Author Topic: Hunting with a wiggly arrow?  (Read 2429 times)

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Offline Fox

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Hunting with a wiggly arrow?
« on: December 05, 2021, 02:34:29 pm »
This arrow shoots straight and hits hard, but its got some wiggles, its from a black haw shoot. the point and knock line up butt theres a Z in the middle for sure. Would you hunt with this arrow?

Untitled by Livvydog, on Flickr
Why must we make simple things so complicated?

Offline Gimlis Ghost

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Re: Hunting with a wiggly arrow?
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2021, 03:29:02 pm »
This arrow shoots straight and hits hard, but its got some wiggles, its from a black haw shoot. the point and knock line up butt theres a Z in the middle for sure. Would you hunt with this arrow?

Untitled by Livvydog, on Flickr

So long as it flies straight at the ranges you shoot its useable.

If you can figure out how to straighten it that would improve its longer range performance.

Any wiggling about in flight may reduce odds of good penetration. It would also scrub off velocity.

If you can build some better arrows retire that one to short range practice.

Offline Pat B

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Re: Hunting with a wiggly arrow?
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2021, 03:49:09 pm »
I've made lots of wiggly arrows and even though they can fly as well as a straight one I would not use it for hunting. The wiggles will impede penetration. At the target butt with lots of other shooters ogling your wiggly arrow they will be amazed when you hit the bullseye.  (SH)
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Fox

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Re: Hunting with a wiggly arrow?
« Reply #3 on: December 05, 2021, 07:57:31 pm »
I've made lots of wiggly arrows and even though they can fly as well as a straight one I would not use it for hunting. The wiggles will impede penetration. At the target butt with lots of other shooters ogling your wiggly arrow they will be amazed when you hit the bullseye.  (SH)


haha this is pretty much what I thought. Any suggestion on quick cheap arrowshafts? I don't have anything to hunt with.. and need to whip something up for the late season!
Why must we make simple things so complicated?

Offline Gimlis Ghost

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Re: Hunting with a wiggly arrow?
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2021, 12:38:20 am »
Perhaps the bundles of bamboo shafts sold on Ebay?

If an American Indian style bow remember some eastern tribes used "reed" or cane arrows which were actually a species of bamboo.

Offline Pat B

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Re: Hunting with a wiggly arrow?
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2021, 10:21:04 am »
Fox, you could try some 3/8" or 5/16" hardwood dowels, depending on your draw weight from the hardware store. You will have to hand pick them paying attention to straightness and grain runoffs but you can make good arrows from them.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline txdm

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Re: Hunting with a wiggly arrow?
« Reply #6 on: December 06, 2021, 06:30:27 pm »
As others have said, it won't penetrate as well as if it was straight. But if it's an accurate arrow, you could put a blunt tip on that one and use it for bopping small game.

Offline Fox

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Re: Hunting with a wiggly arrow?
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2021, 10:48:03 am »
Thanks for the advice :)

Pat, that's what I was thinking about trying
Why must we make simple things so complicated?

Black Moshannon

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Re: Hunting with a wiggly arrow?
« Reply #8 on: December 08, 2021, 06:24:35 am »
From what I can see in the photo I think you could fairly easily straighten that shaft out. You could rub some lard on it and heat it up over a heat source and then bend the crooks out with your hands and knee or just your hands, then lay it on a flat surface and rub the middle of the shaft with a glass bottle, turning the shaft as you go. You might have to repeat the first part a couple times until it’s straight