spray painting after fletching

[Luke Vander Vennen]

I made up some arrows for an upcoming rabbit hunt, but I had to use the only colour fletching I had - white. I have a feeling they're going to be lost fairly quickly. The shafts are stained douglas fir, so I would rather not cover the whole shaft if possible, but would it work to lightly spray the fletched end with some yellow paint? Not a whole lot, just enough to make them visible in the snow. Would this mess up flight?

[Ray Hammond]

yep, it will likely affect the way they come off the bow because it will make them stiff..but you could take a permanent magic marker and color up the feathers with say, hi viz orange and accomplish the same thing, Luke.

[TexMex]

Yellow    in the snow  :eek:  
Or you could use some cool-aid and stain the feathers.

[AnointedArcher]

3 Rivers has different colored markers they sell for coloring thier Delta rain vanes, I betcha that would work as well?

[Kingstaken]

What Ray and Tex said.... Good Luck

[Jeff Strubberg]

You know....


If you didn't mind the mess, I bet a guy could carry a baggie of chalk line dust out there.  Just drop the tail end of your arrows in the baggie and shake it a bit, then back in the quiver.

You'd never lose a bunny arrow again.

[pjsnell]

I have used permanent marker on white feathers.  An orange sharpie would make your solid white feather barred pretty quickly.

[Luke Vander Vennen]

jeff thats not a bad idea. When the arrow entered the snow it would probably leave a mark and you could follow the path of the arrow. It would be a pretty big mess though.

Anointed Archer - I don't think I have enough time to wait for shipping. The hunt's in a few days and shipping normally takes about 3 weeks. Sounds like it might work though.

I'm thinking I'll try the cool aid. Will moiisture make it run at all?

[Killdeer]

No questions about whose arrow it is, either! It belongs to the guy with the chalk-line dust all over his stringside cheek!    

Wouldn't some blaze/vile green type paint just ahead of the fletching do? Or maybe the flourescent fur tracers ahead of the nock? (water REALLY does a number on the fur, though.)

Killdeer

[B.O.D.]

flo green nocks glow under the snow, right Jesse...right JESSE!!!! LOL      

[Bowspirit]

Luke,
I think adding a small portion of vinegar to the Kool-Aid makes the colors set really well. Just my two cents...

[ironrhino]

Luke... why dont you just put a litte painters tape on your feathers then hit them with as much paint as you want... remove the tape and VIOLA!!! just make sure that the tape is taller than the arrow so the two pieces stick to themselves...

i'd bet that would work !!!... but the chalk does sound like a good idea!

[Longbows4life]

i bet you could litely spray them with paint them shoot them some to take the stiffness out.or just put chalk on them and i bet it would stick for awhile

[Montauks]

Luke, get yourself some Sharpie permament markers, they come in alot of different colors and tip widths  
     


Gene

[Patience]

luke, use bright coloured fabric and glue behind fletches.

Nick

[Tilbilly]

Either the sharpie markers, or go get some automotive reflector tape from Canadian Tire. Comes in Orange as well. Shines in the dark if you point a flashlight at it. Put that on the shaft between the nock and feather area. If the arrow isn't completely under the snow, that part will be showing. And like someone said, you can remove it later.