Any body get busted by deer useing chartreuse feathers ? I was wereing. A s a t. Head to toe. Wind was in my face as the buck was heading to me he stopped gave me a couple of head bobs turned around and went his way . I was on the ground and he stopped at 20yrds. And it was a evening post looking down. My feathers were glowing like a light bulb ! O well. Busted again.
Dan,
Maybe it was the feathers, but I use charteuse some, including crowns, and I have never knowingly been busted because of that. Sometimes, they just know.
Did you have a face mask or any other type of face paint on? A bright face will get you busted big time. I use hot pink fletching and haven't been busted by a deer because of it. Turkeys are something else again and I use natural turkey fletching when hunting them. I also hunt in a ghillie suit for deer and turkeys.
Maybe it was my beard ? It went from dark brown to white. LOL. ,
I use them and they always glow, I have had a lot of deer right up close (on ground) the last several years and I Don't think they gave me away, UNLESS I was waving them around moving the bow.
I thought all about that issue, but so far, no such issue for me. I can sure see that arrow hit in the waning light !
CHuckC
Dan,
My beard is white also - not much camo left in it :rolleyes: I always wear some type of face mask plus camo cream around my nose, cheeks, etc. that the mask doesn't cover.
I used them - flo yellow anyways, and yes I do believe in low light they are easier for deer to pick up any little movement. I have since went back to regular yellow feathers and I've yet to be busted moving my bow slowly.
I only use Chartreuse on my number one arrow, the one on the string, the rest are natural barred...
Learned my lesson years ago (before Chartreuse feathers were available) that movement with a quiver full of white feathers will cause attention....
do you use a bow quiver? if so, do you have a fletch cover?
flo. yellow:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/hickstick/2bcc2cf2.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/hickstick/media/2bcc2cf2.jpg.html)
fletch cover made from the sleeve of an old trebark camo shirt.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/hickstick/07doenbow.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/hickstick/media/07doenbow.jpg.html)
Honest to God... I feel like they cost me a shot at the biggest buck of my life last year in Missouri. It was close to evening and a giant buck approached me from the west. I was as still as a flag pole when he stopped facing the tree at about 18 yards off my right side. He did the head bob thing up and down and then just bounded off. I thought.... No way he smelled me (wind was out of the north) and no way he saw me move because I didn't move a muscle. It was extremely windy that day and I noticed that the wind had blown my fletching cover off my quiver hanging beside me on, you guessed it, the west side of the tree. The setting sun was shinning on it like a beacon ! Sucks to be me !
I've been told by eye doctors that my form of color blindness makes me see the world in much the same colors as a deer. I see yellows, which I guess includes chartreuse, about the best of all colors, so I always include yellow feathers on the arrows I plan to stump shoot with. Blues I see pretty well too, but blues are a darker color and don't stand out as well for me as yellows. Reds, greens, and browns all sort of merge together.
I shoot yellow because I watched a video of Barry Wensel and he used them - Wish I had a better reasons but that's it :)
Chartreuse about 90% of the time. Last time out I had 11 turkeys and two does all within 8 to 10 yards. Not one knew I was there.
In early morning or late evening they are (to me) the most visible of all fletching. I detest shooting at an animal and not being able to see the arrow.
I ALWAYS use fluorescent yellow fletch. I have never felt I was picked off because of them. Years ago, I was leaning against a 24" utility pole in a power line ROW about 100 yards from a decent buck, he was looking into the sun. My quiver was laying on the ground. I felt like he was looking me right in the eyes, staring at me like I was waving my arms. Sometimes, they just know!!!
I hunt with a backquiver and my arrows have a partial crown dip of flo pink and I use either all hot pink or chartruese feathers. I'm a ground hunter and have never seen a deer spook yet from my bright colors.
My belief is if a deer is that close to seeing my feathers...he should be running away with my arrow in his vitals or I'm standing over him.
(http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq136/bloodtrailer7/c01e851c-0684-4eb9-acaa-2ce5f7ae8e38_zpsafe92975.jpg)
you could try this (you only see the back of the feathers in flight, deer the front)
If you're using a bow mount quiver a fletching cover is a must have item. This one hangs down to silently hide the hot pink. Picked this one up from Rod Jenkins.
