Here is my thinking, squirrels/rabbits/birds are so darn fast and twitchy a lot times they aren't there by the time your arrow makes it there. A lightweight super fast arrow should still have plenty of punch on small game.
So tell me what your ideal arrow design would be. We will say your shooting a 50-60# bow and the arrow would need to work with a small game point or a broadhead.
I am only an amateur arrow builder so I am curious what everyone thinks.
Well it would have to stay at 9gpp to keep my bow limbs in working order. I'd bareshaft tune to perfection with a small diameter shaft, then put the smallest fletching possible on that sucker. I'd be sure to tune it for 125 grain points, then I'd buy as many cheap old broadheads as possible to mount on the end of those arrows. I'd also foot the arrows with a half inch or so of an aluminum shaft. It is tough to build an ultralight arrow for traditional bows simply because the limbs require a fairly heavy arrow (usually).
I don't worry about arrow speed on small game. For me a quiet bow quiet arrow and unalarned squirrels up my odds. I also try to stalk as close as I can with squirrels and shoot when theyre occupied with a nut or digging. Not always possible I know. I have tried to shoot to where they'll go when they are alert. Say inbetween the squirrel and tree when on the ground. I do miss more than I kill but man is it fun.
I keep my critter arrows exactly the same as my hunting and target arrows. I will go with quiet and accurate over super fast. What I mean by accurate is shooting the arrows that my brain is programed for.
I do realize that light and very fast arrows can be very accurate. Do what you want to do, it's all about having fun shooting and experimenting.
X2 with Caughtandhobble...i like all my arrows to be as close to the same as possible so i can shoot where ever and when ever i want...even with my frog arrows too :D
x3 with caughtandhobble
x4 with caughtandhobble.
If I wanted a good shooting lightweight arrow, I would use a sitka spruce shaft and 100-125 gr point. Like the others tho, I want my arrows all the same. I have a hard enuf time hitting small things as it is.
With ILF bows you can go to 6 gpp for smaller game if you can keep the bow quiet and dead in hand. The GT velocities are great shooting lighter arrows. I have 600 spine arrow with 100 grain tip for a 306 grains total. I shoot them with my 32# limbs for form training. Never go below 8 or 9 gpp with custom bows.
I go with deer hunting arrows. Doesn't make too much difference to a running rabbit at 5 yards what you are shooting at him though.
X5 what caughtandhobble said.
Maybe your arrows are making to much noise in the fletching department.