Just Too Much Twist

[Shan]

Gang,

I got a question! I made up a set of woodies (5" shield feathers) and they are really loud (hissing) flying through the air. I believe its because I put too much helix on them.

1) Will deer hear this sound and more effectively duck the shot?

2) If deer will react to the sound before the arrow reaches them, is there anything I can do to make them more quiet without trying to strip the duco and re-fletch?

Thanks in advance for any ideas/thoughts/input!

p.s. - the arrows sound like the ones from the old Erol Flynn Robin Hood which is really cool but kinda loud    

[sheephunter]

I don't think it is the helix of the feather causing the noise, sheild cuts (especially 5") are generally just a louder feather. Could be wrong, but I don't think so.

[Panzer]

What Sheephunter said.

[Orion]

Critters will hear your bow go off before they hear the arrow .  If they react to the noise, which they don't always do, it will be to the string noise, not the arrow noise.

It's the shape and size (and condition) of the feathers and broadhead that creates the hissing noise, not the amount of helical.

[daveycrockett]

What you describe is to me the difference between Gateway feathers(hissing noise) and Trueflight(quiet) jmho.  

[Jake Diebolt]

My trueflight feathers hiss like a snake...I don't know why, but it doesn't bother me. The shape is parabolic, by the way.

[JRY309]

I think feather height has more to do with a noisy feather then twist.

[Killdeer]

I agree on feather height. Trim them a little. This is where a feather burner earns its price.

Killdeer

[Jake Fr]

Killdeer is right.I like banana flech for quite arrow flight but a burner is well worth their price

[Shan]

Critters will hear your bow go off before they hear the arrow . If they react to the noise, which they don't always do, it will be to the string noise, not the arrow noise.

We have some hay bails stacked up alongside our barn and i stood behing the barn and had my dad shoot at the hay from 20yds - I couldn't hear the bow go off but I heard the arrow hissing into the target. This is what got me thinking that game would hear the arrow.

If it is feather height and not the twist, that is good news for me! I will try to trim them down a little w/o ruining their aesthetic value too much haha.

Anybody else have input? thanks for the replies!

[Shan]

they are turkey feathers from a friend in Illinois btw, so not gateway or trueflight

[Orion]

Sequoia:  Maybe your ears aren't that good.  I've stood  behind backstops at 20 yards as well and listened to people shoot.  Could always hear the bow go off.  Regardless, a critter's ears are probably better than both of ours.  

By the time you hear the arrow, it's at least half way to the target. If the critter doesn't start moving until then, you'll get him if your aim is true.  

At longer distances, 30, 40, 50 yards, for example, feather noise can give a critter plenty of advance warning, but at close range, they'll be hearing and reacting to the bow going off before they hear the hissing.

[magnus]

If they are secondary feathers they will make more noise than primaries. Trim them down or replace with primary feathers. IMO natural feathers are quieter than commercial feathers. The barbl's are more rigid.

[Shan]

at close range, they'll be hearing and reacting to the bow going off before they hear the hissing.

Hey Orion, you are probably right. That gives me some more confidence with these arrows. Thanks for the insight!

   

   If they are secondary feathers they will make more noise than primaries  

Magnus, i think they are both mixed in. Thank you also for the advice

[JMR]

I missed four times on three different bucks in one morning because of hissing feathers. I never noticed the sound much at home but in the still woods they whistled like bottle rockets. I would just trim them down a little with some scissors. Trimming them may save you explaining to your hunting partner why all of your arrows have dirt on them and no blood!    

[Bill Carlsen]

Feather height and shape are, IMO. the reason for feather noise. Too much helical...don't think there is a jig on the market that can do too much. Try a parabolic cut. I used parabolic most of my life...at least for 50 years worth of shooting. I went to a four fletch and liked the lood of the shield cut with that configuration. By keeping the profile low I get no noise...at least no more than my old parabolics....which were very quiet.

[deaddoc4444]

Shields will be  slightly louder  ( hissing ) than  parabolic's  or Banana cuts .  But height also has a lot to do with it.    
    I shoot shields on my practice arrows but my hunters are burned and I "rounded off" the point  of the shield on my burner  for my  hunting arrows  .
       
    MY son  had mentioned a week or so ago  when we shot, that my practice arrows  sounded "So cool "   like the movies !!!! LOL  But my broad heads    shoot very silently

[gordydog]

I found any vented broadhead to make a hissing noise.  Those 5 " shield can be noisy,  so I trimmed off the back corners with a scissors and it solved the noise problem.  I never hunt with noisy arrows or noisy bows.  No deer has reacted to my bow or arrows since then. Also if you trim the front corner of your quill to make a nice low profile point.  Try a turbulator(1\\8" tape ring) placed 1\\4" in front of quill.  This acts like a rock in a stream to quiet the fletch.

[JamesKerr]

I agree with those who say it is the height of the feather. I would try trimming them down just 1/16" or so and see if that helps.

I shoot high 5.5" feathers with as much twist as my fletcher can give and still keep the quill flat on the shaft. My shafts sounds like a humming bird on speed, but I have not had a problem with deer jumping the arrow. I like how fast they straighten out and then buzz straight through the deer.