Trad Gang

Im getting ready to refletch some arrows and ive found myself in a bit of a dilemma of trying to figureout what fletch to use. While the choice is normally easy as i just grab some 4.5" ozark feathers out of my stock pile i dont have that luxury as my dog decided to eat the box which contained roughly 1000 feathers. Now ive got to buy feathers for the first time in a good while and i cant make up my mind. Im in a debate between 4 fletch 3" parabolic or 3 fletch banana cut. Which do you all prefer, 3 longer feathers or 4 shorter feathers.

If these are for target use, it really doesn't matter provided that your arrows are reasonably well tuned.  I would go with the smallest and lowest profile feathers that will correct any wobbles you might have.

For hunting, assuming you're using a fixed blade broadhead, you need a little more control.  I would say 4.5" is minimum, with 5" being better, with a reasonably high profile.  I've never noticed any difference between 3 and 4 fletch.

I don't have experience with the exact options you mention but I have gone back and forth between 3 and 4 fletched arrows using only 4" shield cut feathers. 

I have found I like 3 feathers better.  I don't notice any difference in flight (under 30 yards).  3 is quicker and cheaper to set up.  Arrows with 3 feathers will bunch up together much more compactly in a quiver.  Also, with 3 you don't need to have conversations about why you have 4 feathers every time you shoot with someone new. 

The only positive I have found for 4 is that they are more visible, both in the air and on the ground.  Other things I've heard people say in favor of 4 is that you don't have to worry about where the cock feather goes (not something that affects me) and it will straighten out an arrow quicker after a poor release  (I have not noticed this).

Fletching delimma?  Surely not!!!! Say it isn't so!!!

My hunting style doesn't allow me to have the perfect backyard shot every single time. I have to manufacture shots in the field. Therefore, I use 5 inch four fletch.

This format gives me more stability, more visibility, and an overall more forgiving Arrow. It takes the worry of feathers out of the equation.

I never lost an animal tbecsuse my feather choice, which some will lead you to believe in their defense of feather choice. Just put enough feather on there and forget about it ...it's bow hunting.

And before you hear the words down range and the loss of 1.5 feet per second....

Downrange comments belong on a rifle forum.

If you need 1.5 more feet per second to kill an animal, you need to be on a rifle forum
  :biglaugh:

I will agree McDave for the most part. I use 4 fletch just for the fact that I like to pull an arrow out of the quiver, knock and shoot with out a care about cock feather.

Quote from: Terry Green on December 16, 2018, 11:13:41 AM
Fletching delimma?  Surely not!!!! Say it isn't so!!!

My hunting style doesn't allow me to have the perfect backyard shot every single time. I have to manufacture shots in the field. Therefore, I use 5 inch four fletch.

This format gives me more stability, more visibility, and an overall more forgiving Arrow. It takes the worry of feathers out of the equation.

I never lost an animal tbecsuse my feather choice, which some will lead you to believe in their defense of feather choice. Just put enough feather on there and forget about it ...it's bow hunting.

And before you hear the words down range and the loss of 1.5 feet per second....

Downrange comments belong on a rifle forum.

If you need 1.5 more feet per second to kill an animal, you need to be on a rifle forum
  :biglaugh:

2X on that.👍

I'm in the process of switching to four 4-inch fletch from three 5-inch fletch as I refletch or build new arrows. Reason for the change has nothing to do with arrow flight. Both those combinations work well.  However, I burn or chop my own fletches and and commercial turkey feathers are so short nowadays that I can't get two 5-inch fletches out of a feather.  Can usually get two 4-inch fletches. The shorter fletches also give me better feather clearance for the sta-jac arrow holders I have mounted on all my bows.   :goldtooth:

Even on very good days, I'm never perfect with my release and, I expect I am less so in a hunting situation.  I want the little extra stability that 4-fletch provides, so I've switched from 3 feathers.  I use the Target Maxx feathers also, with some shield-cuts periodically.  The Ozark feathers are also very simple to cut down to 4" length if you don't want the full 4.5" length.

Three 5" shield cuts here.  Real tough decision, huh?  :biglaugh:

I prefer three 5" shield cut feathers also. They look nice and have performed well for me.

for me and hunting, i want a LOT of steerage from the get-go, so 5-1/2" shield cut feathers and a full helical twist in 3 or 4 fletch.  i like pink feathers, too - goes good with blood red.    :saywhat: 

fletch burning is what i prefer, so i can make fat profiled fletching ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAdradTtz6o

Nice Rob!!!

Now, I will probably catch some flack but I use what I have on hand.  Different cuts on the same arrow, some are left wing and right wing on the same arrow. I have arrows with 3 different cuts and colors on them.  The 10 ring doesn't care what is sticking out of it.

On my hunting arrows I have more consistency because those usually are not arrows I've had to fix.

Those New York guys are tough on arrows at 3d shoots if you are the first to shoot and your arrows go where they should.  I became cheap in my repairs knowing they were temporary fixes anyway. My score never reflected how ugly my arrows were.

Speaking of which I have a dozen needing some attention.

I like 3 five inch,4 four inch,and even have some 4 five inch.

