The thread on the electronic gizmo for arrow recovery via Bluetooth got me to wondering.... So a couple questions....

About what percent of the time do you recover your animal and your arrow in the same place?

(If the arrow was broken, let’s assume the nock end is what counts)

And when you HAVE recovered arrow & animal in the same place, were those among your poorer hits? Longer tracking jobs? Could you have passed within 5 yards and never seen that animal?

Have you ever recovered part/all of your arrow somewhere on down the trail such that finding it was an important clue in the recovery?

And I guess experiences with lumenocks would be particularly relevant here... I’m always thinking deer and Elk, but I’m sure a lot of you guys do a lot of pig hunting, so just specify, if you would....

So here’s the clincher maybe... given that a Bluetooth device has a range of about what - 15 feet? - if you feel like the lumenock was the game-changer on a particular recovery... what do you suppose are the chances that you would have ever gotten into Bluetooth range without that lightbulb reeling you in?

I will say that I have never had an arrow pass clean through and fall onto or stick into the ground, but those non-pass-through arrows were all recovered in 2 pieces, with the nock end falling within just a few yards of the point of impact, so it was never any challenge to find them, and they weren’t really any real use. Couple others stopped JUST short of dropping out and would have been on the ground almost right away on any normal kind of recovery.

So for me, I don’t see an electronic nock making any difference except if I missed entirely while shooting from the ground and the arrow landed somewhere way out yonder But most of you guys have shot a lot more deer than I have.

The deer I have shot straight through the arrow recovery has never been to hard to find, and the ones that I hung the arrow in and actually found have had the arrows broke off . I shoot wood. So I can't really see where the gizmo would help me. Just my opinion.

I always carry lighted nocks in my quiver, mostly because I hunt back in the timber, with lots of shadows. As I have gotten older, I now have to wear bifocals. The lighted nock helps me see the arrow flight and many times the actual hit better than without one. Can't say that any have actually helped me locate a downed deer or arrow, but that's hunting from a tree stand perspective to. They do make it easier for me assess the quality of the hit in most instances.

I know I've never lost an arrow that was a full pass through.

I'd hate to think that you'd lose you arrow when you hit your mark....

I'm just puzzling through the question of whether finding your arrow ever really helps you find the animal you put into it.

But to be honest, a lighted nock is visible from quite some distance, and a Bluetooth nock would be detectable if you get close enough to pick it up.

So I'm kinda thinking that if a guy really wanted a device to improve his recovery rate, he'd be better off with a lighted nock than a Bluetooth equipped model.

And probably better off still if he just used a string tracker!

ROFL

For the reasons you stated,it says gimmick to me. some one will make a buck though. Personal experience---way more pass through's than not. The few that didn't were soon broken off by brush. Then there is that very limited range for such a small transmitter. I am not against change and have an open mine but I just can't recall one single one, of many kills that it would have helped. In my case waste of money, better spent on good arrow shafts and broad heads.Your case may differ.Have a good season.>>>----> Ken

Gotta be honest - now that you taught me how to pick the right arrow, I expect my pass-through percentage only to increase....

So glad to hear it. I love to pay it back and pass on all I can. No doubt it is getting late in the game and my season is over this year. I hope to come back but one never knows. Best of luck. Pick a little spot with a razor sharp head. You will do good, given the opportunity. >>>----> Ken

Yeah, I just gotta find a way to get out there!

I'm with you GF. In my limited experience, I have never lost the nock end of an arrow, but I have lost an animal.

Most deer hunters climb and shoot down at deer, no reason you should not be able to find your arrow. I hunt low and shoot up. If there is an erosion ditch on the wooded hill side, there is almost one or two on every hill around here, that is where I am at. Deer cut across the easy crossing spots and/or go around the head of it. If I am up top, I am almost always 20 to 30 down from the edge, once again shooting up. That is when you may find that Hunter's Heads and Grizzlies and Hills do not slow down much going through deer and find the longer grass or hit flush with the leaves in the woods. Snow and switch grass ate my arrow last year, no lit up nock was going help me much, besides it was a 20 year old wood arrow.

I've only helped find four deer in my life. The first was a pass through from a compound bow. Night time. Light to moderate blood trail pre-lighted nocks. Took maybe an hour to find the deer maybe 90 yards out. The next had a lighted nock no pass thru. Also evening time. The nock was a beacon about 55 or so yards in the dark woods. Walked straight to it and found the arrow no deer. A few yards and maybe 10 minutes later we found the deer. Third was mine earlier this year. Overcast morning about 7:45. Lighted nock. Fletching buried and I could see the broadhead end sticking out when the deer ran. Arrow was broke in two and found nock end about 20 yards from stand. Easy blood trail to deer about 30 more yards. Fourth was lighted nock pass through the same morning by my friend. . Found deer 30 yards away after a relatively easy trail. While the lighted nocks were never with the deer, one definitely made trailing easier. With mine I could see exactly where the arrow hit and I knew it was a good shot. I really liked that kind of confidence. Never got into second guessing myself about the hit. Only deer I've shot so I don't know if I would have seen my arrow and remembered as good without one. In the heat of the moment every thing can become a blurr so I'm glad I had a lighted nock. +

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