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!  

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.          

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  

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.