I used to worry about fletch orientation. I had to glue some nocks on,and had to readjust them because they set crooked. I didn't get the fletch just right. I've nocked feathers off shooting through cans,some have just fallen off of aluminums. I still shoot all of them,even just the ones with two feathers. I can't tell the difference in flight on any of them.

That said when I go hunting I get them all fixed up and the same,but with a good tuned arrow it doesn't seem to affect the flight with a good release.

Three 5" shield cuts work great for me.

i prefer a "fat" shield that's not available commercially and so i get that by twisting up a custom burner wire.  the shape adds more feather to its front end, for added steerage.

Whatever works. 3ea 5" feathers are the gold standard for hunting.

If you want high profile feathers, look up Sagittarius Archery. Very good quality and affordable. Their shield is a little goofy looking IMO, but their parabolic are sweet. A little higher profile than most.

that's the beauty of a fletch burner - yer in control of the fletch shape.

I like 4 fletch on my woodies for the simple fact you can get twice as much wear out of feathers.  I generally shoot three fletch burnt high profile 4 or 5" shields on my arrows that have an adjustable nock.

Use as much feather as you need. I like to tinker and will say that everyone that's posted so far uses more feather than me.

I DUNNO ABOUT PINK FEATHERS---LOL-LOL

That's pretty neat, Roy.  I hadn't seen that before.  In case any others would like to know how to do this, there is a box above the big box where you enter your message that has a moving M in it that I think makes this happen.  We'll see.  Please feel free to delete this if you don't think it would be of general interest to others.

Not a problem, Dave.

PINK IS COOL!


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Howdy Robby..

:wavey: :laughing:

I guess I'll be the odd man out on feathers. I actually prefer vanes, and I use Bohning blazer. When I do shoot feathers I burn them into a size approximate to a blazer vane. I believe as long as the vane is larger than the broadhead then stabilization is achieved. I also believe compact fletching is more resistant to moisture, more forgiving in crosswinds, is stiffer, and quieter.

having played the NAA, NFAA and olympic outdoor games where it was a MUST to fletch with plastic vanes from flex-fletch to spin wings in order to achieve as fast and low and stable an arrow flight from 40 yards out to 100 meters, but none of those vanes were as significantly consist for me and hunting and good ol' turkey or goose feathers, for stabilizing large surface broadheads.  fletchings, like 99% of all trad bow tackle, is as subjective as they come.  whatever works best for ya, will be best ... that is, unless there's the issue of misuse. 

i'll add ... the main reason i want really large feathers on a hunting shaft is to straighten out its flight as quickly as possible, for that short 5 to 25 yard trip to the critter i'm hunting.  this isn't target archery, with its regimented stance and form.  this is about drawing anchor where yer lower body form can take many different positions, all of which can affect arrow flight.  i long ago found that those "critical" arrows, that put more of a demand on form and release, just can't cut it when out hunting ... particularly at venues and in conditions that the target boys don't play in.

Nothing beats wild turkey feathers for me.

[attachment=1]

wild turkey is hard to beat (the fletchings, that is  :bigsmyl: ), but i do have a soft spot for canada goose fletchings in wet weather as they have the natural oils that turk feathers don't have.

held for five minutes under running water, which is the goose fletched shaft?

(http://www.tradgang.com/rob/goose/wetarras.jpg)

 


The only Fletching dilemma I've ever had is not having enough time to send them through the air.

Quote from: Terry Green on December 18, 2018, 04:27:37 PM

<<<--------------(((((-

The only Fletching dilemma I've ever had is not having enough time to send them through the air.

WELL PUT,  amigo!  :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

four 4" para here.  mod'ed my lil chopper which was a 5" para to cut were I want....I also am 'frugal' like someone mentioned above and try to get two 4" out of each full length feather. 

as far as speed of putting 4 feathers on a shaft, I use fletch tape so I'm done with a dozen before most are done with one shaft.  I put a dab of duco on the front and back, and run a thin bead down the edge of the quill just to prevent shift in hot weather (sometimes happens with fletch tape)

Speaking of cutting more than one feather from a full length feather, I just received 50 full length Bearpaw barred feathers from 3 Rivers.  I ordered the Bearpaw feathers for the first time, because they had a design I hadn't seen before and wanted to try. I only ordered 50, because I didn't know if I would like them, but they are long enough that it looks like I'll get 100 good feathers out of them.  The feathers I usually buy are getting too short to try to get 2 out of them anymore.  I don't like to chop two if one of them is on the run-out part of the quill that is too narrow to hold much glue.

some of you folks should give canadian goose feathers a try.  and they're free, to boot.  :)

I dunno Rob.

They land at our pond on occasion and I'll be damed if I can catch em.

I guess the wire cutter tool in my hand scares em.

typically the month of june starts the moult and then there's many dozens of excellent flight feathers all around our pond for the taking. 

and then ....

http://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?topic=108933.msg2041216#msg2041216

I use 4 x 4" shield

I've been using banana fletch for more years than I can remember.  I started out using the big maxi fletch which was 5 1/2" long and 3/4" high. The last several years I've gone down to  4 1/2" long by about 5/8 high. I've noticed no difference shooting my broadheads. This is where a burner works out. I also butt splice most of my feathers with a white tail section for visibility. This lets me get 2, sometime 3 pieces of my main color out of one full length feather. The burner gives me a nice clean feather when fine.