Of all of the different things that a wild turkey can give you, their wing feathers are surprisingly useful. Many times a hunter will discard the wings, but there is a good use for these feathers by using them to make flu-flu arrows.
Flu-flu arrows are arrows that are uniquely designed to have large feather fletchings that slow down an arrow when shot. These large fletchings create a lot of drag, allowing the arrow to only travel a short distance before it loses its energy. These large fletchings also make it much more likely to get caught on grass or brush, making them easier to find. Flu-flu arrows are primarily used for shooting at airborne targets, as well as for hunting animals like birds and small game like squirrels and rabbits.
Flu-flu arrows can be pretty expensive if you buy them pre fletched, but they can be made very easy to make yourself. This will also save you a ton of money as well! And unlike normal fletchings, you do not have to worry about cutting them perfectly, aligning them straight, or setting them up just right.
What You Need
Before you start to make your own flu-flu arrows, there are a few things that you will need to get a hold of to get started. These include arrow shafts, the turkey wing feathers, super glue, a tape measure, scissors, and a marker. These things are pretty much all that you will need in order to assemble and fletch your own flu-flu arrows yourself!
How to Fletch
The first thing that you will want to do is strip the arrow shafts of any previous fletchings or imperfections. Use the scissors (or a sharp knife if you want) and run it along the spine of the arrows to do this. Make sure they are as clean as possible to ensure a good connection.
Next, you will have to split the wing feathers to get them ready. On these wing feathers, one side of the feather will be thicker than the other. Use the side of the quill that has more feathers to it than the other. With the scissors, carefully split the feather up the middle and throw away the smaller side. The inside of the quill of the feather should resemble styrofoam material, and you should cut away as much of this as possible. The feathers need to flex around the shaft of the arrow, and this will help with that.
Once the feather is ready, cut the ends so that they are flat and square. Add a small drop of glue to the underside and place it on the arrow shaft. The distance to the nock isn’t all that important, so place it where you feel is best. Now run a line of glue from one tip of the fletching to the other. Grip the feather in your hand and spin the arrow clockwise so that the glue side of the quill wraps around the arrow shaft.
Final Thoughts
Making your own flu-flu arrows can be a lot of fun and take many of the price costs out of the equation. They are very fun to shoot and now you can make them yourself!
For more great ideas on how to fish and hunt from the experts, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Hunting & Fishing Blog for more great tips & tricks.
