Hello all! I am new to the forum but have been reading the posts for a while now. There's a lot of knowledge and insight here and I thank you for it! Now I have a very specific question that I could use some help on. Sunday evening I loosed an arrow at a deer at about 25 yards and the dang thing crouched down, dodging the arrow. It was neat to see, but the arrow disappeared. I've been out there with a metal detector and searched for hours to no avail. The landowner is afraid that if he goes over it with a plow it will wreck his equipment. If the arrow is not found, does the landowner need to be worried? I've been told that carbon arrows are easier on plows compared aluminum. If anyone has experience with this type of situtation I would appreciate your input. It is a 29 inch carbon fiber arrow with a muzzy two-blade on it.
The arrow itself will probably do no damage at all -- especially to any equipment he's pulling. The broadhead MIGHT be something to worry about, but I seriously doubt even it would puncture a big, thick tractor tire. There's lots of worse things that a farmer can run over... like a shed antler with its tines sticking up (those have flattened more than a few tires). Tell him you're trying to prevent the worst-case scenario that I just mentioned above.
If you have put in that much time and effort looking for it with no luck I doubt that he is going to find it either. I wouldn't worry about it.
i had a simiar situation when i lived in MN early in my bow hunting career. i shot early season and missed. was afraid to tell anyone for this same reason, and the fact that i missed (i thought no one missed). talked to a buddy of mine who grew up on a farm and asked how i would want someone to handle this situation if the roles were reversed... i broke down, told the landowner and looked for that arrow till i found it (will post a pic tomorrow) not saying you have to do the same, by the sounds of it you have looked long and hard. try not to beat yourself up over it too bad, your heart/feelings are in the right place.
This is a joke...right? Hurt his plow? That is what plows are made for, to plow up ground that is hard, with sticks and rocks and God knows what else. I wouldn't worry too much about that carbon arrow hurting anything on a plow. I have seen them end up in hay/straw bales. Good Luck
I have a little bitty tiller that attaches to my little tractor. I tried (accidently) to till in a t-post. It was really loud and tossed dirt in weird directions but it did't hurt the tiller one bit. I know I've tilled in carbon shafts. A big plow could take on any arrow shaft, all day long without even blinking. (you wouldn't even know you went over it) The only thing I would worry about is the broadhead finding it's way into a tire. Unlikely, but possible. Good for you for trying so hard to recover the arrow.
Thanks, guys, for the tips (that's the gender-neutral form of "guys", Christine). I just talked to the landowner and he seems ok with the idea that the arrow would just get crunched up. I'm going to go there and look some more because a hunter must be willing to go the extra mile to protect their private-land hunting privledges. Landowners are understandably jittery about letting hunters on their land and I think showing a little extra respect by looking for the arrow is well worth the time spent. Greg...On Friday night an 8-pointer walked 5 yards from my stand. I could tell he intended to shed his antlers directly under the tires of some tractor so I had to take him. Just doing my duty.
Like many have said, I don't think it's going to cause him any problems.... BUT... with that being said, he may not be that happy with you just telling him that, which depending on how well you know him could lead to permission issues in the future... If it were me I would go back and do some more searching, bring a buddy or two if possible... If you line up where the deer was and where your stand is, you should be able to narrow in on a relatively small search area... Sometimes a metal rake works good to find arrows...
Shouldn't be an issue for a plow or similar as far as I know, but if it's a relatively open field, and you didn't just shoot the arrow in the air, it shouldn't be that difficult to find it. I'd recommend you search again.
The problem is not about wrecking their equipment, it's about not baling or combining it up into the feed. If an animal (cattle etc.) ingests it, it could be harmful.
NO PROBLEM AT ALL... tractor tires are so thick that a little broadhead wont do a thing to them. maybe a quad or a truck but if he tells you its a problem he is lying to you. if it was a big deal why do so many outfitters have people sit on fields all the time you know that they will lost an arrow or 2
They can and will go through a tractor tire. While in college, one of my dad's customers gave me permission to bowhunt his place had one go through his tractor tire. I went out to inspect when he called me as I hadn't taken a shot on that property and sure enough an arrow had gone through his tire. It was an aluminum arrow which proved it wasn't me but also showed that he had people without permission hunting his land the previous fall. It may be a one in a million chance but it can happen.
I'm with you, I don't know a farmer that would be worried about a fragile little carbon arrow in comparison to the stuff they normally run over when plowing.
This is a done issue. I totally understand that you are a new hunter and hunting on private land so you want to take all precautions to make sure that you don't ruin that invitation. I think it is great that you went and spoke to the landowner and glad to hear that he is cool with the entire situation. Weather a broadhead can ruin a tractor tire or not it is a good thing that you are keeping the communication open with him. That should pay off for a long time and years of hunting your priviate spot!
I know it won't hurt the plow, a very long shot that it could get into a tire, could maybe knick a planter disc but probably no worse than a rock. But you are definately doing the right thing by going back out and earning/giving the farmer respect by looking again IMO. It's getting tougher and tougher to find good, private hunting ground, establishing a good relationship is key. Good luck.
