Go with wood or stay with carbon arrows?

[Stick n' String]

I am struggling with a decision I suspect many of you on this forum have experienced. By manner of background facts, I have exclusively shot carbon arrows since converting to traditional archery in about 2000. I appreciate the sheer toughness of the carbons, along with my ability to tune them. However, I am now seriously considering a switch to wood arrows.

What I am primarily concerned about is the "toughness" of the shafts when stump shooting or tramping around in the mountains. I fully understand some extra degree of care with wood shafts because they are... well, wood. However, are wood arrows a pain to keep straight under actual "boots on the ground" hunting situations with changing temperatures, rain and all the rest?

If you made the switch to wood and feel as though you would never look back, then why?

The next and final question involves arrowsmiths. Who out there makes great custom wood arrows? Any suggestions on a particular type of wood?

Thanks for your input.

[centaur]

I have been shooting wood for years, almost exclusively cedars. I have never had trouble with them as far as keeping them straight, and I have arrows that have been stump shooting for hundreds, if not thousands, of times.
I am in the process of working up some chundoo (lodgepole pine) shafts that I got through TG classifieds. They look like great shafts, and are supposed to be tougher than cedar, so I will soon find out.
I have no plans to shoot anything but wood; they work, and have been taking game for thousands of years.
Carbons are no doubt more consistent than wood, but for the real world in hunting conditions, wood will get the job done time after time.
As far as arrowsmiths, I do my own, but I know when I was in the Raptor Archery shop a couple of years ago, he had some really nice arrows made up, and just last week I was in Rocky Mt. Specialties in Denver, and they make some fine looking woodies, too.

[Izzy]

Why not shoot both? Wood is surely my favorite but carbon is fine too. I hunt with both in my quiver all of the time and wouldnt give up either. I like carbon for stumping a little better because there no emotional attachment or time invested in creating them so if I break or lose one I dont sweat it although they rarely break if you arent shooting rocks. I tend to treat woodies like artwork and put a lot of time into cresting and splicing,

[Stumpkiller]

I have never used carbon and have been a wood user for all but a few years (I tried aluminum).  My favorite shooting is stump shooting.  In an afternoon I may blow up four or five arrows - but I don't baby them and take any shot that catches my fancy.  Some days are charmed, or the stumps soft, and I don't break any.  Douglas fir is a tad more rugged than cedar, but maybe only 20% more so.  The tips don't tend to snap as often from glancing hits with blunts.

Shooting with carbon shooters on similar shots they may break one or two to my five, so certainly carbon has it in durability.

On the other hand, I consider arrow making an enjoyable hobby and keep busy putting together three dozen shafts on a crummy winter weekend, so it is a good match.

Truly, if I was buying finished shafts I would probably have tried carbon by now.  Since I make my own I use the same shafts/arrows for deer, target, stumps, small game, etc.  For me that helps immensely.  My mentor used to scold me for pulling out a crummy arrow for a risky shot - like at a styrofoam rabbit on a stone wall.  He'd say you want your best arrow so it focuses your mind on being successful.  Instead of figuring I'll likely miss and ruin the arrow.  Good philosophy.

[Javi]

Started with wood 52 years ago... tried aluminum and carbon.. still shooting wood..

Learn to build your own, it's very rewarding.. and not that difficult.. Cedar or Douglas Fir are my two choices for material..

If I can help pm me and I'll get you my phone number..

[Bill Carlsen]

You can only answer your questions by trying them. I find myself, at times, wanting to know if one arrow shaft or another would be of any particular benefit than the carbons I am now shooting. But, when I shoot and the arrows go where I want, and game goes down in sight, I realize that I have achieved what I wanted....a set up that works well for me so there is really no reason to change. Just from a $$$ stand point I find carbons to be the best investment.

[amar911]

I have shot just about everything, including wood, fiberglass, aluminum, carbon, kevlar, and combinations of some of them, but carbon fiber based arrows are my favorites. Regardless of which is the "best" material for arrows, wood is definitely very good and adds a warmer, more natural element that just feels good. I like Izzy's idea of keeping carbon shaft arrows in your quiver for the purpose of practicality, and then having the woodies for the nostalgic aspect of the sport. The main thing is to give yourself the most joy in your shooting, and wood arrows might be just the thing to accomplish that for you.

