arrow help.. (newbie)
01-10-2005, 11:16 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 75
arrow help.. (newbie)
i am new to bowhunting and have some questions...
what does it mean to bare tune a bow..?
how do you know what arrow length to shoot..?
should i use the same arrow (type, weight, length, ect.) to hunt with as i practice with.
PSE Nova
29 in.
60#
i was looking for some arrows to practice with, but it got confussing with all the weights and length of the arrows. thanks in advance for all the help.
what does it mean to bare tune a bow..?
how do you know what arrow length to shoot..?
should i use the same arrow (type, weight, length, ect.) to hunt with as i practice with.
PSE Nova
29 in.
60#
i was looking for some arrows to practice with, but it got confussing with all the weights and length of the arrows. thanks in advance for all the help.
01-10-2005, 01:14 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blissfield MI USA
Posts: 5,293
RE: arrow help.. (newbie)
Ok, I assume you are talking about bare shaft testing. This is where you shoot an arrow without any fletchings on it and compare the impact point to the same arrow with fletchings on it. This is normally a way to test and see how close you are to having the proper spine arrows for your set up. This test is more effective for finger shooters, but can work well for a release shooter as well. It is sort of an advanced test for someone that is a decent shot already. This test would be hard to perform accurately if you you didn't have good form or couldn't not shoot that consistantly to begin with. It is sort of like paper tuning but takes things a bit farther in my opinion.
Download eastons Tuning Guide off from thier site. It has plenty of information on both of these tuning methods, also plenty of stuff about arrows and what length to make them.
How do you know what length arrow to shoot? Well that is sort of tricky question, but I will give you the easy answer. When you read the Easton tuning guide it will describe it for you as well. Basically when you go to look for an arrow to shoot from your set up and use the arrow charts or online calculator it will ask for your arrow length, not your draw length. It assumes you are shooting the proper length arrow already and determines your draw length from that. Your proper arrow length is 1 inch in front of where your arrow contacts your rest in most cases. This is assuming your rest is set up right above where you grip the bow. The charts are a bit forgiving and have some leeway to them. They are not an exact science, just a starting point to get you close. Many shoot arrows the same length as thier draw length, or a half an inch or so shorter. Either will work OK in most cases. The important thing is that your arrow is not so short it drops off your rest at full draw. You can shoot a longer arrow if you wish, but you will be shooting a heavier arrow then you really need and it is harder to get the proper spine that way. There are computer programs out there though that let you pick any length arrow you want for a given draw length. They will tell you what arrow with what weight tip will spine for your bow at that length. However trying this with a spine chart is a bit of a guess unless you have a lot knowledge in that area. Then you will have to experiment which is time consuming and expensive at times.
The key here is to verify your draw length is what you think it is, and that it is the correct draw length for you. Don't go by what the sticker says, or what some guy told you. Many bows draw a bit farther then what they are stated, or someone may have measured incorrectly. Draw your bow with an arrow that is long enough to fit it, too long doesn't matter, just so long as it isn't too short. When at full draw have someone mark the arrow right above where your grip the bow, this is where your rest should be as well on most bows. Let down the bow and measure the arrow. Measure from the inside of the nock groove to the the mark you made on the arrow. Then add 1.75 inches to that figure. That is your AMO draw length for that bow. Your correct arrow length is 3/4 of an inch less then that. However any where between the two should work well for you. I suggest having a shop help you with this, it's that important for it to be correct. Same thing goes for the draw weight, don't just assume it a certain poundage, have it checked on a scale before getting arrows.
And remember to make sure this draw length fits you! Not everyone is the same. If you bought this bow used chances are it may not fit you well. Just because your buddy has a 29 inch draw doesn't mean you will. Shooting too long of a draw length will make the bow harder to draw and shoot well. If you haven't been to a shop to see if the bow fits you, I suggest doing it. They could help you get the proper arrows as well.
