Fletch noise and ducking deer????

[skychief]

I'm sure this has been discussed at some point, maybe several, but.....

Do you see hunting with screaming, whistling, screeching (whatever you want to call loud in-flight fletching), as a big problem or not an issue?

Today, I found that my new setup with shield cut fletching is making a good bit of this sound.

Thanks for weighing in as the season nears, Skychief.

[Wannabe1]

I don't hear any noise from my shield cut feathers. My wife has stood on the porch and listened as my arrows passed and says she can't hear them.

[ChuckC]

If your arrows, or broadheads or bow are making noise, the deer will hear it.  

Granted this was VERY close, but I had a doe hear my wood arrow sliding along my velcro arrow rug Sunday ( I was starting the draw), and she stopped, ears perked.  

Some arrows are louder than we give credit, and the only way to know is to SAFELY have someone listen as they are zinging by, maybe past a corner of the house or some similar scenario.

Someone recently posted a short video of them shooting in their back yard, with a Go Pro or similar by the target face.  OMG I could hear the bow go off and the arrows approach the target.  If I can, a deer can.  And I heard it with enough time to have moved a bit, much less a hair trigger deer.
CHuckC

[Orion]

Feather height and quality has more to do with noise than shape.  Regardless, a deer will hear the arrow noise.  However, it will usually hear the bow going off first, and, if tense, react to that noise before it reacts to the arrow noise.  At 15-20-yard shots, the critter won't react fast enough to the arrow noise (remember, the arrow has to clear the bow and start spinning before it can make feather noise) to make much difference in arrow impact.

[D. Key]

The best set-up I have used is 4 x 4" Parabolic feathers on 90 Degrees.  They make no sound.  Shields make more noise.

[mountain lion]

I would I say that the deer would react to the shot but not enough to make you miss, and a respectable yardage. If the deer is calm or walking there should be no problem. But if the deer is nervous and wound up, they will be gone by the time your arrow gets there, that migh be exaggerated a little but you know what I mean. I can hear my arrows and my broad heads especially, make a whistling sound. But at the yardage I plan to shoot I'm not that worried about it. My observation is that my 4" parabolic feathers are quieter to my ears with my set up than My 4" shield cut feathers.

[LBR]

Read an article several years ago...can't remember if it was TBM or something Gale Wisdom had in the old Flint Chip catalog...anyhow...

Parabolic cut is supposed to be the quietest. High back feathers will be noiser than standard or low cut.  The stiffer the feather, the less noise.  More helical makes more noise.

Do the deer care?  Depends on the deer.  

I've had deer pick me out of a stand with me 25' up and I just blinked at the wrong time, and I've had deer walk practically under me 12' off the ground and they never knew I was there.  I've had deer go nuts when the string dropped from a very quiet bow, and I've seen deer not react at all to a noisy wheel bow being shot.


All whitetails are not created equal...or at least some are a lot more educated than others.

[Cavscout9753]

Take a look at "turbolators" (I think I spelled that right). A Google search should find some threads and topics on it. Basically they are just a narrow, maybe 1/8" stripe of tape placed around the shaft about 14" in front of the fletching. The idea is that it breaks the wind plane up before it gets to the fletching. Disclaimer: I have only heard about these, and never tried them. If I hadn't read so many reviews on them working I wouldn't mention it, but it seems to work.

[Wandering Archer]

Originally posted by Cavscout9753:
Take a look at "turbolators" (I think I spelled that right). A Google search should find some threads and topics on it. Basically they are just a narrow, maybe 1/8" stripe of tape placed around the shaft about 14" in front of the fletching. The idea is that it breaks the wind plane up before it gets to the fletching. Disclaimer: I have only heard about these, and never tried them. If I hadn't read so many reviews on them working I wouldn't mention it, but it seems to work.

Just wanted to clarify, it's 1/4" in front of the fletching  

From what I've read, though, the tabulator helps stabilize the arrow with smaller fletches, like 2". I've never heard that it helps make an arrow quieter.

[Cavscout9753]

Wandering Archer: haha thanks, yes I admit I was only mentioning the concept and didn't know the actualy technique. As for the noise, on the forum I read it on, and the purpose it was related for, it was a noise in flight issue. I just googled it as arrow turbolator, noise and numerous threads came up though so did the stability issue, so I guess for both purposes it is supposed to work. Again, I'm not saying it works, I was just tossing it out there.

[Marshallrobinson]

Funny thing is that I use my cat (at times) to verify how things are going when I do switch something. I take him outside and he generally (at some point) will get between me and the backstop. This is when I shoot and watch his reaction.
Flu Flu's make him hit the ground. My parabolic feathers he takes note of but in a very casual manner....just twitches his ears. He doesn't even take notice of Arizona plastic vanes.

[LookMomNoSights]

Loud arrows are most definitely a problem.   Try to get them as quiet as possible.

[59Alaskan]

In the limited testing I have done I have noticed there can be a distinct difference in noise level and type of noise of you are in front of the arrow or behind shooter.

I have stood off to the side and behind a large tree as a friend shot my bow and the arrow went past me.  The bow/arrow noise was different.

As stated noise matters.

[hvyhitter]

Birds make noises similar to an arrows as they fly though the woods. If deer reacted to this noise in alarm every time they heard it they would be so jumpy that they would need to be on xanex........... A sharp, loud noise from a bow gets more reaction..........

[Pointer]

Shot my last buck from the ground with high-back shield cut feathers at around 15yds. He never knew what hit him. I do find that cut to be louder and now prefer parabolic cut feathers which are definitely quieter. I also no longer use high-back cuts.

[The Ole' Bowhunter]

I fletch all my cedar arrows with 5.5 inch high-back shield cut feathers and have no noise issues. I also put an extreme heilcal on them as well and have not had a noise problem.  I do know that feathers that have sections missing or gaps in them will make quite a bit of noise.

[Tajue17]

Originally posted by Marshallrobinson:
Funny thing is that I use my cat (at times) to verify how things are going when I do switch something. I take him outside and he generally (at some point) will get between me and the backstop. This is when I shoot and watch his reaction.
Flu Flu's make him hit the ground. My parabolic feathers he takes note of but in a very casual manner....just twitches his ears. He doesn't even take notice of Arizona plastic vanes.

Ha Ha this guy is so right!!  I use my cat also and he always does some kind of flip when that arrow goes by and parabolics get the least reaction.  

I have used EV Howler fletch and even though I missed the buck because I was looking at his horns he still didn't react until the arrow was right over his back,,,, EV Howlers which I would say are the loudest non flu flu fletching which sounds like a high pitched Zipper going down range,,,,, a popular fletch we use here on 3D courses.     I think the sound comes out behind the fletching though so by the time they hear it its too late!!