Helical Fletch Wins l Ranch Fairy 

Last year I was a total loser with poor arrow flight and a non existent sex life. Now after following RF’s guidance, I get perfect arrow flight, bust through scapulas, make better money at work, and consistently land smokeshows. Thanks RF!!!!

Took my time with the ranch fairy youtube videos and taken everything in on building my 570 grain arrow with the magnus broadhead, I've taken 2 does and 1 buck with the SAME ARROW and BROADHEAD all I've done everytime is sharpen up the blade. Blowing through each one sticking in the dirt at least 6 inches. THANK YOU RANCH FAIRY!!!!!!

A hundred years ago, I was in the Army. We used "adult" projectiles like the Armor-Piercing, Fin- STABILIZED, Discarding Sabot - Tracer. We were instructed that once a projectile's length exceeds its diameter by a certain amount, rifling is less effective than something akin to fletching (fins). Arrows are spin-stabilized more effectively by helical fletching than straight fletching. "Spin-Stabilized" might make a good t-shirt. Thank you for your great content

Trust the fairy wisdom! After so many arrow builds, I indexed, tuned, & used helical feathers this season. Best arrows I've ever made, field point or Cutthroat! Thanks Ranch!!

Fairy!!!!!!!!! I love the fact you are strait up commonsense yet you still use science. Strait gold brother.

Followed the RF process for a set of six crossbow bolts. 540 grains, 25% FOC, & hand sharpened Magnus Black Hornets and Buzz Cut Stingers. Have shot one buck and four does (Tennessee and Illinois). Complete pass throughs except for one doe. Doe was quartering to me and I aimed at the "vital V". As I shot, she spun toward me and dropped, the bolt hit her in the neck, went completely across her body and almost exited on the opposite side by her rear ham. Found the bolt on the ground about 25 yards from where I shot her and found her piled up 25 yards from there. A plan "B" bolt that did its job! Absolutely impressed with the bolts, arrow flight, penetration, and the broadheads. Adult arrows aren't just for compounds or recurves.

Great video. Only reason U.S. Army tanks use fin stabilized rounds with a smooth bore cannon is because at stupid fast meters per second the rifling gets worn out quickly. Precision weapons spin projectiles for accuracy.

I've tried for years to tell my compound friends that helical helps. I run 4 fletch right helical for my hunting arrows and 3 fletch helical for my target rigs. Started using the 2.5 inch bohning heat vanes this year after using blazers or duravanes my entire time shooting. Really liking them so far and they are much quieter than the blazers.

Most educational content on arrow physics. Started my process the end of the summer, was able to add 50 gr and increase my FOC a little... This year will be the year of the "Process". We'll see what happens and what I end up with. 🏹

I switched to a 3” parabolic right wing this year. I used a straight clamp with a 3 degree (I think) offset. They are flying great. I did notice that a couple of the arrows in my set spin way more than the others. The arrows that spin more always group tighter together than the other 5-6 arrows in the batch.

Added Helical to my arrows this year after the tuning process. Best flight and groupings I’ve ever had. It works! Oh and picked up one of your shirts. Good stuff!

Slogan for merch: "Ask me about Adult Arrows"

More great information!! Finally got to use my adult arrows 593 grains, on my first doe 20 yards talk about crazy I thought I missed, nope she went maybe 70 yards and fell over. Can't say thanks enough what a game changer!! 👏👏👏

I shot groups at 60 yards using a 200 grain cutthroat comparing a very slight helical to a heavy helical from a EZ Fletch Mini Max using 3” Q2i Griff-X vanes and the heavy helical won hands down. Best 6 arrow group was 3.5” at 60 yards. 525 grains 18.5% FOC

So I built some 650 grain Adult arrows. Now my target doesn't stop them! WTH ? Lol

Fred Bear described helical as a curl in the fletching. Another wonderful side affect is a thicker profile of the fletching from the rear, giving the shooter a better chance at following the path of the arrow as it travels to the target. I use the EZ fletch fletcher (glues 3 feathers at the same time) 4 degree offset with 4 inch feathers. Fluorescent chartreuse is highly visible even in low light. White, or yellow is also good, but nothing beats fluorescent chartreuse in my testing. Keep rockin it Troy. Hopefully more lethal converts to come.

