Right and Left wing feathers

[TomMcDonald]

Hello all,
I'm new to fletching my own arrows.
I'm wondering what the difference is between left and right wing feathers.
Are there instances where I wouldn't use either one?
Thanks...
Tom.

[Hoffman]

Just don't mix them. Use all RW or all LW on the same arrow.

[Orion]

Doesnt' make any difference which you use as long as you stick to one or the other.  However, if you are shooting a single bevel broadhead, then you should match the feathers to the bevel, i.e., left bevel calls for left wing feathers, right bevel calls for right wing feathers.

[zilla]

And make sure the jig is marked right or left as appropriate

[Rick P]

Originally posted by TomMcDonald:
Hello all,
I'm new to fletching my own arrows.
I'm wondering what the difference is between left and right wing feathers.
Are there instances where I wouldn't use either one?
Thanks...
Tom.

Tom
I find fletching fun creative and relaxing, welcome.

Right wing feathers come from the right wing literally, same with left, the difference is that feathers have a natural curve to them so feathers from different wings curve in opposite directions. As long as you stick to all LW or all RW on each arrow it wont make a difference unless your doing helical fltechings or using single bevel broad heads. Just match the wing to the broad head or helix. RH bevel gets RW fletchings. Only use RW fletchings in a RH helical clamp.

Only time I've ever used a feather that wasn't from the wing was fletching flu flu's with Full turkey tail feathers, they really looked cool!

[TomMcDonald]

Thanks everybody for your replies.
I can't wait to get my shafts and to start. Ordered 3 doz from this site.
So the jig also has to be either left or right? Not just the clamps?

[Rick P]

Tom with a Bitzenburger only the helical clamps are different. In a strait clamp Right or left wing doesn't matter. BTW invest in a helical clamp you would not believe how much spin you get from them and even heavy broadheads are much more stable!

Almost forgot check out feather cutters there are as many varieties of shapes as you can imagine available. personally I like a 5" shield cut.

[TomMcDonald]

Hi Rick,
Thank you. I shoot aluminium arrows now that have helical fletchings and I plan to do it this way on my wooden shafts.
I haven't shot broadheads before but I'll have my hunting licence in November and will be doing it all year round after that    
Thanks again for the replies, what a fantastic forum.

[Rick P]

Tom
Can you hunt waterfowl in Australia? One of my favorite parts of doing my own fletchings is that you can experiment with feathers of different game birds. Geese and ducks have wonderful flight feathers especially the secondaries. They have a stiff fine webbing that stands up well and looks great. Also they have been treated with preening oil for the ducks whole life so they hold up better in the rain. Sand hill crane secondaries are very nice too. My favorite has too be snowy owl secondaries here in Alaska there is a very limited area they can be legally hunted. Snowy owls have a built in sound dampening system in there feathers, they are spooky quiet on the wing...so are arrows fletched with there secondary flight feathers.

[TomMcDonald]

Rick,
That all sounds so interesting. Yes, we can hunt ducks but I'm not sure about any other waterbird.
I haven't thought about using feathers from a bird I shot but that sounds like a great idea.

Do you hunt birds with a bow?

[Rick P]

I will be hunting waterfowl for the first time with a bow in about 2 weeks. I have harvested Grouse and Ptarmigan but no wing shooting yet. I'm almost as excited about ducks and geese as I am Sheep hunting this year!

[TomMcDonald]

Sounds sweet. Good luck. What kind of sheep do you hunt?

[Rick P]

Dall sheep. I'll be hunting mountain Goats the 25-29th. Then Moose about 3-4 days a week till I get one or October 20th. Mix in Ducks geese and a couple of small game trips with the wife and there's my fall.

[Rick P]

My wife really wants to go to Hawaii this winter, we have freinds there and I'd love a chance to run a arrow through a feral pig or Mouflon sheep or two.

[TomMcDonald]

Dang that's alot of game for 3 months.
I'll be huntin' (as long as they appear) pig, goat, deer, fox, rabbit, hare, dog and cat (if I'm extremely lucky). All but some species of deer can be taken all year and with no bag limit as part of the 'Conservation Hunting' program on public land.
All those too on privately owned property.

Dall sheep are those weird lookin white things yes?

[Rick P]

Well they are all white, but I think they are the second most beautiful ungulate in North America, the Mountain Goat being the first....also all white. BTW mountain goats aren't true goats and belong to a genus all there own Oreamnos americanus. They are actually more closely related to antelope.

And your right I have stacked allot of big game hunts in a short time this year, might even do another bear trip in there somewhere.