The Difference Between Four & Two Fletching on Bows & Arrows

The feathers on the back of an arrow are called its fletching. The purpose of the fletching is to cause the arrow to rotate as it leaves the bow, which in turn causes it to fly in a straight line and strike the target with greater force. The two-feather fletch is most commonly used in primitive archery, with three-feather and four-feather fletches more common with modern compound bows.

  1. The Four-Feather Fletch

    • While the three-feather fletch is most commonly used for shooting at targets, the four-feather fletch is also used. One feather (the "index," or "cock," fletch) is a different color than the other three, which are known as the "hen" feathers. Each fletch is set at 90 degrees to the next so that the feathers are evenly spaced around the arrow. Helical fletching is used more often for hunting. In a helical fletch the feathers are set in a spiral pattern. This makes the arrow fly straighter toward the target by increasing the degree of spin.

    The Two-Feather Fletch

    • The two-feather fletch is popular among primitive archers, who prefer traditional bows without the sights and other advanced features of modern archery. The two-feather fletch was popular among the hunters of the Eastern Woodlands Indian tribes. When the two feathers are correctly attached to the arrow, a two-feather fletch can be as accurate as the more standard three-feather fletch. The arrow is apt to fly a shorter distance at a slower speed, however, with some users reporting that the arrow will simply fall to the ground after flying a certain distance.

    The Flu-Flu Fletch

    • A flu-flu fletch is a special method of fletching an arrow by wrapping the feathers in a spiral rather than placing them at intervals around the shaft. The standard method of flu-flu fletching is to use two feathers, sometimes in two different colors for aesthetic reasons. Flu-flu arrows have a shorter effective range, and they fly at slower speeds. They are most often used for hunting squirrels and birds. If more than two feathers are used, the arrow will fly even more slowly. It is also possible to make a flu-flu arrow with only a single feather.

    Advantages and Disadvantages

    • A four-feather fletch is more common in modern archery, and the arrow with this type of fletch will fly farther and faster, and will hit the target with greater force. A two-feather fletch has the appeal of being associated with historical archery and the Eastern Woodlands Indian hunting traditions. It is simpler and easier to make, and at the distances most often used for hunting it is accurate and powerful enough to do the job. Two-feather flu-flu arrows are also not very accurate or powerful at longer distances, but this is not a problem for hunting small game such as birds and squirrels. Flu-flu arrows also have a visually interesting appearance.