Anyone use/prefer 4” feathers over 5” for hunting?

I use both 5" and 4", use 3" on some of my 3D arrows. If arrow spine is correct, it makes no difference unless shooting very long shots or in very windy conditions.

I'm 4" all the time on all my arrows = Easton Legacy 1916 @ 28"

I use what's in the cabinet and likely have a mixture in my quiver at times.

4" parabolic

I went to 4" feathers a few years back. They work just as well as the 5" feathers did.

5" just because.......

I shoot 4” ., haven’t seen a lot of difference, also went to a straight fletch

I’ve used both, not much difference. I just like the looks of 5” better.

I use mostly 4” but also use 3”” cause you can get 3 cuts out of a full length feather

5" for me, but thats on a 2016. If I have to drop to lighter bow and 1916 in the future, I might go to 4" on those cause its a skinny shaft. I use 3" on light weight target arrows

I used 5 inch for many years, but found with good tuning 4 inch is more than adequate, with less wind drift. Never use 5 anymore.

Cosmetic at best. If you bare shaft an arrow you do not need much feather to control things. Now to add to the controversy, what color do you like? or the left wing or right wing myth of old days?

I used 3" shield all of our first season here. Those were on 2016 arrows with Bear Razorheads and flew perfectly. My arrows in general are a mish-mash of fletching pretty much. :)

4

I have always used 5” because that’s how I was raised but I tried 4” recently and definitely like the 4” better. Seems to be a bit quieter to me.

That is all I have ever used. Fly great with my broadheads.

4"for me. Prefer over five, but that's just me. Doubt it makes much difference? Deer don't care when there going thought there ribs. God bless

4" three fletch on everything from 40# to 65#...MORE than enough feather if your arrows are properly tuned.

Right wing shield or parabolic...bright so I can see them!

all the time.

I am switching over to 4” on my carbons and aluminums. Somehow 5” still seems correct for my woodies. Maybe it’s the fat shaft with small fletch that bothers me. On the upside of 4” fletch. These days full length feathers an’it what they used to be. Can’t get 2 -5” fletch out of them anymore but I can get 2 nice 4” fletch. I am talkings store bought feathers. I sent off a drawing to 3Rivers for a custom made chopper recently, 4” long, 9/16 at it highest point.

I'm with what grizz and krag said.

It must be that time again. "LOL"

I prefer 2 inch over 4 or 5.

Bowmania

I'm liking 2" Rayzr's so far.

I do use a 5" traditional cut feather on wood arrows with stone points. They just look better.

3 4" feathers is all i use. Ive got a burner and have tried smaller--- i found they all work for me with broadheads and field points. I just prefer the aesthetics of 4" shields.

5" for no other reason than I like them :)

I use both.

I've used 4" feathers for years, mostly because I'm cheap and can get two fletchings from one full length feather...

... and like said before, if your arrows are properly tuned, even 2" or 3" will work fine.

Most of my arrows are fletched with 5 inch, because that’s what I had on hand… But I’m using those up, and have no intention of buying that big again, since I just don’t need it.

I think I would use 5 inch if I were going to the trouble to splice them or some thing… Because at that point, you’re really just showing off. No sense being shy about it!

I go buy the size of shaft, carbons are 1916 and smaller I use 4", on wood and 2016 and larger 5". has nothing to do with flight are bow pounds, for me more just looks and the 5" are easyer to see on them miss shots.

I've switched to 4-inch over the past few years for two reasons. First, a 5-inch feather often rides on the shelf on my ASLs. Not a biggie, but I don't like it.

Second, since turkey producers started growing their birds bigger, faster, the birds don't mature and grow feathers as long as they used to. Commercial feathers used to be 11-12 inches or more. Now they're closer to 9-10 inches. Can still often get two 4-inch fletches out of one full-length feather, but not two 5-inch feathers.

Four 4-inch four fletch yields about the same overall feather surface, just a tad more, than three 5-inch three fletch, and slightly more economical when one cuts or burns their own out of full-length feathers.

Orion is spot on.

I would use 6 in if I had some..I like the 5 1/2.just because

I went from 5” to 3”. No problem with arrow flight. I gained a fletch chopping w full length feathers.

X2 Moleman. I just like the look of 5" shields.

Deno

4 inch for everything has not been a problem.

