Are wood arrows a novelty these days?

[Cavscout9753]

I was having a conversation yesterday with a fellow bow hunter/friend (wheelie guy, gasp! Haha), and the subject turned to my trad gear. He was surprised to see wood arrows in my bow quiver. It got me thinking, I KNOW people still hunt with wood arrows, but how many? I have carbons, (GT Traditionals), but I love my woodies so much more! They shoot so quiet and true. I enjoy knowing how each one behaves, and working on them. I don't build my own (yet) but I still put in effort to get the tips mounted perfect, keep any slight bends out, etc. I know it can be a little hassle from time to time, but I honestly don't mind. Now, after reading back some years in the forums, I can sort of see the carbon tide roll in. They do make sense, durable, easy to adjust FOC, straight, cheap (relatively) etc. Most of the "pros" for woodies seems to be their smell when they break, hahah. So, if you're a woody hunter, please stand and be counted. What do you hunt with them, what heads do you like, tips or tricks for maintenance and upkeep, etc. Thanks in advance! I would love to see how woodies are still dropping critters big and small in a "techy" world of today!

[flinthead]

The feeling of shooting a wooden arrow out of a one piece longbow is hard to beat [still do it sometimes]---however I mostly shoot carbons because of the obvious reasons.Thanks, Roy

[Hermon]

I hunt with wood arrows.  Just like them better.

[Cavscout9753]

I forgot to add, if you are shooting some snazzy arrows (wood or carbon, I'm in no way saying one is any better), feel free to show a pic. Same goes for any game taken if you'd like. Archery, and traditional archery at that, probably allows for people to best express themselves with the gear they choose to carry. Thanks again and happy shooting/hunting, no matter which you prefer!

[SELFBOW19953]

Just me being me, but, I refuse to shoot anything but wood from my longbows.  Call it nostalgia, pig-headedness, whatever, wood just feels right from a longbow.  I have shoot aluminum, glass and wood from my recurves.  Carbon and me aren't friends yet.

[typical2]

I use wood arrows because they shoot better through my longbows.  I tried and tried to tune carbons to no avail.  Switched to wood and got better results.  Might try carbons again but probably not.

[Tree Killer]

I've made, shot, and hunted with wood arrows exclusively for the last 28 years. Just a fad I suppose.

[BowHunterGA]

Just today I put a Douglas Fir shaft through a buck on a steep quartering away angle. Exited through the clavicle on the off shoulder and into the ground several yards beyond.

 

Nothing wrong with wood, just takes a little more effort to tune with them, or at least it does me. That said, I still shoot carbons as well but I love shooting woodies.

[Cavscout9753]

I love the quote Tree Killer, haha

[BowHunterGA]

Sorry for the double post, not sure what I did wrong there.

[Zmonster]

This is my first attempt at wood arrows, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. I gathered most the info online here and there. Took me about two weeks devoting about an hour each night I had available. This was extremely fun. I collected all the equipment and supplies starting in January. I waited for the right deals to pop up and strike while the iron was hot. It took me a year to get everything I needed, but the wait was worth it. Quality equipment produced quality results. Most important thing needed is time.

My equipment and supplies:

11/32, 75-80 spine Douglas fir shafts from Surewood
Woodchucker taper tool and bearpaw taper tool
11/32 locator nocks
0000 steel wool
Rubber gloves
Cotton patches
11/32 125gr glue on points
Minwax dark walnut stain
Rustoleum sunbleached stain
Minwax wipe on ploy gloss (oil based)
Whispering wind acrylic gloss enamel from 3R. (Red, white and black) "Scouts Out"
1 Bitz fletch jig
Spin rite Crestor
Young feather burner
Artificial Sinew
Feathers
ACE roller
Time...


Just before the black boarder crest.
 

Finished the first arrow
 

[Mike Vines]

I somehow managed to get one of those nasty wood things to fly the 13 FEET to the unsuspecting mule deer in this picture...

   

I sure hope one of these ugly wood arrows can do the trick on a Manitoba bear this coming spring...

   

[Mike Vines]

Originally posted by BowHunterGA:
Just today I put a Douglas Fir shaft through a buck on a steep quartering away angle. Exited through the clavicle on the off shoulder and into the ground several yards beyond.

 

Nothing wrong with wood, just takes a little more effort to tune with them, or at least it does me. That said, I still shoot carbons as well but I love shooting woodies.

And what a great story it was Steve.

[damascusdave]

There is enough interest in wood arrows that if you check the requirements for the North American Longbow Safari only wood arrows are acceptable...I met a bowhunter last year who has 3000 Port Orford Cedar shafts...woodies are doing fine and will continue to do so for many years

DDave

[BuckeyeGuy]

Aluminum for 20 years, carbon just this fall, and now onto wood.  Wonder why it took so long to shoot wood.  Just feels good.  I used Curt's screwdriver method to straighten my arrows.  Shooting #55-60 POC with 125 grain woodsmans installed right now.  Planning on using 2 blade Deltas as well.  

 

[jrchambers]

I havnt had good luck with woodies and consistency, first it was hard to find them in the spine I needed, I didn't put them through my own spine tester but I could only get 4 or 5 of a dozen to cooperate. scince then I use them for small game with big feathers. my bow loves them they make my bow silent.  I would love to use them for big game if I knew I could get them to be as consistant as my ads.

[jrchambers]

dang double post,  anyway any tips on woodies.

[jrchambers]

dang

[Cavscout9753]

Some good looking arrows! And Zmonster, its clear your time and planning paid off!! Those turned out gorgeous! Oh, I only shoot red and white feathers, "Scouts Out!" Haha.

[Jim Wright]

I shoot Longbows, Toelke Super Ds and a Classic Whip and nothing but Douglas Fir and some Cedar through them. Wood is quiet, the Fir particularly is beautifully grained and they are satisfying to make yourself and they fly beautifully, certainly better than I can shoot.