Bowhunting Setup with Redbeard Outdoors

Building a hunting arrow can get complicated fast.

Arrow diameter. Spine. Fletching. Helical. Inserts. Broadheads. Total arrow weight. Nock tuning.

When you're a new bowhunter, it's easy to wonder how much of this stuff actually matters.

In Episode 84 of the First Generation Bowhunter Podcast, Adam Buchanan sits down with Jonathan from Redbeard Outdoors to break down hunting arrow setups, broadheads, bow tuning and the small adjustments that can create more consistency and confidence in the field.

They also dive into hunting with kids, preparing for archery season and one of the most important lessons in bowhunting:

Your equipment doesn't have to be complicated, but you need to understand and trust it.

Watch Episode 84

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In This Episode

Adam and Jonathan cover:

• How often bowhunters should shoot during hunting season

• Blank bale archery practice

• Getting kids started in bowhunting

• Building arrows with your kids

• Broadhead practice before a hunt

• Victory VAP TKO hunting arrow setups

• 4mm hunting arrow components

• Three-fletch versus four-fletch arrows

• Arrow helical and offset

• Fixed versus mechanical broadheads

• Single-bevel broadheads

• Broadhead bleeder blades

• Broadhead tuning

• Nock tuning hunting arrows

• Ranking arrows within a dozen

• Spine alignment

• Hunting arrow consistency

• Arrow and fletching colors

• Practicing under pressure

• Establishing an ethical shooting distance

Getting Kids Started in Bowhunting

One of the best parts of this conversation has almost nothing to do with equipment.

Jonathan talks about preparing his son for his own archery hunt.

Instead of simply handing him a finished setup, Jonathan made him participate in the process.

His son helped cut his arrows.

He squared them.

He glued the inserts.

He fletched them.

Then came the shooting.

Jonathan established a non-negotiable standard before taking him hunting: he needed to demonstrate that he could consistently shoot broadheads accurately at 40 yards.

They started at 20 yards, comparing a broadhead to a field point.

Then 30.

Then 40.

Eventually, they moved to a deer target without an obvious aiming dot so the practice looked more like a real hunting situation.

The point wasn't just getting a kid a bow and taking him hunting.

It was teaching him how the entire system works and building confidence before putting an animal in front of him.

Let Young Hunters Set Their Own Goals

Jonathan also did something that's easy for parents to overlook.

He asked his son what kind of buck he wanted to shoot before the hunt.

Not what Dad wanted him to shoot.

What he wanted.

That established a standard they could return to once they were actually hunting and adrenaline entered the equation.

It also allowed Jonathan to act more like a mentor than the person making every decision.

The same concept applies to adult hunters.

Set your standards before you're looking at an animal through your rangefinder.

Hunting Arrow Builds Can Get Complicated

The arrow discussion gets deep in this episode.

Jonathan walks through one of his western hunting setups built around a Victory VAP TKO 300-spine arrow.

His setup includes four-fletching with AAE Max 23 vanes, helical, a glue-in component system and a mechanical broadhead.

But there's a bigger lesson here than copying one exact arrow build.

Consistency matters.

Jonathan goes through considerable effort to make each hunting arrow as similar as possible.

Same components.

Same fletching.

Same orientation.

Same broadhead setup.

Same build process.

The more variables you can eliminate, the easier it becomes to trust your equipment.

Three-Fletch vs. Four-Fletch Hunting Arrows

Three-fletch and four-fletch configurations can both work extremely well.

A four-fletch setup, however, has some interesting advantages for hunters who don't want to dive too deeply into nock orientation.

With four vanes positioned evenly around the shaft, the arrow can offer more flexibility in how it's nocked while still maintaining clearance.

Four-fletch setups can also provide additional steering for broadheads.

That doesn't mean every hunter needs to immediately refletch every arrow they own.

The important thing is understanding why you're making the change.

Experiment during the off-season.

Find a configuration that works.

Then build consistency around it.

What Is Helical Fletching?

Helical refers to the way the vane curves around the arrow shaft rather than sitting perfectly straight.

The purpose is to help induce arrow rotation during flight.

Think of the concept similarly to rifling.

Rotation can help stabilize the projectile.

You'll hear bowhunters talk about right helical, left helical and different degrees of offset.

You can go surprisingly deep into this topic.

For a newer bowhunter, the more important takeaway is simpler:

Fletching isn't just decoration on the back of your arrow.