Should you use the same arrow to practice with that you will hunt with? ABSOLUTELY! If you are practicing to hunt, you should practice with the same gear you are going to hunt with. If you use a different arrow the impact points will be different between the two. Practice with the same type and length of arrows, the same gear (sights, rest, release and such) and the same weight tips you will be using to hunt with. And you should take it one step farther as well. You should practice the same way you hunt, or at least try it a few times. Wear the clothes you will huting with, and try the tips you will be hunting with. Don't just assume the heads you hunt with will impact the same as your field tips did. Often times they will not depending on what type of heads you use and how well your bow is tuned. Also if you are going to hunt from a stand, shoot from one! Shooting from an elevated position is different than shooting from the ground. The only way to know the difference and get the feel for it is to actually do it.
If you have any more questions feel free to ask.
Paul
Download eastons Tuning Guide off from thier site. It has plenty of information on both of these tuning methods, also plenty of stuff about arrows and what length to make them.
How do you know what length arrow to shoot? Well that is sort of tricky question, but I will give you the easy answer. When you read the Easton tuning guide it will describe it for you as well. Basically when you go to look for an arrow to shoot from your set up and use the arrow charts or online calculator it will ask for your arrow length, not your draw length. It assumes you are shooting the proper length arrow already and determines your draw length from that. Your proper arrow length is 1 inch in front of where your arrow contacts your rest in most cases. This is assuming your rest is set up right above where you grip the bow. The charts are a bit forgiving and have some leeway to them. They are not an exact science, just a starting point to get you close. Many shoot arrows the same length as thier draw length, or a half an inch or so shorter. Either will work OK in most cases. The important thing is that your arrow is not so short it drops off your rest at full draw. You can shoot a longer arrow if you wish, but you will be shooting a heavier arrow then you really need and it is harder to get the proper spine that way. There are computer programs out there though that let you pick any length arrow you want for a given draw length. They will tell you what arrow with what weight tip will spine for your bow at that length. However trying this with a spine chart is a bit of a guess unless you have a lot knowledge in that area. Then you will have to experiment which is time consuming and expensive at times.
The key here is to verify your draw length is what you think it is, and that it is the correct draw length for you. Don't go by what the sticker says, or what some guy told you. Many bows draw a bit farther then what they are stated, or someone may have measured incorrectly. Draw your bow with an arrow that is long enough to fit it, too long doesn't matter, just so long as it isn't too short. When at full draw have someone mark the arrow right above where your grip the bow, this is where your rest should be as well on most bows. Let down the bow and measure the arrow. Measure from the inside of the nock groove to the the mark you made on the arrow. Then add 1.75 inches to that figure. That is your AMO draw length for that bow. Your correct arrow length is 3/4 of an inch less then that. However any where between the two should work well for you. I suggest having a shop help you with this, it's that important for it to be correct. Same thing goes for the draw weight, don't just assume it a certain poundage, have it checked on a scale before getting arrows.
And remember to make sure this draw length fits you! Not everyone is the same. If you bought this bow used chances are it may not fit you well. Just because your buddy has a 29 inch draw doesn't mean you will. Shooting too long of a draw length will make the bow harder to draw and shoot well. If you haven't been to a shop to see if the bow fits you, I suggest doing it. They could help you get the proper arrows as well.
Should you use the same arrow to practice with that you will hunt with? ABSOLUTELY! If you are practicing to hunt, you should practice with the same gear you are going to hunt with. If you use a different arrow the impact points will be different between the two. Practice with the same type and length of arrows, the same gear (sights, rest, release and such) and the same weight tips you will be using to hunt with. And you should take it one step farther as well. You should practice the same way you hunt, or at least try it a few times. Wear the clothes you will huting with, and try the tips you will be hunting with. Don't just assume the heads you hunt with will impact the same as your field tips did. Often times they will not depending on what type of heads you use and how well your bow is tuned. Also if you are going to hunt from a stand, shoot from one! Shooting from an elevated position is different than shooting from the ground. The only way to know the difference and get the feel for it is to actually do it.
If you have any more questions feel free to ask.
Paul
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