Question about natural turkey fletchings

[Cmane07]

Hey guys I'm getting ready to fletch up some arrows with turkey feathers off some birds I killed last year. This will be my first time using real turkey feathers so my question is, what do y'all do to be able to see them in flight better? Wrap them? What would be the best color? I think they would be almost impossible to see by themselves because these are south Mississippi turkeys so their wings are almost as black as an Osceola with not much white at all. I know I could also use a lighted nock but I would like to stay away from electronics.

[JR Williams]

You could go with a fur tracer in a bright color. I have never used one but it should help.

[Dendy Cromer]

I've used turkey feathers for a while now. I use a yellow nock to help  but the fact is ..... You just aren't going to be able to see them all that good.

[tracker12]

I use either a flo pink or yellow wrap.  Helps some but if you want to see flight do what JR recommended and use a fur tracer.

[Pete McMiller]

I've used the fur tracers and it's like having a lit candle on the end of your arrow.  They work great.  The other thing you could do is splice a bright colored feather on the back end of the turkey feather before you chop it.  Done properly they look very nice.

Any more I primarily use bright pink fletching but when hunting turkeys or anything else that might be sensitive to color I go with natural turkey feathers.

[Cmane07]

Thanks guys.  I was thinking about going with flo pink wraps but I'll look into the fur tracers.

[59Alaskan]

I use a white nock.  To me a white nock is highly visible.  The fur tracers are phenomenal also but for me all I need is the nock so I don't use them

[Pat B]

Like the others I use fur tracers. I make them with "rabbit zonkers", stripe of rabbit fur from a fly tying shop

[LBR]

Another vote for tracers--either feather or fur.  Next best thing to a lighted nock.

[Pat B]

Like the others I use fur tracers. I make them with "rabbit zonkers", stripe of rabbit fur from a fly tying shop and put them down with fletch tape. Here are a few examples...






I have used different colors but I prefer white tracers now because they seem to be more visible in all light conditions.

[TSP]

I admire your reluctance re use of electronics to take animals.  The essence of traditional bowhunting is to accept it's inherent challenges and limitations so it only seems logical to accept technological limitations as well...like the absence of batteries in the weapons.  But that's a decision we each must make.

Bright fletching is eye candy, makes arrow flight enjoyable during practice and is handy for finding 'misplaced' arrows.  Still, for hunting shots I think the emphasis on bright fletching and nocks (especially 'glowing' nocks) is much overrated.  More important is the ability to see where the broadhead actually enters the animal.  

The arrow's feather end can easily change angle or 'flip' on broadhead impact with tissue or bone, sometimes causing false reads re hit location.  Point of impact is the reliable choice, which means the shooter would do better to shoot only when natural lighting is good enough to see the broadhead enter the 'spot'.  Taking close shots are a huge help with this.  There's a reason why legal hunting hours end before last light and the same principle applies when hunting in dark cover.  The lure of bright fletching and nocks notwithstanding, being able to clearly see that spot hit is the real key.

Some believe that bright nocks help find animals.  That may be so in some cases, but for the most part making a good hit (again, seeing the point of entry) and having reasonable tracking skill is far more valuable for that purpose.  Unless the arrow is still embedded in the animal it won't be found where the animal eventually ends up anyway.

I wouldn't hesitate using turkey feathers for hunting, they work great.  If adding fur tracers or a colored nock behind the feathers adds enjoyment or peace of mind for you then definately go for it.    

[meathead]

Fur tracers. They solve the problem.

[Pat B]

The fur tracers will lay down in flight but once the arrow hits home the tracer flares, making it easy to see where you hit.
If you are hunting in a heavily wooded area it can be relative darker but still within the legal hours for hunting.

[LBR]

Just remembered a cheap way out.  Might be able to find fur strips at a craft store like Hobby Lobby.  I found a big bag of bright colored marabou feathers there - just peel them from the quill and wrap around the shaft behind the feather.  Chartreuse looks as big as a golf ball in flight, but they aren't as durable as fur.

[Cmane07]

Here's a question about the tracers.  If you get a pass through on an animal, is the tracer still usable if you clean it or do you have to re-do it?

[LBR]

Fur washes easier than a feather tracer, but the feather tracer is super cheap and easy to replace.

[mnbwhtr]

I've found on targets fur tracers are good but when shooting animals where the arrow doesn't stop their worthless. Tried them one year and didn't see any hits any better than without them.