walking along, will pick up a plastic nock and wonder... Did some old past hunter shoot at a deer with his arrow??? Who made it??? Where has it been??? What has it done???
Just as we find & think of stone arrowheads today.....
Just one old woodchucker's opinion!
Nope and I've had some that should have and didnt! Always have gotten great penetration too.
I've failed them a few times but never them on me. Always keep 1/2 a dozen 2016's ready in case of a huge fall. I have woodies with judo points that last a long time. Woodies are just right. If you shoot trad, what's more trad?
As a kid I had a bunch of mismatched cedar arrows, all different lengths and fletching colors, etc. My first dozen arrows as an adult were cedars in 1967 and after I lost and brokes them all I switched to Microflight. Took my first deer with one of the M/F in 1969. Gradually moved to aluminum and then to carbon.
I shoot some woodies once in a while now, mainly for rabbit hunting.
I miss that old Whip sometimes, but I'm a Chinook man now. If you ever decide to sell I want it back...lol.
You all have just about completely shoved me into the Surewood corner. I've beaten the heck out of my surewoods for the last month and I'm not sure you can break them! Keep em coming!
Wood is good!!!! 99.9% of my hunting is with wood. 'Nough said!
Appreciate the responses guys. Thinking Snag is going to get some more business.
All I've ever used in my traditional bows (30 years with a few misguided years gap in the early 80's) is wood arrows and I cannot blame them for any failures. Many have snapped, but after the broadhead was on the farside of the deer after the jog was done. I take that as an acceptable loss.
I somtimes destroy half a dozzen aluminum booted carbons in a day of ground squirrel shooting. Save my pretty woods for shoots ect. Will take them on a deer hunt. That way they never get shot. :biglaugh:
I've been shooting woodies for sixty years and never had a problem,even back in the fifties when I bought cedars for two to three dollars a dozen and made my own with dads help I've always enjoyed the cedar smell and even the feather burning smell.Till this day nothing says traditional like wood arrows.
Been shooting and hunting with wood for 25 years and douglas fir the last 20 of them. Never had a single issue shooting at a deer or elk, but several arrows broke when I'd attempt to let the air out of a rock hiding behind a tuft of grass once in awhile!
Nope!
They add something extra special to my trip(s) to "Sherwood", that's not possible with anything other than "woodies".
God bless,Mudd
I went to the very first ETAR at denton hill with nothing but one longbow, one back quiver and one dozen wooden arrows.I know I shot those arrows for three days hundreds of times. When I left, there were 8 left (lost four)all in good condition. That's all I have to say bout that. :bigsmyl:
When treestand hunting I always have one arrow nocked with four more in the bow quiver. The bow is always in my hand with bow across left thigh ready to roll.
Usually half way through the deer season I inspect all my arrows and broadheads. I was shocked to see that the four spare arrows were all warped pretty bad. It took me awhile to figure out what was going on. The weight of the bow and my arm pressing against the arrows over a few weeks was enough to set a bend in the wood shafts.
Now I make sure I have the hood on right knee and arrow gripper on the left thigh. This takes the direct pressure off the arrows.
This is the only time I can think of where a wood arrow gave me any negative issue.
I am still a green horn with only on wood arrow harvest, wood is awsome. I get them to fly better than a carbon shaft from my rig.
I shot wood for years. One day at the range we were messing around taking 50-60 yd "un-realistic" shots at targets. I shot at an elk and hit the re-bar in the leg that was holding it up. Picked up my arrow went to the next target drew back and buried the upper half of the arrow into my forearm under the arm gaurd when I released it. No one to blame but myself for not checking the arrow before I shot it again. I've had carbon splinter after hitting a rock and not notice it until further inspection. With all that being said I would not hesitate to shoot wood again. In fact I do, my selfbows as far as I know have never shot anything but wood. A carbon arrow out of a selfbow to me would be like putting "whip cream on an onion" and this is just my opinion. ;)
Red, great example of something we wouldn't normally think about. Thanks.
been shooting woodies since my start in 90s...started with POC but they broke too easily if not on the mark or if withdrawn incorrectly out of target. Went to Sitka and Doug Fir and no more problems.
I have never had an arrow fail to deliver in penetration and flight if I did my part as the shooter...NEVER.