Allan

[ron w]

I shoot wood ,alum. and carbon. I like wood the best just for the nostalgia factor...lol! I have cedar arrows that I got in 1996 that I still hunt with [don't get many shots] and one of them I have a rubber blunt on I have stump shot for hundreds of shots.......try it , you may like it!

[Bjorn]

Snag at Wilderness Arrows does a great job. He uses Surewood Doug Fir-it is the best there is!

[58WINTERS]

Izzy makes a good point. Wood arrows are another part of traditional archery that may enhance your enjoyment of the sport.  Getting quality shafts from an accomplished arrowsmith will help you decide whether they are something you want to pursue. The next step would be to start building them yourself. You would need a spine tester, a taper tool (recommend the Wood Chuck if using Fir shafting) a fletching jig and a grain scale. These tools enable you to have the same capability as an arrowsmith but require an investment of $$. Quality shaft suppliers will supply you shafts in a given spine and weight range which helps by eliminating the spine tester and the grain scale but you do give up control of totally matched arrows which may or may not be important to you. Building woods that all spine the same and are within a total 5 grain spread is part of the enjoyment but not necessary for good performing woods.
Go with a good arrowsmith first. If you like them you can start down the slippery slope of learning to make the same quality arrows yourself.
Enjoy the journey.

[Shawn Leonard]

Wood is a great choice, as is carbon. I still shoot both. If you want to try wood you should definitely do so, but make them up yourself. the cost of a hand crafted dozen is high now a days and for the cost of than wipe on with a lint free rag, use a lil 0000 steelwool between coats and let dry good between coats. Shafts cut to length and tapered can be had for $40 or even less and some feathers and nocks you are good to go, as ong as ya have a fletching jig. If you do you can make your own dozen for leass than $60 and if ya like it you can get more elaborate latter on. Shawn

[SuperK]

Half the fun of shooting wood is making them yourself.  Plently of "how to" threads on here.  I used to use wood before the price jump on shafting.  Now-a-days I can buy Gold Tip blems from Big Jim's at about the same price as good wooden shafts.  But crafting wooden arrows is a great hobby after hunting season.  Give it a try!

[stringstretcher]

Check with Magnus.  He is a sponsor on here and does the best work I have seen yet.

[Tom Leemans]

Keep shooting them while you learn to make cane arrows! (natures carbon)     They seem to fly good out of everything.

[b.glass]

I switched from wood to carbon when I was shooting some maple shafts. One July day, (hot and muggy), and I was shooting crappy.

I tried some carbons that day and even though they weren't spined right they flew so much better! So I switched to carbons.

A few years ago I switched back to wood, specificly POC. They stay straight and fly great no matter what the weather. I choose my "rotten" stumps wisely as not all are as soft as they look due to breakage behind the head.

I recently tried the Internal Point Wieght Footing Jig from 3RA. I like the way it gives my arrows added wieght up front and they fly great. I need to experiment to see if they have increased durability. Either way I'm staying with wood especially with my selfbows.

Bona

[joe skipp]

If Silent Pond Shafts was still in business....I wouldn't be shooting aluminum or carbon. My arrow of choice from Mike was Barrel tapered ash.

Tough, strong, needed a tweaking now and then but flew straight. Mike would hand weigh and spine each doz for me and every animal I took were complete pass thru's at 20 yds and under and 3/4 penetration out to 35 yds.

Barrel tapered ash would be my choice....

[drewsbow]

Like Tom said try some cane or bamboo and make them yourself . They are more durable than cedar and just as much fun to make . Drew

[Stick n' String]

Wow, thank you all for the excellent responses!

I would certainly love to try the arrows and make up my mind after doing so... however, a good set of matched woods from a custom shop appears to cost anywhere from $100.00 to more that $150.00 a dozen. OUCH. While I have spent that much on carbon shafting, I knew what I was getting in the bargain.

[coaster500]

"Why not shoot both?"

X2

[Ken Babicky]

I'll add my $0.02.

I love wood for the enjoyment of it, lower cost (I make my own) and for me it makes me feel closer to the whole trad thing.  I shoot wood more than carbon.

I also have lots of carbons and still use them, just not as often.  I find that when I travel long distances to hunt with a friend or two I tend to use carbon simply because I don't have to worry about one of my buddies laying something on top of or against my woodies and giving them a set that I have to straighten. If I am by myself I choose wood.  If I had to choose one for durability and consistency reasons I would have to choose carbon.

Like was said by many earlier, try them and decide for yourself... you might enjoy them!