Why use 5" feathers....?

[O.L. Adcock]

pdk25...If you take any given 50# bow and set the side plate 1/4" from centershot, then tune arrows to it...They would be in the 50# spine range for example. Same bow, now remove the side plate material so the bow is centershot or close to it. It's now going to need much higher spine, say in the 60-65" range....Which arrow will bend/clear the riser better? If a bow is cut past center by adjusting the side plate thickness you can tune in a wide range of arrow spines. The closer to center, the higher the spine needed........O.L.

[O.L. Adcock]

Electric blues, "Not everyone has enough money to go through 100 arrows a month testing and making new ones. I wanted the first batch to work so I didnt have to spend more."

I agree 100%, a person that knows how to tune only needs 1 set of matched arrow...The fletching has nothing to do with how well your bow is tuned, it can be used to cover up and hide tuning errors however....O.L.

[Tom Anderson]

Once again. O.L., you've done an excellent job of explaining things.  Thanks.

[Gordon martiniuk]

OL is right if you takethe time to tune you bow with arrow point weight and then when you think you have it in the bag get a broadheads the right weight and they shoot the same place as field points it is a truly a good feeling how many of us have the ultimate arrow only to find it do not fly well with broadheads probably why so many of us own so many broadheads of diffrent weights But how sweet when it comes together and they fly right away so for me 5" feathers shield cut who cares if they are a little slower at 39yards but as O.L. states the flething will cover mistakes in Bow tune and poor releases  

[bswear]

Where can I buy 5.5" highback shield cut, barred feathers?

[WidowEater]

i like the shelf cut just to center or just before center.  THis usuall means i can shoot arrows in the range of my draw weight.

[Terry Green]

I use 5 and 5.5s.

Never had a problem killing game, and I always have great arrow flight no matter the weather or my shooting position.

As a BOWHUNTER, every shot it not picture perfect.....so I account for that more so than anything else.  And sure aint gonna use bordeline fletchings.

[Dozer]

This argument of feather noise and weather or not it will spook game bears a striking resemblance to the wheeled bow’s argument that faster arrows kill more deer. The absolute bottom line is a GOOD HUNTER kills more game and that’s it!

[Pat B]

The rustle of feathers isn't an unnatural sound in the woods I hunt. I don't think it matters that much and especially at close range...unless the deer is on point to begin with. Pat

[Dr. Ed Ashby]

Two major elements affecting the amount of fletching required are the level of arrow tuning and the degree of arrow FOC.

For over four and a half decades I used huge amounts of fletching - 6 1/2" three fletch or 5 or 5 1/2" four fletch. Today, using high amounts of EFOC (and now starting to experiment with Ultra-EFOC) and TINY amounts of fletching I get QUICKER paradox recovery and BETTER, MORE FORGIVING arrow flight (with broadheads of all types) than I EVER did with the massive amounts of fletching I was using previously.

I've only used the tiny-fletched hunting arrows (four by 2 1/2" A&A cut) on a limited number of animals so far (9), but my first impressions are that it does make a noticeable difference in animal-reaction to the sound of the shot. Though I'll not be able to do any more hunting for a while (until after I have my op and can recover) I have several friends, all experienced whitetail bowhunters, who are testing the A&A fletching on EFOC arrows for their whitetail setups this season. Testing will use both trad bows and compounds. It will be interesting to see if they note any animal reaction differences on the high strung whitetails.

Across what is now fifty years of big-game bowhunting I've taken a lot of game with arrows having large fletching, and  until recently would have STEADFASTLY maintained that large amounts of fletching was the way to go; that its advantages in increased arrow stability out-weighted all other factors. Changing to EFOC allowed me to use the small fletching while maintaining the arrow flight qualities I feel a hunting arrow must have. After ACTUALLY USING the small fletching in some hunting I'm now becoming convinced that it does, indeed, offer some solid advantages in concealment, reduced animal reaction, downrange arrow terminal performance, and arrow flight - especially in windy conditions.

On many hunting shots it won't make any difference at all what your fletching is, but I'm fairly convinced that there are hunting situations and hunting shots in which the smaller fletching (on that properly tuned EFOC arrow) will likely make a marked difference in success/outcome. Until you have actually used them, or have actually seen them used on a properly tune EFOC hunting arrow, keep an open mind on small fletching on hunting arrows. They might surprise you as much as they did me!

Ed
TGMM Family of the Bow

[Dozer]

Well... how can you argue with a guy who has "Dr." in front of his name. I guess its safe to say my comment is now invalid.  

[Dartwick]

Well your kind of right. being a "good hunter" and shot is still paramount  as Dr Ashbys record with long fetching will attest too.

[woodchucker]

"Bare Shaft" all you guys want.....

But you will NEVER get an arrow with small fletching to stabilize as fast and fly as straight as an arrow with large fletching.

[George D. Stout]

I've seen hunters with EFOC and most of them would do better without it 8^).    

[James Wrenn]

 George shooting big feathers because you like to is a pretty good reason for doing it.  Shooting them because someone thinks they are the only thing that works might not be the best reason.Trying things so you know first hand how and why things work is always the best.  :D

[George D. Stout]

James, you won't get too much of an argument from me; however, I have listened to Dr. E.F. Kenagy,  Dr. Paul Klopsteg, Dr. Phil, Dr. Henry Shoenthal....even Dr. Seuss, and frankly I really don't care to hang around Doctors too much.  They smell like rubbing alcohol.      

[James Wrenn]

Dr. Seuss is ok.  

[zilla]

I shoot 5" shields because I have a drawer full of em.. I do like the 5.5" high backs though for looks.. But 5" seems to git er dun..

[Scott J. Williams]

O.L. you always have my attention, and Dr. Ashby, I have learned much from you too!  I shoot 5 3/4 inch feathers because they look good, are traditional.  

Tuning my arrows has not been a problem for ten years,  I have used the bare shaft method, and the Adcock method.  I have used the extreme FOC long before I knew what you called it, because it worked.

Having shot competitively with compounds for several years, I have understood the advantages of using small fletching.  When I went to the woods, it was always five inch feathers.

Most of my hunting consist of shots in the 15 to 25 yard range.  I have taken game at 35 yards to 40 with my traditional gear.  I have eliminated the noise problem, as much as possible by taking just a little off the height of my big feathers, with my burner.  

I don't think my feathers are a handicap, and I regularly shoot my bare shafts at twenty to thirty yards grouping with the feathered shafts.

I agree, match your equipment, tune the son-of-a-gun to the point it is supposed to be, not just close enough.  Shoot whatever length feather you want, but as stated above, do it for the right reason.  There is no room for short cuts in bowhunting, modern or otherwise.  I like big feathers, bright crowns of 11 1/2 inches, colorful crest, and heavy shafts 11 - 12 grains per pound, with a lot of FOC.  It works, but may not be your way.  
I learned this by listening, and making a bunch of mistakes along the way.  Let my mistakes be a sign post, someething to be avoided.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
I use 5 and 5.5s.

Never had a problem killing game, and I always have great arrow flight no matter the weather or my shooting position.

As a BOWHUNTER, every shot it not picture perfect.....so I account for that more so than anything else.  And sure aint gonna use bordeline fletchings.

That's pretty much my thought on it as well. With rare exceptions, I use 4 4" feathers set left helical. But in the instances when I 3-fletch arrows, I use 5" feather. I can't say I've ever had a problem shooting through game animals either.