Am I doing this right? Arrow and Broadhead management

[ASH556]

I don't have lots of spare cash, but I try to do the best I can with what I have. When I bought my Vertix last month it replaced my previous bow I'd had for 13 years. Because of the speed of the Vertix, I had to get new arrows (stiffer spine). I only had so much to spend, so I bought 8. My thought was 4 for hunting and 4 for practice. In practicing out to 60 I've had a few things go wrong and lost 2 of my practice arrows, one to a fence (damaged carbon) and the other to my bag target stand (cracked the carbon around the insert when I tried to pull it out).

So, that leaves me with 4 arrows in my quiver and 2 practice arrows. I stripped the fletchings off one of my practice arrows to check bare shaft tune, so down to 1 practice arrow. Went to the local shop earlier this week (Outdoor Depot) and they were out of my arrow GT Velocity XT 300. More will come in, but for the meantime, I unscrewed 2 of my broadheads and put field points into those arrows to use for practice. That leaves 2 in my quiver. When I go hunting again I'll screw broadheads back in and put them back in my quiver.

However,
I'm trying to get some feedback from you more experienced archers and bowhunters with how you manage stuff. My broadheads are QAD Exodus. I have 6 total. 2 are dedicated to practice for confirming zero just before hunting season. The other 4 stay in the quiver. After going through a deer, the blades are replaced and they go back in the quiver.

What would be a more ideal setup to shoot for? I certainly don't have the money to waste, so buying several dozen arrows isn't a reality, but what if I rounded out my dozen and then kept 6 dedicated practice arrows, 4 dedicated quiver arrows, and then 2 floaters. That way if I break or loose one hunting or practicing I've got a couple spares.

Also, when shooting the bare shaft I noticed that playing with the nock changed the POI of the arrow pretty significantly. Is this an arrow straightness problem? Maybe I need to start building my own, but I've looked into it and it would cost several hundred dollars just to get an arrow saw and a fletching jig.

20yds: This is with the nock in the standard position for cock vane up, but with vanes stripped:

And this is with the arrow just flipped over shooting it cock vane down (again with vanes stripped):

 

[Deerhunter12454]

bare shaft wise, some people nock tune their arrows. Each arrow is made at the factory different.
As for the arrows, get what you can afford. Shoot shorter distances to prevent destroying arrows

 

[Sixes]

Not much help now, but keep an eye on Midway USA, they usually put their stuff on huge clearance at the end of the year. A lot of stuff sells for a third to half price.

Groups are overrated and single shots will make you better due to the aggravation of walking back and forth between shots. It will force you to make the shot count. Plus, 9 out of 10 times, you only get one shot in the woods.

I would have one arrow with a broadhead and that would be my practice arrow.

 

[ddd-shooter]

I only buy a dozen arrows at a time. Build them myself. 6 in quiver, one with a practice broadhead for single shot practice during the season. If I need another, I fletch another to keep 6 in my quiver. It takes YEARS to go through a dozen arrows, as I’m picky with my shots.
If you’re shooting fixed through animals and they don’t bend, use that one for a practice head afterwards.

Buy one piece of archery shop equipment at a time. I suggest a bitz fletching jig first, you can always get arrows cut cheap or order them cut with from Lancaster. Then a saw, then a press, etc.

 

[Bubba_1122]

I’ve somewhat been down your path.

I enjoy doing my own thing. Load my own TSS shells for turkeys and ducks (TSS on turkeys and TSS/steel blend on ducks). Also make some of my own fishing lures (buzzbaits), etc.

I enjoy putting together my own arrows (in fact I’m on a short vacation trip this weekend and re-fletched 10 arrows yesterday while I was sitting around).

Bohning makes some fletching jigs that are budget friendly but that do the job well. Yesterday I used a Tower Jig (does all 3 vanes at once, which I like). Can get into that for about $50-60. I use Loctite super glue gel which isn’t expensive. I have a specific color scheme I use on my arrows. I buy vanes in bulk (100 pack). Bought latest 2” Blazer vanes from Walmart online (were significanty cheaper than Amazon). I won’t have to buy vanes for a long time (actually probably never).

About 4-5 years ago I wanted to start cutting my own arrows. After pricing new saws I started watching eBay for an used one. Found an older one eventually for around $50 (I’m more into function than style points (ie I don’t have to have the newest and bestest as long as it does a good job )). Had to spend $12 on a blade. Mounted it on a 1x6 and I’m good to go for a long time (I cut 6 last week - it works great). The rig hangs on a nail in my work shop most of the time but it’s there when I occasionally need it.

As someone else mentioned, get what you need now arrowwise so you can hunt this season without worrying about what you’re slinging at a deer. I believe a bow shop will sell you the arrows and will do vanes at pretty reasonable cost- I think vanes for about $3 per arrow (someone else might better know if that’s accurate)). If I remember correctly a bow shop included cutting my arrows some years ago when I bought my arrows from them. That might make paying retail for arrows a good deal if you don’t have to buy all the other equipment. Not sure about all arrows but can buy FMJ’s with vanes already on them as well (I buy mine bare shaft so I can put my own colors on them).

As has been mentioned know that arrows and archery stuff go on sale after the season. For instance I’ve bought FMJ’s at the Sports Center in Perry at a pretty significant discount in in the past during early spring (you gotta search for the deals and you gotta act fast when you find them because stuff gets gone fast).

 

[goshenmountainman]

I usually buy a dozen at a time, they usually last for 5 plus years. I only shoot 1 arrow for practice, sometimes maybe two but never at the same spot. Before I hunt with any arrow, I test shoot it with a field point, one shot, to see if they vary from my practice arrow. I have been doing this for years, it saves arrows and you don't need to shoot more than two arrows at a time anyway, just make sure your form and anchor points are correct before firing the shot. Arrows cost way to much to be busting them up trying to shoot to many arrows at one spot. One good shot simulates shooting at a deer, make it the best shot you can every time and it will make you a better archer.

 

[rosewood]

.. sometimes maybe two but never at the same spot.

I learned this a few years ago. No need in ruining the arrow or fletching by shooting groups. The targets usually have 5 dots, shoot each arrow at a different dot. This is even more important with the crossbow as it usually shoots better groups than the bow (at least with my shaky hands).

You can refletch the arrow that you stripped and have another.

Rosewood

 

[bfriendly]

Being new into bow shooting/hunting, I finally settled on an arrow. I have 8 arrows and added 40gr to 4 of them to get them to about 379-380gr. Those 4 are the ones I am shooting......a lot. When I go to the woods, I’ll put Broadhead tips on the same arrows I have been shooting.

 

[ddd-shooter]

Shoot your broadheads in the yard first!

 

[splatek]

Buy one piece of archery shop equipment at a time. I suggest a bitz fletching jig first, you can always get arrows cut cheap or order them cut with from Lancaster. Then a saw, then a press, etc.

The Bass Pro Shop around me will cut the arrows and square them up for free. That saves a lot of money on arrow saw, etc. Just started fletching up my own and it's a blast!

 

[bfriendly]

Shoot your broadheads in the yard first!

Definitely this^^