what length do you use?

[dirtybucker]

so i recently decided to take up bow hunting and i just got my first bow today... im sooo feakin excited but im wonderin what length of arrows should i be using? whats best for hunting? what do you use? any info would be great guys thanks in advance!

[Brambles]

The length is determined by your draw lenght and your riser design. the more important question is how heavy of an arrow, and this is dependant on the animal your going after and the poundage of your bow also to some extent how fast your bow is and your draw lengh.

I shoot a 400 gr arrow for hunting and thats with a 100gr broadhead, I will shoot anything from deer to elk with these arrows.

What bow did you get, details details

[Tuffcity]

Well, if arrows came with the bow, hopefully they're already spined for your bow. So you'll want them about an inch longer than your draw length.

As for what arrows... cheap ones 'cause you will shank/bend/break/lose a bunch as you get better.

Enjoy the new pursuit!

RC

[loki]

Well I'm not the authority on this as this is my first season as well.

Assuming you're shooting proper grains and spine....

What I was taught for hunting arrows is that you should use an arrow of one inch more than your draw length. For example I shoot 30" arrows and I have a 28" draw. When getting instructed by Ted at T&F (and all hunting mags I've read) this was pointed out to me as it allows for proper broadhead clearance.

An arrow longer than your draw will put the head infront of your hand with little chance of being tagged by the head at shot, while an arrow that's your draw length or a little shorter will put the head behind your knuckle which can lead to injury at shot as the head slides across your hand cutting you open.

Also you might hear that this technique will lose accuracy, but from what I've noticed it's not much, if at all. If you're hunting and not competing in competition it's safety first, scores later .

[Kirby]

PM inbound

Kirby

[oldtimer]

Loki, Ted knows what he is talking about.
Dirty, need way more info to answer your question. Mainly what is your draw length. Mike

[sealevel]

It really depends what rest you are using . If a containment rest like a whisker busqer you can shorten up so the tip just goes through the rest. A prong style you want the broad head to stick out past the rizer.

[Bowzone_Mikey]

seeing as yer in Kamloops I would talk to Kirby .... he seems to know what hes talking about ....somedays ....

[Bow Walker]

Just as an example - my DL is 28.25", my arrow shafts are cut to 27.25", with the addition of an insert and pin nock bushing and nock my arrow length comes out to be almost 27.75".

Now, I shoot a Safari Twister arrow rest that has the prongs (where the shaft sits) about 2" behind the Berger hole, this - in effect - gives me an overdraw of almost 2", which is why I can have arrows shorter than my draw length.

If the bowhand grips is correct, and your shooting form is not crap then you'll never cut your self with the BH when shooting. Handling/sharpening BH's is another matter entirely.

I said "if your shooting form is not crap" because there is almost never a hunting shot that is like shooting at the range. So practice shooting from all sorts of contorted positions such as kneeling, bent over some, twisted torso shots, and stuff like that - as if you were in the bush peaking around a tree at a studly buck or a big arsed doe.

Good luck with your equipment and your efforts. Let us know what you're using (pics would be great) and we cab offer all sorts of useless advice.

[dirtybucker]

thanks for all the help but here is the deal..i was given this bow from a from an old lady that didnt know a whole lot about it ..it was her sons and he passed away so she wanted to get rid of it...all i reallly know about the bow is that it is a PSE strato flight and it was made in 96....kirby i will definatly take you up on that offer and hopefully you can tell me a little more about the bow... thanks again everyone!