Just curious about your shaft choices

[Luckyned]

That just sounds SO wrong!

 My co-worker has been having so much fun as I use him as a sounding board as I talk thru my next arrow purchase.."So you traditional archery guys enjoy getting a good shafting?"
 What have you all liked or disliked for arrow shafting woods? I've tinkered with a bunch thru various sources and having one so close here in PA..Allegany Mountain Arrow..I've change my mind everytime I got a new one. Here is my choices(mind you that none have made me a better shot..just more informed) My memory sucks and I keep zero records but here is my thoughts to date:

 Ash: So peerdy and heavy but I have not gained the skill of straightning yet.
 Douglas Fir: I like it because it is straight and light but it will not take a glancing-miss.
 Cedar: Smells good and I guess I judge all other by this standard but I'm not afraid to go to another.
 Sika Spruce: I may be leaning towards this for my arrow for light game. I love ash but I love this arrow too.
 Yellow Birch: My majical arrow wood. No great reason. I've taken a few animals and it always seems to be my majic from my bow. I think I've made so many arrows and made so many shots that it hold my attention from sheer spiritual quality.
 Nice scientific review, huh? That's me.

[Artur]

I've been shafted so many times at work, a person would think that I would be used to it by now.... As for arrow woods, I like Cedar and I have used Douglas Fir. The main reason I like Cedar, besides how it stays straight once straightened, is that it is easy to find the one with the hair-line crack: It's the one that smells like fresh-cut Cedar.

[Charlie Lamb]

My favorite is Douglas Fir....

1. It has good weight.
2. Comes pretty straight and stays that way and is easilly straightened.
3. Reasonably tough.
4. Takes stain beautifully!
5. Very responsive coming out of the bow. (reacts well to paradox)
6. I'm not one to judge arrow material by smell.  

[joebuck]

1. Magnolia
2. Yellow Poplar

Made in a double barrel taper in a 230 deflection 30" BOP.....710grains finished with a 160 snuffer

Oh I'm dreaming again about Supercedars of yesteryear

[Shakes.602]

I shoot 5/16 Ramin, and 2018 Aluminums. Mainly The Wood Shafts.

[SlowBowinMO]

A really good POC is hard to beat IMO.

I just got my hands on some Douglas Fir that is stunning though...and I like the extra weight.

I also really like Birch (non-laminated) but I've had some difficulty keeping it straight.

Wood shafts are not created equal, and should be the last place to try to save a buck.

[oldgriz]

I used to be a die hard POC person.
UNTIL I got my first set of tapered poplar arrows from Twig Archery... I shot them side by side with my good POCs and found the poplars just seemed to perform better out of the bow for me...
Now obviously you mileage might vary, but for me it is going to be tapered poplars until someone shows me something better...

[John3]

POC is my favorite shaft material for my longbows. They are "inexpensive" compared to others, fly well, stain well, straighten well and smell well (lol) while being worked. POC is the only wood shaft material i've ever used. Never having had any "issues" with them I just keep on keepin on.

Sanderlin III

[SuperK]

Hey Oldgriz, I'm with you!  The only thing I like better about POC is the smell.  The 5/16 ramin is some good and tuff arrow wood too.  That ramin will dull a handtaper tool quick!

[Roy from Pa]

Have used POC and Sitka Spruce. Like the Sitka the best. Recently have tried River Cane and Switch Cane for arrows. I love Switch Cane..

[MYSTIKBOW]

Doug Fir is an excellent shaft wood. Bought my first 3 doz. at Dento Hill last year and it's been my go to wood shaft since. Cedar..well what more can be said that hasen't already been mentioned above although it's getting harder and harder to find good quality shafts IMO. I really like Ash for it's weight and durability but it's a bugger to keep straight. I've tried white birch ,no real complaints here. I have some cherry but have not tried it yet so I can't comment. I picked up a 1/2 doz. perfectly straight 5/16 hard maple shafts from an old timer at a garage sale this spring and all I can say is WOW! Excellent performance and hit like a ton 'o' bricks. I've made and shot a few doz. Sitka spruce shafts and I really like them as well. They were good quality,consistant in weight and stayed straight.

[Ron LaClair]

I like a tapered shaft in either POC or Sitka Spruce.    

[BamBooBender]

I've used, POC, Poplar,Southern Yellow Pine, White Pine, Ash, Ramin,pecan, Locust shoots, and (of course) bamboo/Cane. I always come back to the boo though.

On a side note, I once used some sort of palm shoot (looked sorta like palmetto) to make arrows from when I was in panama as a kid. Course back then I didn't even know enough to let em dry out first.       I just used em green, and talk about heavy shafts, I think a broom stick woulda been lighter. lol They had a nice thick skin on em, were naturally tapered, and easy to get straight. I guess I only used them cause they already looked like arrows. I have often thought that they would make excellent shafts when dried out. If I only knew what they were. Maybe somebody on here knows?

[Luckyned]

Thanks for the replies! I'm laughing cause as I read through the posts, I can't say we've help narrow a certain shaft down for a 'newguy' who might be wondering which to try first.

[Weekend Warrior]

I tried some Sitka Spruce And I hooked on them..
They shoot great out of my mikuta