I use both

I shoot 4 X 4. Keeps the fletch off the rest on my ASLs. I use full length and always get two per feather. 4 X 4 can have as much surface area as 3 fives.

What's not to like?

Four 4”. That was recommended to by Snag from Wilderness Custom Arrows. I like the way they fly.

I have 5", 4", 3", but what I shoot the most are 3 X 2.5" shields, and yes they do stabilize big broadheads. They also require that your set up be extremely well tuned, form and release need to be squared away as well.

4x4" for me, parabolic for a quieter flight. Hunted with 4x3" last season and stabilized broadheads well. Back to 4" because tuned a lower foc shaft and operator error is better controlled with a tad more surface area. 25yds and under do not see a significant drop with the 4x4 compared to 3x4.

I use 3 4.5" high profile banana.I believe they stabilize the arrow a little quicker.

3 4" worked for me, but did not like the looks of them on the arrow. They looked like kids arrows, LOL, I know, I know. I am at 3 5" now. That being said, I've been looking at shorter ones again because of noise. If there is a big difference, I will shorten.

i lik 4x4, but i use whatever feathers i have to fletch a dozen,its all good,no real reason, they all work,,,but i do staight fletch.

The smaller the fletch the quicker and quieter they are.

As for repetitiveness of a thread, someone new comes in here every week and people that are here rarely use the archive, so it is what it is. I don't mind much since it's better than watching television. :)

Glad to see you changed your perspective. :)

Four 4" right wing red feathers.

Is it easier to fletch full helical on carbons with 4”? I use gold tip hunters.

And we are talking 3 4” feathers right?

No difference provided you have done a good job bare shafting, optimizing your arrow. I use 3x3” helical fletch on some of my heavy Carbon shafts (625 gr out of bows in the mid-50’s#) and they fly identical to my 5” fletched arrows.

As a rule… I believe that the thinner the shaft, the shorter the fletch needs be if you are going to use a helical.

Not that helical is strictly necessary, of course…

I love the looks of 5 inch shields with a lot of helical… And they are extremely forgiving… But they’re a lot louder and slower than an arrow needs to be. Of course, I’ve never seen a target duck.

Kinda like George whatever is handy. Parabolic,shield,5”,4”,3” it’s all good.

Actually, I’m in the process of developing my own shape for 4 1/2“… Because the fives now look too darn big to my eye, and the fours still look a mite puny

I just started using 4” parabolic last year. I was using 5”

In the winter for hare and roving I like a 5”. Easier to see and fine. I also just like the look of a big helical feather. Otherwise I also like 4-3” fletching.

There are several of you here who forgot more about archery than I'll ever know. That said, it makes sense to me that if 4" feathers get the job done well, it makes sense to go shorter. Until a few weeks ago I was shooting mostly 5" shield cut feathers on my arrows, some 4" parabolic. 4" was doing the job, so I stripped all my 5" feathers off and switched to 4" parabolic. I have to admit though, I think 5" shield cut feathers look better.

If arrows are tuned to the bow, it makes no difference what length feather used. Longer produces more drag. I was using 3" shield but have gone to the 4" just because I like the looks better.

“ so I stripped all my 5" feathers off and switched to 4" parabolic. ”

Nope. I’m WAAAAY too cheap to peel a perfectly good feather! ;)

After verbally sparring with Bowmania in hunting camp for the last 7 years, I switched to 3 " feathers. I see no difference other than they are quieter and a tad faster.Win win for me. Bowmania finally won ONE argument. He is 1 and 5000 so far.

I like em both, but a well tuned arrow seems to fly the same to me with either.

3-4”on wood, 2” and 3” on carbon. Prefer 2” on carbons, but I have several 3” already.

I cut white 5" parabolic ones to be like 4-1/2" shields and tie them on in the English fashion, with iridescent green 'vidigris' paint under where they are fletched on, then wrapped with thread.

Posted above I use 5" but know I could get by with less. Went on a quick rove at my club so only grabbed two arrows and left one in the car. First shot at a stump the nock blew off. Back to the car for the other arrow and 2nd shot with it and a fletch fell off. Next couple shots went just fine. Then another popped off. Shot it several times back to the car with no difference than with all three on board. These were made up with a cheap generic super glue. Only other time I had this issue was back when FletchTite changed their formula...but was a little lesson in what's not needed for good flight.

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