new to Trad archery

[Ray]

Honestly the wood flies best - port orford cedar. However I cannot get thin diameter cedar spined at the 55-60 or higher. I have to buy thick diameter and therefore suffer on penetration. I have been having good results with Carbon Express Heritage. Didn't care for the GrizzlyStik arrows. Just flew in a circle and very expensive. Half the price Carbon Express seemed easier to settle on than the Grizzlystik. I have been trying out some tonkin cane shafts. They fly good despite irregularities in the bamboo. They are sturdy.

Also usually shoot left wing off the right handed bow. Would only be a concern on single bevel right handed broadheads.

Shoot whatever your bow agrees with is my advice. I heard a lot of good things about the Gold Tips but I don't plan on changing since I got something which works fine for me in the realm of carbon.

Nice recurve.

[Snapshot]

Either wing's feather will shoot off either side of a bow. It is a matter of personal preference. I shoot right handed and use right wing feathers (but if some lefts come my way cheap I can shoot them, too).

You can't mix different wings on the same arrow.

Ray is right about them needing to match the bevel if you want to shoot single bevel broadheads.

A side-stalker quiver took a little getting used to; it is easy to move through brush with it. It works with my Shuh backpack but you'll want to test it with your pack to be sure it rides okay. I will carry it when I carry a selfbow.

I switched to a Great Northern longbow quiver for elk hunting so that I'm not having to deal with three things (bow, quiver and bugle) while I'm moving through thick brush or trying to quickly cover ground without something bouncing around and making unnatural noises.

Nothing beats a good wooden arrow, in my ever-so-humble opinion.

Ray, have you considered cutting a full-length taper on the shaft to decrease drag during penetration? I got some 80-85# firs that I tapered and they then spined out at about 75#. With a 190 Grain point they shoot very well from my 65# longbow.

[arrowflinger]

Thanks guys for all the info.....I will be spending some time researching arrows. I was thinking aluminum but sounds like it is carbons. thanks again.

[Ratdog68]

Thanks guys for all the info.....I will be spending some time researching arrows. I was thinking aluminum but sounds like it is carbons. thanks again.

I wouldn't rule out wood arrows so quickly...

[Snapshot]

Arrowflinger,
You are not far from Packwood. You'd benefit by driving up to the the Western States Traditional Rendezvous over Memorial Day weekend (May 28-31). There will be traditional vendors there with all sorts of arrows, and hundreds of archers many of whom would help you to find some arrows to test out of your bow. There is more info on the Community Forum on the Events Page right at the top of the page.

[Hornseeker]

Hows it comin along Arrowflinger?? Pic an arrow yet???

I use the Selway and Thunderhorn strap on quivers...absolutely love them... just google that Thunderhorn Boa, like Boneaddict said... sweet rig there...

I shoot Easton Axis arrows and sometimes Beman MFX Classics. Fairly inexpensive (the axis, not the Bemans)... and nice and straight!!!

E

[arrowflinger]

I haven't selected an arrow yet.........I went and got a Boa Quiver and a bow stringer. I did get some Cabela's arrows to play around with. But I have not got a chance to get out and shoot it. The Boa quiver I got is all plastic, do you know if I can buy a cover for it?

Ken

[Hornseeker]

I do not know if you can buy a cover... You could probably make one pretty easily. The "nice" ones, which are leather and such, are like $80.... Thats what you might have should have bought....

Well, good luck. Keep the carbons in mind for sure.... a lot of guys like wood arrows, but it is a major time investment IF you want to have nice, straight arrows ALL the time... which...if you want to shoot good...you need to have nice straight arrows ALL the time.

No aluminum man... just go carbon.... 

[Ray]

I tried some Hex Shafts and was pleased with flight. Still will not comment on durability. Have not had one break but think if I buy again I might go for footed Hex shafts. Which did not seem advertised but I know they make them since I have seen them. They might be worth considering. Exact straightness is not as important on wood as carbon or aluminum as far as I can tell.

http://www.hexshaftarrows.com/about_hexshafts.html

On the quiver. 20-25 dollars of Latigo leather a spool of leather strand and a leather punch can produce a good long lasting functional quiver.

[Snapshot]

Before you chuck your quiver in the trash, and if you are so inclined as to do something with your own hands, consider covering it yourself. I would think it would be pretty easy to come up with a pattern by using the pant leg off a worn out pair of jeans. Then transfer that pattern onto some sort of material, cut it out and glue it on using contact adhesive. I did this years ago when I needed a quiet backpack and couldn't afford to go out and spend the money for one. I used an old nylon pack and glued camo fleece to it. It was quiet and lasted the several years I needed it to last before I got me a real hunting pack.
There are all sorts of material you could use. The first few things that come to mind are: thin, soft leather that you could buy or salvage (old purses or slippers never get thrown away in my home!), hair-on animal hides (like the lower parts of the legs of deer or moleskins), or fleece. Anything to quiet it down and doll it up. Boa makes a good quiver and you can put a little of yourself into it quite easily and have something special. I suggest you have fun with it.

[Hornseeker]

Is this what your quiver looks like? Except black plastic? I cant even find one that isn't leather....just wondering if we are talking about the same thing.  Snap says.... covering it yourself would be pretty easy....


I really cant say much about wood arrows... I have never shot them... I know a few guys that do, but like I said, they are ALWAYS tinkering with their arrows and checking them for straightness....

[arrowflinger]

Oh I wasn't planning on throwing the quiver way........I was on-line checking them out and thought I saw that you could buy a cover to slide on to the black plastic one. Hornseeker, yes my quiver is the black plastic like that one.
I bought the Cabela's SST (I think) just to so I can get use to pulling the bow back. Dam, it is very quiet.

Thanks for all the help guys.................love all the info i have gotten.

[Snapshot]

I wouldn't advise trying to build wood arrows out of tomato stakes. Better quality shafts cost more for a reason; buy the best you can afford. If I start with premium quality shafts I have very little straightening to do. After a dozen raw shafts are straightened I seal them up and I then don't worry about them anymore. IF I have one that I can't get to straighten up like it should it will become a 'B' arrow and never host a broadhead.  Or, if I were a gardener, it could become a tomato stake.

[boneaddict]

Or, if I were a gardener, it could become a tomato stake.

That made me chuckle

[Ray]

arrowflinger,

I have some excess leather that should be enough to cover that quiver. After payday I can send it to you. Short on cash right now. You might be able to just use some rubber cement and just cut it up and place it onto your plastic quiver.