OutdoorMissouri.com

Well, I've had my arrows for a year now, and it's time to replace the fletching. I currently shoot 4 inch helical vanes through a Whisker Biscuit. I'm getting excellent velocity and nice groups out past 30 yards, and am getting pretty proficient at 40 yards. No complaints at all about my setup.

So, is there anything I can change to help me shoot better? Straight vanes? Feathers? What about the length?

(BTW, I know what I'm gonna do, but would like to hear what you would do.)

man if this was a comedy forum you would be giant target...talking about shooting through a whisker biscuit with 4 inch vanes,and asking about length....

Enough of the Tuesday morning funnies... I think your only modification on your setup if any would be the addition of feathers... But why? Sounds like your set up to harvest anything inside 40...GL to you, and I am still PO'ed IL season does not open till 10/01!!!!

Stay with 4 inch as long as you've got sufficient brace height for them.

Changin to feathers will stabilize the arrow more, but I'm always concerned with gettin'em wet (like when I'm huntin in the rain). Also, you may lose a little speed with feathers, however it will prolly be negligible.

I've found that a severe helical is no more effective than a slight helical, and can actually cause you problems through a WB.

Contrary to popular belief, I've found that feathers actually last better through a WB than plastic vanes do.

Never had a problem with flight with feathers, even soaked to the bone.

Rafe Hollister said:
Straight vanes? Feathers? What about the length?

(BTW, I know what I'm gonna do, but would like to hear what you would do.)

heck no on the straight vanes. Yes on the feathers. And, for strictly hunting, would go to a 5 inch. That is unless you are shooting a mech junk head, I mean broadhead. In that case, go down to blazers or a 2 or 3 inch vane with no or a slight helical.

MOCraig, you hit the nail on the head. 4" NAP QuickSpin w/slight helical is what I'm doing.

Robin@AimLow said:

Rafe Hollister said:
Straight vanes? Feathers? What about the length?

(BTW, I know what I'm gonna do, but would like to hear what you would do.)

And, for strictly hunting, would go to a 5 inch.

5" aren't a good idea with a WB.

Used it with 5" for 3 seasons and did extensive testing for the company. No probs, and perfect flight. I did trim a good amount of whiskers off though to achieve good flight.

Problem I've found is, if you don't have a large enough brace height your fletching gets torn up because it is resting in the WB bristles when the bow is idle.

hobiecat said:
Problem I've found is, if you don't have a large enough brace height your fletching gets torn up because it is resting in the WB bristles when the bow is idle.

Gottcha. Mine was always just large enough.

Hobie: I had that very problem with my PSE Nitro and I shot 4" feathers. Had a little over 6" brace height so ~1/4" of the feather would sit within the biscuit. But, I very seldom drew the bow with hunting feathers so it was not a problem. At that time too the stiffer bristles were harder on feathers than anything when shooting practice arrows.

I shoot the NAP quickspins as well. They fly very well and are supposed to be good behind a fixed blade broadhead because it spins the arrow so quickly. Most people are sayihng however that they are shooting them with helical fletching. Two things, one, if you are going to shoot the, it is recommended that you shoot them with an offset, not helical. two, if you are going to shoot helical, make sure it is the proper helical so the tab and micro grooves are working with the helical and not against it. The design of those fletchings is made to eliminate the use for helical fletching. They do fly really well though. If I wasn't shooting those, I'd probably switch to feathers as well!!!

Got 'em today. Now I have some with QuikSpins and some without. I'll shoot both this weekend and post up with some results of my shooting to let you know how the two compare.

Do you guys number a vane on your arrows to know if you get a "flier?"

Here's a 3-shot group at 30 yd. with the old vanes.


Then I moved back and shot 3 times at 40 yards. Don't ask where the 3rd arrow is.


Then I put up 3 shots at 30 yds. with the QuikSpins.


Moved back to 40 yd. with the QuikSpin. Apparently I'm losing some fps with them, judging by the low hits.



Aimed a few inches higher at 40 yd. and this is what I got.