The Everyday Hunting Arrow Planner | Build It Step by Step

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Start with your bow

Enter the bow and hunting facts only you can provide.

Your target weight is a planning goal. Your finished arrow may not land on that exact number because shaft length, GPI, spine, broadhead weight, and compatible component weights determine what can actually be built. The Arrow Planner will find the closest compatible setup and clearly show whether it finishes under or over your target.

Help Me Build My ArrowShow the Everyday Bow Hunter starting point and useful comparisons. I Know What I Want to BuildKeep the same five connected decisions and open component entry with your own values.

Bow facts

Published IBO or ATA Speed

fps

Actual Peak Draw Weight

Actual Draw Length

Not sure? Use the Draw Length Calculator

Weight Added to the Bowstring

Brace Height

6.5 inches is the Everyday Bow Hunter planning start. Replace it with the bow specification or a measurement from the grip pivot point to the string.

Plan arrow length and shaft cut length

Total Arrow Length is measured from the throat, or crook, of the nock to the end of the shaft. It does not include the insert, field point, or broadhead. The Planner uses an estimated 0.25-inch distance from the back of the shaft to the nock throat.

The automatic shop adjustment converts Total Arrow Length into a bare-shaft cut and rounds that cut up to the next half-inch mark. This creates an easier whole- or half-inch shop measurement and never shortens the shaft.

Actual Draw Length—

Initial Total Arrow Length—

Exact Shaft Cut—

Automatic Shop Adjustment—

Final Shaft Cut—

Resulting Total Arrow Length—

Choose the starting arrow length Draw Length + 1/2 InchThe Everyday Bow Hunter starting point for safe clearance. Draw Length + 1 InchUse when the rest, riser, or broadhead needs additional clearance. Custom Arrow LengthEnter your own nock-throat-to-shaft-end planning length.

Set the bare-shaft cut Automatic Shop Adjustment — RecommendedRounds the exact shaft cut up to the next half-inch mark. The final cut will end in a whole or half inch. Enter My Own Shaft CutUse the exact bare-shaft cut you enter. No automatic shop adjustment is applied.

Hunting distances

Typical Hunting Distance

Enter the distance that best represents your normal hunting opportunity window. Arrow weight, speed, kinetic energy, and momentum are built around this distance.

Maximum Shot Distance

Enter the farthest hunting shot you may take. This is used for Trajectory only and does not increase your target arrow weight or replace your typical shot window.

Arrow setup preferences

These choices help the planner narrow the shaft and component packages later. They are preferences unless you lock a broadhead weight.

What Matters Most for This Build? This applies across every catalog brand and helps order technically suitable shafts by what each model does best. It never overrides spine, length, finished weight, component fit, FOC, Performance, Trajectory, or Dynamic Spine.

Preferred FOC Approach FOC is an outcome, not a magic number. Packages inside your selected range are preferred after technical fit, then ranked for target weight. When none qualify, the planner clearly shows the Closest Available FOC.

Broadhead Type

Preferred Point or Broadhead Weight

Keep this broadhead weightChoose this when you already own or have decided on this weight. Otherwise, the planner may compare nearby weights.

Fletching Preference Help Me ChooseCompare both setups. A fixed-blade or single-bevel broadhead can favor four vanes for steering; the added rear weight is included in finished weight and FOC. Three VanesEveryday starting point, especially inside 30 yards. Four VanesMore steering, rear weight, and drag.

Choose your target and check performance

This is a working target, not a magic number. Choose the weight you want the planner to build toward, then review its expected performance at launch and your Normal Hunting Distance.

Calculated from your bow and Typical Hunting Shot Distance. Maximum Shot Distance is reserved for Trajectory and does not change this target.

Remember: This is the weight you want the planner to work toward. The exact finished weight will be calculated after a real shaft length and compatible components are selected.

Enter My Own Target Weight

Selected Target—

Normal Hunting Distance—

Distance	Speed	Kinetic Energy	Momentum

Planning estimate before components

The selected target is shown at launch and at your Normal Hunting Distance. The finished component package will replace this first estimate later.

