# If you shoot wood arrows......



## Todd Cook (May 21, 2018)

or if you don't, why? My good buddies Vance, Crispin, Dendy and me all shoot wood about 98% of the time. Crispin and I were talking about it recently about the reasons we like them so much and I just wondered what other people thought about it.

For me, I know carbon will out penetrate wood. And I know aluminum is straighter than wood can ever be. But I don't care at all  Wood makes me happy. Making wood arrows and hunting with them take me to a place other shafts will never be able to do. Just feels more "traditional" if you'll excuse the term. And even if you break one, I use the dowels for other stuff.

What say you?


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## frankwright (May 21, 2018)

I like to make and hunt with wood arrows. I like the feel and the smell of them and the Surewood shafts I have been using stay straight.
For our 3D shoots I will shoot carbon, I can't stand to break or lose one of my woodies trying to shoot through a tree and around a boulder!
Wooden arrows have really become expensive to make if you buy shafts and feathers!


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## bowhunterdavid (May 21, 2018)

Once i figure out what i'm doing i sure would like to try some woodies, its took me a long time to figure out what spine and length to cut my carbon arrows to get them to fly right. I have come a long way but still have a lot to learn. There is way more to arrows for traditional bows than a compound i have figured that out for sure. I bought some woodies pre cut and fletched to what i thought was right, but i was bad wrong on spine and length according to my arrow flight. One thing i will say is this traditional archery thing is a blast, its the best move i have made in a long time. I hope to shoot woodies one day just seems even more traditional, but this green horn will have to shoot aluminum and carbon for now.


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## NCHillbilly (May 21, 2018)

I love river cane shafts myself. Stay straighter than wood, and are tougher than carbon. I also like wood shafts, but I break a lot of them.


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## Dennis (May 21, 2018)

I like wood and probably need to get some for my Hill style bow


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## chenryiv (May 21, 2018)

Todd, I could agree with you more. There’s just some thing about wood.  I’m not sure what it is. Could it be just the natural feels, the way it seems to quiet the bow? Who knows?   I think for me, after going to wood about 6 years  ago, it just feel natural. I will agree that for 3D or target shooting aluminum or carbon (shaft to shaft) are more consistent, durable and accurate, but for hunting it hasn’t hurt my ability to harvest game.  If anything, it was the guy shooting the bow and not the “wood” arrow.


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## dutchman (May 22, 2018)

Some of you "woodie freaks" should do a build along, a tutorial or sorts, on the next batch of wood arrows you build. I'd watch it.


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## Todd Cook (May 22, 2018)

dutchman said:


> Some of you "woodie freaks" should do a build along, a tutorial or sorts, on the next batch of wood arrows you build. I'd watch it.



I've actually got some shafts on order from Paul right now. I might just do that.


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## Clipper (May 22, 2018)

bowhunterdavid said:


> Once i figure out what i'm doing i sure would like to try some woodies, its took me a long time to figure out what spine and length to cut my carbon arrows to get them to fly right. I have come a long way but still have a lot to learn. There is way more to arrows for traditional bows than a compound i have figured that out for sure. I bought some woodies pre cut and fletched to what i thought was right, but i was bad wrong on spine and length according to my arrow flight. One thing i will say is this traditional archery thing is a blast, its the best move i have made in a long time. I hope to shoot woodies one day just seems even more traditional, but this green horn will have to shoot aluminum and carbon for now.



Save those woodies.  If they are spined too stiff and you get a heavier bow they may shoot good off it.  I've read that you can put them in a drill and sand the center down to reduce the spine as well.  I've got some I need to do that to since I went to a lighter bow, just haven't taken the time to try.


