What are the Best Arrows for Hunting?
Looking through all the arrows in a store or online can feel daunting. It can be hard to pick the right ones for your first hunting arrows. Don’t get discouraged or feel overwhelmed. The path to finding the right arrows for you is simple.
If you feel unsure about the task, find a local archery pro shop. They can guide you in choosing arrow type, size, stiffness, and other options. Our experts at the Lancaster Archery Supply Pro Shop are the best in the world at this, if you happen to live close by.
Compound and Recurve Arrows
But if you want to try it on your own, start by deciding what kind of bow you have.
Are you looking for arrows for a traditional bow or a compound bow? Modern arrows for the two aren’t that different from one another in construction. If you’re shooting a traditional bow, you’re probably going to want arrows fletched with feathers, rather than vanes. And vice versa for compound bow shooters.
Plastic vanes are weatherproof and more durable than feathers. Feathers will fold up as they slide across a recurve or longbow shelf. Vanes are not so forgiving. This is the main reason it is important to make sure your arrows are fletched correctly.
What Arrow Spine Should You Choose?
The most critical factor in choosing the correct arrow for your bow setup is spine. An arrow’s spine determines how much it flexes. You want one that flexes some, but not too much for your bow setup.
You determine the correct arrow spine by considering your arrow length, point weight, and your bow’s peak draw weight. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do any calculations to determine correct arrow spine. Arrow manufacturers will have that covered for you.
Arrow Manufacturer Spine Charts
Every manufacturer will have an arrow spine chart that recommends various spines according to those three variables.
For example, for an arrow that’s 27 inches long, fitted with a 100-grain point, and is shot from a bow with a peak draw weight of 50-54 pounds, Gold Tip recommends a 400 spine arrow. Cut that arrow to 26 inches, and the spine recommendation changes to 500. Up your draw weight to 65 pounds, and your spine recommendation changes to 340.
How long should your arrow be?
That’s an easy determination for compound bow shooters, whose bows have a defined draw length. It can be a little trickier for traditional bows, though.
Compound Bow Arrow Length
Put a full length, uncut arrow on your bow and draw it back. At full draw, mark the arrow for cutting anywhere you want in front of the rest.
If you plan to use a wide fixed-blade broadhead, you might want to mark the shaft for cutting at the point where the arrow meets the front of the riser. That way, the broadhead will always extend in front of the bow. This prevents clearance issues that can happen when you draw it inside the shelf area.
If you are using a mechanical broadhead, you can cut the arrow a little bit shorter than you might with a fixed blade. You can do this because of the added clearance afforded with mechanical heads, while the shorter arrow will give you a higher arrow speed.
But that’s all personal preference. What’s most important is that the arrow be long enough to stay on the rest at full draw.
Traditional Bow Arrow Length
With traditional bows, determining correct arrow length is a bit trickier because these bows don’t have a set draw length. Traditional bows do not have a back wall beyond which you can draw the bow no further.
Be generous when you cut a traditional arrow. Leave plenty of room for inconsistencies in your draw length—cut the arrow longer than you might need.
At an archery pro shop, technicians help you find the right arrow length. They cut your arrows to that length. They also install the point inserts. That’s another advantage of buying from a pro shop.
Hunting Arrow Construction Material
Aside from specialty wood arrows for traditional archery, hunting arrows fall into three main types. These are carbon, aluminum, or a carbon and aluminum combo.
Carbon Arrows: Carbon arrows are the lightest and toughest of the three. They are the most common arrows used for bowhunting.
Aluminum Arrows: Aluminum arrows were the standard before carbon arrows arrived. Some bowhunters may choose them for nostalgic reasons. They are prone to bending.
Carbon/Aluminum Combo: Many archers prefer carbon/aluminum combo arrows because they carry extra weight and still perform well. They have a core of one material wrapped in a shell of the other. These can still be prone to bending and should be checked after taking a heavy impact.
Arrow Diameter
While hunting arrow diameters were more uniform 20 years ago, there are more options now. You can choose arrows with 4mm, 5mm, 6.5mm, and other diameters.
Skinny, fat, or something in between - what would be best for you?
Think of the 6.5mm carbon arrows as “standard.” You’ll find lots of arrows by lots of manufacturers that are about that measurement in diameter. These arrows will perform well from most bows under most conditions.
Consider 5mm or 4mm - "small" and "micro" - when you’re looking for a performance boost. These skinnier arrows are going to be more resistant to wind drift, so they might be a good choice for long-range Western hunters.
They’re also going to offer better penetration into game animals. So maybe an archer with a short draw length – 24-26 inches – or who is drawing lighter weight - 40-50 pounds - would do well with them. The thin diameter can offset some of the penetration problems caused by short draw lengths and/or lower draw weights.
Arrow Straightness
Generally, carbon arrow makers check arrow straightness during production. They sort the arrows into three groups: .001, .003, and .006.
These numbers indicate, in inches, how close each arrow is to being perfectly straight. This straightness tolerance also dictates price, with .006 arrows coming in at a lower price than .003 and much lower than .001.
Choosing the correct hunting arrow is critical to your hunting success. But finding that arrow is a simple task once you know what you’re looking for.
If you are looking at getting yourself some hunting arrows for the upcoming season, check out our pre-fletched assortment HERE at Lancaster Archery Supply.