Explore Alternatives

Compare nearby weights

Weight	Speed	Kinetic Energy	Momentum

Everyday Formula details

Open the Everyday Arrow Weight Formula in a new tab to try more bow, distance, and target-weight combinations. Return here and select or enter the target weight you want this plan to use.

Open the Everyday Arrow Weight Formula Open the Arrow Performance Calculator Your current planner page stays open, and your latest entered values are saved. The calculator will not change this plan automatically.

Compare sight zeros and the usable center-hold range next.

Plan your arrow trajectory

Set a sight zero and see whether the arrow stays inside your chosen rise-or-drop window through your normal hunting distance. Your occasional maximum distance remains available in the full details.

Set your trajectory plan

Primary Sight Reference

20 yards is the standard starting reference for compound-bow sights and sight tapes. Choose the 5-yard pin or tape mark you actually use from 20 through 40 yards. Comparisons are guidance and never change your selection automatically.

Maximum Arrow Rise or Drop

± in

Choose how far above or below your aim point you will allow the arrow to travel. A ±4-inch setting means up to 4 inches high or 4 inches low.

Sight Height

1.75 inches is the normal starting height for most hunting setups. If known, measure from the center of the arrow to the center of the sight pin.

Your Practical Trajectory Plan

Selected Sight Zero—

Usable Center-Hold Range—

At Normal Hunting Distance—

Explore Alternatives

Compare Arrow Weights Against Your Hunting Window

Each weight keeps your zero, sight height, and rise-or-drop allowance the same. Compare whether it stays inside the allowance through your normal hunting distance. Nothing changes until you choose a weight.

These are working target weights. Your finished weight will come from the shaft and components you choose next.

Compare sight zeros

Compare how each zero changes arrow rise or drop through your normal hunting opportunity window. Each card shows the first uninterrupted range, beginning at 5 yards, that stays inside your allowance. A longer zero can make the arrow rise above the allowance before it returns to the sight line. If a zero is beyond your normal hunting window, the planner flags it as an advanced choice and does not consider it the best fit for that window. Your entered zero remains the plan unless you choose another one.

Full Trajectory Details

Distance	Arrow Rise or Drop	Time of Flight	Speed

Trajectory planning estimate

This predicts arrow rise and drop from your entered speed, sight zero, sight height, and arrow profile. In an independent controlled-radar check of 28 new arrow configurations, the refined model averaged 1.32 fps of difference at 60 yards. Use it to compare plans, then confirm the finished arrow, zero, and sight marks at the range. See the published research method (opens in a new tab).

Open the Hunting Arrow Trajectory Calculator in a new tab to test more arrow weights, sight zeros, sight heights, and maximum distances.

Open the Hunting Arrow Trajectory Calculator Comparisons do not change this plan until you explicitly choose one.

Your planned arrow length and estimated spine will narrow the complete compatible setups.

Choose a complete arrow setup

The planner now has enough information to narrow the shaft and compatible components. It checks the complete package against target weight, preferred FOC, Performance, Trajectory, and Dynamic Spine.

The real package decides the finished weight. The recommendations below compare the shaft, cut length, broadhead, fletching, and compatible component weights together. A setup inside 3 grains is labeled On Target. If none can reach that mark, the planner shows the closest available build instead of forcing an incompatible part.

How should we build your starting package?

Use the information already entered to narrow the component catalog, or enter the parts you already own or plan to use.

Recommended setup active. No Custom build has been entered yet.

Your arrow length and shaft cut length were set with your bow facts at the start of the planner. Go back to the first step if you need to change either length; every recommendation will then be recalculated.

Browse or replace the recommended shaft

Catalog Shaft and Exact Spine This advanced list includes the maker, model, exact spine, GPI, diameter, and price tier. No prices are shown.

Loading the component catalog…

1. Enter your exact shaft

A recommended setup fills these facts automatically. Custom builders can enter the exact shaft they already know.

Shaft Brand

Shaft Model

Exact Spine

Shaft GPI

gr/in

Outside Diameter (Optional for Custom Entry)

The component catalog fills this automatically. If entering your own shaft, leave it blank to use the Standard performance model.

2. Enter front components

Front-end weight includes the point or broadhead and every part actually used. If your setup does not use an optional collar, outsert, or other part, leave that field blank or enter 0.

Point or Broadhead

Insert (Optional)