GMMAT

Weve discussed this a lot.....and I just wanted to get your take on this.

BuckMaster and I were shooting in a 3D tournament with a guy from TN a while back......and he said he shot 17 deer, the previous season (donated almost all of his venison to the needy - commendable). He was a tremendous shooter (couple of national championships in his class - ASA) and I picked his brain for a while. We were discussing the speed of my arrows at the time (out of my '07 Allegiance)....and he said he likes to shoot his hunting bow at about 250fps. When I asked "why".....he said he can see the arrow at that speed......make impact.

I can't see mine make impact. Period. I'm not looking for the "impact"....but I hear a lot of guys say they do.

With all the talk about "overkill" on speed and poundage (although they're not necessarily connected)......it got me to thinking....

Do we "really" see the fletchings make impact? I wouldn't ever say one "doesn't". I'll just say I don't.

I've been watching for this when I see videos on TV, too. I can't see it (impact)....unless we're talking about seeing a hole open up (which I CAN see on TV and in real life......"sometimes").

Just picking your collective brains....

Matt / PA

I've hunted with some pretty speedy bows and the arrow impact is more a peripheral blur and feel for flight........hard to explain but I generally remember the impact itself on most animals I've shot as a hole opening up or other disturbance on the hide hair cutting , etc.
I can't think of too many instances where I didn't know exactly where the animal was hit so I'm seeing something..........it's definitely not a clear vision of the arrow in flight though.

Rob/PA Bowyer

Sometimes, there have been times that I've watched the skin seperate when the arrow impacts, especially on the bull elk I took, it was like slow motion but there are also times when I do not see it at all. I feel it comes down to concentration and execution. Sometimes we're 100% and the arrow replaces the pin, sometimes we're slack, we get the job done but don't see it.

GMMAT

Do you think arrow speed has anything to do with this?

I KNOW I see my trad arrows in flight, better than my 82nd arrows

twildasin

You know Matt You hit it on the head. I know where the arrow made impact but I do not see it its hard to explain. I have already walked up to my deer thinking I saw the impact when indeed the shot placement was different than what I saw.Ive found though if I try to make sure to see it hit I screw the shot up by pulling my head on the shot and either blowing an easy shot or making a bad hit.

racewayking

I shoot at 258 and have seen a blur where I thought it hit. I am looking for a faster bow so I can shoot flatter, some of the stands I have make 30-40 yard shot impossible with the arch my bow provides past 30 yards.

Matt / PA

So far I say no.........in my whole 1 experience shooting a deer with an arrow traveling 186fps. I just completely "Zen'd out" on that one and don't remember ANYTHING.

The slowest bow wound up being the hardest one to remember anything on.

Can't figure that one out.

mobow

Are you shooting 5" feathers on a hard helical out of your 82nd? Those big feathers spinning through the air like that are difficult to miss.

I know that I can see my arrow in flight. When I release the arrow, I see it. Or I see the fletching anyway. If my arrow is fishtailing, I see it. If it's porpousing, I see it. If it flies straight away, I see it. Sometimes it disappears when it hits the target, depending on light and what the target was, that sort of thing. So I don't ALWAYS see where it impacts. When shooting a deer, I don't know that I see the arrow impact, but I see it vanish. It was there, then it's gone. I guess I don't know if I see the actual impact, or the hide opening up, or hair moving......but I see something. What I have learned as well is........It is almost never exactly where I thought it was. Sometimes it is, but most often it's not.

Edcyclopedia

My bow shoots 239fps and I like to see where it hits, simple.
My buddy used to shoot an older bow (3 years ago) @ 175fps and he has tagged more deer than I.
As everyone knows, some of the main factors is shot placement and the attitude of the deer that help dictate weather you connect for a clean kill or not.

Bows are like anything else on the market for sale... People tend to love, and get caught up in, the "stats" marketing and technical sales push too sell their products.
I believe every product may go through a cycle, for a given amount of time, that makes it worthwhile to upgrade down the road. This could be every couple
of years or every decade. It's for everyone themselves to decide when they feel their personal equipment doesn't achieve their results they are looking for?
Or, as an example, you decide you want to make it to the next level, as an example, start shooting @ 40 yards instead of 20 yards and you deem speed to help with arrow drop???

YooperMike

I can see my arrows in flight pretty well, but they are 4" helical, 2 white and red for hunting, so they really stand out with the one off-color vane, makes them look lopsided actually. I also have not exactly "seen" my arrows hit, more of a blur and a hole. Interesting question no doubt.