This is a question for Hill style back quiver users. I have a Hill and a Sunset Hill back quiver. Both are 22 inches deep. My target arrows are 29 inches BOP, probably closer to 31 inches total length .

It seems I'm right at the max of getting proper arrow clearance at the end of drawing the arrows from the quiver. I really need to fully extend my drawing arm for the arrow to clear the quiver without catching the top of the quiver with the point. That's with field points. It becomes even more of a problem with long Hill or Hunter broadheads.

I've watched Nate Steen's video and I'm pretty sure I'm drawing the arrows correctly. Shortening the arrows isn't an option. I draw 28 inches and like an inch between the back of the bow and the point.

I'm thinking though, that shortening the quiver an inch or two (a lot of quivers are built 20 inches deep) just might be the answer. What's your arrow length/ quiver length experience?

I’d try a 2” spacer of some sorts in the quiver bottom before shortening it to 20”.

I second the suggestion of thr spacer. You've got two fine quivers. Enjoy them replacing them is expensive and difficult.

I'll give it a try. It would make the arrows easier to grab without bumping up the quiver or bumping it up as far.

Currently, the quivers rests rather low, and I do need to bump them up to reach and draw the arrow. The quiver should slide back down to its "rest" position as the arrow is drawn, giving the clearance needed. By rest position, I just mean its normal position when hanging on the back. In my case, the quiver doesn't slide back to it's resting' position as the arrow is drawn, at least not quickly enough. Maybe slicking up the strap some way would help. But I'm thinking a shorter quiver would provide 2 inches of extra clearance because I wouldn't have to bump it up or not bump it up as far to reach the arrows. A spacer trial should confirm, or not. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Think body type arm length and shoulder width along with flexibility plays into it also I’m short and thick with short arms

Though I don’t look as slick as Nate on video I have adapted over the years and don’t even think about it

My Nate Steen quiver has the slick finish side of the strap turned in against my chest

I have T-Rex arm mobility. I tug Down on the strap and grab the arrow below the fletch. Not text book but neither em I.

I was gonna ask where the OP is grabbing the arrow?

Range of motion dictates a lot, but the deeper into the mouth of the quiver you get, the easier the extraction.

And of course, when out on the course, I usually keep 2 or 3 arrows handy in my hip pocket and the rest in the quiver as reserves…..

Like Andy Man mentioned, and two4hooking also said on this site or in his blogs about reversing the shoulder strap to smooth side in to make it handier to slip the quiver horizontal to go through the brush. I moved mine a couple of years ago and it certainly makes the moving of the quiver a lot slicker. Good tip.

Like Andy Man, I switched the smooth side of the quiver strap against.

Steve

I have a Nate Steen backquiver, that I use quite a bit, and I am currently shooting pretty much full-length arrows. I don't think shortening or putting a spacer in the bottom of you quiver is the answer, and that will cause the arrows to stick up higher with the resulting hangups, being magnified when going under limbs, etc.

You have to get the whole quiver to hang lower down on your back, but that's tricky, also. I have the same problem with the long arrows I am shooting. I just grab them below the fletching, and then they will clear when I draw them out. It's not as fast as being able to grab them by the nock, but it's the best I can do with the long arrows. Only slightly slower.

What I think would work better, but it might not look very good, is to cut a big U in the top of the quiver, on the outside, to allow the arrow tip to clear faster. I have never seen that done, but it would let the arrow tip flip out of the quiver, faster with less updrawing motion. However, I would have to think long and hard before I did that to a Sunset Hill quiver.

The other thing to check is the location of where the strap is attached to the quiver. It needs to be attached as high up on the quiver as you can get it, so the quiver will hang as low as possible, and use the elbow bump method to bump the quiver up when first reaching for the arrow.

Anyway, just food for thought.

Where you position the top of your quiver will also make a difference. For years mine rode off the point of my shoulder. That's pretty much the Hill way. In recent years I have moved mine between my head and shoulder. I can just reach my arrows better. Try different positions and use what works best. As long as it works for you it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

Yes, the position of the top in relation to the shoulder makes a lot of difference. Some people can reach over the shoulder better and some can reach outside of the shoulder better. When I asked Nate Steen to build mine, he was very particular about how to position it for me, and had me take several pictures of me with my arm back like I was trying to reach the arrow.

Putting something in the just raises the arrows, the top of the quiver is in the same place. I have the same problem. I just stretch my arm farther. Years ago I read an article in which this guy put leather frill on the bottom of his quiver. He pushed the quiver up with his hand and then pulled the quiver back down as he was drawing the arrow. The frills gave him something to pull on.

Thanks for all the feedback. I think LM may have hit on the crux of my problem. Quiver placement, orientation. I don't have any trouble reaching back for my arrows, I do grab them by the nock, my quiver straps have the slicker side turned in, and the withdrawal works well until right at the end. Though I stated initially that my quiver rides fairly low on my back, it may not be low enough or oriented correctly to slide back downward as I withdraw the arrow.

I'm going to play around with adjusting the strap to different lengths. Unfortunately that will have to wait a few days. My turkey season starts tomorrow morning.

What works for is when I bump the quiver up with my bow hand to retrieve an arrow, by the nock, I pull the quiver down as I pull the shaft out, this helps the point end to clear the top cleanly and also returns the quiver to it's riding position. This is a very smooth unincumbered movement which is quick and quiet.

