Practice Arrows and Hunting Arrows

[Tails-Up]

agree with with the majority. practice how you hunt.

 

[Dalton138]

if I get a dozen new arrows I number them, spin them and set aside all the ones that spin true and the insert is nice and square, and make a note of those numbers in my phone. Confirm they all fly true with field points, and then I’ll set aside six of those for my hunting arrows. I’ll later confirm those all fly true with a broadhead as well. I then have a quiver full of arrows for hunting that I’m not gonna lose/break practicing.

If I need to replace a hunting arrow I look at my note and grab one of the “good” numbered arrows from the practice pile and stick it in the quiver. I can go back to an older batch if I have to (same arrow setup).

This makes a lot of sense. I may have to start doing that myself. As of now I have practice arrows and hunting arrows. Of course Ill shoot the hunting arrows with broadheads to make sure they are flying right, but I don't want to accidentally damage a shaft and have it break on my in the woods if I didn't catch it.

 

[Krem]

I've been tossing the idea around of making a set of more economic practice arrows and and a set of hunting. My hunting arrow is a 300 rip tko with their 50 grain insert. Does anyone have any recommendations on a more affordable shaft that similar?

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I've been tossing the idea around of making a set of more economic practice arrows and and a set of hunting. My hunting arrow is a 300 rip tko with their 50 grain insert. Does anyone have any recommendations on a more affordable shaft that similar?

Using the "standard" RIP (not TKO) would bring the cost down some and keep your gpi the same. Looks like bare RIP's run around $9-13 each (depending on straightness tolerance) vs. $15-18 for RIP TKO's.

 

[Beendare]

I wouldn't hunt with any arrow I hadn't practiced with and confirmed to hit where I aim with a broadhead on the front.

This…I just parrafin or Goop the ends so the targets dont eat up the carbon

 

[Beendare]

I've been tossing the idea around of making a set of more economic practice arrows and and a set of hunting. My hunting arrow is a 300 rip tko with their 50 grain insert. Does anyone have any recommendations on a more affordable shaft that similar?

I’ve been setting up some Linkboys and Accmos shafts. Good defection and consistent spine. Most noks for those are garbage- too weak, you have to get the goodones.

I’m still working through my older shafts 2.5 X the cost so not finished group shooting.

 

[Krem]

Using the "standard" RIP (not TKO) would bring the cost down some and keep your gpi the same. Looks like bare RIP's run around $9-13 each (depending on straightness tolerance) vs. $15-18 for RIP TKO's.

The Rips look great, I was also checking out GT velocity, for $6.67 a shaft on Lancaster. Same gpi but not sure what inserts they come with.
The 3d course I shoot at has chiggers so bad in the summer I'd rather walk away from a lost arrow than be miserable for 2 weeks.

And for everyone saying they wouldn't hunt with an arrow they haven't shot before. I'll be shooting the hunting set of arrows for a month before season.

 

[dtrkyman]

My arrows are all numbered, several arrows always seem to find the middle, those get a practice broadhead to confirm consistancy and then go in the quiver!

 

[Shawn_Guinn]

I’m weird I practice with my hunting arrows before the season set them aside take photos of my marks on the sight drop arrow weight down re site in and shoot 3-d. Month before season I move back to hunting arrows. I do shoot 2-4 days a week so I get a lot of reps with a dial I don’t see a negative with 2 different set ups.

 

[JStol5]

I shoot Easton axis. I have an old set with 25 grain outsert and my current ones have the 16 grain HIT and a 10 grain collar. They shake out to roughly within 1-2 grains of eachother. I will often practice with the older arrows, especially on tricky/technical shots where it’s possible I’ll lose one, and save the current ones for hunting. They group exactly the same and I don’t have worry about losing a hunting arrow.

 

[rev44]

I have practice arrows and hunting arrows. Shoot my hunting arrows one at a time to make sure they are good to go and back in the quiver.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LostArra]

I don't have practice arrows and hunting arrows. I just have arrows and culls. The culls look like the others but just won't shoot accurately and I have no confidence in them so they are separated. Sometimes I can shorten the culls and they shoot fine for my son inlaw.

I actually like to hunt with an arrow that has already killed an animal assuming it's not broken. I have mucho confidence in that arrow. My record is an elk, a deer and a hog with a single arrow/broadhead combo in one season.

(I hate the term "cull" and never use it when referring to deer)

 

[nphunter]

I hunt and practice with all of my arrows, I have kept old arrow sets for taking dumb shots on targets but honestly doing so has cost me. A couple of years ago I was competing in a steal target shoot, you get one arrow and the last one standing wins, the targets start close and get further away, targets were 1/4" steel with a MOA hole 2" at 20, 3" at 30 and so on. I chose to shoot an old arrow so I didn't ruin a hunting arrow, that arrow was only about 10gr lighter, at 50 yards there were only 2 of us left and you had to shoot through a 5" hole. I ended up shooting barely high and nicked the steel plate, 1/4" lower and I might have been $200 richer which would have paid for several arrows. I really wish I could go back and shoot my hunting arrow at that shoot.

I've thought about arrows a lot and sometimes wonder why I build such expensive arrows if I'm afraid to shoot them. I've come to the conclusion that I just need to shoot them no matter what but I still hesitate on some shots due to cost. My hunting partner shoots cheap blem ICS hunters for everything and has no issues launching an arrow at a grouse/squirrel/coyote or whatever. Last fall I had a coyote walk past me at 10 yards, he looked at me and didn't care I was there, it was rocky high desert terrain. I drew back on him but in my head, I knew I would lose/ruin a $46 arrow/broadhead if I shot him so I let down and watched him walk away, part of me didn't want to shoot him anyway due to him being a pup and just curious, the good karma from letting him live got me a nice bull the next day but still the very first thing that popped into my head was I'll ruin an arrow.

I still can't bring myself to switch back to shooting cheaper arrows but I also shoot the crap out of my arrows and bow, I very seldom ruin one, I also don't group shoot under 40 yards and very seldom shoot at all up close. I think if a person is truly worried about it to the point that they are practicing less for fear of ruining an arrow then they should just shoot cheaper arrows. My buddy that shoots the ICS hunters only pays like $80 a dozen and kills just as many or more animals than anyone.

 

[nosajnh]

I hunt/practice with the same arrow except for TAC. I am shooting light weight cheap arrows at Tac which is several months before the season so I will have plenty of time to get things dialed in before the season.

 

[billysmals]

if I get a dozen new arrows I number them, spin them and set aside all the ones that spin true and the insert is nice and square, and make a note of those numbers in my phone. Confirm they all fly true with field points, and then I’ll set aside six of those for my hunting arrows. I’ll later confirm those all fly true with a broadhead as well. I then have a quiver full of arrows for hunting that I’m not gonna lose/break practicing.

If I need to replace a hunting arrow I look at my note and grab one of the “good” numbered arrows from the practice pile and stick it in the quiver. I can go back to an older batch if I have to (same arrow setup).

I have done almost identical for years. Numbering is key. I also do broadhead spin test when I load up fresh braodheads on the arrows I've confirmed fly tru with the practice heads. This double checks the new heads so I am confident that the arrow and the new head are tru.