The Midnight Arrow....

Charlie Lamb · April 02, 2019, 09:12:38 PM

3Rivers has them but not in white or yellow which would be my preference. They do have the flo green that you like though.

Terry Green · April 02, 2019, 09:20:46 PM

Thanks Charlie, I have to agree with you, I think white would reflect back at you better than the other colors.....

Terry Green · April 05, 2019, 05:13:13 PM

Firenocks in the works for me now...

flyonline · April 07, 2019, 05:36:51 AM

Fly tier thinking aloud here....

- Rabbit zonker strips or patches readily available in every colour under the sun for similar/better price as tracer fur from fly tying shops. Just add double sided tape/contact adhesive. Just had a thought that alpaca or arctic fox is available for more bulk/longer hairs if wanted.

- A very soft hackle such as schlappen or marabou may be an option - if I had the time I'd do some tests to see if they impact arrow flight wrapped like a fur tracer, or if we were on the same continent I'd send you some to play with.

There are tying options to get it to stand 'up' more during flight or at rest depending on what you want to see as well e.g. reverse tied cross-cut zonker strips would stand up more during flight but tend to lay flat at rest.

Steve

Tim Finley · April 07, 2019, 11:56:33 AM

I used nockturnal and sometimes they shut themselves off after the shot . We shot quite a few hogs in Texas in March some we were trailing we found the arrow and the light was out . As soon as we touched it it came back on . They help with getting a line on the blood trail I don't like to see them go out. We also had a new light we used over the bait from Wal-mart it was a drive way light that has different colors, goes from green to red to blue or white, you can lock onto any color you want, is solar powered comes on at dusk automatically ,and is 120 lumens, brighter than our kill lights and only 25 bucks .

smokin joe · April 07, 2019, 12:28:35 PM

Here is the final version of my Midnight Arrow. It has a Firenock and a 6 inch reflective wrap. I decided on the Firenock because it has been reliable in tests -- working every time. To me, that makes it worth the money.

[attachment=1]

smokin joe · April 12, 2019, 02:46:11 PM

Boy, was I wrong.

The reflective wrap and the lighted nock make my arrow much heavier at the tail end than my usual tuned hunting and 3-D set up. That extra back end weight is enough to introduce some tail wobble that I do not like. In addition, that level of tail wobble opened up my groups and messed up my shooting accuracy.

I will do more testing to see what I can do to get the midnight arrow to fly the way I want.

If the Firenocks are reliable enough, and so far they seem to be, I might decide I don't need the full reflective wrap. After all, the lit nock is far easier to see than the reflective wrap. But, I might just go the other way. The testing will give me the answers.

Terry Green · April 12, 2019, 03:12:00 PM

Many thanks Joe..... Although I haven't had any problems with my arrows.... Please tell us your bow specs, draw weight, draw length, arrow spine, head weight so we will know..... This will go far for those wanting to to add a midnight arrow to their armory....thx.

Terry Green · April 16, 2019, 03:39:44 PM

I am working on a couple of other enhancements....

Terry Green · April 17, 2019, 04:07:30 PM

More goodies ordered!

goobersan · April 17, 2019, 04:23:21 PM

If you settle on illuminated nocks you can insert a roll-pin into your other arrow nocks to match weight. My buddy has done this for years on his setup.

smokin joe · May 13, 2019, 12:36:02 PM

Version 2.0 of my Midnight Arrow:

In my last post I mentioned that I was not getting good arrow flight due to the added tail weight of the reflective wrap and the Firenock. So, I did some work.

In my tests so far, the Firenock has worked each and every time with no exceptions at all. Therefore, the reflective wrap on the tail end of the arrow was a bit redundant. Then I started thinking a bit more seriously about real hunting situations.

The Midnight Arrow is mostly for hog hunting. Sure, I will use them for late afternoon deer and bear hunts.

Here is the scenario I think I will have most often: I will be hunting hogs in a state that allows night hunting for hogs. I will shoot a hog that will run off with some of the arrow sticking out both sides -- maybe in him up to the fletching. When the hog falls over dead, I can't count on him falling with the nock side of the arrow up -- so, the place where I need some help with a reflective wrap is behind the broadhead.

I cut some 2" reflective wraps from some leftover 7" reflective wraps that I had, and installed them right behind the carbon collar behind the broad head.

Here is the business end of the NEW, Improved Midnight Arrow:

[attachment=1]

smokin joe · May 13, 2019, 12:37:13 PM

And here is the other end with a standard wrap and a Firenock:

[attachment=1]

smokin joe · May 13, 2019, 12:47:39 PM

Here are the arrow specs:
Shaft: Carbon Tech Cheetah 400 at 29.5" BOP
Nock: Firenock in red
Wrap (back): 6" custom wrap from Onestringer
Feathers: 3@ 4" left wing
Front Wrap: 2" Onestringer reflective with double dogs installed
Footing: 3-Rivers Carbon Collar
Insert: 75 gr. brass glue-in-glue-on broadhead adaptor from Ace Archery Tackle
Point: 185 gr Grizzly single-bevel (weighted up to exactly 190 gr with lead melted into the socket)

Bow Specs for my "Pig Rig"
Riser: Bear A-mag TD riser
Limbs: Border after-market Bear TD limbs #3 -- 42@28 -- pulled to 28.7
String: SBD 10-strand

I'll be taking this rig and arrows on a bear hunt in Quebec in June. With any luck I will get to test the Midnight Arrow.

Terry Green · May 13, 2019, 08:00:26 PM

Quote from: goobersan on April 17, 2019, 04:23:21 PM
If you settle on illuminated nocks you can insert a roll-pin into your other arrow nocks to match weight. My buddy has done this for years on his setup.

Firenocks come with dummy nocks..... They match the lighted ones but they are unlit.

Also...beyond Joe's findings on the front end...I'm working on other alteratives....stay tuned...

varmint101 · May 13, 2019, 08:55:37 PM

I hadn't read any of this yet. Pretty cool. Was thinking earlier Joe May want to put that reflective wrap up on the front and he did! I bought a 3 pack of the nockturnal strobe nocks this last fall. Absolute junk. Every one of them would go off on the string. Didn't matter what string either. Plunger was just too long I felt. Ones I bought two years ago worked flawlessly. I will have to try this firenock if it keeps up.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Terry Green · June 04, 2019, 01:58:22 PM

After talking Joe, I think we have really progressed O this arrow for hunting after dark where legal.....

This arrow we have been, and are still working on, should be a great asset to those that can legally hunt after dark.

Hopefully Joe and I will get a chance to put this to the test before the February of 2020.

Many thanks to Sponsor One Stringer for helping us on this quest...

goobersan · June 04, 2019, 02:51:48 PM

Been keepin an eye on this one. Big thanks to all !

Wudstix · June 04, 2019, 10:44:57 PM

Probably stick with my orange feathers, white and orange cresting, and a green headlamp. Plus, with Trad gear I never shoot past 17.3 yards anyway. ;-)

Mike Orton · June 05, 2019, 12:25:08 AM

FYI to all planning on attending the Texas Hog hunt on February 22, 2020. I just checked the future Moon phase calendar for February 2020.....not great news for night time visibility....February 22nd is the start of the New Moon Phase, plan on getting no help from the Moon to hunt piggies at night.

https://www.calendar-12.com/moon_calendar/2020/february