Wet Arrow Trivia

[Tim]

One of my buddies hunted NM last week and one of the days they got really dumped on with rain.  That particular day he had a 30 yard shot a nice bull.  He said his arrow dropped off the last few yards and he shot under.  I got to thinking...What kind of change in trajectory will a wet arrow have?

I soaked an arrow completely and weighed it.  Here's what I found:

35/55 GT with three feathers and a 200 grain broadhead = 505 grains

Same arrow completed soaked with water = 558 grains!      :eek:    

Just some trivia that might interest you...    

[Looper]

A wet arrow will shed a lot of that extra weight upon release, though. I personally haven't found wet fletching to affect my arrow flight much at all, as long as I'm tuned and don't shoot too wide of a broadhead. I hunted a lot in some pretty heavy rain last year and saw no loss in accuracy. I took a rabbit at about 25 yards and a couple of squirrels at around 18. I was absolutely soaking wet at the time, too. I was using sure woods, 5" fletch, and Stos heads.

[Whip]

Interesting that there is that much of a weight gain with a wet arrow.  Looper is probably right though - much of it would spray off upon release I would think.
Good excuse for a miss though, and we all need our excuses!!  

[Terry Green]

Good post Tim....and timely!!!  This could save someone else from a missed opportunity...pun intended.            


The arrow may shed the water AT release, but the bow will have to start moving more weight at release also.  Not to mention shooting in a heavy rain.

Don't forget...the limbs will also be wet and holding water at release...and you arrow rest will have water shoved off...and your string will be wet.


There's a LOT that's wet. I've tried to convey this to folks that seam to just want silencers that wont hold water....yet they don't think about the rest of their entire equipment being wet.  

When its really wet, I cut my yardage down 5 yards....and take normal aim....or, I aim at the top of the vitals...all depends on the scenario.

Wet equipment will be slower, its common sense and science.

[JamesKerr]

Interesting post Tim. I have never found that my arrow being wet affects my arrow flight inside of 20 yards (which is my max hunting distance for deer and hogs). I am sure at longer ranges though it would have to make some kind of difference.

[TxAg]

Good point on aiming a little higher than normal.

[akaboomer]

Great point Terry.  I was at a 3d shoot and was seeing a drop in trajectory. I assumed it was just because my arrows were soaked. After the shoot was over I grabbed a couple dry arrows out of my truck, yup same drop. After that I assumed it was because my string and bow was wet. I still hold to that assumption, until I find another viable reason.

Chris

[LCH]

It comes from the string being wet and weighing more. If you pluck it a couple of times it will be back to normal.LCH

[Orion]

Though water probably slows the arrow a bit for all the reasons already mentioned, it's probably not enough to cause a miss at the distance the fella was shooting.  I, too, will add that to my list of excuses though.  

[Manitoba Stickflinger]

What Terry said! My issue has been the moisture held in the wool or fur puffs that make a huge difference. I prefer rubber cat whiskers and a fletching cover during any type of wet weather.

[Thumper Dunker]

Never notice any diferance.

[nampook93]

i find that wet arrow fly differently. it almost seems like they are a ton slower but dont really drop much. then again i dont shoot past 25yards max.

[joe ashton]

I had that happen a couple of years ago so...
I soaked an arrow/feathers it gained about 40 grs...
but then I soaked my string and string silencers and they gained, oh I don't remember the numbers but it was a remarkable increase, something like 200gr

[Big Ed]

Eye opening thread, years back I missed a really good buck at about  twelve yards. Now I have an excuse, well maybe not it was around 50 degrees and sunny.  
On a serious note weight of string silencers really changes the dynamics of how your bow shoots and ultimately tunes. In wetter weather I try to pluck my string periodically to free some of the wetness from my string and bow.

[charles m]

These types of threads are always telling.  Tells who actually hunts in the rain and who don't.    

And, who shoots in the rain and who don't.    

[charles m]

James, I checked out your profile, and your topics started.  Based on your topics, and mostly the type of questions you asked, it had me wondering.  How many deer and hogs have you killed with a trad bow?

[Tom Leemans]

I don't mind a little sprinkle, but I won't shoot in the rain. I like hunting after a rain though.
I can remember shooting at Cloverdale one year when a downpour started. It rained so hard it knocked my arrow to the ground in front of the target on a 25 yard shot! That was funny.

[Tim]

I'm not a rain guy and most often use rainy days as a reason to stay home and clean up the shop or cash in on some family time.  I do remember getting stuck in a serious downpour while on an elk hunt several years back. I remember being hunched over my feathers trying my best to protect them.....pretty pathetic!  

If I was one to travel often on hunts I'd have to look to an alternative type quiver or maybe even vanes off a bear rest    Something a little less high maintenance.  As for now I'll stick with my feathers and just head back to the truck when the rain starts to fall!

[charles m]

Still waiting to hear about all those wet weather kills from James.    :rolleyes:  

Or dry weather for that matter?    

[lilbobby]

Thanks for the topic Tim, very informative.