Ozbow

Hi all are there any advantages or disadvantages when it comes to using 5" shield cut feathers compared to 5" parabolics for use with broadheads, does either keep the arrow more stable and is either noisier than the other?
Interested in your thoughts and findings and advice.
Cheers
Ian

Shield cuts in my humble opinion(after testing) have been found to be a fair bit noisier.Others may have found a different result and I in no way suggest that my results are conclusive and/or correct for others.
Cheers KIM

Hi Ian,

I have not used shield cut feathers for a long time but I can remember when standing halfway down a 50 metre practise range I could hear them passing by. From memory the parabolic shape feather was quieter.

I do not know if different amounts of helical produce differing noise levels.

Perhaps banana cut feathers may be another option to try.

Daryl.

yep Shield Cut is noisier. Daryl makes a good suggestion, Banana Cut, lots more surface area for greater stability and in my experience no noisier that Parabolic. Biggest issue with commercial Feathers is they tend to be stiffer which is where most of the noise comes from.

regards Perry

Hi Kimali, Daryl, Perry, thanks for your ideas, i think all the guys i shoot with all use shield cut and i noticed when at Rob's on sunday that i could hear the arrows flying by quite clearly, maybe because i was to the side not directly in front as a target would be; i happened to be a bit down range but safely behind a rock and i thought to myself hmmmm i wonder if a game animal would hear it coming and would it spook it.
Cheers
Ian

Ian Turner wrote:.......... shield cut and i noticed when at Rob's on sunday that i could hear the arrows flying by quite clearly, maybe because i was to the side not directly in front as a target would be; i happened to be a bit down range but safely behind a rock and i thought to myself hmmmm i wonder if a game animal would hear it coming and would it spook it.........

Only if your arrow velocity drops below 1126 fps.

Daryl.

Afternoon.

Ian Turner wrote:... i noticed when at Rob's on sunday that i could hear the arrows flying by quite clearl...

The noise you are hearing is energy. That energy is being removed from the arrow .. the fletches are vibrating. If one arrow, for the same velocity, is noisier it is using up more energy ie tge arrow is experiencing more Drag and will lose Velocity faster.

A larger Parabolic may have more drag than a smaller Shield. You need to compare apples with apples.

ps Howard Hill used to trim his fletches so the sound produced a 3 note chord.

Hi Daryl I haven't chronoed my GB longbow yet but do you reckon I'd be be getting 1126fps?
Cheers

Compound or Trad, watch any Bowhunting Video you like, Game can and does react faster than an Arrow travels. A mate of mine has Video of his African Bowhunting trip, there is one bit of Footage where a Broadside Impala was shot tight behind the Shoulder, the Animal reacted so fast the Arrow exited the front of it's chest. Every Critter he shot heard the Arrow coming and dropped or turned in preparation to run before Impact

regards Perry

Quite right Perry. I think it is commonly called "jumping the string" they certainly can hear the bow going off.

Ian Turner wrote:.......and i noticed when at Rob's on sunday that i could hear the arrows flying by quite clearly......hmmmm i wonder if a game animal would hear it coming and would it spook it.

Did you hear the archers release?

perry wrote:........ Game can and does react faster than an Arrow travels........

DavidM wrote:....... I think it is commonly called "jumping the string" they certainly can hear the bow going off.

Perhaps the hunters release is more of a noise issue than the feather profile.

Daryl.

Morning All.

greybeard wrote: ... Did you hear the archers release? ... ... Perhaps the hunters release is more of a noise issue than the feather profile.

I concur.

Hi guys no it was actually the arrow flying through the air I was about 10metres from the shooter.
Actually as a by the by when I am shooting at the local range where all types of bows are used and the lanes are quite a distance from each other and facing different angles I can quite clearly hear arrows flying through the air shot from compounds.
I don't hear the bow but certainly the arrows!
Cheers

We must also keep in mind that animals can also hear different frequencies then we humans do, for example

Although deer can hear ultrasonic sounds, their hearing is most sensitive to moderate frequencies between 4,000 to 8,000 hertz. Humans also hear best at moderate frequencies between 2,000 to 5,000 hertz, which corresponds to the normal frequency of human speech.Oct 18, 2011

For what it is worth,

https://www.bowhunting.com/blog/2011/11 ... bow-noise/

Daryl.

4" low profile banana cut works well with broadhead flight & are quieter than parabolic & sheild cut.
But with all fletching the more helicoil the noisier they will be.