lighted Nocks-trad bowhunters

albertan · June 24, 2009, 11:17:00 PM

lighted nocks also disqualify entry into Pope & Young (am a measurer and long time member). An argument could be and has been made that lighted nocks may give the shooter a notion that the ncok will enhance recovery and he/she may take marginal shots, longer shots. I use chartreuse yellow fletch and they work great in following the flight of the arrow and show up incredible on dark objects - the lung area of moose and bear as examples. I still limit myself to my "effective range" and never sway from that.

George D. Stout · June 24, 2009, 11:27:00 PM

As a qualified Pro Staff member of Goodwill Stores Incorporated, I can't spend that much money for nocks. I bet Mr. Magoo would love them, as would Jose Feleciano if he bowhunted.
You may also be able to find a little audio chip that would beep and tell you where the deer fell.

Mo. Huntin · June 25, 2009, 02:41:00 AM

To each there own I guess. If a compound shooter can use a laser range finder I don't see what the big deal is with a lighted knock. People that shoot past there effective range will always do that. Ethical people won't shoot past there effective range just because they got a lighted knock. Also call me crazy but if somebody shoots a deer dead I would just assume they find it. Sure as heck aint no worse than following a string from a tracker to a dead animal. I aint knocking string trackers either. Can you put a deer in pope and young if you use a rangefinder?

vtmtnman · June 25, 2009, 05:32:00 AM

I don't use them them but would if I wanted.

My thought is if you're using the carbon arrow they go into already,you're already over the trad line.

LC · June 25, 2009, 08:24:00 AM

Used them last year for the first time and loved them. Can't see me not using them again this year. However after doing this "trad" thing for 35 years now I find out I"m not anymore and besides that, P & Y won't accept my entries anymore, man I'm gona loose some serious sleep over that!

CCWhitetail · June 25, 2009, 10:30:00 AM

I started using them last season for the
sole reason of videoing. It makes for great
video. The Firenocks are probably the best,
but are expensive.
However as some have stated they are illegal
in some states, and would also void any
record book kills. I could care less about that.
If I wacked a big boy on video, I would rather
watch it over and over again with a lighted nock,
than to have my name in a book.
But thats just me.

overbo · June 25, 2009, 10:44:00 AM

Worth there weight in gold for bareshaft and broadhead tunning.

Yelloweye · June 25, 2009, 03:38:00 PM

Ten bucks each, naw. I like my tracker arrows, light shaft, yellow and white vanes, yellow nocks. I would still like to see them fly.

amicus · June 25, 2009, 04:37:00 PM

I like them. If it aids in the recovery of an animal or arrow or both I don't see anything wrong with it. Nor do I think some one is less skilled because they choose to use them. They look great on video. I would use them if they were cheaper. m2c. Gilbert

TSP · June 25, 2009, 06:28:00 PM

I don't use them anymore after finding that a teeny-tiny nuclear-powered portable TV camera screwed securely into my traditional wood-grained carbon arrow does a much better job at making me successful. The little TV clips to my hat visor, handy yet not intrusive. Not only can I see where the arrow goes after taking bad shots after dark, I get to watch all my favorite 'I Love Lucy' reruns during slow times on stand (optional nuclear powered antennae required). My absolute favorite part is watching myself coming towards myself when I get close to the arrow. That is so cool!

Nope, don't use'em.

TxAg · June 25, 2009, 06:59:00 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMqLT-4ezzk

do a google search for "homemade lighted nocks"

the link above is one i found on youtube.

i've made a few myself but did it in very basic way...basically, the thill lights used for fishing fit securely into my nock once i drilled the nock out just a bit. then i just pop the nock out and insert light (already turned on) and start hunting. those thill lights last a long time, so sitting on stand for a couple hours with them turned on doesn't hurt.

i've found that a red light inside a green nock creates a "hunter orange" color that is easily visible on video.

Pegen · June 25, 2009, 08:14:00 PM

I started to have one in my quiver last year, although I never used it. I thought their advantages far outweighed their negative impact on traditional bowhunting.... until I read Larry Fischer's point of view, which I found myself agreeing with.
Food for my thoughts....

rascal · June 25, 2009, 11:16:00 PM

I dont use them, I got away from gadgets when I put the compound in the case for the last time. Really I just want a simple down to earth hunt these days and just one gadget is one too many. Im not gonna worry if others do use them within the confines of the law but really for every gadget we use to replace real woodsmanship skills I think it detracts from the real purpose of being out in the field in the first place. Im currently feeling really good with a self bow in my hands that I built with my own two hands, POC shafts with natural barred turkey feathers. I do have steel broadheads and plastic nocks but I draw my own lines and lighted nocks just go too far for me personally.

SteveB · June 26, 2009, 08:40:00 AM

I use them - never felt distracted from my purpose. Also never felt the tiniest loss of traction standing on what some call a slippery slope.

jimmerc · June 26, 2009, 09:02:00 AM

Nope ,electronics don't belong!! next it will be lazer sights so you can see your spot you've picked! Then a tracking becon to find your game faster,maybe a mini lap top to watch all the action after the shot!! K.I.S.S.
OK I'm Bad, I just realized that I do carry electronics while out trad hunting, so what i said up above doesn't count!! I carry my timex battery watch!! :D

GMMAT · June 26, 2009, 09:10:00 AM

Until I walk or ride my horse to work and to hunt.....I'll consider gadgets a part of my life (to a degree of acceptibility).

Until I make my own sinew strings and cane arrows.....I'll consider technology is acceptable (to a certain degree).

When I stalk up on a deer, instead of shoot him from a treestand, I'll accept that there are modern advances that I take full advantage of.

And the lighted nock will likely not be the death of traditional bowhunting.

