Stump shooting

[rchinchar]

Hi,
I am new to the forum.... actually my first post. I have been a bow hunter all of my life and just recently taken a liking to Traditional archery. I am really interested in stump shooting. Looks like this would be alot of fun and great practice. My question is.... will aluminum arrows with the proper head work? I assume they will but wanted to ask first. Thanks.

[McDave]

Welcome to the forum!  Stump shooting is one of my favorite things to do.  Any type of arrow will do.  Wood arrows break, aluminum arrows bend, and carbon arrows cost more.  Even though carbon arrows cost more, that's what I use because they last much longer, and that pays for the extra cost.  I use two arrows with different tips for stump shooting: judo and plastic blunt.  The judo works best for keeping the arrow from getting lost in the high grass and leaves, while the plastic blunt works best against harder targets, like real stumps, for cushioning the impact.  I don't like full-on flu flu feathers, but I put another 3 regular feathers on my stumping arrows, making six feathers in all, to slow it down a little and make it easier to find.

[Howitser]

Rchinchar,
Firstly, welcome. Yep, aluminum works but you can expect a tweeked shaft if you drill a hard tree or a rock. Punky stumps, dirt clods, older fallen trees...you know, softer stuff, will be great.  It is fun and helpful. I bought a straightener years ago and do use it. One of the perks of the aluminum shaft.  Enjoy it brother and good luck hunting

[dirtguy]

I use aluminum shafts and they work fine - except when the stump is much harder than your thought!  I shot a field point at a tough old oak stump and the nock came flying back at me! I had to dig the point out with my knife!  Just beware how tough your target is.

[Trenton G.]

If you see something covered in moss, before you shoot it go make sure it's a stump and not a rock. Learned that one the hard way

[Pat B]

Any style bows, any style arrows works well with stump shooting and is encouraged for bow hunters.

[rchinchar]

Thanks for all of the feedback....... I look forward to seeing what kind of knowledge is floating around about Traditional archery.

[Cool Springer]

There is more information, provided by knowledgeable members, than any of us can absorb in a lifetime.
Enjoy your journey!

[slowbowjoe]

I happen to prefer wood, but would be fine roving with aluminum's if they were my regular shaft. I do strongly favor Judo's as the point though; I lose/break a good deal less with them in my woods.

[Stumpkiller]

Welcome.   

Best time there is!  As you may guess from my UserID/camp name I am a stump stalking aficionado. 

I tried aluminum but wasn't happy.  1982 or so.  I probably just didn't learn the proper niceties of straightening and ways to keep the insets from splitting the shaft at the head.

Douglas fir is my choice for all my archery needs.  It's also good to use the same arrows for EVERYTHING.  Burns the shooting process into the brain and muscles.

(Except fiberglass for bowfishing).  ;-)

[Alexander Traditional]

I'm liking aluminum here lately,but carbons are tougher. I was trying to nock the tops of some big yellow flowers,and hit some rocks. Just pick your targets a little more carefully than I do.

[Howitser]

Failed to mention I use a rubber blunt in my 2215s. Haven't split one at the insert but they will bend on a rock or oak. Usually a nice slow bend instead of a kink, easily straightened.  XX75 will be more resilient than a "Gamegetter".

[zwickey2bl]

My last stump shooting outing a few weeks back, I made a great shot on a loaf of bread size "stump" at 35 yeards that turned into a piece of granite mid-flight. Ha. Bruised my ash shaft a little on the skip but still very usable. Judo point was undamaged. Those things are tough!

[Randy]

I use hard wood shafts with Hex heads for stump shooting. Used aluminum in the past with Judo points and they worked fine. The main problem is stump shooting is very addictive. I think i do way to much stump shooting when I should be hunting.