Arrow Acceleration Question
 

When does a arrow reach maximum velocity?

Would you be comfortable taking a head-on shot at a aggressive adult cougar from under one yard? Under a foot?
Which would technically mean the nock would still be on the string when the broadhead made contact.

I would prefer to shoot one a bit farther away not sure you could draw and shoot if they were that close.

LC

I would say by the time they get that close, even if you hit him with a fatal wound, he will probably mess you up pretty bad first!!

Under a foot? Just start whaling on it with the bow.

I would assume that once the arrow leaves the nock, that it would receive its greatest amount of kinetic energy transfer and would just slow down from there?

That was what I have always wondered.

If true- 1" off the string would be deadlier than further out.

Good to know.

Anyone ever actually shoot a target at point blank to see penetration?

I practice shooting at every yard from 1 to 10 regularly. The targets I use stop the arrows quite well. Not a huge difference in penetration that I have noticed.

LC

Arrow is moving fastest at the point it leaves the nock. However, it would be better to shoot cougars point blank with a longbow rather than a compound as it takes a compound circa 25% longer than a longbow to release an arrow: 15ms versus 12ms.

speed isn't everything when it comes to penetration. After a few yards the arrow will have recovered from paradox and will penetrate better. Will it fly faster after recovering? And that begs the question why haven't they made a chronograph that can be attached to a bow?

There is a chronograph that can screw in where you put your stabilizer. I've seen them on bow reviews on YouTube. Not sure what the brand name is though.

I have chronographs my bow from as close as I can get to the riser (about 3") out to 80 yards in 1 yard increments and I can tell you that there is no faster speed than when the arrow first comes off of the string. After that it averaged a .5 or so fps loss in speed per yard down range. Speed loss is dependant on the drag coefficient for that particular arrow configuration, and largely depends on arrow diameter, vane or feather type and number of vanes or feathers.

The paradox is another thing though. Would expect that at some point , likely 5 or so yards, maybe further you would see your maximum penetration due to arrow recovery from paradox.

That being said I have shot elk at 4 yards and never had a penetration problem.

Oops.

the fastest point of an arrows flight on a level shot is just before the nock releases from the string... there is a small bit of drag from nock friction.

The dangerous part is if the arrow hits something before it is out of the bow there is a very real danger of cutting the string.

How could it go faster after it recovers from paradox? What would be propelling it to make it go faster?

I don't think I said it goes faster but I'm pretty sure it will penetrate better once it's flying straight and true.

I agree with you 100%