Just curious, what are the advantages of each? I ask because feathers are expensive and my hay target is destroying them. This is bad because I dont want to spend all my money on the feathers. What do yoy guys think?

Thanks

BTW I shoot of a the shelf. Does this change things?

Get some old conveyor belt or two or three layers of carpet and hang behind your target and you won't bury your feathers in the hay anymore   .
Denny

Yep not a feather problem, it's a target problem.  Need to get a target the will stop the arrows from penetrating so deep.

Mike

If you want to play some, try both.   That's what I'm doing currently.   Rather fun.   I'm finding the vanes faster and better for longer distances, larger feathers better for stabilizing quickly on the shorter shots.    The vanes perform better off of a raised rest, but I have two longbows on which the rest and striker plate pads are separate, not one piece, with a kind of open slot between them and the smaller vanes seem to do OK out of those two bows.   On a regular ledge with one piece leather, the vanes kick pretty badly.   Smaller, softer vanes work best if you're not going to use a raised rest.   Experiment... it's all interesting.   I would add something to your backstop, though.   Even the vanes will suffer wear and damage.    I use large burlap bags I make myself and fill with plastic sheeting from whatever sources I can get it from... boatyards, furniture stores, etc.   Then when centers start to allow too much penetration, you can just stuff more in.

Would vanes work at all? They are sooo cheap.

Really the only way to know is to expirement with the bow that you want use them with. Some bows do quite well with them others will never shoot them well. In general bows cut to or past center shot using an elevated rest and an unusually high nock point give the best odds of successfully shooting vanes out of a trad bow. But that set up is still no guarantee that it will give good arrow flight with vanes. Also keep in mind that the vanes will be MUCH LESS forgiving than the feathers on a marginally executed shot.

Did'nt Paul Shafer shoot Vanes?

Yes but Paul Schafer was accorded a special dispensation from God.

Make friends with a carpet layer (that's what I do for a living)and he will give you some chunks for your target. I also occasionally tear up whole houses of old carpet. That would do many targets. Gary

Paul Schafer also shot with a flipper rest.

Chris; Paul did not use a flipper rest! He used either a jennings or golden eagle rubber elevated rest and to make it more flexible he would trim off about 1/2 of the bottom part of the finger part of the rest.with a razor blade. Paul shot vanes because they were water proof, silent in flight and silent if they touched brush during a stalk ( compared to feathers of course). If I recall correctly , he shot swaged 2219's w/4-5 inch vanes left wing helical at 75-105, his favorite broadhead was a 4 blade Zwickey Eskimos.
Mike the Marco vanes shoot great!

I shoot both, so being I have elevated rests on my bows that can use them (my H56's window is too small and my Kota Prairie Swift shoots better off the shelf).

No question vanes are more durable, more quiet in the woods & in flight, better in damp or wet conditions, and much cheaper.  Despite this, I find I've gradually gone primarily to feathers, I guess because I find them more esthetically pleasing.

By & large I use vanes pretty much only for specific hunting conditions, stumping, and judo points.  Up here in the north country during the winter months, it's about impossible to keep feathers dry for more than a couple shots while stumping.  Treating them with No Snow helps, but
isn't a long term solution...

QuoteChris; Paul did not use a flipper rest!

Ok, let me rephrase. Paul schafer shot an elevated rest!, which is what I meant to suggest.  No need to yell, Sergio.

Chris,

Sergio was merely (and accurately) correcting the misinformation you gave.  How would we all know what you really "meant"?

When I ordered my first Silvertip, I had it sent out as Paul (and Dave) have thier bows set up; with a rest.  I like it a lot and have done quite a bit of experimenting with vanes.  I am very confident if I am on an extended hunt in the wilderness, my Blazer fletched arrows will put my broadhead right where it is supposed to go.

QuoteChris,

Sergio was merely (and accurately) correcting the misinformation you gave. How would we all know what you really "meant"?

Steve...Thanks for the input, not that it was really asked for though.  The exchange was between me and Sergio. I'm sure he can talk for himself.  I took execption to the exclamation point Sergio used to make his point.  I don't mind being corrected, just not in that tone.

Good Grief ! I thought yelling was CAPS on??  Hmmm.

Someone needs a hug 8^).

I'll take one!

Actually, a good stiff drink would do me better today.  I've never been much of the hugging type.

Set um' up, barkeep; my boys need to wet their whistles 8^).