Paradox with a bow shot with a mechanical release will be on a vertical plane, shot with fingers it will be on a horizontal plane and much more influence on the arrow!

Need a shirt with a circle and line crossing out with the words Twizzlers and flappers!! 👍

I like how he dumbs down dynamic spine and doesn’t say if your string twist this way it will automatically spin the arrow that way cause I thought u could take to the bank but not the case

This is a great video! Answered my curiosity about fletchings. I’ve always just shot straight fletch bow shop arrows. I’m gonna build a set of adult arrows this year and wanted to know whether it mattered how to fletch them. 🌠 the more you know….

Hmmmm....Sirius Batman arrows??? Interesting...nice intro update too. You’ve taught me well to notice the details. Thanks for the insight.

Preach brother! The true believers are listening.

I whacked my biggest buck to date 2 days ago with my new RF Apollos, 590 grains blasted thru both ribs and the heart at 45 yards

Having been out of the bow shooting game for a while im surprised anyone would shoot straight. Helical was a given in 2000 when I got my bow.

Thanks for the time big RF. Awesome advice as always.

Another great information video. I started shooting left three and one half inch fletch and noticed tighter groups at 40,50,and 60 yards. Going to adult arrows next year.

Hey Ranch Fairy, I followed your guide for arrow setup on THP channel...what would you recommend for helicle degrees and or offset degrees? Im shooting 300 spine gold tip arrows with 2 inch raptor vane I believe the stock setup looks like straight with 3 degree offset

Dude at first I thought you were crazy, but entertaining! But you know what I'm starting to believe your methods. Please keep putting out content!

@9:25 I was literally picking my nose. 😆

I have some 2219 Easton aluminum shafts and want to try to make some 16.5” quills for my Micro Mag 340. I have feathers left over from my vertical bow days..arrow building. They are longer than the plastic Blazers that are on the factory BEE quills. Does it matter how long the feathers are..the length that runs along the shaft?

I remember a video you did where you said if you properly tune your arrows you don’t need a helical fletch 😂 and I was thinking well I’m screwed I can’t tune my arrows that good so I went helical!

I went with your old suggestion for straight fletch right wing feathers and right bevel broad-head. So far so good. I've got a 783 grain Sirius Vulcan with 375 up front (18% FOC) that'll be hitting the woods.

Plz make more vids Ranch.. The dust is strong..

I love the shop videos trying to justify the things they sell that go against common sense and science, all because of the RF videos. A few are getting on board but we need more. Almost every archery video nowadays shows arrows getting poor penetration. It’s a shame that more are not realizing that they need to change what they are doing.

PET PEEVE...If you say something enough times (though it be incorrect) people will begin to think it is fact. The archer's paradox is the phenomenon of an arrow traveling in the direction it is pointed at full draw, when it seems that the arrow would have to pass through the starting position it was in before being drawn, where it was pointed to the side of the target. The bending of the arrow when released is the explanation for why the paradox occurs and should not be confused with the paradox itself.

Is it right fletching for right hand single bevel?

Lancaster archery just did a video showing slo mo of ther opposite helical directions coming off the bow. The one that went left the direction the bow clocked spun immediately, going opposite the arrow Hesitated then started spinning the direction the vanes were offset.

Can you use a right helical vane set up on a "left"/ counter clockwise bow? Most shots will be under 22 yards

35 years ago when I was shooting a recurve, I was told to do Straight Fletch because if you had helical.... The deer would hear the Arrow coming! How stupid is that? They going to hear your string slap on the recurve but hopefully it's too late for him to vacate😁

From the trad gear of selfbows to laminated bows to compound bows I've shot right helical to offset and killed rabbits and squirrels to deer . Just make sure it's leading point is glued down. Stuck in the hand sucks

Hey, Troy. Thank you for another helpful, no-nonsense video. One question: In an older session called "Feathers vs Vanes for Bowhunting," you recommended straight (non-helical) vanes (and feathers) for hunters using single-bevel, two-bladed broadheads. You cited Dr. Ashby's contention that AFTER IMPACT, such a broadhead will rotate more, causing more damage, when the shaft on which it's mounted is rotating minimally BEFORE IMPACT. As a result, you said that you always shot arrows with non-helical fletching. Here , three years later, you note that you always use helical fletching. Does that represent a change in your thinking, or are you referring to the hunts where you DON'T use single-bevel, two-bladed broadheads? Or have I maybe misinterpreted what you said in both videos (entirely possible). All the best, Chris (in Maine)