It plays an important role in controlling and stabilizing the arrow, particularly when a broadhead is attached to the front.

Why Broadhead Tuning Matters

A field point is aerodynamically simple.

A fixed-blade broadhead isn't.

Those blades at the front of the arrow interact with the air, which means problems with your bow tune or arrow setup can become much more noticeable once you install a broadhead.

Jonathan describes testing his setup with a large fixed-blade broadhead specifically because it's more demanding.

If he can shoot a large fixed broadhead at 60, 70 or 80 yards and have it group with his field points, that's a strong indication that the bow and arrow system is working together properly.

That's also why you should never wait until opening morning to screw broadheads onto your hunting arrows.

Shoot them.

What Is a Single-Bevel Broadhead?

Single-bevel broadheads are sharpened differently than traditional double-bevel blades.

Instead of both sides of the cutting edge being beveled, the edge is ground primarily from one side.

Jonathan explains that he matches the direction of the bevel with the direction his arrow rotates based on his fletching.

The idea is to maintain rotation as the broadhead penetrates.

Like almost everything involving hunting arrows, there are plenty of opinions about broadhead design.

Rather than choosing one because someone online says it's the best, understand the design, test it from your setup and determine whether it gives you confidence.

What Are Bleeder Blades on a Broadhead?

Bleeder blades are smaller secondary blades added to some broadheads.

Instead of creating only the primary cut from the main blades, the smaller bleeders create additional cuts.

Jonathan explains why he prefers a broadhead with bleeders rather than a simple two-blade design.

The important takeaway for newer hunters is understanding that blade count, cutting diameter, penetration, durability and flight characteristics all interact.

There's rarely one perfect answer for every bowhunter.

What Is Nock Tuning?

Nock tuning is one of those concepts that can sound complicated until you actually try it.

You shoot an arrow.

If that particular arrow consistently doesn't group with your others, rotate the nock slightly and shoot it again.

That changes the orientation of the carbon shaft as it leaves the bow.

Sometimes the exact same arrow that wasn't grouping suddenly comes right into the group.

Why?

Carbon arrows aren't perfectly identical around the entire circumference of the shaft. Differences in how the carbon is constructed can affect how the arrow reacts when energy is transferred into it.

Rotating the nock changes the orientation of that shaft relative to the bow.

It's a simple experiment that can sometimes produce surprisingly noticeable results.

Rank Your Hunting Arrows

Here's another simple bowhunting tip:

Number your arrows.

If you have a dozen arrows, label them 1 through 12.

Then shoot groups and pay attention.

Does number seven always seem to wander?

Does number three consistently hit exactly where you expect?

Do the same few arrows keep producing your best groups?

Eventually, you can rank your arrows and identify the ones you trust most.

Those become your primary hunting arrows.

Instead of assuming every arrow in a dozen performs identically, you've actually tested them.

Expensive Arrows Aren't Magic

Higher-end hunting arrows can provide tighter tolerances, better components and more consistency.

But that doesn't mean an inexpensive carbon arrow can't kill an animal.

It absolutely can.

The advantage of premium arrows becomes increasingly apparent as you try to remove variables and demand greater consistency, particularly at longer distances.

For a first-generation bowhunter, that creates a sensible progression.

Start shooting.

Learn your bow.

Learn good form.

Become consistent.

Then start exploring the smaller variables that might help you become even more accurate.

You don't need to understand every detail about carbon construction before shooting your first bow.

Don't Forget Arrow Visibility

Arrow color isn't purely cosmetic.

Jonathan likes having white somewhere on his hunting arrows because it can make blood easier to identify after a shot.

Bright colors can also make lost arrows considerably easier to find.

Anyone who has buried an arrow in grass or dirt knows how quickly a $20+ arrow can disappear.

Your fletching and wrap choices can give you both visibility and information after the shot.

Shoot Your Bow at Hunting Camp

Your bow was dialed at home.

Then you drove hundreds of miles.

The case bounced around in the truck.

You changed elevation.

You unpacked everything at camp.

Don't simply assume nothing changed.

Bring a target if practical and shoot your bow once you arrive.

You don't need a 50-arrow practice session.

You're confirming that everything is still working.

If you're backpacking and carrying a target isn't realistic, there are blunt-style practice heads that can give you an option for safely verifying your setup in appropriate conditions.

