Bow Tip: How To Find Lost Arrows

Just for you buckhunter, here are five tips for recovering those arrows that—no way!—missed the whole dang target on the practice range.

1) Keep the lawn mowed short. (Yeah, right.)

2) If possible, set up so the terrain behind the target is uphill, even if only slightly.

3) When you shoot a flier, stop shooting. While the shot is still fresh in your mind, stare at the target and do your best to remember and mentally mark exactly where you missed. (e.g. “Left edge of the target, 2 inches high.”)

4) Drop your bow at your feet. Walk past the target, beyond the farthest point where the arrow could have landed, turn around and line up the bow, your marked miss and yourself—all in a straight line. Drop your hat.

5) Your arrow should be stuck in the grass somewhere along that line, between your hat and the target. If the vanes are sticking out, you’ll find it pretty quickly. Otherwise, look for loose dirt or parted grass where the shaft entered. If necessary, go to the garage, grab a potato hook, and rake the tines perpendicular to that line between the hat and the target, digging a couple inches into the ground. If that doesn’t work, I don’t know what will. But maybe you do; any suggestions?