Any tips on finding arrows in the grass

[wall of wood camp]

I am new to the bow scene and I was shooting my new bow i missed the target a few times and didn't think much of it until I went to pick up the arrows and they were nowhere to be found I started combing through the grass on my hands and knees and found all but two arrows those suckers really burrow down in there any suggestions for finding the other two they are aluminum arrows with target tips not detectable with the metal detector I have.

[bobcat]

I wish I had a tip for you, but I don't. I have lost several arrows in the grass in my back yard. Only thing I can say is get a bigger target.

[Smossy]

I am new to the bow scene and I was shooting my new bow i missed the target a few times and didn't think much of it until I went to pick up the arrows and they were nowhere to be found I started combing through the grass on my hands and knees and found all but two arrows those suckers really burrow down in there any suggestions for finding the other two they are aluminum arrows with target tips not detectable with the metal detector I have.

Get a steel rake, Ive found a few this way, the field behind my target is all dead cutt grass so there's spots with dead piles.  Gotta just go through everything, Sometimes sit takes me 2 minutes, Sometimes it takes me 2 hours, My advice. Get lighted arrow nocks for practice. Also, get some string, lay it from where your shooting spot is, to where It missed the target. Then follow that straight line to beyond the target. Me and my girl have both found a few this way also.

[lokidog]

You have it made trying to find aluminum arrows, get a cheap metal detector -- easy.  It's trying to find the metal tip on a carbon arrow that's challenging.   

[huntnphool]

You have it made trying to find aluminum arrows, get a cheap metal detector -- easy.  It's trying to find the metal tip on a carbon arrow that's challenging.   

alloys are detected by those machines?

[lokidog]

You have it made trying to find aluminum arrows, get a cheap metal detector -- easy.  It's trying to find the metal tip on a carbon arrow that's challenging.   

alloys are detected by those machines?

Yep, it might show up as trash on some of the fancier ones, but it will sound off.  I used one my boy got a few Christmases back to fins one I "misplaced" last fall, and I just had the tip to try to find.  It is amazing how they can bury under the grass, even in a mowed area.

[huntnphool]

You have it made trying to find aluminum arrows, get a cheap metal detector -- easy.  It's trying to find the metal tip on a carbon arrow that's challenging.   

alloys are detected by those machines?

Yep, it might show up as trash on some of the fancier ones, but it will sound off.  I used one my boy got a few Christmases back to fins one I "misplaced" last fall, and I just had the tip to try to find.  It is amazing how they can bury under the grass, even in a mowed area.

Thats cool and a good idea.

[Swannytheswan]

my dog use to go find them for me....she would run down there and find it and look back at me as kind of a signal...but if I wasn't paying attention she would just take off and I would never find it

[Redbeard]

I picked up a cheap metal detector garage selling.  Well worth the ten bucks.

[wall of wood camp]

Thanks Guys I tried the fancy metal detector we have at work but for some reason it didnt seem to work on the arrows or the tips i laid one out on the ground and ran it over  the top of the arrow it didn't pick it up.  it will locate manhole lids waterlines five feet underground but apparnetly has no reaction to alluminum.  I did the metal rake thing and came up empty those things can really burrow guess worst case im out a coupple arrows i will pay more attention now that i learned that lesson.  I knew someone would have the suggestion of a bigger target the only problem is it might need to be elephant sized HAHa   I know they will travel right through a vinyl fence without missing a beat guess i wont tell the wife about that little hole!  I think Im hooked regardless of the trials and errors. 

[Swannytheswan]

hang some carpet behind your target and if it is free hanging it should stop your arrows and save you some money

[Smossy]

Thanks Guys I tried the fancy metal detector we have at work but for some reason it didnt seem to work on the arrows or the tips i laid one out on the ground and ran it over  the top of the arrow it didn't pick it up.  it will locate manhole lids waterlines five feet underground but apparnetly has no reaction to alluminum.  I did the metal rake thing and came up empty those things can really burrow guess worst case im out a coupple arrows i will pay more attention now that i learned that lesson.  I knew someone would have the suggestion of a bigger target the only problem is it might need to be elephant sized HAHa   I know they will travel right through a vinyl fence without missing a beat guess i wont tell the wife about that little hole!  I think Im hooked regardless of the trials and errors. 

You get find those huge large round hay bails for like 30$ a piece and use 3 as a backstop stacked like a triangle. Works pretty well.

[deerslyr]

Dont miss  Ive spent many hours searching for arrows...