I can’t see having to quick draw an arrow from a Hill quiver very often while hunting. I understand the thought, but in practice its not practical.

I have killed deer on the second shot, on a couple of occasions. And gotten second shots in on a few more. A quick second shot, pays off, sometimes.

I found myself rattling around with my quiver as the deer ran off..lol

I put a foam spacer in the bottom of my quiver. It also helps with arrow rattle if you insert the broadhead tips a little.

I actually draw and shoot a second or even a third arrow quite often on small game. I personally like a short back quiver because it makes the arrows come out easier for me. 20" or so.

“I pull the quiver down as I pull the shaft out”

Would that be done with your bow hand??

Yes with my bow hand. Hill Style by Nate, the quiver is broke in. I use my middle finger and thumb of my bow where the body of the quiver meets the bottom at the stitching,. Push the quiver up as I reach for an arrow, grab a nock, start pulling the shaft out and at the same time start to pull down the quiver and the arrow comes right out, no dragging in the quiver and it ends up back in place.

Lastmohecken - "I have killed deer on the second shot, on a couple of occasions. And gotten second shots in on a few more. A quick second shot, pays off, sometimes"

Back in the day of around 17 or 18 years old, I emptied a 6 slot quiver while on stand of a deer drive and never cut a hair... (I may have only shot 5 times, I think I had a field point in the quiver at the time) Anyhow, I was shaking like a leaf and the drivers were still a ways off so I then quickly climbed down the tree and ran over to the closest arrow sticking in the ground and quickly climbed back up the tree and nocked the arrow just in time to see the last group running my way, a doe with her twin fawns in tow... They weren't in that flat out full bore run, just that fast gate to stay ahead of whatever was after them... When they got broadside from only about 15 yards I shot at the doe and hit the second trailing fawn about midsection which turned him back towards the drivers... This was late January last week of season with about a half foot of snow on the ground... I climbed down and quickly gathered arrows I could find and fortunately the drivers kept him at bay until I was able to sneak within range and finish him off... The second shot was good and that button buck venison was good eating...8^)

So yeah, since then over the years I've had several times of second shots, maybe even once or twice a third shot...

Now as an old man with different mentality, I only carry 3 broadheads, a Judo point, and a blunt... I figure if I kill him with 3 arrows, he deserves to live...8^)

Yes, I have shot more than once on a few occasions. It happens.

Now thinking back on my story, (heck that was over 45 years ago) that button buck ran back between the drivers but I was able to track him down in the snow...

Hi Orion, Late to the party. All this talk of quivers and then I started reading Nate’s blog. It got me thinking about longbows again.

A couple of years ago I sold the longbows I had. A Morning Star, Ramer, and a Shelton. Kind of regretting it today. I only have my Liberty English left. But it is a good one.

Anyway, I got out my quiver and measured the depth. It is right at 22”. I was able to draw an arrow out of it without bumping it, so I guess I got lucky with my only back quiver purchase!

I know where my old Shelton is, maybe I’ll try and get it back.

Bringing this back top the top. I have recently received a back quiver and trying to learn to use it. Anybody that uses a very cylinder shaped back quiver have suggesitons for how to quiten down the rattle between arrows? My new quiver measures 20" deep and I can draw arrows without and issue from the nock. I just need to figure out to to get the noise under control. Thanks,

- Bones.

People used to put oatmeal in the quiver to quiet it down some.

Don't put oatmeal in it. If it gets wet, you know what you have. If you have any whole pats they will work.

Is the quiver to rigid to collapse and conform to your torso?

Some information here: https://traditionalknowhow.blogspot.com/2014/03/hunting- with-back-quiver.html?m=1

My quiver is too rigid to conform to me. It looms nice, but may not be something I can hunt with. AND- nope not going to put oatmeal in a quiver. IF... I knew nothing else, that just sounds like a real bad idea.

-Bones

I've not used a back quiver like that, but it can be used successfully. Saxon Pope, Art Young and others hunted with quivers made that way. Both back quivers and belt quivers.

Is it tapered at all?

Very slightly tapered the smaller end being the bottom. I was given some scrap tanned elk hide from around the neck (fly tying material) and put it in the mouth of the quiver. The hair fiber was long enough to fill most of the opening of the quiver, and it still makes a lot of noise.

-Bones

So the noise then is likely coming from the bottom/point and of the arrows movie around?

popes and youngs were small diameter and the feathers held the arrows tite I made one by their plans

dosn't ride as nice as a back quiver -I used it for a number of years

Yes sir, I believe that is correct. The "rattle" seems to come from further down in the quiver as I walk and move. I read the post about traditional knowledge and watched Nate's video. Those are good sources of good info, but not the same quiver.

-Bones

can be worn a lot of ways but not near as handy as the true Hill style back quiver

So if it were me and I wanted to use it I would do one of a couple of things.

I would put synthetic pillow stuffing, a was of of acrylic yarn, or so.eting of that type in the bottom to kind of hold the field points.

That won't work for broadhead of course so I would use whole or rolled oats, a foam block or so.ething of that sort to hold them in place.

I understand the concept of the oats, but I can't feel good about putting grains in the quiver, especially this time of year. Most grains will soak up moisture, and then mildew. Maybe I can figure out some sort of synthetic or foam like Frank suggested that would do similar in the bottom??

-Bones

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