In the years since I began shooting traditional bows I have sought to achieve perfect arrow flight as a means of obtaining maximum accuracy. In the early days, I would spend hours bare shaft tuning a particularly spined shaft only to discover that after cresting and fletching, the finished arrow simply did not produce the desired result. To say that I was frustrated was an understatement.

In order to determine why my efforts were falling flat, I spent some time on the discussion boards of some of the internet’s traditional bowhunting websites gleaning information on tuning techniques and testing them on my equipment. Thanks to the good advice from some master traditional bowyers and a fair amount of trial and error on my part, I have finally incorporated a few fool-proof tuning techniques into the mechanics of my traditional archery experience that have elevated my accuracy and provided for a forgiving projectile.

There are a few ground rules that I use when tuning arrows to a new bow. First, is that every bow is different and should have a set of arrows tuned specifically to that bow. Simply using arrows tuned to a bow of similar specifications will not guarantee optimal performance. Second, the arrows must be tuned to the bow using exactly the same set-up as you plan to use in the field. That means a quiver if a quiver will be used while hunting, the same type of string silencers and string material that will used, brush buttons, etc. This is important, because everything added or removed from the bow or string will make a difference in how the bow performs relative to a set of arrows. Third, do not attempt to tune the bow in strong wind. The effect of the wind on the shooter and/or the arrow can provide false information to the shooter, thus rendering the whole tuning exercise a colossal waste of time.

The first step in tuning a set of arrows to a bow is to select two or more shafts within the spine range you believe are appropriate for your poundage and draw length. Next, begin with a full length, bare shaft with your preferred point weight and shoot it into the center of the target from a distance of 15-20 yds. Notice where the point has hit the target relative to the center. For a right-handed shooter, the arrow will likely be to the right, which denotes a staff that is spined too weak. For a left-handed shooter, the weak shaft should be left of center. In the event that the full length shaft is to the left of center for a right handed shooter (opposite for a lefty), denoting a shaft that is spined too stiff, a weaker spined shaft should be selected for the remainder of the process.

Assuming that the shaft is spined weak, it is time to remove length from the shaft in one half inch increments at a time, shooting the bare shaft before each subsequent reduction in length. The objective is to obtain a bare shaft that hits the target showing that it is slightly weak. That means a shaft that hits 3-4" to the right of center for a right-handed shooter. When this level of spine it obtained, it is time to move to the next step.

Once your shaft has been tuned to be slightly weak, the arrow must be fletched and re-tested. This is the point where the bare shaft is crest wrapped, crown dipped, etc. as you prefer and fletched. Hint: Using crest wraps and fletching tape for this will reduce the time it takes to produce a finished product by hours.

After fletching, shoot your finished arrow into the target’s center at a distance of 20 yds. You should discover that your slightly weak bare shaft is no longer weak and is hitting the center of the target. This validates the reason to tune for a weak bare shaft. The application of cresting paint/wraps and fletching stiffens the spine of the shaft, thus moving it to the left for a right handed shooter. Had the bare shaft been tuned to hit center, the completed arrow would have been slightly stiff and incapable of allowing the shooter to obtain the best accuracy.

A well-tuned traditional bow and arrow combination make shooting a pleasure and ensure that you will get the most in performance out of yourself as well as your equipment. Although traditional archery still requires dedication and practice, taking the time to tune the right set of arrows to your bow is the first step in putting more traditional trophy’s on the wall and game in the freezer.