HH BUG GOT ME - Part Two!

So then, how long will I have to wait for a new JD Berry?

[Centex]

I believe it was 12 weeks last I called.

[2treks]

That's a dandy Buck James.
The bow and the hat are cool too!

Congratulations.
CTT

[JDBerry]

Thanks guys, Ordered 1 dz. new arrows a few weeks back from Wildness Custom Arrows, Sika Spruce, pale yellow crown, yellow bar hen feathers, Gray bar cox feather. Red and black crest. Yellow nock. 11/32 parrell, Cut @ 29". Forgot to ask  about left or right wing, Hope they come in left. What are some of your likes on arrows? ....James

[moebow]

Hi James,

I have been a BIG fan of Sitka Spruce and Douglas Fir shafts for about 20 years now.  Sitka is lighter (like POC) and Doug Fir much heavier (for hunting).

Both are much tougher than POC IMO.

Arne

[JDBerry]

Had a dz. Sitka years back, Really loved them, You can see the life in them in flight, got a dz. Sitka in the arrow rack (50/55) a friend made for me in ST. Louis, Trouble is ,no crown!! HOW CAN YOU SHOOT A ARROW WITH CROWN!!!! ..LOL.   Never cared much for fir, But someone got to buy them, I will leave that up to the other guy ( like you Moe)...LOL   ...James

[2treks]

JD,
Poplar, birch and spruce. No particular order.

cedar and fir is good.

Making up a half dz poplar now.
Stay tuned for pics

[JDBerry]

Looking forward o seeing them chuck. Why do you like poplar? I have never tried them.....James

I just talked to Mr. Berry for a couple of hours. Sometime next spring I am going to show you some pics of a dandy Morningstar.

[Blaino]

I love the fir from surewood. My Hill takes 75-80 11/32 tapered to 5/16 with 160g Grizzly on the killing end. I plan on staying with surewood for as long they make 'em.

It is possible to get tapered cedars that are heavy for their spine. They are a bit hard to come by, so I really appreciate it that so many are going to fir and spruce shafts.

[Brianlocal3]

Well , I'm a carbon fan myself.  

Pavan, the wait will be well worth it, I look forward to the pics for sure.  I'm personally a huge fan of the JD Berry reverse handles

[2treks]

JD, I like the way it feel out of the bow, it had decent weight and is tuff. Kinda like Sitka Spruce I guess.

I need to pick up some paint for my cap and crown tomorrow when I head to town, then I can start to fletch em up. I'll show ya some Pics

[akbowbender]

James,

Make sure to post some photos of your arrows.

I have a couple dozen Sitka Spruce shafts on the way. Make great arrows. Will probably back taper them as I have a mess of 5/16" nocks I need to use up. Except for seven DF that I use for moose hunting, they are all I shoot out of my Hill style bows. My Misty Dawn especially likes 'em!

[JDBerry]

That's a good one Pavan, glad to see Im helping with you finding better arrow stuff..LOL...jAMES

[Ric O'Shay]

I have been shooting hexpine laminated shafting and have had reasonably good results. They are heavier that cedar or even DF shafts, but are a little finicky about straightness and that is surprising to me. They don't readily take to stain like other woods, but are tough.

[Pat B.]

Good shafting is as easy as picking up the phone and calling Big Jim..  Can you say "blems", lol.

I tried the hexpines, I found that they needed considerable heat to take the bends out of them. A couple of mine got a long curvy look. Once they were straight, they stayed that way. I liked the weight, but I found that they liked a stiffer bow than the bow that they were supposed to. I think perhaps their recovery rate may have been a bit slower than tapered cedars, it was close. If I were to make a set for someone's Hill longbow, I would go down 5 pounds from cedars.

[far rider]

Okay guys and (gals! I always feel like Kathy is watching)
Since the subject  has turned to arrows, I would love some good old fashioned schoolology (read; opinions)for a set of arrows for the upcoming Hill Gang Hog hunt and extravaganza in Gawga!
My set up is as follows: 68" Hill Wesley
                         Braced: 6 3/4"
                         55#@30
I'm currently flinging full length cedars that were marked (I do not own a spine tester) 60-65 spine and Zwickey 145 2 blades up front. They fly just okay, although they do hit straight (just never where I want them to)

What I want is something much heavier than the cedars, and pushing a set of 225gr Tuffheads.
What I do have to add is that I have a set of 55-75 Traditional GT with 125gr fields up front and they fly great.

I'm open to anything wood: Poplar, Ash, Hickory, Surewood, Spruce, as long as they fly great and hold up reasonably well.

Okay...what ya got?

As always, thanks in advance,

Tim

If you are shooting a FF string and are getting a release that over 29" at the point when the string leaves your finger tips. Your cedar arrows are too light a spine at that length, assuming full length means 32" shaft before the point is applied. I would suggest the Byron Ferguson shafts, unless you have the time and patience to try a few firs.  I would get some sample shafts that are stiffer, add that broadhead, go for a minimum length fir shaft to match your draw and see which spine does best for you. You may still end up with carbons.
However, if your release point, where the string leaves your finger tips, is shorter than you think, try a lighter spined, shorter shaft.