Some people dont take into account the nature spin of thier arrow. When you shoot a bare shaft does it spin left or does it spin right? This should determine if you use left or right fletch. The way your string is twisted and the way the serving cross hatches that twist will determine a natural spin either left or right. If you put a right fletch on a left spinning arrow it will start out spinning left then slowly start spinning to the right not idea for " perfect arrow flight " edit I just noticed RF addressed this. I understand its minimal and more something target archers think about. But it bugs me and I just assume buy a string that twists clockwise and makes the arrow spin right to go along with my right fletch.

I own 6 bows and three of them have the ezv. I love them. Can you make another video on how to visualize on what you would be aiming. I seen plenty videos but yours I understand better

Ranch Fairy nation 🤘🏻

I expected to see wings on the back of your Ranch Fairy shirts. Good info here. Love your vids. Hunt safe.

ive noticed with 2" blazers that with a helical jig i barely see any difference from a straight jig. should i switch to a 3" vane or just throw some offset in?

dropping truth bombs as always

I just fletched an arrow for the first time. I put four 3 inch feathers on at 4 degrees. Laser. Goes wherever my eyes are. I'd gotten used to some erratic wobble and assumed it was my release every time (stickbow). Well now the thing is like its on a wire and it hits the middle of the middle of my groups. I've gone back to bare shaft 3 times and tightened my groups up by being just neurotic. My arrows were 3x4" at 1 to 3 degrees and I was a resigning myself to a life of knuckleballing and thinking it was the tips needing to be filed or my cranky old bow. My big clue was I ripped off a whole fletch from one arrow in the elk woods and it still shot in the group. Same every-third-time corkscrew. Broadheads (single bevel right) actually helped that set. I love learning but it's embarrassing when it takes way too long to listen to the obvious, to acknowledge the gut feeling. And to watch Troy effin Fowler's thoughts on the matter.

I know I'm old but am I blind? Where can we get the cool shirts and hoodies? Thanks!

Then there is 'gyroscopic stability.' Rocket man knows about it. Oh, from what I've seen on slow-mo videos. Finger shooting paradox is horizontal & release shooting's paradox is usually vertical.

My bow shoots a bare shaft with no vanes to the left. I put a hard left helical on my arrows and wiw look out. They fly so smoth and fast at 550 grains its freakin crazy

RF as a fisherman would you compare fletching to a driftsock on a fishing boat?

But Troy. The Mechanicals fly like field points! That's what the box says...with fine print (in a vacuum). 😜

so much wisdom from Ranch Fairy!!!

The way I have my bow tuned is we did the paper tune then went and tried a few different arrows to see which one the bow liked and we settled of the Easton axis spt 5mm with a 50 grain outsert and those arrows fly straight and they did very well on a doe I shot.

Ive learned alot in the last few years watchin your vids. Thanks..i even keep watchin through your sarcasm. Lol...but the visor?? IDK maybe i watched too much Carlin in my younger days.lol..no seriously the 200 lbs buck walked under my tree straight away from me wouldn't turn wouldn't turn finally put on his r hip at 30 yrds 648gn arrow exits in front of L front shoulda..wow thanx again!

Ranch whats the max size tear you should be seeing while nock tuning? 2-3"?

So will adult arrows work out of the hickery creek mini inline vertical crossbow? I made the switch to the crossbow because of an elbow issue. The mini has an arrow rest and shoots basically regular arrows they are just cut to 23 inches....thoughts, suggestions.

Does the degree/angle of the helical make a difference? Ex. will an arrow with a high offset helical fly better than one with only a slight offset? I'm shooting stock vane grizzlystiks and wondering if I should get them re-fletched.

I saw a video here a month or so ago. They tested the left ve right. There wasn't much difference. But was alittle. There is a hesitation to your arrows that spin left with a right helical. I think it made my arrow speed faster with a 3 vane hard left helical with a left spinning arrow. And if your bow sting is spun to the left it spins left if its spun right it goes right.. it's not going go change much. If you hit the vital V doesn't matter what way the arrows spinning its game over

My QAD Exodus broadheads hit 5inches left of target everytime. Is it because I have stock children arrows with straight 3 blade fletchings?? 😆😞 Seriously though, my bow has been micro tuned and I'm money at 40yds with field points but my $420 rth Bear Legit can't be tuned anymore. I'll try helical 4 fletched adult arrows!