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e173/Yellowdog3822/83EEE929-9FDB-47E5-90E4-473658956F39-1227-00000754D0322BAE_zpse7df67f8.jpg)
Don't know about flo. chartreuse, I use hot pink these days with no problems. I can confirm one thing though, two seasons I used reflective white wraps and 3 white feathers. I got busted constantly, I think it was when the sun hit them more than anything. I now use hot pink wraps and a 3/4" band of reflective at nock.
And the ultravoilet light (pink light) an hour after dawn and an hour before sunset will make certain colors glow all the more.
I've shot chartreuse for several years and have never felt like I was noticed because of them. A couple years ago I started using a fletch cover on my bow quiver as I was hunting on the ground more often and didn't want to chance it.
I use chartreuse quite a lot, but I think it is relatively visible to deer. I know it stands out to my dad, who has deer-like (poor) color vision.
I have been using bright orange lately. I am quite sure deer do not see it well.
I absolutely believe I've been busted because of them. I use a fletch cover so i'm talking about just the one on the string.
They really glow in low light.
I called and talked to the owner of Sport Wash UV Killer and he said his product would probably gum up the feathers.
I'm gonna switch.
The #2 selling feather color for us!
I firmly believe that they are picking out your outline or even the slightest of movement. All I ever use is all bright Pink or all white. I don't believe I have ever got busted from them...but what do I know. Funny thing I notice is that I have been busted when they have their back to me as often. I wear mostly wool and things are unbelievably quiet. When it's windy, I seldom get busted.
I can't prove a thing, but way bet money that it wasn't the feathers that got you busted.
bigjim
I believe its usually a combo of low light and movement. Flo Yellow glows and it is easier for us to see it in flight (moving) so it only makes sense that deer see it easier as well. I do think it may have a UV shine in low light. I know I have had deer look directly at my hanging bow during calm early morning/late evening. Once the sun comes up and full light floods the woods I have not noticed it at all.
What BigJim said above about your outline....thats what Im thinking may have been the culprit....as Ive never been busted with my flo yellow feathers...and I use straight flo yellow, 4 fletch....5 arrow quiver, no fletch cover! Had lots of deer REAL close on the ground. I also have really good natural back cover on the ground blinds I build, knowing that whats behind you is more important than whats in front when it comes to ground blinds for deer. Despite the good camo you were wearing, maybe he caught your outline and that gave him the willies :scared: could have been a back cover/back lit issue....
I thought deer see in black and white.
lookma- i concur- i use the asat leafy suit, and i always back up against good backcover- even if my front is totally exposed :scared:
we call our deer in, and have had many within 30' had one the other day that was so close i could have touched her with my bow- they often look right at me, as they can so accurately pinpoint the origin of the sound, and if i use slow movement, putting the call down with one hand, and positioning the bow with the other, they dont "bust" me- they know something is there- they expect some degree of movement i guess, as they have just been called in, but they can not figure you out in the asat leafy suit and with the solid backdrop- i am an unrecognizable shape/blob
wayne
I was having problems w/ elk seeing me and my hunting partner told me my fletching are shinning like a beacon at low light. Made a makeshift fletch cover from the leg of my camo pants and the elk sighting me problem went away.
I've had whitetails react the same way at low light at times. Can't say for sure it was my arrows but I know it was something so I switched to yellow fletching and a white or chartreus for my #1
I've had mature deer pick me off in full camo while sitting motionless on the ground with a good wind. If you are sitting anywhere near their line of travel, they will spot you at under 20 yards, depending on how thick the woods are.
I always hunt with chartreuse and feel it works fine. I do use a Fletching cover however.
Haha, I'm the same as Dave! If uncle Berry shoots them why not:) I also use treestands and would find it very hard to get close to a big buck on the ground without a gillie or blind/brush hide. They are just so smart! I would try pink or orange, I would think they might blend in better.
Been shooting chartuse for many years along with chartruse wraps. I use a great northern quiver on my longbow. Never been busted by my arrows. Will continue to use them as I love the visibility in all conditions. Best color for fletching IMO.
good thread Dan, I was thinking of going to chartreuse as well!!!!
John. The way you shoot your Holcomb , you don't need to know if you hit . Hope your doing ok . Did you get to your dads Stand?
Could be the feathers, but I think the deer in n.j. are just smarter ! They usually know every nook and cranny of territory they roam, so yeah, if anything different stands out to them, they'll know it. While you probably didn't get busted, he saw something he didn't like. While ASAT is one of the best, everything needs a little help once the leaves fall, I like to use the camoed out nylon screen, seems to be pretty good for ground hunting.
Good luck