THE HUNTING ARROW. 
You Will be Surprised at the Execution T 
Missile Will Accomplish. 
How many of Forest and Stream readers 
heard the ring of the bow-cord in a forest whet 
all is still and listened to the “whish” of the 
feathered shaft as it sped toward its mark? T 
those who have not there still remains somethin 
new to be enjoyed in our ancient sport. 
Target arrows may be bought in the sho 
but the wild wood archer must of necessity be h 
own fletcher. However, to make one’s own 
is pleasant and enjoyable work, and it is withiil 
the ability of most archers to make good huntin' 
arrows at small cost, so that he may lose 
quiverful without much regret. 
The hunting arr w is put to use that the target 
arrow would not stand, and differs from the 
latter in material, size, weight, pile and width of 
feather. It must have strength to be shot among 
tree limbs and not break, weight enough to car 
severe shock when it hits game and a br 
feather to limit its flight, for strange as it 
seem, the last is one point of excellence in a 
hunting arrow. Some shots miss, and af 
arrow has passed its mark the quicker it 
the better. The pile must be fashioned < 
the kind of game sought—blunt for bir 
squirrels, and sharp for rabbits and larger 
The best material for a good hunting arrow 
close-grained hickory. However, this material is 
hard to get, especially in our small cities, and 
one may have to use other woods for the pur¬ 
pose. White oak, white ash, birch and mapie all 
make good arrows. Whatever wood is selected 
it must be straight grained and well seasoned. 
Avoid kiln dried lumber for this purpose as it 
is brittle and brash, the heat in drying having 
induced a chemical change in the sap. 
If one can have -the wood ripped and run 
through a dowelling machine the work of making 
the arrow is much shortened. In most of our large 
cities one can buy birch and maple dowels at the 
large hardware stores. Get the 54 -inch size and 
cut to the proper length of 28 inches. In case 
you cannot obtain these it will be necessary to 
round the shafts by hand. Have them cut at 
the mill into 54 -inch squares. Get a piece of 
grooved flooring about 36 inches long. At one 
end put a wooden plug for a stop. Then put 
the square stick in' this groove and plane away 
the corners, thus reducing the square to an octa¬ 
gon. Then with the plane set fine work the octa¬ 
gon till it becomes a round, straight shaft a little 
less than 5 4 inch in diameter. The use of some 
medium coarse sandpaper and a little “elbow 
grease” will finish the shaft up smooth. 
The nock for the bowstring may now be cut. 
Put the arrow in a vise and with a common cross 
cut saw cut a slot about J 4 inch deep. This may 
be widened with a knife and finished with a 
round edged flat file about J 4 inch thick. Be¬ 
ginning at a point about one inch from the end 
slightly reduce the size of the shaft toward the 
nock. This gives the finished product a pleasing 
appearance, and is really a benefit in loosing. 
With the flat file round off the sharp corners 
of the nock so that it looks like a target arrow 
nock. 
The next step is to glue on the feathers, and 
this is the most difficult operation in the fletcher’s 
art. Should you desire to use liquid glue for 
this part o 
you can get it 
ever, the best glue for feathering is "^7 
equal parts of best commercial glue and 
isinglass melted in brandy and heated in an ordi¬ 
nary glue pot. When ready for use it should 
be about as tin as fresh LePage’s glue. 
The wing feathers of our domestic turkey are 
the best for this purpose. As the feathers in 
each wing curve in opposite directions it is neces¬ 
sary to select all three vanes from the same side 
of the bird. The feathers are stripped from the 
bone for the hunting arrow, and not cut, as is the 
case with the target arrow. Hold the feather 
in the left hand and strip the vane with the 
right hand, beginning at the end opposite from 
the quill. Cut the long strips into pieces three 
inches long. The three pieces selected for each 
arrow should be as nearly alike in texture and 
stiffness as the stock to choose from will permit. 
At least six hours before the feathers are to 
be glued on the shaftment (i. e., the painted por¬ 
tion of the arrow extending about six inches 
from the nock) should be sized with very thin 
glue. This furnishes a “key” for the glue on the 
vane to hold to. It raises the grain, which 
must be sandpapered smooth. 
Apply the glue to the skin of one of the short 
pieces of feather and glue it along the shaft at 
right angles to the nock. This is the cock feather 
and is always held out in shooting. At a dis¬ 
tance of one-third the circumference of the shaft 
on each side of the cock feather glue the remain¬ 
ing two pieces, so that the feathers stand at an 
angle of 120 degrees with each other. In put¬ 
ting on the feathers if the natural curve of the 
vane is slightly exaggerated it will help a great 
empty ,^o pistol cartridge shell and file 
off the flange. The broad head is made by cut¬ 
ting out of sheet steel a trowel shaped head 154 
inches long and 54 inch wide with a short tang 
to fit in a saw slot in the shaft. Wrap the head 
in with fine tinned wire and run solder over the 
wire. This makes a very firm attachment. 
Painting the arrow will complete it. First 
give the entire arrow a coat of good varnish, lay¬ 
ing it carefully over the glue joint of feathers 
and shaft, taking care to cover the rib of the 
feather but not to get any on the feather 
vanes. Permit this to become dry and then 
paint in between the feathers with a good water¬ 
proof paint. A bright red color is the best for 
this purpose. Continue painting for about three 
inches beyond the feathers. This painted portion 
of the arrow is called the “shaftment.” After 
the paint has become dry, at the lower end of the 
shaftment paint one, two or three rings of some 
color which contrasts nicely with the color of 
the shaftment. This is the “crest” or “ribband” 
and no arrow is complete without it. It also 
serves as an owner’s mark. Put another coat of 
varnish over the shaftment and when dry rub 
the arrow with a cloth wet with linseed oil and 
powdered pumice stone. This last operation 
smooths the varnish and puts a fine polish on 
the arrow. 
If the directions as given have been followed 
faithfully and the work done carefully, the product 
will be a missile which will shoot true as a bullet 
and will delight the angler’s ear with its low 
whish-h-h as it speeds toward its mark. 