Hi Mike,
I have been enjoying Legolas more than words could ever say, thank you again! I have found a combination I developed through testing that I like very well. I use Heritage Express 250's cut as short as I'm comfortable with at my draw length, I have 200 gr. tips, broadhead & field tips, total weight 565 gr.. I have some woodies I believe to be Douglas fir that I use for my hunting with a Clff Zwickey, total weight is 560-565 grain. This combo works in 5 of my bows, recurve and longbows 55 lb. to 61 lb. The woodies spine 70-75lb. Woodies are so beautiful and so quiet. I did select traditional cut feathers and they do make noise. I will trim them to deminish the wind noise for hunting. I do most of my stump shooting and practice with the carbons and switch to the wood for hunting season with confidence. I will be glad to share my experiences as they develop. Only thing slightly perceptible when shooting them simultaneously is the wood seems to group slightly left of point of aim by about 4inchs but at same height. When shooting just the woodies I like them every bit as much as the carbons. Older I get, the more traditional stuff I enjoy.
One Time. I was making one man drives to a friend in December, it was about zero, I pushed a doe past my friend and he hit it and it turned and came back by me. When I took a shot at it the wood shaft just split in 2 lengthwise. The only thing I can think of for splitting is there must have been some moisture in the shaft that froze with the cold weather.
Never had a disappointment with wood-I'm sure the other stuff works too. There is something special about working with wood whether it is a bow, an arrow, or a salad bowl, and if you haven't felt the love; well too bad! :archer:
Ken, Same rule applies to you, if you ever decide to part with the Legolas, it comes back to me.
Mike, I know if not in my hands it will be in yours. You may have to wait for my will to be read though! Ha! I got you covered!
Bjorn,I hope to meet you one day, some people never do really get it, for the ones who do the stories seem to stack up as the journey rolls. It seems as even among our own, those who choose metal risers may offer a different perspective as to choices between metal and wood. To those who love the wood reasons for other choices matter not. Since switching to wood arrows for the hunt I've felt more passion during the hunt. Maybe it brings me back to times when current options were not available. I don't think it is a matter of right or wrong, But if there is things about wood I should know about I am interested to learn.
I have never been let down with wood.. They are whisper quiet and get good penetration if I put them in the right spot! I tried aluminum and carbon and don't care for either.
I'm will say I have been very diss spouted by wood arrows. My first set which were made for me (POC) broke way to easy. So I then tried Doug firs and I cannot seem to keep them striaght, my points are crooked I the ends, and they fly all kinds of crazy.
I am disappointed in woodies because I do not know how to properly build a set and maintain them. I have been reading up alot on them though and asking questions because I want to be able to build a good quality set. It's not the woodies fault , but mine. :(
Oh and I did learn that if you try to bareshaft a woodie , be prepared for it to snap. I lost two that way. One more lesson learned on the way to becoming a decent arrow builder.
I have been shooting wood arrows my entire life, starting with PO cedar, then fiberglass, and aluminum, but wood has been my favorite. I have some graphite shafts, but haven't made them up yet. No bad experiences to report. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Brianlocal3 I bareshaft woodies/tapered woodies all the time due to that being my prefered method of tuning and have never had a problem, I think your set up my have been way off for that to happen.
Spme of my best shooting arrows, have looked like corkscrews!!!
A really good 11 degree helical fltch & 5 1/2" highback shield cut feathers stabalizes anything!
No wood has never failed me, but I have failed the wood a few times. When you hit a tree or rock, and when you fall on your quiver that is not the fault of the wood but the archer surely is to blame. I don't think failure to get full penetration is a failure either. Heck, sometimes you pass through and other times not even with aluminum or carbon. But I always take plenty of arrows just in case I experience "operator error".
Savior,
What target are you shring into? I was shooting at a bag target ad they would just snap!
Brian, I have had them snap on me as well shooting them bareshaft into a bag target.
I snap a lot bare shaft tuning ,mostly poc...and a couple with runoff but by far and large I love them...I go stumping with aluminum because I don't care if they get broke lost as much as I do the wood ones :archer:
Brian mostly use sitka spruce tapered now and shot in to a bag target. Are your arrows snapping due to them flying side ways to the target when they impact it ? I have heard this concern about woodies before but have never had it happen to me yet.
Wood is good :-)
Saviour,
Yes , they would be flying , say weak, and when it impacts the target it just whiplashed and broke.
I quite BS them after that.