[huntnphool]

Thanks Guys I tried the fancy metal detector we have at work but for some reason it didnt seem to work on the arrows or the tips i laid one out on the ground and ran it over  the top of the arrow it didn't pick it up.  it will locate manhole lids waterlines five feet underground but apparnetly has no reaction to alluminum.  I did the metal rake thing and came up empty those things can really burrow guess worst case im out a coupple arrows i will pay more attention now that i learned that lesson.  I knew someone would have the suggestion of a bigger target the only problem is it might need to be elephant sized HAHa   I know they will travel right through a vinyl fence without missing a beat guess i wont tell the wife about that little hole!  I think Im hooked regardless of the trials and errors.

I didn't think they worked on aluminum but Loki seems sure. Maybe there is a sensitivity adjustment?

[buckfvr]

they pick up field tips........or broadheads

[lokidog]

I think, though I have not had a fancy one in my hands, that many of the fancier ones are designed to not signal on aluminum because it is usually worthless garbage.  Seems they should have an adjustment to turn that off, or maybe you just need to find an old fashion cheapy one.  You should still be able to find your steel tip, though a much smaller target. 

I just went out and tested my son's detector, it beeped just fine on an aluminum arrow.  I then set the trash eliminator to 100% and it still beeped on it, though the tone was different.   

[Special T]

How big of an area is it confined to?  The string idea works great to narrow the search. I have shot 3d's with a guy that took and old rod and put a small curve on the end like a hook. when we missed twe narrowed down the likely spot and drug it throught he soil in LONG lines perpendicular to the the arrows path. space those out about 1 foot until found... worked pretty darn good.

[elk247]

Also use the floroesent fletching and nocks. Every bit helps. It wont help this time but could help in the future.

[lokidog]

If you had illuminoks you would never lose another arrow....   

[D-Rock425]

If you had illuminoks you would never lose another arrow....   

[MR5x5]

Tip?
The arrow almost always go farther than you think it did...

[fishseeker]

Most metal detector will find aluminium arrows. May sound different. Know my Whites does, I dig up plenty of pulltabs and smokepack foil

[CoryTDF]

Use a rake and rake across the path you think it took. That or metal detector have used both wit Good success.

[dreamunelk]

Being you are just learning I feel it is prudent to point out you just learned an important lesson.  You will lose arrows!  It is just part of the deal.

[TONTO]

 Been trying to get my lab to help, if I can keep him focused long enough he will find them. He dosen't mark them too well but he will burry his nose and take a good long sniff so I gotta keep a close eye on him. He's useualy right on it I'll go to where he showed the most intrest and peel back some sod, sure enough most the time there's my fletch. He's starting to figure out what "where's my arrow" means. A thought just crossed my mind maybe I should run my fletchings through the smoker, he'll eat a smoked turd so he probably would dig up a smoked arrow maybe trade him for a piece of jerky.

[Swannytheswan]

Been trying to get my lab to help, if I can keep him focused long enough he will find them. He dosen't mark them too well but he will burry his nose and take a good long sniff so I gotta keep a close eye on him. He's useualy right on it I'll go to where he showed the most intrest and peel back some sod, sure enough most the time there's my fletch. He's starting to figure out what "where's my arrow" means. A thought just crossed my mind maybe I should run my fletchings through the smoker, he'll eat a smoked turd so he probably would dig up a smoked arrow maybe trade him for a piece of jerky.

thats a good idea I bet he would stay focused long on them

[JJD]

Been trying to get my lab to help, if I can keep him focused long enough he will find them. He dosen't mark them too well but he will burry his nose and take a good long sniff so I gotta keep a close eye on him. He's useualy right on it I'll go to where he showed the most intrest and peel back some sod, sure enough most the time there's my fletch. He's starting to figure out what "where's my arrow" means. A thought just crossed my mind maybe I should run my fletchings through the smoker, he'll eat a smoked turd so he probably would dig up a smoked arrow maybe trade him for a piece of jerky.

Is he a duck dog?  Get some commercial duck scent and rub that on the fletching, bet he finds them in a hurry.   

Build a backstop. All ya need is some old 2x4's and some old heavy carpet,  Use the 2x4's to hang 4' x 4' pieces of old carpet about 6" to 10" apart one in front of the other in about 3 layers.  My bow is Chrono'd at just under 300 fps and this system stops broadheads. 
You are supposed to hunt game, not arrows. 

[sakoshooter]

I've used many different arrow finders over the years and the best ones are a long wood rod like a broom handle with a hook on the end. I Just donated one to TSC for their flat range. Just drag it sideways thru the grass. You'd be surprised how many other arrows you'll find.