The point is simple:

Confirm your equipment before the hunt begins.

Carry a Basic Bow Repair Kit

You probably aren't bringing a bow press into the backcountry.

But there are smaller problems you can prepare for.

Carry basic tools.

Know how to tie a D-loop.

Have the supplies needed for minor repairs.

Understand the basic components of your bow well enough that a small problem doesn't automatically end your hunt.

A tiny amount of knowledge and preparation can save an entire trip.

Practice Shooting Under Pressure

Shooting a foam target while relaxed is one thing.

Drawing your bow on an animal is completely different.

You can't perfectly recreate buck fever at the range, but you can introduce stress.

Run.

Do burpees.

Do squats.

Get your heart rate elevated and then shoot.

Shoot with friends watching you.

Create competitions.

Put something on the line.

Make yourself uncomfortable.

Then learn how to slow everything back down and execute the shot.

Establish Your Maximum Hunting Distance Before the Hunt

Don't decide your ethical shooting distance while an elk is standing in front of you.

Decide before the hunt.

Jonathan talks about approximately 70 yards being his upper limit for a first shot, and even then, conditions need to be right.

Your number might be dramatically different.

That's okay.

The important part is testing yourself honestly.

Don't shoot one great arrow at 50 yards and suddenly decide you're a 50-yard hunter.

Shoot repeatedly.

Shoot broadheads.

Shoot when you're tired.

Shoot in realistic conditions.

Know the distance at which you can consistently make an ethical shot.

Then stick to that standard when it counts.

Confidence Comes From Removing Variables

There's a theme running throughout this entire episode.

Remove variables.

Build your arrows consistently.

Tune your bow.

Test your broadheads.

Know your equipment.

Practice at realistic distances.

Shoot under pressure.

Establish your standards.

You can spend an incredible amount of money on bowhunting equipment.

But eventually you have to stand behind the bow and execute the shot.

Confidence comes from knowing you've already done the work.

FAQ's

What is nock tuning an arrow?

Nock tuning involves rotating the nock to change the orientation of the arrow shaft relative to the bow. If one arrow consistently groups differently from the others, rotating the nock and testing it again may improve how that arrow reacts and groups.

Should I number my hunting arrows?

Numbering your arrows makes it easier to identify differences within a dozen. If the same arrow repeatedly produces poor groups, you'll know which arrow is causing the problem instead of assuming your shooting form is responsible.

Is four-fletch better than three-fletch for hunting?

Both configurations can work extremely well. Four-fletch setups can provide additional steering and flexibility in vane orientation, which makes them popular with some bowhunters shooting broadheads.

Should broadheads hit the same place as field points?

A properly tuned bow and arrow setup should allow broadheads and field points to group closely together. Large differences can indicate that additional bow or broadhead tuning is needed.

Should I shoot my broadheads before hunting?

Absolutely. Shoot the broadheads you plan to hunt with before the season. Don't assume they'll fly exactly like your field points without testing them.

What are bleeder blades on a broadhead?

Bleeder blades are smaller secondary blades that create additional cuts beyond the primary broadhead blades. They're used on some fixed-blade broadheads to increase the overall wound channel.

What is a single-bevel broadhead?

A single-bevel broadhead has a cutting edge primarily sharpened from one side. The design can encourage continued rotation as the broadhead penetrates.

How far should I shoot at an animal with a bow?

Your maximum hunting distance should be based on the distance at which you can repeatedly make accurate, ethical shots with your hunting setup. Establish that limit during practice rather than deciding when an animal is standing in front of you.

Should I shoot my bow after arriving at hunting camp?

Yes. It's smart to verify your bow after traveling. Equipment can shift or get bumped during transportation, and shooting at camp gives you an opportunity to catch a problem before the hunt begins.

How can I practice for buck fever?

You can't completely recreate the adrenaline of drawing on an animal, but you can practice under stress. Elevate your heart rate through exercise, compete with friends or otherwise introduce pressure before shooting and learn to execute your normal shot process.

Listen to First Generation Bowhunter

First Generation Bowhunter is a bowhunting podcast built around learning the sport, asking questions and getting better through real-world experience.

Hosted by Adam Buchanan, the show covers bowhunting, archery equipment, hunting gear, conservation and conversations with hunters and outdoor industry experts.

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If you're another first-generation bowhunter figuring this stuff out as you go, follow the show and share this episode with someone building their own bowhunting setup.