SlowBowke · June 26, 2009, 09:10:00 AM

I am torn myself. I bought em, then decided to stay with my old time equipment. In fact, went further back.

Putting them on POC, Hickory or Doug fir would be a PIA. *grin*

I definately "see" the possible desire for them as I grow older and my eyesight is less than I'd like, especially in low light situations.

Since I rarely shoot very far at all and wouldnt in low light anyway I knew they weren't for me.

It's difficult to draw the line anymore what is and isn't "trad" oriented.

Not so long ago, carbon in the limbs, carbon arrows etc etc were singled out and "some of us" still feel that way even though I gave em a go.

heck...WAY back in time and IN my life FIBERGLASS on the limbs was frowned upon! I'm willing to bet many of you young bucks here weren't aware of that.

Each needs to decide for themselves and while I personally don't feel they are trad oriented, Ive nothing against a person feeling the need to better see his arrow strike to more quickly decide what kind of hit he or she had..... IF they are having problems.

That said, I know some that are just "gadget oriented" yet, I too, stay with trad archery to not include all that and keep my hunting sweet and simple.

I watch Fred Eichler shoot those ugly dang pink feathers and danged if they dont show up GREAT but YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK. LOL No offense!

Another personal choice I guess. One of my loves of trad achery is the beauty of the equipment. I just cant bring myself to put pink ANYTHING on anything I use.

Just old and stuck in "a rut" myself. All sports "evolve" and Im betting all the old timers like me in each sport don't like it.

It's human nature IMHO.

Some of us just feel there is an added plus to using the equipment of yesteryear. NONE of my 6 bows were made in the last two, (oops, oh my!) THREE decades. My "newest" is a pair of 1972 Shakespeare Root Brushmasters.

I'll bet the ranch some of YOU will one day take that route yourselves.

New blood will bring different ideas to our sport, as it has for a millenium. If it's GOOD FOR YOU...is your choice, regardless of mine.

Keep em sharp and pick a spot!

God Bless.

Bill Carlsen · June 26, 2009, 09:32:00 AM

How many have used that flashlight gadget thing for getting to your tree stand, finding wounded game or getting out of the woods at dark? I also have a gadget that I call a truck that gets me from here to there and another called a game cart that gets dead animals from here to there. When Laura and I hunt our new property we have a gadget called a canoe in which we put other gadgets like quivers, back packs, safety ropes, tree stands and all sorts of other gadgets we feel make us hunt better and more sucessfully. We also find those little "bright eyes" tacks to be very helpful getting to and from out stands in the dark. I'm not trying to make an arguement here, however, I see lots of threads with trail cam pics, salt licks, wind indicators, KME sharpeners, new quivers, string silencers, gps units, on line topo maps and aerial photos. All these things and lots of others are gadgets we use to help us in the field. To say that a lighted nock is an electronic aide is simply silly (unless your flashlight is also an electronic aide, or your cell phone or two way radio) when all of us are on this site using computers and trail cams, etc., and then take our cell phones or cameras with us to take photos while we are sitting in our stands. To me, gadgets that are useful and serve a function are welcome. I keep a lot of them in that gadget I call a back pack.

As long as something is legal and it suits our needs we all have choices to make when we step into the field in regards to those items we use. Lighted nocks are here to stay and I, for one, have found them to be invaluable in game recovery situations where I have to make a decision to back out and come back or not.

Bill Carlsen · June 26, 2009, 09:47:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by Bill Carlsen:
How many have used that flashlight gadget thing for getting to your tree stand, finding wounded game or getting out of the woods at dark? I also have a gadget that I call a truck that gets me from here to there and another called a game cart that gets dead animals from here to there. When Laura and I hunt our new property we have a gadget called a canoe in which we put other gadgets like quivers, back packs, safety ropes, tree stands and all sorts of other gadgets we feel make us hunt better and more sucessfully. We also find those little "bright eyes" tacks to be very helpful getting to and from out stands in the dark. I'm not trying to make an arguement here, however, I see lots of thread, particularly on this site, with trail cam pics, salt licks, wind indicators, KME sharpeners, new quivers, string silencers, gps units, on line topo maps and aerial photos. All these things and lots of others are gadgets we use to help us in the field. To say that a lighted nock is an electronic aide is simply silly (unless your flashlight is also an electronic aide, or your cell phone or two way radio) when all of us are on this site using computers and trail cams, etc., and then take our cell phones or cameras with us to take photos while we are sitting in our stands. To me, gadgets that are useful and serve a function are welcome. I keep a lot of them in that gadget I call a back pack.

As long as something is legal and it suits our needs we all have choices to make when we step into the field in regards to those items we use. Lighted nocks are here to stay and I, for one, have found them to be invaluable in game recovery situations where I have to make a decision to back out and come back or not.

Bill Carlsen · June 26, 2009, 09:49:00 AM

How many have used that flashlight gadget thing for getting to your tree stand, finding wounded game or getting out of the woods at dark? I also have a gadget that I call a truck that gets me from here to there and another called a game cart that gets dead animals from here to there. When Laura and I hunt our new property we have a gadget called a canoe in which we put other gadgets like quivers, back packs, safety ropes, tree stands and all sorts of other gadgets we feel make us hunt better and more sucessfully. We also find those little "bright eyes" tacks to be very helpful getting to and from out stands in the dark. I'm not trying to make an arguement here, however, I see lots of threads with trail cam pics, salt licks, wind indicators, KME sharpeners, new quivers, string silencers, gps units, on line topo maps and aerial photos. All these things and lots of others are gadgets we use to help us in the field. To say that a lighted nock is an electronic aide is simply silly when all of us are on this site using computers and trail cams and then take our cell phones or cameras with us to take photos while we are sitting in our stands. To me, gadgets that are useful and serve a function are welcome. I keep a lot of them in another gadget I call a back pack.