for hunting ----I have been shooting 5 1/4 shield cuts and their really noisy---LW on R helical

What is a quiet set up
Thanks Steve

According to Mike Fedora, the parabolic cut is the least noisy.  Rick Welch recommends fletching three 4" shield cut featheres, on the grounds that 4" is enough for all practical purposes and anything bigger is noisier.

The noise comes more from the hieght of the fletching than length.

parabolics were designed to be quiet.

I shoot quiet arras...Parabolics...PR

Heavysquirrel , did I read the post right lw feathers with right helical this may be your problem never tried it but is against every recommendation I ever heard.Bill

Heavysquirrel,  I'm with huntingdad.  Left wing feathers fletched right helical is a recipe for disaster.  Not only for arrow flight but probably for noise too.  I like 5" shields for the range and often cut them so they do the angry hornet's buzz - just for fun and a cool sound.  I use 5' parabolics for hunting - very quiet!

What longbow338 said, the fletch with the lowest profile.

Agree with short feathers.Off the shelf parabolics is quietest.If you cut or burn your own a low cut banana makes a very quiet feather as well.Smaller is usually better than larger because they have lower cuts.

Heavysquirrel,  I'm with huntingdad.  Left wing feathers fletched right helical is a recipe for disaster.  Not only for arrow flight but probably for noise too.  I like 5" shields for the range and often cut them so they do the angry hornet's buzz - just for fun and a cool sound.  I use 5' parabolics for hunting - very quiet!

I think it's height, more than length or profile, that makes the noise. My chopper makes a 5" shield that's beautiful, but noisy. I trim them down in height, and they become silent.

The stiffer the feather, the higher they can be. Jake feathers are not as stiff as mature gobbler feathers, and they are inherently noisy because of it.

Noisey fletch can be caused by several factors. You need to adjust each area of noise production to get your fletch truly quiet.

The three main noise producers are length of fletch, shape, height and amount of spiral.

The finer tune you have on your bow and arrow combo, the less feather you can safely get by with.
You shouldn't need a 5 1/2 fletch to stabilize your arrow to begin with.

I've settled on 4 3/4" to 5" for mine. 1/2" to 5/8" high, common parabolic.

Play with the helical adjustment... most guys seem to have way too much helical and that's a huge noise maker.

I was thinking that LW at R helical was what was making the noise  , I was told yesterday by my local bow shop that Rw on R would mke even more noise . Dindnt make any sense to me but I guess I would beleive anything.
I would take Yall's opinion anyday

Thanks guys
I think I will try  4- 4" RW parabolics on R helical

QuoteOriginally posted by Heavysquirrel:
I was thinking that LW at R helical was what was making the noise  , I was told yesterday by my local bow shop that Rw on R would mke even more noise . Dindnt make any sense to me but I guess I would beleive anything.
I would take Yall's opinion anyday

Thanks guys
I think I will try  4- 4" RW parabolics on R helical --- Actually Jim Brackenbury  told me this setup when I bought my first bow from him many years ago --- I got on the Training wheels for a long time but I am back

Sorry I guess I edited wrong

Heavy, you should always match the helical on the fletching jig to the feather. R with R, L with L.

So are you guys getting deer jumping your string? Is that why you are so concerned with the noise of the fletching? I have heard that whitetails are like deer on crack! Real jumpy.

I have very good luck with 4- 4" shield cut. I use a chopper so I can adjust the height.

I use 4 4" low profile banana cut feathers. Which I thing is quietest of all the shapes. And my arrows fly great.

Gilbert

I used to fletch my arrows with 5 3/4" high profile banana cut feathers. Left wing fletch left helical, they made a noise kinda like an owl's wing and NEVER spooked an animal I shot or shot at. In fact I had one of those, "forgot to pick a spot and shot over" moments once The buck was looking behind himself at his back trail and the arrow went right in front of his nose by about 6". He just watched it hit a tree and flicked his tail once and turned and started walking again like he didn't have a care in the world. This was with those BIG fletchings on heavy compressed ramin shafts with Zwickey Deltas up front, flew wonderfully and forgivingly at about 179 fps out of my 77# longbow.