Hey guys, I'm a fairly new bowhunter in Maine. Last year I had a doe duck my arrow by nearly a foot at thirty yards. While practicing recently I noticed that my arrow is loud and I think this is the reason that doe ducked my arrow. I am shooting NAP Blazers Quick Fletch with a four blade broadhead. I was told by my uncle who is an old time bow hunter that this was my noise because the fletchings did not line up with my broadhead blades. If this is true I plan to use a three blade broadhead this coming season instead. Can anyone help me out with this? I'd really like to hear what the Bow or Die team has to say as well.
The need to align fletchings with broadhead blades is an old wise tale which has been debunked by scientific testing. I haven't done it in my 20 years of bowhunting and have never had a deer duck one of my arrows. Are you sure your bow isn't what is making too much noise? Was the deer alert to your presence when you shot?
for whitetails in general. Its not the loud noise of your bow. Did you sighted youre actual broadhead before going out to the field? If you did. Its probally just you and the wind.
Thanks for the insight guys. To answer a couple of the questions, I was sighted for multiple distances. I even checked my sights after the miss, slapped three arrows in a row all in the ten ring. The deer was alert of something, not necessarily of me. I do know that deer and most animals will duck at the sound of the release, so I did aim a little low, about where the white of the belly starts under the front leg. I noticed the noise most the last week when practicing. I know that it was the arrow in flight that made the noise. I will be checking into another broadhead to see if the noise stops. Thanks again for the help guys.
I am new to bow hunting also. Not new to hunting though. My bow was quiet as well, until I put string silencers on. It had limb silencers when I got the bow from my friend and was impressed. But like I said, once I went with string silencers as well is when I am 100% satisfied. My point being is that I thought my bow was silent, which it was, until I silenced it even more. My friend told me if I think it vibrates, put a silencer on it. Honestly, if it wasn't for the sound of my arrow hitting the target, I would almost think I didn't shoot. I am not saying my bow makes no noise at all, just saying that I don't think I could get it much more silent. Getting a quieter arrow setup would not hurt either. Any accomplishment to a quieter shot is a plus... Video after video that I have watched, the deer seems to jump a fraction of a second before the arrow hits, so a little faster arrow cant hurt. But again, I am new as well. If I have given any bad advise, someone please feel free to correct me. Thanks.
I found that there are much quieter vanes than the Blazers. I use Flex-fletch FFP-360 of SK-300, both much quieter. I could be your BH. I also found that vented blades are noisier than solid blades. I have some Steelforce Phat Heads that whistle in flight. I am using QAD Exodus now. And...matching vanes to fletching is a waste of time. Your arrow spins in the air...so should the BH be slightly ahead of the fletchings? What if you use 2 blade BH and 3 fletchings? I aligned them in the 1970's. Not since.
I would agree that aligning broadheads to vanes is a waste of time. A previous poster referenced increased speed to combat the noise issue and ducking deer effect. Speed bows are notorious for being loud and lighter arrows may not give you the results that you want. Sometimes heavier and slower is both quieter and gives you the maximum KE that the bow is capable of resulting in your best option.
Interested in what broadhead you are shooting. Some broadheads are prone to "whistling" but noise can come from lots of places. I have in the past shot slick trick broadheads and never had an issue with noise from them on a 3 fletched setup. If I shoot a 3 blade head I do try to align if for nothing else by aero dynamics and to help minimize chances of planing. Planing should be eliminated if the center shot is correct and with good form. Also like b_walte15 said make sure your heads are screwed in snug. If you really want to try a 3 blade any one of these are good and quiet from my experience. NAP Thunderhead and it variances ( I like the edge) and QAD Exodus.
Absolutely not contending your opinion on the quieter vanes being Flex Fletch over the Blazers, but do you have any videos or data web links I could check out? I'm getting ready to go back to the Blazers from a different 3" vane but am always open to trying different stuff out if it's worth my time and $$$, and I almost went with the silent knights last year but was too late in the season to make the jump then.
There is absolutely no need to align the broadhead with the fletching, it is an old timer myth. However, there are some broadheads that make more noise than others. The loudest broadhead I have ever tested is by far the G5 Montec. They whistle something fierce! Now, I have ZERO intentions of going back to fixed blades anytime soon (that's a completely different argument) but I do like to test various broadheads throughout the year. If I was forced to go to a fixed blade, it would no doubt be a Slick Trick. For myself though, I enjoy the benefits of a bigger cut of a Rage. I've shot the Xtreme 2.3's the last few years but went to a slightly slower bow this year so I may drop back to the Hypos.
The only thing I did was shoot them side by side. My ears was all I needed. No "proof" just opinion. When I did this (6-8? years ago) I called Flex-fletch and they sent me some FFP-360 to try. Since I did, I have been a FF guy. I recommend trying 3 arrows and see.