I was actually picking my nose... busted!

I read an article in the last year in traditional bowhunter magazine in which the author put forth a strong case for straight fletching. He argued that the bullet illustration is flawed because arrows operate more like missiles and missiles do best with straight wings. I will have to re-read that article and see which is more convincing. I did switch to straight fetch with my longbow and I've been happy so far.

Hey RF, from a physics perspective, the reason why spinning objects fly straighter is because of something called rotational momentum. Spinning objects have momentum that resist changes to direction. It is the reason why you can stay upright while riding a moving bike but tip over on a stationary bike. The spinning wheels resist changes to direction (you tipping over). Same is true of bullets, footballs, and presumably arrows. I would assume this would be especially true of adult sized arrows because the more mass there is that is spinning, the more resistance to changes in direction it will have

Excuse pls but where get HELL-A CULL? I have been around archery for many years have always heard it as HEE-LY-CAL??

Heavier longer bullets require a tighter twist rate to stabilize them so it only makes sense.

Does a helical fletching create more sound as the arrow flies? Also, with the drag of helical fletching can it be shot through a DikDik Bow?

Is it safe to assume that your left/right helical needs to match a left or right bevel on a single bevel broadhead? Or…. Is there such a thing as a left hand bevel on a broadhead, or are they all a right side bevel? Sorry for the noob question.

I even put a blazer vain on with a right heliacal and it won hands down. It put a good spin to the Magnus as suffer 3 blade head.

Good video. Couple of comments, a bullet dosen't have fletchings. With a single bevel broadhead if your helical is counter to twist the single bevel creates it can hurt penetration.

90 % clocking is to the left due to the direction the serving is wrapped around your string is industry wide the same for most manufacturers

but straight offset has spin, just probably not as much as helical. just wondering if straight offset is as accurate as helical, say within 20 yards using field points. I have the bletzenburger helical and thinking about getting the straight jig but hate wasting money. lol

Is there such thing as to much spin? I already have ethics spinning inserts, is offset fletching gonna make the arrow unstable?

I thought the same thing, and I still like it out to about 30yards , though i really cant tell a difference in accuracy. However, shooting in back yard out past about 75-80 and especially when you get to 100+ , I would never run helical. It slows the arrow down too much and kills accuracy. What I would suggest is do it . Its fun to tinker and find how everything works for you. But when it gets to season, be ready with what you KNOW works. Don’t experiment on a live quiver. Unless it’s a coyote…. Then all bets are off.

Helical only makes sense. If you've ever shot an arrow with a straight blazer vane, after about 20 or so shots, you'll notice the fletchings trying to form themselves with a helical(probably a right twist) on their own 🤷🏽‍♂️ it doesn't take a genius to look at this and think 'if I just give it what it wants, it will give me what I want' I just don't understand what's so hard to understand for some here

Hah, since your last comment, "THIS COULD BE THE SHORTEST VIDEO EVER" I nearly died of old age waiting for the 5 minuet intro and advertisements to get over with!

Thank for your help in the past my arrows fly like a dart 534 grain and bulls eye at 85 yrds 220 speed

I was under the impression that the reason people went away from helicals was because its generally unnecessary. They say a helical tends to hide poor bow tuning, and doesn't make significant difference in groupings at shorter distances. I believe you lose arrow velocity, but most argue its not significant enough to ignore the increased accuracy at longer ranges provided by helicals. But, since most shots in bowhunting are made at less than 30 yards, the benefit is minimal in majority of cases, and given a well tuned modern bow can do tight groupings of straight fletched arrows at 60+ yards, helical fletching wouldn't really improve a good hunters ability to bring home meat. Granted, helical fletching can improve accuracy, especially at longer distances, but some would argue that it does so by compensating for poor form, or compensating for poor tuning, in which case straight fletching will better inform an archer that something is wrong with him or his bow, and they can focus on fixing that instead. One could argue that a person with proper form and well tuned bow would, by that logic, only benefit from a helical, but the response would be that there isn't a practical shot in hunting where that specific hunter couldn't make the same shot with a straight shaft arrow but could have with a helical, again making helicals unnecessary, but they might use helicals anyways because at that point there's no reason for them not to. The point: use straight fletching when practicing/training, and use helicals when on an actual hunt. That way the straight shaft arrows force you to focus more on form and tuning while practicing, but then you still get any potential benefit of helicals when actually hunting.

