Height & length ratios

[BowEd]

I thought I read somewhere but can't find it back at the moment that the heigth of your feathers is 8 times more contributing to stabilization than the length of your feathers which would only give you twice the stabilization.Or in other words sorta like the ratio between belly tillering and side tillering bow limbs.I think it was for feathers 1/8" increase in heighth is the same as 1" increase in length.Is that right?Fletching can be personal preference,but good arrow flight is good arrow flight.
For quite a while now I shoot off the knuckle and am always trying to have a clean unobstructed release of my arrow.I'm shooting 4" long feathers tapered a lot the first inch or so then to a heigth of 5/8" or so[these feathers put on well bare shaft tuned shafts].Think I might lengthen my feathers back to 4and1/2" with a less aggressive taper the first inch.

[artcher1]

I don't see how you guys get by with such small fletching. I use 5 1/2" shields  myself and anything less just doesn't stabilize well. Maybe it's arrow weight. Most of my arrows are between 550-650gr. But arrows lighter than that fly beautifully with bigger fletching.

I read where Howard Hill used 6" fletch. I reckon it comes down to what you use your arrows for...........Art B

[crooketarrow]

  It is a personal thing to a existent.
  If you shot heavy arrows with heavy broad heads you need a long ,high feather. The heavy er,bigger the higher feather stabilizes your arrow quicker.
  With selfbows your shots are close so your feathers need to be that way. To stabilize your arrows quickly.
  Personally I use HOWARD HILLS ratio 3 to 1 , 3 long 1 wide, 1/8 inch  thick (heavy). So I use 5 1/2 ,1/2" high to stabilize my arrrows quick.

[BowEd]

My arrows are from 525 to 630 grain.They are all at least 10 to 11 grain per pound of draw weight.My handles come close to center shot also which is more forgiving to different spined arrows.With broadheads on larger & longer feathers do help.I get schooled by a very paticular fellow here that has to have perfect arrow filght.Bare shaft tuning & paper shooting bare shafts are included in the process.

[BowEd]

Oh I usually shoot a couple of deer a year with my self bows.That's really the main thing they're used for.Clean centered flight penetrates the best.

[artcher1]

Oh I usually shoot a couple of deer a year with my self bows.That's really the main thing they're used for.Clean centered flight penetrates the best.

 

 ........................Art B

[BowEd]

Oh I usually shoot a couple of deer a year with my self bows.That's really the main thing they're used for.Clean centered flight penetrates the best.

 

 ........................Art B

  .........................Ed K

[Thesquirrelslinger]

I use 3-4" feathers on cane shafts(target shooting- longer range) and 5-6" feathers on 3/8ths oak shafts for close in shooting and screwing around.

[twisted hickory]

I have bare shafted some shafts this summer and I have come to the conclusion if you can get a bare shaft to fly good and straight you don't really need tall or long fletching. But I use 5.50 fletches
My hunting shots are limited to 25 yards. Most of the game I have killed was closer than 20.
Greg.

[BowEd]

Yep it's a personal preference thing but like I said good arrow flight is good arrow flight.Making arrows out of wood either split or shoots shows to me that they all don't make it bare shaft shooting.It takes a lot of time to fool with it and the best make good shafts for broadheads.Now the ones that don't make don't mean that with longer and taller fletching they won't.Brace heighth can contribute too.Just a lot of things really.But to have less drag from the air good bare shaft tuned shorter lower fletched arrows are faster.I shoot em through a chrono so I know.
Most of my shots at deer are under 15 yards,not all but I still want that speed possibly for a pass through and better blood trail.People can take this to the extent that they want or in other words seriousness of getting a deer.Because you never know Mr. Big Boy can come by anytime.After so many does and a freezer full you start getting more picky at what you shoot at.
These self bows are the cat's meow.I found where it says the ratio for fletching 1/8"H./1"L.