Fletch sizing for mechanical head

[gregvisser]

I am about to make up a dozen arrows with screw in tips with my field archery - the plan is that would also double as hunting arrows (fitted with 100gr NAP Spitfires).

Currently I am shooting arrows with a 2" helical (max helical possible for the fletch to stay stuck on the arrow) and getting good result - on glue in tips. For my new arrows for field/hunting use for mechanicals, should I use the same thing or consider perhaps longer fletches - maybe 3" or so (and back off the severity of the helical a bit)?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Greg

[EOTN]

I can't give you an answer as I don't know, but why don't you just make a half dozen of each as shoot them? It's not all that expensive for the fletching and it's not much loss of time to refletch the six that shoot less accuratly. Anyway, that's what I would do. Or wait ans someone on here will almost definately know the answer to your question.

[Bigpapascout]

you can use 2 1/2 inch or even shorter low profile vanes with mechanicals that don't require a lot of helical.

[gregvisser]

Thanks for some good advice - I am planning to see how 2.5" vanes fly with the mechanicals.

If I use a fairly severe helical, surely that will have a similar stabilizing effect as a longer fletch would? As I see it, the only drawback is a loss of speed and some more noise during flight.

Do you guys think deer can hear the actual arrow flight and do something about it before the arrow covers the distance? I shoot a Liberty, so there is no noise from the bow itself to worry about

Greg

[mjqood0]

Oh yes!

Deer can definately hear the flight of an arrow. It doesn't matter what bow you shoot, an arrow will never travel anywhere near the speed of sound

I think I remember reading somewhere that if you shoot at a deer from 20 yards at 300 fps, the deer would hear the arrow and react while the arrow was between 4 and 5 yards away from it. Now i'm not saying that all deer will react, but loud arrow flight not only warns the dear, but with their supurb hearing, they can pretty much hear where the noise is coming from and which way to move. I know more than one hunter who has had deer duck an arrow.

My Opinion: Shoot something as quiet as possible and as accurate as possible and don't worry as much about speed, as long as the arrow is carrying enough kenetic energy to make a clean kill.

[IAKSmith]

If an arrow is traveling at 300 fps., and sound travels at about 750 fps., the arrow isn't even half way to the target before the sound gets there. I saw a video of deer reacting to the sound of an arrow and bow in both norm speed and then slow motion. Unbelievable how they can duck an arrow. I think it also make a big difference if they are in alert mode. Another good reason to use scent cover.

[dwaasp]

I am about to make up a dozen arrows with screw in tips with my field archery - the plan is that would also double as hunting arrows (fitted with 100gr NAP Spitfires).

Currently I am shooting arrows with a 2" helical (max helical possible for the fletch to stay stuck on the arrow) and getting good result - on glue in tips. For my new arrows for field/hunting use for mechanicals, should I use the same thing or consider perhaps longer fletches - maybe 3" or so (and back off the severity of the helical a bit)?

In most circumstances, the mechanicals should not take more fletch ± than field points. If you are fletching your own arrows; just fletch one & check it out.

As for noise, I have found like in the Holt research, that when an arrow has reached a kill in less than ½ sec there has been no jumping the string.