Finding Lost Arrows

[huntingwolf]

I have been thinking of purchasing a metal detector to locate my lost arrows. Has anyone done this and how effective is it

[achigan]

Decades ago, when first starting, I had three, mebbe four different sizes of aluminum arrows in my wheel bow quiver(three kids, work at home bride little $). I'd found half of them at a public range with a metal detector. This was before carbons were really popular around here, and not many woodies were used. I'd think it'd be a lot tougher finding just the metal point of a woodie or carbon.

[McDave]

The basic tool for finding lost arrows is a hook made out welding rod or some other stiff metal rod that is attached to a wooden handle or golf club handle, etc.  if you know within a few yards where the arrow went in, this works fine for raking the arrow out of the grass or weeds.

If you just have a general idea, a metal detector is good because you can cover more ground.  They don't work very well unless they are close to the ground, so if you have more than 6 or 8 inches of weeds growing up, it probably won't work.  The more metal, like aluminum arrows, the better they work.  A carbon arrow with an aluminum insert and a 100 grain tip is going to be harder to find.  Wet ground is difficult.

Mine is a Discovery 3300 that I got from Amazon.  It isn't the cheapest, and a long way from being the most expensive. Amazon only had about a hundred different models to choose from, and I have no idea which one is the best for finding arrows.  I doubt if it will ever pay for itself, but it is so frustrating to lose an arrow that I don't care.

[Stumpkiller]

Works, I have two.  Even with just the point they will detect the arrow.  

 

Also adds a bit of fun for coin shooting and relic hunting.  I used to work beside a town park which hosted an annual carnival and would find $3.00 to $10.00 in dropped coins on my lunch-hours.  An occasional ring or two.

 

But here is the problem - tips are steel.  Steel/iron reads low (detectors work on relative conductivity vs. the soil matrix) and most detectors are trying to avoid that as usually it is rusted trash/nails/junk.   It will also take a few arrows to make up the $200 to $1,000 investment.

I shoot muzzleloaders and I re-cast found lead into new balls.  I have probably dug 300 pounds out of my own and others lead from hillsides and target stops.  That is a big plus for me.  ;-)

[Roadkill]

I used to put duck training scent on the fletch, and told my lab to find it.
Hook works i had a metal detector but it was cheap and was frustrating for finging lost arrows

[McDave]

Roadkill, how did it work with the lab?  I have a border collie who always goes shooting with me, and she really focuses on the arrow being shot, but has never really chased it (I don't want her to, either).  We don't miss that many shots, and I would guess that if I wanted to train her, I'd have to shoot some arrows into the grass on purpose.  Not sure if it would be worth it.

[Paul/KS]

We use a fairly cheap one to find the arrows that miss during 4H practice.

[bofish-IL]

I go around the local range after each 3D shoot and find 10 to 20 arrows with the metal detector to add to the lost arrow bucket.  

The only problem is I usually loose mine so well I don't find my own.

[30coupe]

I can't help you on the already lost ones, but several years ago I started putting a band of reflective tape (auto dept. at Wallyworld) in front of the fletches. I go back after dark with a flashlight and the tape glows even trough pretty thick weeds/grass. I haven't lost one since. It's a lot cheaper than buying a metal detector too.

[johnnyk71]

i bought a metal detector for about a hundred bucks, and it has been mostly ineffective at helping find lost arrows.

i lost one the other day that i SAW hit in the grass, and never found it. sometimes they just teleport to another universe, and there's nothing you can do!

[kat]

If all else fails, and you are looking for arrows with field points, you may be able to find them with your feet.
I have been able to feel arrow that are lightly buried with stocking feet. If you take your shoes off, you can often feel an arrow that you can't see.

[GreyGoose]

I'm in the reflective tape or wrap camp.

[Chain2]

My Brittany finds them in the leaves and snow.

[Swamp Yankee]

Been using a $100 metal detector to find wood, carbon, glass and aluminum arrows for years; works well.

[SELFBOW19953]

"sometimes they just teleport to another universe, and there's nothing you can do!"

Good one, johnnyk71!!  I wonder if that's where that one sock out of each pair goes?

My retrievers would find anything I touched, I seldom lost an arrow.  They're gone now so I use a metal detector-it's slow, but I find most of them.

[Thumper Dunker]

My Border ausie mix finds them. But you need to get it fast he eats the feathers off of them ,still better than losing the arrow.

[Roadkill]

My Lab is old, but likes to sniff out things. Training scents are available, not expensive and any dog can be trained to use them.  Mine did not need a treat as she already knew duck scent was her life.  Put a dab on the fletching and givenit a treat when it finds whatever you train with.  Try it, a ten buck bottle of scent only has to have two arrows recivered to psy for it

[Jock Whisky]

A good arrow finding hook is an 18" or 24" long paint roller handle for 4" rollers. Cheap too

[Sam McMichael]

I have had fair luck using one.

[reddogge]

I'm into low tech. This fits into my roving quiver and it's essential if you want to shoot a lot of 3-D.