favorite fletch cut and colors

[Brianlocal3]

Originally posted by Andy Cooper:
 

Originally posted by kbaknife:
I stood along side two steel grain bins that were only a few feet apart one time while other shooters were shooting their arrows between them.
I stood just AFTER the space between the grain bins so I was out of arrow flight path, yet still VERY close to them as they passed through.
I could hear the shield cut and parabolic cut arrow fletching coming BEFORE they got to the grain bins.
I had another shooter shoot my arrows with feathers burned that were tapered to each end with the widest portion right in the center of the fletch. Sort of like a parabolic, but more centered in width.
A lot like what Byron Ferguson shoots.
I couldn't even hear mine after they passed through the grain bins.
You couldn't give me shield cut feathers for free.

It seems to me some pics are needed!    :D  [/b]

I was thinking that also. It sounds like a low back banana cut to me.

[Slickhead]

5.5 magnum (banana)
I really like black (makes a flo nock pop)

[Easykeeper]

I use shield cut, three 4" or 5" with full helical.  I use either white or natural barred turkey feathers, all three the same color.  

White shows up the best in flight for me.  The real barred feathers look the best by far, but are tough to see in flight.  The natural feathers hold up a lot better though, which helps offset their higher cost.

[kbaknife]

Originally posted by Andy Cooper:
It seems to me some pics are needed!    :D  [/QB]

OK - here are couple self-arrows I made a long time ago for my Glen St. Charles quiver.
The fletch profile has changed little over the years but the widest portion is more centered now and just a tad lower.
Dead quiet.
Dead.

[nineworlds9]

5" shield, natural barred cock, chartreuse hens

[Whip]

I've used shield cut for years, mostly because I like the looks of them.  Very traditional in my mind.  But I'm thinking it's time to make a change to a cut like Karl's - low profile banana?  I've sure read enough testimonials as to how it makes a difference in noise, and anything I can do to reduce an arrow's noise in flight can only be a good thing.

As to color, I have gone to as bright as I can possibly find.  Florescent orange or chartreuse are great.  It really helps me to see the arrow and the point of impact.  Since switching to the high vis feathers I seem to do much better at knowing exactly where I have hit an animal, especially in low light.  And that knowledge really helps me to determine how and when to follow up a hit. Duller colors simply disappeared to me when shooting at dawn and dusk, and I often wasn't sure exactly where I might have hit.

[3arrows]

I think the trick to quiet is to keep the fletch half inch or lower.

[rick7]

parabolic and yellow

[BOWMARKS]

Shield cut because I like the looks. And the chartreuse or yellow color.

[wulf]

Another good reason for the '"banana" cut besides being quiet, is that the feather is tapered down nearest the nock helping to eliminate "catching a fletch" with your fingers (thus making NOISE) while holding or preparing to draw.  It just doesn't look as traditional as the shield cut if that is a concern.

[eddings220]

Just fletched some with 5" solid orange and the nock feather orange barred.

[slivrslingr]

Banana cut seem to be the quietest, but I like a high back shield for the looks.  I use red barred or green barred for the cock fletch and plain white for the hens.  I see white the best during flight.

As far as the noise issue is concerned, a game animal will hear the noise of your bow long before it hears the arrow so IMHO, arrow noise is a non-issue.  Anyway, I like hearing the hiss of death!

[longbowray]

Pink

[bruinman]

5" shield. I like to use all the same color, with the cock feather being barred. I like green red and orange.

[Orion]

Fletch height has as much to do with noise as shape.  Regardless, I agree with Slivrslinger.  At normal ranges, say 20-25 yards and less, a deer will hear the bow go off and react to it before feather noise comes into play. They don't always react, of course.  At longer distances, it may hear the arrow as it approaches the last 10 yards of flight or so to the critter, but by that time, it's too late.

[Fishburglar]

Longbowray i like your table setup those drawers look like they have a bunch of goodies =].. btw i like the pink with the green knock.

im using all white 5'' shield .. even though i want a new color and dont know wich to choose

[Moots]

Well I need something brighter because I'm having trouble seeing my arrows at distance.  Plenty of ideas here.

[Stumpkiller]

I keep coming back to parabolic and yellow hens with either a red or natural barred cock feather.

 

Shows up well in most conditions.

[Bowhunter4life]

4-fletch, RW, 4" shield in flo yellow or flo orange...

[joe skipp]

I prefer Hot pink in 5" Parabolic. I also use 5" Chartruese and White. Those big 160 gr Snuffers...my choice is 5.5" HB Shields. Don't care about a little noise, I want stability.

If your looking for bright, hard to beat AMG Florescent colors. Flo Orange, Flo Lime, Chart and Hot Pink. Easy to see in low light conditions.

Flo Lime





Hot Pink



Chart and Flo Orange



Flo Lime and White



Flo Orange