I can second this with anecdotal evidence. I will temper this with I fully understand there are massive differences between arrows and rockets and bombs. I am a jtac. I have called strikes on and watched the little savages flinch and react to incoming bombs and rockets. I have seen hell fires shot a group of 5 and we only kill 1 bc the all scatter a second or two before impact bc they hear the rocket coming in. Most are wounded but it is the difference between death and life. Now the speed of a hellfire is over Mach which means they shouldn’t hear it, but to mitigate fratricide or damage to surrounding structures we maneuver the rocket which slows it down causing it to be subsonic. A bomb has even more of a dramatic response. It is a falling munition and not powered by anything but gravity. You can generally hear the whistle about 5-10 seconds before impact. If i knew how to post a video I could show this with my helmet camera. Because of the gps guidance system it creates drag to guide the munition to the target and causes sound, kind of like fletchings. An arrow shot at 283 ft per second is about 200 mph and that is usually the speed at or near the bow. 200 mph is significantly below the speed of sound. Therefore yes, the deer should hear the arrow coming. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
So with the jdam is the Mk 82 louder than the Mk 84? I would think the Mk 84 would have more foc regardless. Jokes aside that is a good analogy. Sent from my SM-G781V using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
I have never dropped a GBU-31 in close proximity so I can’t speak to that one haha Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Interesting discussion and some great info! I'll be getting some new arrows in a few weeks, and I think I'm gonna get the Heat vanes after reading this. I shoot fixed 4-blade slick trick standards.
The Hunting Public recently did a podcast on this very topic using anti-tank rockets as an analogy to arrows and penetration. The guy the interviewed designed some antitank weapons for the army and navy.
You might also consider the Bohning Ice Vanes...even a lower profile... 0.3". I have 3 different arrows fletched differently with the Ice vanes just to see how the different arrow setups effect flight performance. I can tell you that 4 vanes are almost required when using a heavier weighted shaft, but a 3 helical fletched carbon flies just as well as a 4 helical carbon out to 50 yards... At least with the very little experience I have.
I will definitely check that out. Javelins are a good time for all. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The durability on the heat vanes isn’t the best, just sent a couple through my target and there all distorted.
I’m going with Aae max stealths this year with a heavy left helical for my magnus stinger killer bees. Very similar to the heat. The stinger killer bees show up soon. I want to see if unvented broadheads are quieter than the opposite Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
After letting em sit for a while the distortion went away, thought they were gonna stay wrinkled. They still shoot great. Season needs to open I’m picking fly **** outa the pepper.
You must have gotten a bad batch or something weird. I have been shooting the Heat vanes on the same practice arrows for a couple of years, literally hundreds of shots.
My fletching is as close to the nock as I can get it with my Bitzenberger jig. That’s right at 7/8”. To my way of thinking, the farther aft the rudder is the better steering I get.
I haven’t shot them through a target yet but I’m sure it will happen eventually. Some of the bag targets at our club house have soft spots and once in a while the fletches end up in the middle. Sometimes the only option is to pull them on through. That’s the real test of your fletching job.
I messed Around with different distances on the fletchings and mines about 7/8”, didn’t notice a difference in flight but I only tested to 40yds.
I like to place the fletching just far enough back from the nock to eliminate any face to fletching contact when I am anchored. For me that’s about 1 in.
So I posted in the Max distance thread and chief directed me to his vid in this thread. I thought I’d throw these vids to compare to the other Blazers. I run four fletch 2.25” Bohning X vanes. I’ve tried others and always come back to these. I’ve included some mid flight vids (from the mini excavator). This is a 540g arrow, Strickland Helix single bevel. Recorded with IPhone at 50 yards. The first vid is field points. I apologize for my slow shooting cadence and the locusts, traffic, and air conditioner lol. The last vid won’t embed, but the link works https://youtube.com/shorts/M_qN7pbwB8I?feature=share