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## sawtooth (May 24, 2018)

Good thread, Todd.  Wood arrows have worked out pretty good for me. The ONLY place that I find a wood arrow coming up short is in the penetration dept. and even that is under certain conditions.(like bigger than average pigs) They are fun to build, shoot very well, and like has already been said- they just are "traditional". I love ALL things archery and so that means that I love ALL arrows. It is hard to ignore the durability of carbon, or the precision  that aluminum offers. So they all have their place, but to me wood is the way to go. There is nothing quite like seeing something that was crafted by your own hand laying on the dead side of an animal that just took off. I like it. The first thing I ever shot with a wooden arrow was a pig- that was in '07-'08?? Not sure- anyway, that's what I shoot now- and have been since that time. I just feel like a stickbow should get stick arrows. And they aren't really that hard to build or understand. Even though I'm not sure anybody would want to see me build any--- a video is a good idea. I have said it before and here it goes again- if a person begins a trip into traditional archery for the simplicity of it all- that person will  get even more enjoyment from his/her experience by shooting/learning/ wood arrows.


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## Allen Oliver (May 28, 2018)

I love shooting wood arrows. Dendy got me hooked on them after I shot one of his. I really like the Surewood shafts. Like Dendy I enjoy knowing that I crafted my arrows and no one else has some just like them. They can be costly but what is not these days. I say Wood is Good!!!!


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## Nicodemus (May 28, 2018)

dutchman said:


> Some of you "woodie freaks" should do a build along, a tutorial or sorts, on the next batch of wood arrows you build. I'd watch it.





Will this work?


http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=132432&highlight=southeastern+style+arrow


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## NCHillbilly (May 28, 2018)

Nicodemus said:


> Will this work?
> 
> 
> http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=132432&highlight=southeastern+style+arrow



Good tutorial, Nic!


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## NCHillbilly (May 28, 2018)

Here are some shafts that I hand-planed from sourwood and other hardwood shoots collected from the woods. Not that hard, just takes time and attention to detail. The finished arrows are sourwood, fletched with hand-cut wild goose feathers wrapped with deer sinew and hide glue.


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## sawtooth (May 28, 2018)

Those are very nice, Hillbilly. WAYYY too pretty to shoot at a pig.


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## dutchman (May 31, 2018)

About tutorials, I asked Todd what spine to try if I needed arrows for a 45#@28" bow. He proceeded to work to his answer as follows:

Me: What spine shafts would I need for a bow that's 45#@28"?
Todd: What is your draw length?
Me: 30-1/2".
Todd: What is your string material?
Me: B50.
Todd: Is the bow cut to center?
Me: No.
Todd: Field points or broadheads?
Me: Field points.
Todd: I would think 60-65# shafts will get you close.

He was right on the money.

So, there's more to it that just the draw weight of your bow. Or so I'm told...


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## chenryiv (Jun 1, 2018)

dutchman said:


> About tutorials, I asked Todd what spine to try if I needed arrows for a 45#@28" bow. He proceeded to work to his answer as follows:
> 
> Me: What spine shafts would I need for a bow that's 45#@28"?
> Todd: What is your draw length?
> ...



You are quite correct Sir!


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## Barebowyer (Jul 23, 2018)

I'm thinking on going to some woodies in fact...one issue is...30.5" draw, after tapers, who has shafts to accommodate my needed length these days???  I shot woodies back when I was a traditional "rookie" so to speak but at that time I was short drawing and didn't know any better.


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## Al33 (Jul 26, 2018)

I have shot fiberglass (yes, I'm that old), wood, aluminum, carbons, and river cane. The past several years I have been shooting carbons mostly but this occurrred after I had to drop down in draw weight. I have all kinds of woodies in the 60-70 spine weights that are just sitting in a bucket. Additionally if I could get 7 or 8 from a dozen pre-made woodies to fly from my preferred hunting bow at the time I considered it good luck and the quality of shafts I ordered were disappointing more often than not. When I did shoot woodies exclusively I preferred rear tapered shafts because for me they always flew better than barrel or straight shafts. One of the things I like most about wood arrows is they don't freeze your fingers in extreme cold like others do. I'll be hunting with the river cane this season but I may order some Surewood shafts and make up some woodies since so many of you like them.


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