feathers in the rain
 

This is my first year hunting with feathers. How does rain effect flight? Also is there something i can water proof them with?

RE: feathers in the rain
 

They sell a powder in Cabelas to use on feathers. I havent tried it but will when I get my feathers on my arrows. I would suggest just taking a plastic vaned arrow or two when hunting in wet weather. I would think that they would make some goose feather fletchings, then they would be totally waterproof for a while.

RE: feathers in the rain
 

no feathers for me just vanes, cant stand feathers.

RE: feathers in the rain
 

You're not likely to get a shot during a pouring rain, and even if you did the rain would wash away any blood trail and make it hard to find your deer. Not a good idea to take a shot in heavy rain, IMO.

So, slip a freezer bag over your feathers to keep them dry in the rain and wait it out.

If it's drizzling and misty, any good waterproofing agent will keep the feathers dry for an hour or so, at least. Keep one arrow handy and ready to shoot, but keep the rest of your arrows under plastic. Switch to a fresh one when your feathers start looking too wet. If you can keep that ready arrow under some kind of cover while you wait, you won't have to swap out very often.

I've used plain ol' Scotchguard for years. If it looks like rain, I'll spray my feathers the night before hunting and let them dry overnight.

RE: feathers in the rain
 

Feathers?!

why would you want to use feathers after using vanes? they slow down the arrow much faster than vanes thus reducing the forward momentum of the arrow and dispite popular belief that feathers will stabelize broadheads better is a myth
feathers will even stabelize an arrow less than vanes once the speed and rpm of the arrow slows down balistacs will tell you that.

go with vanes and dont worry what every one else is trying to make you believe besides you dont have to treat vanes to shoot them in the rain!

RE: feathers in the rain
 

Hi, bohning makes a powder called feather dri to water proof your feathers that works really well i have been using it a few years, and also feathers do stabalize arrows alot faster than vanes do, and the arrow fletched with feathers starts to slow the arrow down faster than vane fletched arrows after 40 yards so in hunting the longest shot is usually between 20 and 30 yards where the speed is really no different, with feathers you will have a straighter shooting arrow in that distance.

RE: feathers in the rain
 

maybe you can explain why my arrows equipped with bohning blazer vanes and my broad heads will hit in the same spot on the target as an arrow tipped with a field point out to 50 yards and an arrow with 4" feathers will start flying eratically past 25 yards/
maybe you would also like to explain why arrows equipped with feathers will start slowing down a whole lot faster past 5 yards although a arrow with 4 inch feathers is faster off the string compaired to a 4" vane the vaned arrow will pass the feather fletched arrow at 7 yards if shot at the same time?

maybe you will like to explain the values of an arrow that looses momentum faster than one that maintains its momentum
like a arrow that maintains its momentum will have a flatter trajectory and more likely to penetrate bone better than an arrow that is loosing momentum every foot it moves through the air.

there is absolutley no benefits to using feathers what so ever!
not to mention you cannot shoot them in the rain without some sort of treatment then that will only last so long before the feathers will eventualy get soggy
may as well be shooting bare shafts in the rain[8D]

but hey if you like feathers dont let me change your mind.

RE: feathers in the rain
 

You didn't tune your bow for the different fletching. With the idiotically exteme setups you claim to use, any little difference could have a huge impact on arrow flight. Duh!

What the heck kind of feathers you shootin' boy? FluFlu's?? Comparing same profile vanes/feathers, the feather fletched arrow is always faster to at least 40 yards! Been proven time and time again by better folks than me.

Again, false. See above.

Haven't heard a lie like that since Kerry finally quit yakking in tonight's debate!! Feathers are lighter than vanes, which makes for improved FOC for better arrow stability and better speed out of the bow. Feathers will not deflect at all with rest contact - I don't care how well you've tuned up, it eventually happens to everyone - that would drive a vane fletched arrow crazy. I've got some arrows from the early 60's with feathers that are still in perfect condition. There are just two big advantages right off the top of my head!

You went a long way out of the way to get there, but you finally found a nugget of truth. But there are ways to manage the inconvenience. I noted just a few in my earlier post.

RE: feathers in the rain
 

Papa, calm down, Jeebus! Its not like we are talking about life or death here, well maybe we are, but you get what Im saying. Seriously where are you getting your information? You were wrong on the arrows weight (from another thread i mean) and this one too. Whos tellin you this stuff?

RE: feathers in the rain
 

I would just like to say that I have never had broadheads fly as well as they did this year with 4" feathers. Not really going to comment on big papa, as I think Arthur handled most of the inaccuracies. Bottom line, feathers are an option, and one worth considering. Again, amazing flight with broadheads to 40 yards, anything past that, if it ain't foam or paper, I ain't shooting. How many of you really hunt hard in the pouring rain?

JMAC