Shield vs Parabolic

[Neutron]

Are shield feathers louder in flight?  Are there any other differences in the two types other than looks?

[lpcjon2]

I use shield. and they are not loader to me

[HATCHCHASER]

Yes sheild are louder, but they look cooler.

[jcar315]

I haven't noticed any noise difference.

The only difference between the two is the shield cut are super cool looking and parabolic....not so much.

[StickBowManMI]

I like the shield shape too. Maybe louder but I can not hear any difference between the two types when shot.

[Ben Maher]

i sometimes find that the sheild , although looking very cool, can be a tad louder when damp/wet .
this is just my experience  , nothing at all scientific. having said that i still prefer sheild ... they just look cool.

ben

[jerry r baker]

Sheild is all i ever shoot
and the deer i shoot with them
died with a happy look on their face

[Guru]

Shoot what ya like man...the difference is so minute it isn't gonna make a bit of difference.

[Michael Arnette]

I use the shield cut for my second anchor. touching my nose.

[Ragnarok Forge]

SHields rule, parabolics.....  I started shooting shield cuts because the look traditional to me.  I keep shooting them for the extra surface area for control of arrow flight and I use the taller fletch as a second anchor on the tip of my nose.

If you stand a bit forward of a shooter and listen to identical arrows, on fletched with shield and one with parabolic, there is a difference in sound made during flight.  The shield cut fletch make more noise, not enough in my opinion to change weter a shot hits an animal or not.  But yes they are noisier.

[zwickey2bl]

I've "heard" some high-back shields with a lot of offset be a little noisy. I cut/shoot 4" shield-cuts 4-fletched and I can't tell they are any noisier than anything else. I like 'em.

[JRY309]

Usally a taller feather is noiser,it is usally noticed more with a shield cut.

[Jim Wright]

My experience through around 5 dozen arrows with shields is that they are noisy. I have a couple of dozen now and 5 or 6 arrows out of both are loud, the rest not so. I have looked for gaps in the glue line, etc. and found nothing, go figure. The only quiet ones I have had was a dozen very low profile customs from Rod Kelley in Kalispell, MT. I have never noticed any parabolics being noisy.

[ronnyg]

the high profile shields do make more noise once they get some wear on them..no doubt

[coaster500]

I shoot 4" shield and they work great for me. I have some 5" and there is a difference in noise.

[Brian Krebs]

well; there seems to be a difference logically between a 4, a 5 and the 5 1/2 shield in regards to noise... for some - but why? Perhaps the degree of twist to the fletch or some other factor?

 I have been shooting 5 1/2 inch shields; and if the deer and elk and bears are hearing the arrow come - I have not noticed it.

 I did once shoot some ~really big~ fletch I designed with my feather burner - where the deer COULD hear the arrow coming; and the buck I shot at really reacted dramatically- a 20 yard broadside shot from a treestand perfect release (after scaring the deer with the FL FL FL FL fletch noise on the first shot- a miss)  I hit the deer on the bottom of the chest; the arrow came out over the top of the shoulder and buried itself into the ground as the deer moved and broke the broadhead end off- that was in the ground.
 That ladies and gents was solid proof of the deer hearing the fletch !! It flipped over trying to get out of the way of it!

 The bad of any high fletch is that in a side wind; the wind WILL effect arrow flight. I have been shooting the same basic weights of bows and arrows and I have a 5 inch shield cutter on the way right now.

 But noise - well - I personally have not noticed it in the animals actions when I shoot 5 1/2 shield....

[Gary Logsdon]

One lucky day in 1986 I watched Fred Bear as he burned his favorite "shield" shape into one of his arrows . . . I can still remember the smell:^)  Fred screwed a Razorhead on the arrow, signed his name near the arrow crest, and presented it to me as a gift.  I remember asking if that was a traditional shield shape.  Fred smiled and chuckled, "I don't know whatcha call it, I just know that I like it!"  That's why I use "shields" to this day, because I like them!!  Here's an OLD pic of Fred, me, and THE ARROW:^)

(Hit F5 on your keyborad to refresh the page if the photo fails to download.)

 

[Gary Logsdon]

By the way, just in case any our PBS members are checking in, the PBS Magazine cover photo (current issue) shows "an old bowhunter":^) sharpening a Bear Razorhead.  Does that arrow look at all familiar?