It would make sense that as the shaft turns more, the blade end is equalizing any “untrue” effect vs simply planing from the front wings. Any clocking and once an object is in motion, it tends to stay in motion, I think I would opt for the faster spin. Peyton Manning wobble pass would not be my choice over a tight spiral.

left or right helical and how to know which one is best for me?

@ #ranchfairynation 💡 I was honestly contemplating this subject yesterday whilst setting my pins to my new higher FOC shafts with 2 degree right wing helical with 3" feathers. your timing is impeccable👌 @ #keepcalmandshootadultarrows

Troy, what glue do you use for vanes and feathers, I was having difficulty gluing feathers onto a carbon shaft using AAE glue

Another cool video. Have you tried/ experimented with NAP's Quik spin vanes?These have a small ridge on one side of the edge of the vane. Unfortunately we in the crossbow community are very limited in the amount of helical we can put on our projectiles.

A real merch plug involves cutting your merch 😂👍👍

Mini max helical to much? Create parachuting?

Doesn't Dr. Ashby recommend straight fletch?

“Shhhh...don’t tell anyone” 🤣

What’s the deal with the EZ Button arrows? You referenced more on that later, maybe that was later as in not this video??

1) if you are not interested in the obvious as to archery 🏹 you should consider doing something else. 2) The Ranch Fairy 🧚‍♀️ is correct far more often than not which is frustrating to folk who are accustomed to being WRONG 😮! 3) Should you purchase a.30-06 that doesn’t have rifling………….😳 you have been scammed and I have the Verrazano bridge that I think you should purchase. It leads to Staten Island and it’s convenient . I will give a really good deal! $$$$$$$$😮😮😮😮

How does the spin not create more drag on the broadheads? Now your broadhead is swimming through the air instead of gliding. I can understand if you're shooting bullet points. Also what happens upon contact when using a broadhead? Seems like it's easier to stab a piece of cardboard with a knife than it is to twist it in. Inquiring minds want to know.

Troy!? I wanna know, how you know, I'm picking my nose....? 😮 😂😅😂

So sorry if you've covered this before but any thoughts on the micro diameter shaft arrows? I've been following your advice, using a heavy foc, single bevel, helical with my recurve and then started trying these micro diameter.... they seem to shoot really well, but curious on your input

Have you tried the spinning inserts from ethics?

You have me sold on the whole entire higher foc stuff and heavier arrows. Hoping for your expertise regarding the use of arrow wraps that include vanes. Are there any out there which have the helical aspect you are referring to?? I simply do not have a jig to install vanes.

My bow shop told me helical is no good out of a whisker biscuit though? So I bought a straight offset jig. I hunt with a biscuit and intend to stay with it

A properly tuned bow and correctly spined arrows is the only thing that I’ve noticed that matters. All the uber tuning of the arrows(ie. nock tuning, spine indexing, insert tuning, etc) hasn’t made a lick of difference in arrow flight. If the only thing that actually changes the rotation of the arrow in mid flight(fletching against the natural rotation of your arrow) doesn’t matter, then nothing does. If it makes one feel better to do it, then by all means, have at it. It’s just not necessary.

Try the ozcut hurricane . It's a 3 blade single bevel with offset . They fly bloody awesome .

I like this theory. Rifling and comparing arrows to reloading. Precision reloading we do things in 0.01 grains and a minimum. Like why not do the same thing with archery? I bet the pro archers wear the pionty hats and do this! In reloading the heavier the bullet the faster the rifling has to be. Therefore it makes since that you would have to be the same with heavy arrows. The more heavy the arrow the more spin you need on the back. I am not the smartest just putting on a pointy hat.

someday...when I grow up... I wanna hang and hunt with RF

I found this channel last week. Now I have to rebuild all of my damn arrows, F*ck... Wish you could necropsy THP's latest buck.